Elad Poster Outs Couple for Immodest Behavior

A pashkevil went up over the weekend in Elad, warning the public about a woman and man who did "grave deeds:" Elad is a religious city outside of Petach Tikva. Here's my translation: So the Public May Know With great sorrow we must publicize that according to our Holy Torah one must stay … [Read more...]

A Frum Fashion History of Denim Skirts

In Tablet Magazine, Dvora Meyers takes readers on a tour of her wardrobe over the years, and how in retrospect, her skirt choices paralleled her journey away from Orthodox Judaism. In this passage, Meyers describes her ambivalence about wearing pants in public for the first time: Even with all … [Read more...]

Winter Fashion Retrospective, 2011

A while back, my daughter asked me to take her shopping. I told her I would take her on one condition—that she find out from her friends the best place to go. So one rainy afternoon we set out around 3:45, avoiding traffic, to the Segula intersection in Petach Tikva to H. Fashions. So what do you … [Read more...]

Interview with “Mother Taliban”

Channel 2's "360" program broadcast Yifat Erlich's prison interview with Bruria Keren. For some reason she called her Rabbanit M.—I don't know where the M comes from. Her husband isn't a rabbi, but it is common for female teachers to be known as Rabbanit. Of course the title adds to the … [Read more...]

Video: Undercover Reporter Infiltrates “Taliban Women”

Channel Two's investigative program, 360, broadcast a report about what they called the —œTaliban women.— Yifat Erlich (of Megeirot fame—she's graduated from Makor Rishon newspaper to TV) went undercover to infiltrate the group and interview their leader, Malka Benizri. The report claims that … [Read more...]

Are Burka Ladies a Threat to Mainstream Orthodox Women?

This is a response to a discussion on the Face-Covering Jewish Women from Beit Shemesh on a private Orthodox Jewish forum. The poster, —œCapital Chick— from Canada, gave permission to post. I have edited it slightly. Capital Chick is responding to forum members who argue that this is none of our … [Read more...]

Face-Covering Families in Beit Shemesh: A Destructive Cult?

These pictures, from Nahar Hayarden Street in Beit Shemesh, were posted on Rotter.net. The youngest one looks about four years old. They are covered from head to toe in black, except for the youngest who enjoys a red, white and blue print with a blue head-covering. The girls from this group, which … [Read more...]

Cashier Denied Employment in Haredi Supermarket Because of Wig

A few days ago the haredi internet forum Behadrei Haredim reported on a Chabad woman who lost her job as a cashier in a haredi supermarket, because she wore a wig instead of a scarf or snood. As I've mentioned several times, the "hyper-tzniut" movement discourages wigs. Women are frequently … [Read more...]

Extreme Breastfeeding, Extreme Modesty and More

I've collected these links for your reading enjoyment: Almost Eden gives tips for keeping warm in the Israeli winter. Rafi reports about a wedding invitation asking women to dress in “shalim.” Leah Goodman wrote a guest post on making recipes vegetarian or kosher. The government is making … [Read more...]

With a Mother-in-Law Like This, Who Needs Enemies?

The letter below appeared in yesterday's edition of the alon Giluy Daat in a column called gilui lev (confession or revelation).  My children tell me the letter isn’t typical for this column — most are thank-yous and the like. But if it’s at all typical of the way parents in the religious community … [Read more...]