What’s Up with the Red-Haired Woman on the Home Page?
August 6th, 2006Why did you use a photo of a red-haired woman in an Asian dress holding a decorative candle rather than a shabbos candle???
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8 Responses to “What’s Up with the Red-Haired Woman on the Home Page?”Leave a ReplyYou must be logged in to post a comment.
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The world needs spiritual light - now, more than ever. There are many women who have never heard of the spiritual ritual of lighting Friday night candles, but once they find out about it, they are interested and join in the sacred event. There are women who may, as a child, have experienced the Friday night lighting of candles, but have long since forgotten it or abandoned it - for one reason or another.
I love this web site because I feel it reaches out to those women. Women who are already lighting Friday night candles understand the beauty and depth of meaning of the experience. These women have made a commitment to their faith.
It is my personal belief that we must leave the door wide open to attract as many women as possible to experience G_d’s love and blessings. It seems to me that this site is more about getting women everywhere to unite at the same time every Friday night in saying a prayer for peace than it is about converting women to a religion and I, for one, feel that their approach to that goal is unique and refreshing, not to mention timely.
To only depict the obvious, is to risk tightening the entryway to this beautiful spiritual experience and alienate those who would be turned away, if not “turned off” by orthodoxy.
Also, there are no hard and fast rules as to what kind of candles may be burned….no one in jeans or fashionable clothing should ever be turned away or judged. We all know women from all walks of life and all faiths who are looking for more meaning in their spiritual life and I, personally, embrace them as our sisters and I am encouraged if can help them on their spiritual journey - starting with the burning of the Friday night candles. So I will gladly lead them to this site.
It is my personal desire to expand my sphere of spiritual influence, not narrow it. What about you?
Share the Light.
Light on.
I agree wholeheartedly as one of those not necessarily orthodox.
I realize this is a model on the home page, a thin one with red hair. Do you know that some thirty years ago, I was taught in medical school that the archetype for anorexia nervosa was a thin, young Jewish woman with red hair?
In high school, my daughter had a poster in her room showing a Reubenesque figure, and it said, “There are 14 women who are supermodels in the world. The remaining 3 billion women are not.
I don’t remember the numbers exactly, but you get the idea. Did I give my sweet daughter a big kiss or what?
I dont mean to sound disrespectful, but where do you live? Haven’t you ever seen a red-haired Jewish woman? I see many at the Shuls that i have traveled to. And psssst, some of them are even Israeli!! I know a woman who is a Holocaust survivor and she is a red hed from Hungary…. There are many many red-headed Jews from Hungary, Germany and Israel… I think you need to get out more… HaShem created Jews in many colors and bodytypes… I have even met Black Jews!! (gasp)
I have met Scottish and Irish Jews.
I have met Jews from many parts of the world.. Why do some Jews think that if someone doesnt fit the general description of Jewish characteristics, then they must not be Jewish.. WHY? Please can someone tell me?
Why do so many Jews judge on the basis of hair or skin color? This is very sad…. We are all like beautiful flowers in Hashems garden. Each so beautiful and treasured..
And some of us create division by this kind of thinking… And if she is a convert, SO WHAT? Hashem said that converts are even MORE special than Jews who were born Jewish. We are commanded to love our neighbor as we love Hashem. That means that we dont judge.
Anyway, I think that the message that the photographer was trying to convey is that Jewish women (and men) come in all shapes and colors from every part of the planet.. I mean, think about it, when Hashem said that he was going to scatter us to every corner of the planet, he wasnt just talking about Russia, Germany and Israel and Brooklyn/Crown Heights. He meant the whole planet. (smile) And that means countries like China, Ireland,Sweden,South America etc…
I think the front page is exquisite. It is contemporary, illustrates peace and shows someone who may not be traditional. We need to reach the younger people who have been turned away by traditional Judaism which they see as staid. What better way to do it than this image. There is no rule that Friday candles must be white—enjoy scented ones or colored ones if it makes you feel good.
my compliments to commets#4. very well said; being an Indian jew the hardest thing for me growing up in canada was the question are you sure your jewish?both my parents are and after the destruction of the 2nd temple I suppose we ended up on the shores of India. yet it was so hard for everyone in north america to grasp at such an odd idea they questioned my jewish idetity even though they themselves were not observeant jews.so yes it dosent really matter what color our skin, eyes, or hair are, just the peace we can share together as one people doing one mitzvah at a time.
I would like to add something–my pain of being rejected. In fact, I would like to tell this poster that it is because of her attitude that I have avoided joining a congregation. You see, I look very Swedish. I also modeled when I was younger and have kept in shape. In spite of the fact that I have an RN, and a Master’s and have served the public as a hospice administrator for 20 years, it all boils down to being referred to as some sort of intruder. My suggestion is you take a trip to Israel, because there you will see that most people look more like the red head than your (YOUR) stereotypical NYC Jew. In Israel, I was rarely asked “Are you Jewish?”, by someone with their eyebrows curled. There are many Israelis with red head, blonde hair, freckles, black skin, olive skin with blonde hair, red head with black skin, black hair with blue eyes. It’s great! I have actually begun the process of aliyah, because not only do I love being in Israel but I want to have a few retirement years living where I can practice Judaism away from Americans.
I happened upon this site thru the Internet and the thing that drew me in were the graphics and the woman on the main site. Even though I am not Jewish by birth, I attend a multi-ethnic Sephardic synagogue that teaches and instructs people like myself in Torah. The more I learn about the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the more I understand His desire for ALL peoples to come to a deep spiritual relationship with Himself. And, the more HaShem draws me in to Himself and I study His Torah, the more I desire to practice His ways, including the lighting of Shabbat lights out of love and respect for HaShem and His people. Erev Shabbat has become so precious and second-nature to my husband and I, that we cannot imagine not observing the Shabbat any other way. My sincerest blessings to the Chabad Lubavitch for developing such a creative and intriguing website that instructs women how to properly enter into the Shabbat Peace and come before HaShem.