After a series of hateful “price tag” graffiti attacks in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Rabbis for Human Rights are planting trees in the village of Al Jenia, near Ramallah, in honor of Tu B’Shevat. [+972]
Jason Diamond notes Fashion Week’s revival of classic ‘Ivy League’ style, and reveals the all-American preppy look’s Jewish roots. [Tablet]
“The Jewish influence on menswear in general is well-known, from wholesalers peddling the fabrics that make ties, shirts, and slacks, to the tailors and the retailers and the designers themselves—Marc Jacobs, Isaac Mizrahi, and of course, Ralph Lauren (né Lifshitz) continue to define modern fashion. But Jewish designers’ role in creating the Ivy League look has a distinct context, because these designers created the signature style for a world that wouldn’t admit them.”
The U.S. State Department revised its travel recommendations for Israel, encouraging tourists to dress modestly, especially when visiting old Jerusalem and ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. [JTA]
Stumped for what to do on Valentine’s Day? Edmond Rodman offers some ‘kosher’ options. Warning: Bubbe may not approve. [JTA]
“At first blush, a sex toy web site operated by an Orthodox Jew might seem unusual, but Jews and sexual aids go way back. In the Bible, Rachel, the barren wife of Jacob, asked her sister Leah for some mandrakes, a root found in the Middle East that may have had aphrodisiacal qualities.”
