Comments on: An Uninspiring Letter to the Women of Ramat Beit Shemesh

By: Rahel

Rahel — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:06:33 +0000

Yup, this letter is patronizing and offensive. It deserves to be exposed (pun intended) for what it is: a transparent attempt at manipulation and an insult to our intelligence.

Overemphasis on modesty has the opposite of its intended effect. Look at the way women are treated in Saudi Arabia — and veiling from head to toe is mandatory there. (Source: here — you’ll have to scroll down a bit to find the relevant part.)

By: Yisrael Medad

Yisrael Medad — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 11:33:24 +0000

now, now. you’re being immodest.

By: mominisrael

mominisrael — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:32:43 +0000

You hungry?

By: Yisrael Medad

Yisrael Medad — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:35:21 +0000

“Maybe they need to see a couple of female, post-puberty elbos.”

I’d settle for a few elbows myself.

By: mominisrael

mominisrael — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:45:40 +0000

Laura, yes, I feel the subtext. Welcome and thanks for visiting.
I-D: I know what you mean.
Batya: I don’t know if I would go that far.
Adena: Thank you and you’re welcome. Thanks for linking to the article. Nothing earth-shattering there.
Baila, LOL.
ProfK, better for the women to take the responsibility.
Victoria, welcome. Good analogy.

By: Victoria Feinerman

Victoria Feinerman — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:29:36 +0000

When I am on a diet, I do not ask all of the bakeries to remove their cakes and pies from the display window.

And, if the bakeries decided to remove their cakes and pies from the display window for reasons of their own, I would not be so pompous as to assume that they removed the tempting items for my benefit, to enable me to diet more easily.

Ultimately, I am responsible for my own diet, for what I myself do, and I cannot blame or thank the bakeries for what is or isn’t in their display windows. (That is rule #1 for the successful dieter!)
Likewise, men must be responsible for their own wandering eyes, their own thoughts, and their own emotions, whatever may trigger them.

By: Rafi G

Rafi G — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:39:41 +0000

profk – that would just let their eyes wander without anybody noticing!

By: Prof K

Prof K — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:53:14 +0000

Amazing how they so carefully scrutinize a woman’s way of dressing to see if it is appropriate but don’t see that publicly commenting on how a woman dresses is itself highly inappropriate. Perhaps they need to start wearing super dark glasses in public to keep their eyes from wandering where they shouldn’t.

By: Baila

Baila — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:59:32 +0000

I work in a charedi place. I started working in the summer and my standards of tzniut are definitely not up to the standards of the women there. One day I wore what I always thought was a pretty ugly blouse, but it did cover the elbows and collar bones. You wouldn’t believe how many compliments I got that day. Now most of these women are covered up the wazoo but do dress attractively. Hard for me to believe they actually like the blouse. I think they were subtly (or maybe not so) using positivie reinforcement techniques on me.

So far the techniques haven’t worked that well.

By: adena

adena — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:18:45 +0000

I enjoy your blog a lot – it gives me a peek into a world about which I know little.

Also, thank you for connecting me with Rivka re: the breast cancer stuff – it has been helpful to read her blog and other linked blogs.

Finally, I just read an article about Haredi Jews and sexuality and I’d love your opinion on it
http://www.jewcy.com/post/sex_haredi_jew
–Adena