Cross-dressing, wardrobe squabbles with teens and designer apparel — guess which one has a Jewish theme?
All of them, says the Bureau of Jewish Education.
In fact, the S.F.-based agency sees such a strong and alluring tie between issues relating to fabric and the Jewish world that it’s planning a monthlong series of seminars and activities to unravel the whole topic.
Called “Common Threads: The Fabrics of Jewish Life,” the eighth annual “Feast of Jewish Learning” will pick apart clothing and material — from actual attire and ritual objects and garments to the history of Jews in the rag business and some metaphorical connections as well.
The yearly feast is designed as a free and accessible portal to Jewish exploration for observant and secular Jews.
The program will be launched on Saturday, Feb. 1 with “A Night of Jewish Unity” at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills. It is expected to draw up to 500 people.
This year’s theme “can be interpreted in 100 different ways,” said Kerin Lieberman, associate director of the bureau. “You can go back into the Bible and pick up threads, so to speak, that have to do with clothing.
“We’re talking about challah covers, talking about Calvin Klein jeans. The spoke is huge.”
Events will include classes discussing the historical and biblical significance of such ritual garments as tzitzit and how-to workshops on tying the fringes that are considered a sign of the covenant between God and the Jewish people. At other events, participants can decorate mezuzah covers, make Torah binders and share stories about family heirlooms.
The Feb. 1 kick-off event at Beth Am starts with a Havdallah service and then branches out to study sessions and workshops led by rabbis and Jewish educators.
In past years, the feasts have drawn up to 5,000 people to its various public gatherings and series of more intimate “Lunch and Learn” discussions conducted in homes and offices. Events will take place in San Francisco, the Peninsula and the North Bay.
Led by experts, the talks are offered on a wide range of topics selected by the sponsoring hosts. “Anyone can call and say, ‘I want to host a lunch and learn,'” says Mariana Roytman, the BJE’s feast coordinator.
“Learning can take place anywhere, not just in a synagogue or JCC,” she said. “It’s one of our largest sources of outreach.”
Jewish educator Rachel Brodie is offering a seminar entitled “Tunics, Tailors and Tsnne-us (Gesundheit): A Look at Jews in Clothes.” The idea, she said, is to investigate Jews’ connection to clothing, beginning with the leather wear fashioned for Adam and Eve (after the fig leaves were deemed inadequate) to garb designed by Ralph Lauren.
Brodie said her talk will start with biblical references to textiles and extend into the historic involvement of Jews in the shmata or rag business and the role of fabric in ritual garments like the tallit and kippah.
“We’re always looking for interesting hooks, ways of discussing big Jewish ideas,” said Brodie. “As a theme or as a topic, it’s an entry way of discussing much deeper issues.” Among them: Jewish art, Jewish fashion and the connection between Jews and materialism.
There’s also the age-old question of teens and their fashion statements.
BJE staffers Lisa Langer and Vicky Kelman are offering a two-hour family-education program that will be presented at some 17 locations during the feast, entitled “You’re Wearing That? A Program for Families With Jewish Teens.”
They point out that wrangles over youthful attire go way back. They’ve uncloaked references in the Talmud to a “scantily clad” student and questions about the appropriate length of a student’s underwear.
“We are a lot like the rabbis of the Talmud,” said Langer. “Just as they struggled with the answers that were right for their time, we struggle with the answers that are right for our time.”
As part of the program, organizers are recommending that each site host a clothing drive.
In addition, activities and readings are in a booklet that will be distributed at events and will also be downloadable at the BJE Web site — where other information about the feast will be posted.