Following the NIF family’s campaign against gender segregation and exclusion of women in public places, the Israeli public and legal system is finally fighting back. This week Tanya Rosenblit became a national hero when she refused to sit at the back of a bus traveling between Ashdod and Jerusalem, and earlier this month an Israeli court awarded a woman compensation for being forced to sit at the back of the bus.

These were welcome developments as NIF distributed nine emergency grants of over $35,000 to organizations campaigning against gender segregation.

Earlier this year, following a petition by veteran NIF grantee Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) of the Movement for Progressive (Reform) Judaism, the High Court of Justice ruled that gender segregation on public transport could only be a voluntary arrangement and not forced on passengers.

Despite this ruling, the practice of compelling women to sit at the back of the bus has continued. Earlier this month, "Chet", a 60 year-old Orthodox woman from Rehovot was awarded $1,100 by the Rishon Lezion Small Claims Court in compensation for being humiliated by an Egged bus company driver and being ordered to sit at the back of the bus. She was represented by IRAC.

Last Saturday night Tanya Rosenblit sat at the front of the bus for 30 minutes and refused to budge while an Orthodox man held the door open and refused to let the bus move. Only after the police arrived did the bus set off with Rosenblit sitting triumphantly in the front.

Rosenblit, who said she was scared and confused during the incident, met with Transport Minister Israel Katz the following day. "Gender segregation on buses is unacceptable and illegal," said Katz, who at the start of NIF's campaign two years ago said that "Gender segregation on some public bus lines should be considered." The Israeli media covered the incident extensively, often comparing Ms. Rosenblit to Rosa Parks, and noted that the governing coalition has frequently been complicit or indifferent to growing attempts by the ultra-Orthodox to restrict women’s freedom of movement and images in the public sphere.

NIF’s “Women Should be Seen and Heard” campaign debuted last week to international news coverage including a story on CNN. We are asking women worldwide to contribute their photos to posters that we will display in public areas of Jerusalem, restoring the image of women to a city that has frequently removed them. If you have not yet sent in your photo, join the more than 300 NIF supporters who have participated -- Learn more here.