A Cultural History of Jewish Dress - Dress, Body, Culture

Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 231-249) and index. Biographical Note: Eric Silverman is Associate Professor of Anthropology in the American Studies and Human Development department, Wheelock College, Boston, and a Scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University. Table of Contents: IntroductionWhat did an Ancient Israelite Look Like?The Fashion of the RabbisBitter Bonnets and BadgesDressing for Enlightened CitizenshipFashionably Modest or Modestly Unfashionable?Black Hats and Unsuitable SuitsStraps, Fringes, Snails, and ShawlsDora the Explorer, Eco-friendly Vegan Recycled Kippot, and the Obama-kahConclusion: Jewlicious: Sexy, Young, and HipBibliographyIndexReview Quotes: "Anthropologist Silverman (Wheelock College) provides a valuable update to the classic "A History of Jewish Costume Dress"... Silverman gives intriguing insights for Jews and non-Jews into how tensions within and without some US Jewish congregations/communities play out. Summing up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries." - B. B. Chico, "Regis University, CHOICE"Publisher Marketing: "A Cultural History of Jewish Dress" is the first comprehensive account of how Jews have been distinguished by their appearance from Ancient Israel to the present. For centuries Jews have dressed in distinctive ways to communicate their devotion to God, their religious identity, and the proper earthly roles of men and women. This lively work explores the rich history of Jewish dress, examining how Jews and non-Jews alike debated and legislated Jewish attire in different places, as well as outlining the big debates on dress within the Jewish community today. Focusing on tensions over gender, ethnic identity and assimilation, each chapter discusses the meaning and symbolism of a specific era or type of Jewish dress. What were biblical and rabbinic fashions? Why was clothing so important to immigrant Jews in America? Why do Hassidic Jews wear black? When did yarmulkes become "bar mitzvah" souvenirs? The book also offers the first analysis of how young Jewish adults today announce on caps, shirts, and even undergarments their striving to transform Jewishness from a religious and historical heritage into an ethnic identity that is hip, racy, and irreverent. Fascinating and accessibly written, "A Cultural History of Jewish Dress" will appeal to anybody interested in the central role of clothing in defining Jewish identity. Review Citations:

Choice 10/01/2013 (EAN 9781845205133, Hardcover)

Choice 10/01/2013 (EAN 9781847882868, Paperback)

Contributor Bio:  Silverman, Eric Eric Silverman is Associate Professor of Anthropology in the American Studies and Human Development department, Wheelock College, Boston, and a Scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University. Contributor Bio:  Silverman, Wendy SHARON L. SILVERMAN is former director of the Learning Assistance Center and has taught in the School of Education at Loyola University. She currently teaches in the developmental studies graduate program at National-Louis University in Chicago. MARTHA E. CASAZZA is director of the developmental studies graduate program in the Adult Education Department at National-Louis University. She served as president of the National Association for Developmental Education in 1999. Both authors were Fulbright Senior Scholars at the University of Port Elizabeth in South Africa during the 1999 academic year.