The movement was born six years ago, and now involves hundreds of women throughout Israel.
They
are the "Taliban Haredi" ultra-religious women who have decided to
completely cover their bodies from head to toe, and like Muslim women
wear the burqa.
About six years ago a group of "haredi"
women (literally: those who tremble at the word of God ") decided to
start a battle against immodesty of Israeli women in their fashion
choices, by covering themselves completely.
The aim was not to expose any part of their body to the sight of men, so as to encourage them to avoid sin.
As explained by one of them: "I follow these rules of modesty to save men from themselves. A
man who sees a woman's body parts is sexually aroused, and this might
cause him to commit sin. Even if he doesn't actually sin physically, his
impure thoughts are sin in themselves."
This initiative was received positively by many haredi
circles and was even accompanied by an enthusiastic letter of support
signed by Badatz rabbis, the ultra-Orthodox court of justice, and “Eda
Haredit” leader Rabbi Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss.
Now their growing number - about 600, with a constant stream of new recruits – is beginning to create problems. Also
because some of these women do not uncover themselves even at home and
are forcing their daughters to follow them in this fashion.
So
much so that the protests and warnings are multiplying: "You do not
have to dress in strange ways, including veils, especially if your
husband is against it, and also because it is against the Halacha (the
law of conduct). And above all this fashion should not be applied in the case of young girls," write some rabbis.