Swedish international apparel chain H&M received mixed reviews on social media for offering a scarf for purchase that looks like a tallis.
The scarf, which sells on H&M’s website for $17.99 and was first highlighted by fashion blog Racked.com, has the same color scheme and pattern as a tallis. It even has “fringe at the short ends,” appearing strangely similar to tzitzis.
While some Twitter users marveled at the resemblance between the scarf and a tallis, others, the Algemeiner reports, were outraged, including one individual who wrote: “I’m not Jewish, but think it’s wrong to use an item of religious dress as a fashion statement.”
A different Twitter user said: “A lot of non Jews are going to be attacked for wearing it. Maybe they’ll understand what we go through.”
Another noted the irony of a Swedish retailer selling a scarf that resembles a tallis because “a Jew cannot walk in Sweden with a tallit (or a kippah) without risking himself.”
Others found the likeness humorous. One commented: “That is awesome. Is there a tekhelet option?” — referring to techeiles, the blue dye used for tzitzis, while another said, “lmaooo that great, I’ll finally be able to daven fashionably.”
{G. Sitrit-Matzav.com Newscenter}
