You Think I Dress Like a WHAT?

So far, I’m having a great time with blogging. I’ve reconnected with some friends, made some new ones, gotten some interesting feedback — some online, more offline. One sure-fire discussion starter has been the photo that appears here. Full disclosure: it was a Purim picture. But I do admit to a certain affinity for the pimp-rabbi look.

Let’s be reasonable about this, though. It’s never been clear to me why exactly rabbis are expected to dress in dark navy or black suits, purchased at Brooks Brothers (for rabbis of large congregations), Macy’s (medium sized congregations) or Syms (the rest of us). Just for the record here, let’s see what some “real” rabbis today and throughout history, wear or have worn:

Maimonides (Rambam), of blessed memory

Rabbi Shlomo Halberstam, Bobover Rebbe, of blessed memory

The Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, of blessed memory

Reb Zalman, Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi, Shlita (may he continue live a long and good life)

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Shlita (may he continue to lead a long and good life)

Rabbi Shefa Gold, Shlita (may she continue to lead a long and good life)

…..and of course….

Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky of Springfield, Ohio

So, there are clearly some rabbis with a passion for fashion.

I rest my case.

We’ll leave the question of why my rabbi-mobile is a Toyota convertible rather than a dark blue Buick or Oldsmobile for another entry.