The Most Stylish Rabbis on Instagram

GOLDA gang, we’re hosting our first event! Join me Monday, November 17 from 6 - 8 p.m. for an exclusive evening of shopping & schmoozing at the Jewish Museum Shop in New York City. 

Kick off your holiday gifting with their beautifully curated selection of jewelry, kids items, chic Judaica, and home goods. Guests get a 10% discount off the entire store for the night (20% if you’re a Jewish Museum member).  

Plus: real-time pet portraits by Ben Lenovitz; meet the designers behind Tchotchke; and get a first look at Henrietta's “Miracle” t-shirt. Enjoy kosher wine by Yarden and dessert bites by Lox at The Jewish Museum.

I’d love to see you there! RSVP here.

Today I’m talking to the two rabbis behind my favorite new Instagram account, @rabbinicfitcheck, which chronicles the surprisingly stylish looks of Jewish clergy. It’s a playful take on a ubiquitous social media genre, but it’s also a way of showcasing that rabbis today look (and dress) differently than we might expect. 

The account was launched by Rabbi Rafi Ellenson, assistant rabbi at Congregation Shir Hadash in Los Gatos, CA, and Rabbi Arielle Stein, assistant rabbi at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in NYC. They share their own outfits and also feature submissions from rabbis around the world. And what quickly becomes clear from scrolling through the account, which has about 25 posts so far, is that rabbis put a lot of thought into how they dress for the job—and often derive sartorial inspiration from Jewish text and tradition. 

That’s certainly true for Rabbis Rafi and Arielle, as they explained in our conversation:

Let’s start with a rabbinic fit check! Tell us about your outfits.

Rabbi Rafi Ellenson: I'm wearing a vintage L.L. Bean black and red herringbone flannel, one of my favorite shirts; navy slacks I bought from the Gap seven years ago; this stitched belt that I love; Blundstones, which feel like a nod to my time in Israel (everyone wears Blundstones there); and then a pair of Happy Socks that have multicolored bears—I like to wear these socks in particular when my outfit is more plain, because it's a little fun burst of color.

Rabbi Arielle Stein: I have on this black duster designed by a friend of a friend whose company is called Pilosoule. It has hook-and-eye closures, an ankle length skirt, and artisanal metal buttons. It's work appropriate, and I'm going to a friend's elopement later, so it's also fancy. Then I have on black utility jeans from Still Here and black high-heeled, pointy-toed boots from Vagabond. I’m bringing in a little bit of post-Halloween, early-winter energy. 

In terms of accessories, I have earrings from this Tel Aviv-based brand Born from Rock. They're red carnelian, and they're illusions, so it looks like they're floating on your ear. Tragically, the brand just closed, but I still love them. I feel like nails are an accessory, so I still have my wedding nails on from a couple weeks ago.

What are some sartorial considerations that the rest of us might not think about when it comes to being a rabbi?

Rafi: I'm trying to have a certain level of gravitas, but also a sense of fun with it. I’m not trying to wear a black suit every day with a white button-down and a boring tie. That's great for those who want to do that, no shade.

Today I have four Zoom meetings, and then I'm going to the office, where I’m meeting with two different families, then I'm meeting with a bat mitzvah student. I want to be comfortable in what I'm wearing, while also commanding a sense of rabbinic authority. It gives a sense of trust, which is always an important part of this job. The other piece of it is that I want to dress for me. I want to feel good and confident in what I'm wearing. If I'm feeling confident, then I can do the best work that I can be doing. 

Arielle: I think a lot about authenticity. I was an artist before I became a rabbi, so much of my creativity has been funneled into my self presentation. I also work a lot with people in my own age group—people in their 30s, give or take—as well as teens and kids. Fashion definitely functions as a connection point and a conversation starter.

As female clergy, I do think a little bit about what is “appropriate.” I don't necessarily care, but it's something I consider when I leave the house. Whatever I wear has to work for a bunch of different things, because you can go from a life cycle event to, like, Tot Shabbat.

Rafi: Yeah, I’m going back and forth from polar opposite events. That’s kind of how the idea for @rabbinicfitcheck really started. I had this conversation with a teacher of mine and I was like, “I have to go to religious school, then a shiva—what do I wear?” That was one of the genesis seeds of the idea.

Arielle: I actually have a drawer of shoes in my office. I don't feel like I can fully anticipate what's going to come up in a day. I'm working on my office wardrobe where I can have something for everything. I generally will keep a black blazer or a black dress if I know I'm going to need to pivot to something a little bit more somber.

Another thing that I think about is how, when I was a rabbinical student, there was a lot of emphasis on how to blend into the 1950s model of a male rabbi. And that's not who I am. No one is ever going to meet me and assume that, so I should dress like me and dress like the people I'm serving.

Let's talk a little bit about what you're doing with Rabbinic Fit Check, because a big part of it is sort of demystifying what a rabbi can look like. You're showcasing the range of who a rabbi is. You've found this really fun and accessible entry point—everyone wants to see what people are wearing online—and you're applying it to a profession that can traditionally seem a little bit inaccessible.

Rafi: Exactly. It's like, what does the rabbinate look like, nowadays? I am a large, white, bearded man. That's certainly not everyone. And I think it's important to show that rabbis and cantors look a whole bunch of different ways. Also the idea that we are accessible—we're people, we're human beings! There’s an older model of elevating the rabbi above the laity, and that is something Arielle and I both chafe against.

I think we're tapping into a niche that I don't think folks really knew existed. Folks want to know what the rabbis are wearing!

Arielle: Also, we have not had a heavy hand with soliciting submissions from people, I think people really want to express themselves and show this kind of diversity and variation.

I'm curious about the Jewish piece to all this. Is there a way in which fashion style impacts, inspires, or influences your Jewish identity?

Arielle: This is something I've actually thought about directly and indirectly for years. I went to Jewish day school as a kid, and the biggest symbol of being Jewish were the male students wearing a kippah or tzitzit. I remember feeling that it was nice to have an external symbol. I did not grow up in a community where I would ever wear a sheitel or a head covering. Instead, people would wear magen david or chai necklaces. So I feel like I've always been kind of searching for a way to signal my Jewish self to the world.

In college, I was also really obsessed with learning about Jewish roles in the garment industry and in fashion. We're so represented there that it feels to me like every time I put on a pair of jeans, I feel like I'm connecting with Jewish yichus.

I also think about caring for the body—beautification as a mitzvah. I'm not interested in modesty in terms of whether I am showing my wrists or not, but I am interested in self respect and spiritual respect through curating things that feel beautiful and resonant.

Rafi: There's this concept in Kabbalistic and Hasidic thought about levush, which means “the garments,” but it’s also the things that hide holiness and hide sacrality. For me, I think of the inverse of that. I'm sure someone's going to read this and be like, “that guy totally misunderstood what levush” is about, and that's totally fine. I think the idea is, how do we have clothes be in service of the sacred and in service of the work we're trying to do in both creating comfort and trust with people? 

It's a shame to just sort of wear gray and blue and black every day without a little bit of fun to it. There should be color and there should be joy in all the things we do.

Who are the most stylish Jews—fictional, biblical, rabbinical?

Arielle: I must start with Tziporah Salamon because I literally saw her biking the other day in New York City. She had, like, 50 necklaces on and was dressed all in mustard. It was iconic.

Rafi: My number one is Leonard Cohen. Not only are his poetry and his music so incredible, he just never missed on fits. Any picture you see of him, he is wearing something immaculately tailored, often with cool textures. This picture I'm thinking of in particular he has this amazing giant coat with a shearling lining. My number one best dressed Jew.

Arielle: If we want to go for a fictional Jewess, I am a Fran Fine stan. We know she's an icon. She is out there. She's bringing fun, she's bringing a little bit of sauciness, but she's still fabulous in every moment.

Rafi: I have to mention another Fran: Fran Liebowitz is a fashion icon, no question about it. She knows what works, and she rocks it each time.

We asked Arielle and Rafi to share a few of their fashion faves with GOLDA:

Susan Alexandra

Arielle is the model for Susan Alexandra’s latest Hanukkah collection, which features elaborate menorahs, funky dreidels, and trademark punchy jewelry. “Susan Alexandra is really bringing whimsey in in a way that works across age groups,” she told us.

Rothy’s

The shoe brand for rabbis in the know, according to Rafi. “I’m in love with Rothy’s,” he says. “First, they're super comfortable. Second, they're all leather free, so for Yom Kippur, you’re set. I think it's a little bit of an elevation from the converse that I see many, many rabbis wearing.”

Old Jewish Men

You may have seen OJM’s Meats shirts or Polo Ralph Lifshitz gear on the streets. “I have a weird number of hats from them,” says Arielle.

Secondhand shopping 

“What’s Jewish to me about my fashion choices is that I think a lot about where things are sourced from,” says Rafi. “I'll go for vintage a lot.” In his current hometown of Los Gatos, CA, he recommends Happy Dragon Thrift Shop.

Sherris

This cult knitwear and swimwear brand by Maayan Sherris is handmade on the Upper West Side. “A huge amount of my rabbinic wardrobe comes from her,” says Arielle.

Orvis

For everyday wear, Rafi leans on sporting goods brand Orvis. “I probably have more shirts and sweaters from Orvis than anywhere else,” he says. “I’m consistently impressed with the quality of their clothes and I think they have great stuff.”

Golda may earn a few shekels from any purchases made through links in this article.

Thanks to Arielle and Rafi for sharing their Jewish style inspiration, and be sure to follow along with the fun at @rabbinicfitcheck. While you’re at it, follow us at @goldaguide.

NYC readers: This week I’ll be in conversation with Wharton professor Corinne Low about her book Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours. It’s Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 6:30 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. Get your ticket here. 

And don’t forget to register for our GOLDA Shopping Night at the Jewish Museum Shop on Nov. 17! 

Stay GOLDA, 

Stephanie

Jewish Book Council recommends:

Ayelet Tsabari's novel, Songs for the Brokenhearted, offers insight into a history and culture we rarely see in mainstream media. Set against the backdrop of the mid-1990s and Rabin’s assassination, the book provides a raw and powerful portrayal of Israeli history and identity that continues to resonate today.

-Arielle Landau, Jewish Book Council Program and Partnerships Manager