JERUSALEM, May 20 — Women For the Wall, the new women’s grassroots initiative for the preservation of the sanctity of the Kotel (Western Wall) Holy Site, reacted with shock and dismay to the news that the stairwell and doorway of a prominent member of the Women of the Wall had been defaced with anti-WOW graffiti.

Women For the Wall is reaching out to the victim, Peggy Cidor, to meet with her and to volunteer to help clean up after this disgrace. “We strongly condemn such actions,” said Leah Aharoni, co-founder of Women For the Wall. “W4W is deeply committed to the principle of Ahavat Yisroel, loving our fellow Jews. Defacing a home is antithetical to that ideal we cherish.”

Sadly, news outlets often focus upon the misbehavior of the few, to the exclusion of thousands of others. When the Women of the Wall descended to the Kotel on Friday, May 10, reports said they were met by an “angry mob” of “men, women and girls” — while the truth was that over 12,000 women were present, praying silently and with dignity, while those involved in boorish behavior were a few dozen young men.

Women For the Wall was quick to similarly reject any association with this outrageous act. “The vandal called this a ‘Tag Torah’ — he or she would do well to remember that ‘Derache’ha Darche Noam,’ ‘the way of the Torah is pleasantness,’ and that Jewish law requires that we treat others as we would like to be treated,” said Ronit Peskin, co-founder and Director of Women For the Wall. “These people do not represent Torah Jewry, and Women For the Wall strongly condemn their actions, as well as any other nastiness directed at the Women of the Wall, our beloved sisters.”