(Arutz 7)—While she was in Israel to celebrate Shimon Peres’ birthday by performing in two concerts, Academy and Grammy Award winner, Barbra Streisand, long an activist and philantropist to Israeli causes, particularly Hebrew University (which just gave her an honorary doctorate), expressed her disappointment in a speech at the university about the discriminatory behavior exercised against women in Israel by members of the hareidi community. “I realize it’s not easy to fully grasp the dynamics of what happens in a foreign land. Israel and the United States have much in common: Two great and noble countries, each with problems of course, but always striving to shine as a beacon of hope,” Streisand said. “So it’s distressing to hear about women in Israel being forced to sit at the back of a bus, or when we hear about Women of the Wall having metal chairs hurled at them when they attempt to peacefully pray, or when women are banned from singing in public ceremonies.”

Streisand also noted that, “One of the things I’ve always admired about this university is the fact that here, women and men, Jews and Arabs, Christians and Muslims, native-born and immigrants, sit together in classes, share the same cafeterias, learn from the same professors, and dream together of a good and meaningful life.”