Judaism’s Influence on Clothing
For the class project, I think that it would be interesting to see the way that religion influences how immigrant Jewish men and women dress. The Jews among the different sects of Judaism have different traditions that they follow when it comes to everyday clothing. There are articles of clothing, such as the kippah, that many men choose to wear every day. Other men also choose to wear a black hat.
Some articles of clothing, such as prayer shawl or tallit, are only worn while praying. It is also important to point out that most men only receive a tallit once they are married. There are also articles of clothing that some men where while getting married, and only wear again during the high holidays.
For women, there are not as many specific articles of clothing, but there are many different ways in which to dress. Many women follow the laws of tzniut, modesty, and this dictates the way that they dress. When following these laws, many women also choose to cover their hair, and they take on different customs when deciding how much of their hair to cover.
I think it would be interesting to learn why different Jewish immigrants dress different ways, and find out if coming to America has changed the way they choose to dress, or if it has caused them to hold on tighter to their beliefs.
