Why do Ḥasidim still dress in the style of the 18th Century Polish aristocracy today?

 As appeared in my Times of Israel blog. 

 

This question is directed at those ultra and very orthodox, mostly European (Ashkenazi), Jews who live in Israel: Why continue to dress as an Eastern European when you live in the Middle East? Why not dress as Moshe Rabaynu (Mosses) or Rambam (Maimonides)? This includes the women, of course. Remember there is a core Jewish principal to follow the custom of the place (minhag ha’makom) and not to separate oneself from the community (al tifrosh min ha’tzibbur).

Throughout history, religious Jews in Israel and the Middle East generally dressed in ways that reflected both local customs and Jewish religious requirements; modesty (tzniut) and other religious laws. For example, in ancient Israel, men wore long, striped/multi-colored robes, that were influenced by local Semitic styles, while women wore modest robes and head shawls. That style has not changed much through the post-medieval times and up to today, as can be seen when looking at the dress of local Druze and Bedouins and even the traditional dress of the U.A.E. and the Saudis.

Today, Ḥasidic (ultra-orthodox) men are known for their unique style of dress. This includes: the long black coats (bekeshe, caftan); expensive, hot, fur hats (shtreimel, spodik); and other distinctive garments. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Jews in Poland, and surrounding Eastern European regions, often adopted the fashions of the local nobility and upper classes. They took on these styles as a way to fit in with their surroundings. Over time, it developed into a way that expresses their own distinct communal identity. Therefore, the origins of Ḥasidic dress are, relative to the thousands of years of Jewish history, a recent cultural and sartorial adaptation.

There are some style variations between the different Ḥasidic sects that can make it easy to identify them (Ger, Satmar, etc.). Additionally, Ḥaredim (very orthodox, as opposed to ultra-orthodox) men wear modern styled black or dark blue suits, white dress shirts, and usually a fedora style hat.

Hats. Black felt fedoras are standard daily wear or special Shabbat/Holiday wear for many orthodox men. Yet, there are specific different styles for each religious sect. Chabad (Lubavitch) Ḥasidim tend to favor a fedora with a distinctive triangle-shaped crease, while non-Ḥasidic "Litvak" Ḥaredim wear a similar style but with a single crease down the middle. Some Ḥasidic groups wear round, brim-up hats with no creases, sometimes called "up-hats" or "biber" hats (originally made from beaver felt). Other groups chose other styles, not to mention the positioning that the hat sits on one’s head. The shape, height, brim style, and even the ribbon’s placement can indicate the specific religious sect or community of the wearer.

Old joke: “The Messiah hasn’t come yet because he doesn’t know which hat to wear.”

Let us also put out there that Poland has a history of anti-Semitism, and its geographic location is a very cold climate. Which begs the question…why copy the dress of cold-climate, anti-Semitic, Eastern Europeans? Why not adopt a dress code closer to your cultural, historic, and religious heritage that are more adaptive to this Middle Eastern climate you live in?

With some adaptations, Israeli Ḥasidim and Ḥaredim can make that style their own. By doing so it would be a more traditional look for living in our Promised Land, and healthier (not overheating in heavy black clothing and better sun protection), while maintaining our religious standards. The look, of course, can be tweaked for individual each community’s personality. Kitniyot, however, is another issue. 

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