Ashkenization of Sephardim

 

I've recently heard a lot of noise about the "Ashkenization of Sephardim."

Most of it revolves around rabbinical garb.

Some Sephardim want their religious leadership to doff the black suits and black hats for ... what ? A glalabia/djellaba and a turban or fez?

That might be fine in Israel, and certainly it is the ceremonial garb of the Rishon l'Zion, but in the United States, where I live, the black suit - with or without a black hat - is considered the "rabbinical uniform."

I'm not a rabbi but I have at last 5 black suits hanging in my closet. Why? I was in a suit-wearing position and black always is "business appropriate." I have several hats - one white straw for Florida's long summers, a brown waterproof hat suitable for cool-weather rains (when I don a khaki rain/overcoat) and even a grey (or gray) - but not black; I'm not ready for "prime time" - hat for when I visit cold climes and wear a black overcoat.

My normal attire for weekday services is a short-sleeve shirt and long trousers. On Shabat, most of the year the shirt is long-sleeved. There are days when the nearly one-mile jaunt between house and synagogue demand a short-sleeve shirt even on Shabat, and - yes, Virginia, we do have "winter" in south Florida - on chilly days, I'll dust off a suit. (Since I work from a home office, my "business attire" is, well, something less than "business casual.")

I do own suits that are not black - there is a grey one and a white one (for Yom Kippur) and even an eggshell-colored one that I bought when I "outgrew" my white suit. (I since shrunk back into the white suit.) Right now, I'm looking for a seersucker suit for summer use. Light blue maybe, but certainly not black.

At the Sephardi congregation where I spend my time there is a mix of dress, Many of the congregants are Israelis so there are many "un-tucked" shirts even on Shabat; something that never would be accepted in any Ashkenazi congregation I know about (except perhaps Chabad which, like many Sephardi congregations, is happy that a Jew found his (or her) way to services regardless of appearance).

I live in south Florida and the normal apparel here is sans jacket. (That changed a bit when everything became air conditioned and the inside temperature dropped to 68^o F, but for people who actually WALK during the heat of the day ... "mad dogs and Englishmen" comes to mind.)

I even see Ashkenazim !! walking sans jacket or with a jacket over their arm.

In Israel, at least in Bet Shean with a south Florida-like temperature, most, albeit not all, Sephardi men come to services in short-sleeve shirts even on Shabat. (I can't speak for our brothers the Ashkenazim ... there are not that many in Bet Shean.)

But, in the US, suits are still the norm for business - forgetting for the moment "business casual" that I find sometimes is more "casual" than "business."

In the Arab-dominated lands, Jews dressed like their neighbors.

In the Orient, Jews dressed like their Chinese and Indian hosts.

So, in the "west," Jews logically should dress as their neighbors; in cooler climes, a suit (with or without tie); in Florida and similar locales, going "jacket-less" should be acceptable, even for religious leadership.

I have some Persian (Farsee) neighbors who look, in every respect, like an "Orthodox" Ashkenazi - black suit, black hat, peyot, and tzit-tzit hanging out. To me, that seems strange; why would a Sephardi want to look like an Ashkenazi? I had never seen a Farsee with peyot and flying-in-the-wind tzit-tzit? On the other hand, I HAVE seen Temanim with long, dangling peyot; I doubt the peyot are Ashkenazim-influenced.

Would I object if "my" rabbi showed up for services looking like most of the congregants?

Not at all.

Do I think you have to wear a black suit to be observant? Hardly. (Maybe to be "orthodox" with a capital "O," but big "o" orthodoxy is not a Sephardi "thing.")

For all that, I will not criticize my rabbi - or any other Sephardi religious leader - for wearing Ashkenazi black. I wish they would not look like our Ashkenazi brothers, but since that is the "uniform" so be it.

But I really wish they'd tuck in the tzit-tzit.

* * *

Yohanon
Yohanon.Glenn @ gmail.com

* * *

from the lyrics of the 1932 Noel Coward song by the same name

In tropical climes there are certain times of day

When all the citizens retire

To tear their clothes off and perspire.

It's one of those rules that the greatest fools obey,

Because the sun is much too sultry

And one must avoid its ultra-violet ray.

 

Papalaka papalaka papalaka boo,

Papalaka papalaka papalaka boo,

Digariga digariga digariga doo,

Digariga digariga digariga doo.

 

The native grieve when the white men leave their huts,

Because they're obviously definitely nuts!

 

Mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun,

The Japanese don't care to.

The Chinese wouldn't dare to,

Hindoos and Argentines sleep firmly from twelve to one.

But Englishmen detest a siesta.

 

In the Philippines

There are lovely screens

To protect you from the glare.

In the Malay States

There are hats like plates

Which the Britishers won't wear.

At twelve noon

The natives swoon

And no further work is done.

 

But mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.

 

It's such a surprise for the Eastern eyes to see

That though the English are effete,

They're quite impervious to heat,

When the white man rides every native hides in glee,

Because the simple creatures hope he

Will impale his solar topee on a tree.

 

Bolyboly bolyboly bolyboly baa,

Bolyboly bolyboly bolyboly baa,

Habaninny habaninny habaninny haa,

Habaninny habaninny habaninny haa.

 

It seems such a shame

When the English claim

The earth

That they give rise to such hilarity and mirth.

 

Mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.

The toughest Burmese bandit

Can never understand it.

 

In Rangoon the heat of noon

Is just what the natives shun.

They put their Scotch or Rye down

And lie down.

 

In a jungle town

Where the sun beats down

To the rage of man and beast

The English garb

Of the English sahib

Merely gets a bit more creased.

 

In Bangkok

At twelve o'clock

They foam at the mouth and run,

But mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.

 

Mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.

 

The smallest Malay rabbit

Deplores this stupid habit.

In Hongkong

They strike a gong

And fire off a noonday gun

To reprimand each inmate

Who's in late.

 

In the mangrove swamps

Where the python romps

There is peace from twelve till two.

Even caribous

Lie around and snooze;

For there's nothing else to do.

In Bengal

To move at all

Is seldom, if ever done.

 

But mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.