Tallit

[bettertomarry]

I was at the Science Museum the other day and I saw a family (Mom, Dad, kids were probably 5ish, 3ish and infant). Dad was wearing a talit, at least I assume it was a talit bc I could see the tzitzit, and the boys were both wearing the talit. But neither of the boys were over bar mitzvah age and none of the males were wearing a kippah. When I've seen people wearing talits they usually have the forelocks and are wearing a kippah.

Anyone ever seen Jews like this before? I can't help my curiosity.

[sparkles]

The associate rabbi at one of my reform synagogue clients recently wrote an article about the tzitzit he wears (he alternates between the real thing and fringe on a belt loop keychain). He does not wear a kippah outside of the synagogue however so I guess wearing tzitzit without the kippah isn't that unusual. But I can't say I've ever seen anyone wearing a tallit as part of daily wear, even among the ultra orthodox.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

If you mean the tallit katan (the thing your wear under your shirt with the tzitzit on the corners) then plenty of people wear it from age 3, even though it's not technically required it's another one of those "education, might as well get used to it" things.

They might have been Modern Orthodox, plenty of them don't grow the obvious sidecurls and they pretty much dress like anyone else, but they'll often sport the fringes (though many of them tuck them in, too).

Though actually I see you mention they weren't wearing kippas, THAT does seem odd to me. Dunno.

At the coffeehouse near me a while back there was a teenage boy wearing baggy board shorts and a t-shirt, he had on a kippa and had his tzitzit hanging out from under the shirt, but also the shirt had a slogan on it "kiss my etrog shake my lulav" on it :)

[sparkles]

So I learned something new, the tallit katan. You'd think that with 5 synagogue clients something might rub off but nooooo....

[bettertomarry]

If you mean the tallit katan (the thing your wear under your shirt with the tzitzit on the corners) then plenty of people wear it from age 3, even though it's not technically required it's another one of those "education, might as well get used to it" things.

They might have been Modern Orthodox, plenty of them don't grow the obvious sidecurls and they pretty much dress like anyone else, but they'll often sport the fringes (though many of them tuck them in, too).

Though actually I see you mention they weren't wearing kippas, THAT does seem odd to me. Dunno.

At the coffeehouse near me a while back there was a teenage boy wearing baggy board shorts and a t-shirt, he had on a kippa and had his tzitzit hanging out from under the shirt, but also the shirt had a slogan on it "kiss my etrog shake my lulav" on it :)

I did mean the tallit katan. The males were all wear wearing them, but without the kippah. I've never seen that before. I wasn't certain if anyone knew if they were the faux-jewish fundies, or something else.

[FaustianSlip]

The tallit katan is becoming more of a thing in Reform and Conservative circles, from what I've observed. Still not entirely common, but more people are considering wearing it- I know of at least two or three Reform Jews who wear the tallit katan but not the kippah. The argument one of them gives is that while the tallit katan is a commandment straight from the Torah, kippot are really just deeply-entrenched minhag. And since Reform folks are free to inform themselves and make their own decision about what to do and what not to do, that sounds like as good an argument to me as any. I actually know of a couple of women who have worn them.

That said, it's entirely possible that they were Messianic types. A tallis katan isn't like the Mormon garments- anyone can walk into a store and buy one or order one online. I can't imagine there aren't Messianic folks who get to live the "exoticism" of Judaism every day by coopting the tallit katan.

[2xx1xy1JD]

I was at the Science Museum the other day and I saw a family (Mom, Dad, kids were probably 5ish, 3ish and infant). Dad was wearing a talit, at least I assume it was a talit bc I could see the tzitzit, and the boys were both wearing the talit. But neither of the boys were over bar mitzvah age and none of the males were wearing a kippah. When I've seen people wearing talits they usually have the forelocks and are wearing a kippah.

Anyone ever seen Jews like this before? I can't help my curiosity.

Did they have ANY head covering at all? I know some Modern Orthodox Jews who will wear baseball caps, esp. when traveling. [As one said to me: if you see a guy wearing a baseball cap who looks like he doesn't wear baseball caps, it's probably an Orthodox Jew.]

Wearing the tallit kattan from age 3 onward (or from whenever the child can be trusted not to pee on it if toilet training is a bit late) is pretty common in my area.

[bettertomarry]

Did they have ANY head covering at all? I know some Modern Orthodox Jews who will wear baseball caps, esp. when traveling. [As one said to me: if you see a guy wearing a baseball cap who looks like he doesn't wear baseball caps, it's probably an Orthodox Jew.]

Wearing the tallit kattan from age 3 onward (or from whenever the child can be trusted not to pee on it if toilet training is a bit late) is pretty common in my area.

No head coverings at all, which was what caught my eye. The father's hair was kind of long and sort of model-tossed. The sons both had super short hair.

It sounds like it might just be a personal choice and that they could be just Conservative or Reformed and choose the tallit kattan but not the kippah.

[Witsec7]

Tabby and the faux Jews are all into sewing fringe on their t-shirts. I got booted from the site or I would post a link.

[shedemei]

The argument one of them gives is that while the tallit katan is a commandment straight from the Torah

The commandment is to wear tzitzit on all four-cornered garments, but there is actually not a commandment to wear such a garment. So, an observant Jew not wearing a tallit katan is technically fine, although like kippot it's such a firmly-entrenched minhag that people consider it halacha.