The return of traditional Chassidic dress

YOSSI ARON

RECENT moves in the Knesset to ban the import to Israel of certain furs from Asian countries have the potential to create problems regarding forms of headgear that are the mark of men in many Orthodox communities. Surprisingly, the story even became a feature in Melbourne’s Age newspaper (26/06).

Variously known as a shtreimel or spodeke, depending on its exact design (the shtreimel is flatter and the spodeke taller), headgear -— of which fur is a major component -— is worn by married men in many Chassidic communities worldwide. Among some Jerusalem communities, a shtreimel is even worn by boys over the age of bar mitzvah.

Hence there is obvious concern in the Orthodox community regarding the proposed new law, even though some shtreimels are made from mink, sable and fox furs from sources other than in Asia and others even utilise artificial materials.

What is the origin of this custom that has no biblical or talmudic basis? In its original form, Chassidic dress was the dress of the Polish nobility, adopted for special occasions such as Shabbat. However, there is much more to its significance, which explains why when it was discussed in the Knesset the matter was sent off to a committee for further examination.

With a decree promulgated in 1853, the Russian czarist government, with the cooperation and even instigation of certain maskilim -— “enlightened” Jews -— forbade Jews from wearing “Jewish” clothing. Of course, the decree was opposed by many rabbinic leaders who could not countenance enforced change in Jewish dress.

The first Rebbe of Ger, Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter, even considered the matter to be a life and death issue. In so doing he was following the tradition that prescribes that while there are only three cardinal sins that may never be transgressed, in the event of decrees directed at weakening religious affiliation, even a decree forcing Jews to change the traditional colour for their shoelaces must not be complied with.

Fortunately, over time, the czarist decree, though never revoked officially, lapsed into perfunctory enforcement. However, owing to its coercive nature and as a protest against the continuing venomous attacks on Jewish tradition by the maskilim, who utilised anti-Semitic sentiment when it suited their aims, absolute insistence on unchanged traditional styles of Jewish clothing then returned to large sections of the Jewish religious world, especially among Chassidim -— where it still remains.

While the wearing of traditional dress has long been a widespread feature of the Jewish scene in Brooklyn and Jerusalem (albeit that its popularity has increased in recent decades), it is comparatively new to Australia. Reports exist of traditionally attired 19th century fundraising visitors to Australia from Jerusalem, such as rabbis Jacob Sapir and Chaim Zvi Schneersohn.

However, the first postwar instance of a rabbi in Australia other than a visitor wearing a shtreimel was Rav Yaakov Yitzchok Neumann, who served as rabbi of Melbourne’s Adass Israel community in 1952/3. In Sydney Rav Gedaliah Herc of the Yeshiva similarly wore the traditional attire of Gerer Chassidim.

Over subsequent years, while the Melbourne Adass was led by Rabbi Bezalel Stern who was not Chassidic in outlook, only a few other individuals adopted such a mode of dress. Among them was Reb Eliezer David Friedman, who told this writer that prior to coming to Australia he actually enquired as to whether one could wear a shtreimel in Melbourne in the street.

In an interesting reflection of the very different nature of the Adass of that era, he was told that there was no problem wearing it in the street -— but whether such a Chassidic symbol would be welcomed in the non-Chassidic Bet Midrash was another question.

When the late Sam Gorr wore a shtreimel under the chuppah in 1966 he was featured in the Melbourne Herald. However, it was the 1969 arrival of HaRav Elimelech Ashkenazi, the third rabbi of the Melbourne Adass, that witnessed the beginning of the change that has made Chassidic dress more commonplace in the Australian community.

That arrival coincided with the era when the first post-Holocaust born boys who had studied overseas returned to Melbourne having reached marriageable age.

Rabbi Ashkenazi wore Chassidic dress himself and encouraged the new generation now marrying to do the same, thereby reintroducing styles of dress that may have been traditional with their respective grandparents but had been de-emphasised in the postwar years.

Worldwide too, Chassidic dress was similarly experiencing a popular revival. Forty years later, the result is the sight commonly seen in Ripponlea and to a lesser extent in Bondi.

Yossi Aron is The AJN‘s religious affairs editor.