Do We Need a Rule about Breastfeeding in Shul?

Rabbi Ysoscher Katz (RYK) of Yeshiva Chovevei Torah wrote a psak, or religious ruling, on whether it's permitted to breastfeed in the synagogue. I've addressed this issue several times before, because women have been harassed, and people have spoken out publicly against breastfeeding in the … [Read more...]

Why Can’t Breastfeeding Mothers Just Be Nice?

When someone posted a picture of a Jewish TV celebrity breastfeeding on the subway, it prompted a hot Twitter debate about whether breastfeeding in public is inconsiderate. Seeing a mother breastfeeding, even if nothing shows, makes some people uncomfortable. That feeling is unlikely to change, … [Read more...]

Rabbi Eliyahu Against Breastfeeding in Bathrooms

The alon Olam Katan has a regular feature called shu”t cellulari, or responsa via SMS. Readers can text halachic questions and get answers fairly quickly, from either Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu or Rabbi Shlomo Aviner. My daughter alerted me to one of last week’s questions: Is there a problem of tumah … [Read more...]

Is Public Breastfeeding Immodest? An Orthodox Jewish Perspective

Welcome to the July 2010 Carnival of Nursing in Public This post was written for inclusion in the Carnival of Nursing in PublicNursingFreedom.org. All week, July 5-9, we will be featuring articles and posts about nursing in public ("NIP"). See the bottom of this post for more information. *** … [Read more...]

The "Cringe" Factor

In response to my post on the Modiin Mall story, Frumhouse described how she has handled nursing in public. Therapy Doc left the following comment: The problem is the cringe factor, and ignoring that is ignoring anything that makes people cringe. If you know you're making someone cringe, … [Read more...]

The Truth about Nursing in the Ezrat Nashim

Which of the following situations is disturbing, distracting, or inappropriate in shul? Cracking open a bag of Bamba for a toddler, who proceeds to distribute the contents around the shul Hansel and Gretel style. Shoving chairs right and left while pushing a monster stroller through the … [Read more...]