Picture of the Day

Seen in Zfat

Photo: Miriam Woelke

Zniut in the Jewish Quarter (Rova)

Poster seen in the Jewish Quarter.

Old City of Jerusalem.

Photo: Miriam Woelke

New Clothes during the Bejn HaMetzarim

B"H 

With yesterday's 17 Tammuz, the Jewish world has entered the three - week mourning period before Tisha be'Av. Those three weeks are referred to as BEJN HA'METZARIM but their task is not to make our lives miserable. Although we should remember the destruction of both Temples as well as the suffering of the Jerusalem population under the siege of the Babylonians and, later on, the Romans, our task is to do our own private CHESHBON NEFESH – Analyzing ourselves and how we relate to Mitzvot and G - d. Where are our mistakes and how can we slowly improve ourselves ?

Halacha commands us to follow certain laws during the Bejn HaMetzarim. One of those rules is that Jews don't get married until Tisha be'Av is over. Another rule is not to buy and to wear new clothes during those three weeks. Are we, at all, allowed buying or wearing new clothes during the Bejn HaMetzarim ? 

When we usually buy new clothes such as skirts, pants or shirts we say the "Sheyechiyanu" Bracha. However, we don't make Berachot on new shoes but some follow the custom symbolically marking the word AMALEK underneath their shoe. Like drawing the word with a finger. 

Nevertheless, are Jews allowed to buy and wear new clothes during the three weeks ?

The problem is not really the buying but wearing the new clothes. It says that one should refrain from wearing new clothes we usually make a blessing on. Underwear and socks don't need a Bracha and may be bought and worn during the three weeks. New shirts, pants or skirts may not be worn but can be bought. 

Remark: 

Some Rabbis even allow wearing new clothes until Rosh Chodesh Av !

Satmarer wearing old Yerushalmi Clothes ?

B"H

A week ago, the youngest daughter of the Toldot Aharon Rebbe David Kahn got married to the grandson of the Satmarer Rosh Beit Din, Rabbi Israel Chaim Menashe Friedman. The name of the groom is Natan but, unfortunately, I don't know the name of the bride. 

While looking at the wedding photos, I started wondering why the groom, as a Satmarer, was wearing the old Yerushalmi clothes. If outsiders didn't know that Natan Friedman is from Satmar, one could have got the impression that he is Toldot Aharon. 

Is there a tradition getting married in old Yerushalmi clothes or why did a Satmarer wore such clothing ?

All photos from the Mitzve Tanz HERE !

The Streimel as a real fashion model

Two different "kinds of Streimel" :-)))

The Jewish "Taliban" Women justifying themselves

B”H 

Although the video documentation is in only in Hebrew, the message is very clear: The Jewish “Taliban” women are justifying themselves by saying that no person has the right to judge his fellow Jew by looking at the clothes. There is much more behind a person than his clothes. The “Taliban” women don’t regard themselves as “cult” but as a group of frum women following their personal strict modesty rules. They are ordinary religious women from different Jewish backgrounds and they are not up to any violent acts or behaviour. 

We all have to realize that there are differences among those women wearing shawls or “Burkas”. Not all frum women covering their heads and shoulders with a shawl regard themselves as members of the “Taliban” movement but as very modest women. And not all of them are followers of Rabbanit Ben Izri who is now the head of the “Taliban” movement. 

I actually do know some of the women appearing in the video. They are from Toldot Aharon and belong to the stricter and more conservative part of the group. The women in Toldot Aharon differ and one notices it by looking at their head covers. There are those women trying to be mre modern and those who really stick to the old Yerushalmi rules and traditions.

Haredi women and their rose shoes

B"H

Sometimes, haredi women's clothes can be very ugly. I am not talking about Chalukim (house dresses) with all kinds of colours and stripes. No, I am talking about Schabbes clothes, for instance. Dresses with pompons and all different kinds of stripes. The same for the children. Maybe it is just not my style but it does make me wonder how some people define beauty.:-)

Once I was visiting a Tish in Jerusalem's chassidic group Kretchnif where at Toldot Aharon woman was standing next to me. She wore flat black shoes but with a huge plastic rose on top. Those shoes always follow me in my thoughts and when I passed some shoe stores in haredi Bnei Brak, the roses just came into my mind.:-)

By the way, those rose shoes were quite a fashion a while ago and I saw them at many Tishes. 

Women's shoes in Bnei Brak

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Regarding MODESTY (ZNIUT)

B”H 

Israel’s leftist paper YEDIOT ACHARONOT (Online it is called YNET) is spreading more propaganda referring to a new haredi scandal. Beit Shemesh is already out and now a female soldier was mocked on a haredi bus in Jerusalem. It seems like anyone is suddenly using haredi buses and causing a mess. If any Haredi complains, the person provoking is immediately calling YEDIOT ACHARONOT. 

Strange because hardly anyone before has ever complained. Also strange that have never faced any problems while traveling in pants or walking through Bnei Brak or other haredi areas in pants. I admit that I don’t enter certain areas wearing pants. Those areas with modesty signs. Example: I do not enter the Mea Shearim market or the Batei Ungarin in pants ! 

Furthermore, I won’t stand right in front of the Western Wall (Kotel) while wearing pants. When I come to the Kotel in pants I stand behind the separation between Kotel and tourists. When I come in a skirt, I stand right at the wall praying. Those decisions I have made for myself and try not to hurt anyone else’s feelings. I do respect haredi neighbourhoods and don’t enter the strictest areas in pants. I also respect G – d and don’t approach the Kotel in pants. 

When you go to an opera or theatre performance, you also dress up in a special way. Even the St. Peter’s Church at the Vatican only allows visitors dressed modestly and not wearing a bathing suit or short pants. 

Almost two years ago I wrote an article about an incident happening to me on haredi bus lines. I wasn’t yelled at but just the opposite happened. Unfortunately, not too many media sites report about positive matters.

Purim 5769 in Chassidut Vien

Chassidut Vien located in Brooklyn. It would be great if anyone could contribute any information on the white Streimel appearing in the video.

 

Modesty: An Adornment for Life

Photo: Feldheim

B"H

One of the blog readers mentioned the book "Modesty: An Adornment for Life" written by Rabbi Pesach Eliyahu Falk. The book deals with the modesty of women such as dressing code and morality. Fortunately, I found it available to read on Google Books; although not all pages. 

I have to make a confession: I have always felt uncomfortable among these really frum dressed women and girls. First of all, I am not like them even if I dressed like them. My upbringing was different and thus is my behaviour. Somehow I identify the frum dress with kitchen, not too much education, many children and a lack of freedom. Of course this is a stereotype point of view but it automatically comes into my mind when I see such girls. Especially young women who are newly married.

When I was in the haredi neighbourhood of Ge'ulah (next to Mea Shearim in Jerusalem) yesterday, I entered my favourite cold drink store. Slush in many varieties and you even have the choice between Parve and Chalavi (Milchig). 

The store is small, run by English speaking modern Haredim and located in Malchei Israel Street. Why I like going there ? Because the slush is tasty and not too expensive. A big cup costs 13 Shekels (approx. 4 Dollar). 

Yesterday I ordered the slush and placed myself into a corner next to the door. In fact, there is not much room to stand anyway. 

A few minutes later, an ambulance team from the Israeli "Magen David Adom" entered the store and also ordered slush. Three guys and one younger woman wearing their white ambulance shirts. The woman and me were the only females in the store wearing pants. No one was bothered by that but then a young chassidic couple walked in and even before they ordered their drink, the young woman looked at us like ... well, she may have thought that she is on a higher level. Regarding modesty or religiously. In fact, she looked at me and the Magen David Adom woman and started whispering to her husband. He, by the way, wasn't interested at all. 

I am used to that kind of behaviour by many haredi women but the ambulance woman didn't feel very comfortable. Why would this young haredi woman (I couldn't identify her group but it could have been Chernobyl) judge us according to our clothes ? Malchei Israel Street is not such a closed neighbourhood and plenty of secular and traditional Jews walk around during the day. 

The young chassidic woman has her task in this world and so do we. She neither knows me nor the ambulance woman and in case she needs an ambulance, she will be glad seeing that particular woman in her pants helping her. 

I had to mention this particular situation here because I felt sorry for the young ambulance woman being stared at. Not only being stared but the haredi woman had to whisper to her husband. The couple left after a short while and I don't even know whether they bought something or decided not to.

Chassidic Women and the Stocking Feeling

Toldot Aharon women and their stockings

Photo: Maariv

B"H

It all depends on the upbringing and one's own discipline. I don't have the upbringing and I do have a lack of discipline. At least in some ways of my life.

The summer season in Israel is extremely hot. Netanya,Haifa, Ashdod, Tel Aviv or Bnei Brak additionally suffer from a high percentage of humidity coming from the sea. The result is that, even without moving too much, we are dripping. Sweat is running down you face and even your arms. And then we see women wearing stockings. It doesn't matter what colour the stockings have. Plain black or simply regular stockings for the chassidic woman.

We look at those women and feel sorry for them. Their society is determining the rules and this includes the stockings as well. On the other hand, I see many of those chassidic woman walking with a certain kind of pride. They stare at other women not being that modest and the others stare because there is a woman walking around in stockings.

Seculars may think that those stocking women are nuts or being told by their husbands what to wear. Many chassidic women, however, wouldn't even get the idea of not wearing those stockings. The stockings make them accepted in their society. Showing that they identify with the group. For those women there is no alternative and they don't even look for one. If you want a good Shidduch, be proud of yourself, have a life, then you wear the stockings. You do what society expects you to do and don't even think about it. I have met many of such women but when you do start some controversial topics, they become curious and start discussing among each other.

Chassidic Ba'alei Teshuva women just jump into those stockings, as this may give them the feeling that they are part of the group. An inner satisfaction to show one's discipline and desire to do everything right.

I admire both groups but would love to know how those Ba'alei Teshuva women feel in their new lives ? Is it really that easy to throw away your sandals or sneakers and jump into stockings and shoes ?

Women ! Dress modestly !

The EDAH HACHAREDIT telling women to dress modestly and not to show any flesh.

Source: Ladaat

Is it allowed to pray while wearing CROCS ?

B"H

The halachic question whether it is allowed to pray wearing CROCS is extremely interesting to me. I am a CROCS fan and mainly wear those funny looking shoes.

KIKAR SHABBAT was asking the question if a Jew may pray in CROCS and the answer is YES. A praying Jew may wear CROCS but, at the same time, should also wear socks.

Haredim and barefoot is always an issue. Once a friend of mine was praying at the Kotel (Western Wall) only wearing sandals. She didn't wear socks but was barefoot. A haredi woman came up to her and said that she (my friend) shouldn't be praying liked that (without socks). My friend, however, considered herself as "national religious" and for her, this was excuse enough. 

Hats of Jerusalem

B"H

A very interesting series on Jerusalem Hats

Where does the STREIMEL come from ?

Did the bell belong to the Cohen HaGadol ?

B"H

Archeologists found a rare bell in the City of King David near the Temple Mount. May the bell have been part of the High Priest's (Cohen HaGadol) official Temple clothing ?

But even if, in the Messianic Era, the Third Temple will be built and Levi'im as well as Cohanim are going to continue their Temple tasks. Just like in the past two Temples.

Jewish Taliban Girls

These photos published in a haredi forum show the junction Mea Shearim Street / Shivtei Israel. However, I don't think that the two children in the photo belong to Chassidut Toldot Aharon owning the property right next to where the kids walk. I rather assume that the covered Taliban looking girl and her brother belong to the Ba'alei Teshuva movement from Breslov. Those people mainly live in one of the streets across where they also have their own school. 

I have seen you a few girls whose Breslov Ba'al Teshuva mother is raising them by wearing thick scarfs and a bundle of Taliban clothes. There are two young sister in the Nachlaot neighbourhood wearing the same kind of clothing.

Link:

Women wearing Re'ulot

Black Jews dressed in Belz Clothes and Yerushalmi Hats

B"H

Last night, while touring the "Jerusalem Light Festival" in the Old City, I saw a few rather strange guys near the Kotel (Western Wall). Some readers may call me a "Rassist" for saying that but I don't care.

In Jerusalem, it is not necessarily unusual that some Ethiopian Jews wear haredi clothes. Not really the haredi style but rather a black hat (not a Borsolino) and maybe a white shirt. However, those three of four black young guys I saw last night were dressed in a kind of Belzer clothing style and one guy wore a flat Yerushalmi hat.

First I thought that this may be the freaky Rapper Shyne and his gang. Actually it could have been although one of those black "Chassidim" was called by the name YIGAL. 

Excuse my "Rassism" but it was just weird seeing those guys dressed in Belz or Yerushalmi, as I know too well what the born Chassidim think about them. Nevertheless, the Belzer run a Yeshiva for male Baalei Teshuva Jews and Shyne used to study there.

How to close the Kaftan ?

B"H

Different chassidic groups keep various customs regarding their Kaftan (coat). Not only specific colours or fabrics but also the amount of buttons plays an important role.

Usually a Kaftan is being closed in a special way: The right side of the Kaftan over the left side. The reason "right over left" may find its origin in kabbalistic teachings.

In Kabbalah, the right side always stands for Chesed (kindness) whereas the left represents Din (judgment). 

Please correct me in case there is another reason or my assumption is wrong !

Nothing but Streimels

B"H

Nice Streimel pictures from a Streimel store in Jerusalem's haredi Ge'ulah neighbourhood. I assume that the guy taking the photos went to the famous "Streimel Center". Actually this was my idea going there and finding out anything connected to the "Streimel issue" but I was always wondering how they react when a woman walks in. Not a future bride buying a Streimel for her future husband but someone ordinary like me.:-)