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Jan 18, 2011
Immodest Dress In Shul
And in another "getting non-frum people to come to shul" post, the Beit Knesset HaGadol of Tel Aviv seems to be having the exact opposite problem that Rabbi Einhorn is having in Kfar Shmaryahu.
The Beit Knesset HaGadol of Tel Aviv is seeing a tremendous resurgence in non-religious people who are coming to the shul. They are not necessarily coming for davening on Shabbos (though I hear that is true as well), but they come to see, curiosity, simchas, tours, events.
The director of the Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv has called upon the rabbonim to address the public and inform them of how they should be coming to shul. He sees them coming in such immodest dress that he has had enough. It bothers him too much. The men come with their heads uncovered, and, worse, the women come in immodest dresses, mini-skirts, shorts and tshirts, and whatever else you can imagine people wear on a daily basis.
While every visit by a non-frum person is welcome and appreciated, it gets to a point where it is very disturbing and inappropriate, and people should be told and instructed, if they don't realize it on their own, how to dress appropriately.
Yitzchak Neeman, the director, adds that it is vitally important to keep opening the doors of the shuls to the general public and to make them feel welcome, but it is no less important that they be instructed how to show proper respect. Just like the rabbonim give drashas about candle lighting and holiday topics, so they should also give such drashas about proper respect for the shuls.
I add that I agree with Neeman. I find it very strange, and a bit uncomfortable, when people come into shul, even if just in the social hall, but even more so when it happens in the sanctuary, dressed in extremely immodest dress. While often they most likely do not know or realize, there is a certain modicum of decorum and/or dress that should be obvious and adhered to.
The Beit Knesset HaGadol of Tel Aviv is seeing a tremendous resurgence in non-religious people who are coming to the shul. They are not necessarily coming for davening on Shabbos (though I hear that is true as well), but they come to see, curiosity, simchas, tours, events.
The director of the Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv has called upon the rabbonim to address the public and inform them of how they should be coming to shul. He sees them coming in such immodest dress that he has had enough. It bothers him too much. The men come with their heads uncovered, and, worse, the women come in immodest dresses, mini-skirts, shorts and tshirts, and whatever else you can imagine people wear on a daily basis.
While every visit by a non-frum person is welcome and appreciated, it gets to a point where it is very disturbing and inappropriate, and people should be told and instructed, if they don't realize it on their own, how to dress appropriately.
Yitzchak Neeman, the director, adds that it is vitally important to keep opening the doors of the shuls to the general public and to make them feel welcome, but it is no less important that they be instructed how to show proper respect. Just like the rabbonim give drashas about candle lighting and holiday topics, so they should also give such drashas about proper respect for the shuls.
I add that I agree with Neeman. I find it very strange, and a bit uncomfortable, when people come into shul, even if just in the social hall, but even more so when it happens in the sanctuary, dressed in extremely immodest dress. While often they most likely do not know or realize, there is a certain modicum of decorum and/or dress that should be obvious and adhered to.
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The same people come to business meetings dressed the same way. I've met with senior managers at a variety of major Israeli corporations who are dressed in ways that appear to me to be completely unprofessional and inappropriate. But I'm an American with that cultural background.
ReplyDeleteYou're not going to overcome this local culture in the non-frum population when they want to walk into a shul.
I should note that this changes when the meetings are in Jerusalem.
The worst is when women come dressed immodestly, and the mechitza is too high to allow a good look. What a waste!
ReplyDelete>there is a certain modicum of decorum and/or dress that should be obvious and adhered to.
ReplyDeleteObviously, it's not obvious.
Part of it is the "I want to join the country club but don't expect me to hold by the dress code!"
ReplyDeletePart of it is simple "I'm not Orthodox so the rules don't apply to me".
I recall years ago a non-Jewish friend of mine wanted to see what shul was like so I took her to Maariv on erev Pesach. Her first question was "How do I dress?" so I described the basic requirements and she showed up dressed very appropriately, in total contrast to the Jewish princesses across from her in their miniskirts and halter tops.
We can be our worst enemies.
What makes it more annoying is how these same people take care to dress respectfully when visiting a church or mosque.
ReplyDeleteAs a Kaf Zchut, I guess that at shul they feel "at home" and allow themselves to be more lax.
Unfortunately, there are even Orthodox Jews who come to shul looking like they're heading for the beach. Someone I know once bragged how shortly after making Aliyah, he finally had the guts to attend mincha on Shabbos afternoon wearing shorts. Not sure what he meant by Aliyah.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of shuls and beaches, have you ever heard of the shul on Venice Beach (http://www.pjcenter.com/)?
As a result of its location, this shul has many interesting incidents take place. One was years ago on Rosh HaShanna during T'kiyas Shofar. A couple dressed in bathing suits were skating down the boardwalk entered the shul foyer. The shul bouncer (one of the members who sits closest to the door with a baseball bat at his side) politely explained to them that it was inappropriate for them to be in the synagogue dressed that way, particularly during the High Holy Days. Turns out it was an Israeli couple who were drawn in by the sound of the Shofar. They apologized, and left. Half an hour later they returned respectably dressed and took seats for the remainder of Rosh HaShanna davening.