Female shoppers asked to 'dress modestly' at Netanya supermarket

'Do not enter with immodest clothing'

Posters reading 'Daughter of Israel, do not enter with immodest clothing' plastered across local supermarket; one concerned citizen asks: Is Israel becoming Iran?!

Shoppers at a local supermarket in Netanya were surprised to discover signs asking women to dress modestly while shopping there.

The report follows similar cases in religious supermarkets in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh.

"Daughter of Israel!!! Do not enter with immodest clothing," the sign greeting shoppers at the "Zol L' Mehadrin" supermarket read.

Women who chose to shop at the store while disregarding the instructions were given a shawl to wear.

Eitan Elhadaz, a concerned Netanya resident, expressed his anger over the supermarket's demand that female shoppers dress modestly. "Some of the neighborhood's residents are secular and shouldn't have to compromise," he told Ynet. "Over the years, the neighborhood has become more and more religious."

He attributed this phenomenon to "a charismatic rabbi who moved to the area and began promoting the "return to religion" (hazara be'tshuva) amongst secular Jews in the neighborhood."

Some six months ago, a supermarket opened in the neighborhood. "When the store opened, they began advertising that modesty was not only found in their food. They then began posting signs around the shop reading 'Daughter of Israel, entrance is permitted with modest clothing," said Elhadaz.

Elhadaz began shopping at the religious store after hearing that the supermarket offers reasonable prices. "However, when I saw the signs posted at the store and read about the Osher Ad supermarket in Beit Shemesh, I decided to take action, and began taking pictures of the signs in the store. I felt this was becoming a popular phenomenon these days," he said.

"Many people don't view these occurrences as unusual, but rather decide to turn a blind eyeand call it 'some more haredi nonsense," he said. "But I think we need to raise awareness to the issue. Is Israel becoming Iran?!" he asked.

Commenting on the supermarket's policies, Zol L' Mehadrin's manager Golan Yosefan said "most of the chain's shoppers are haredi. We're not asking for much and we don't want to use 'chastity squad' methods. All we ask is that female shoppers arrive to the store in modest clothing. "he said.

"We are trying not to offend our religious clientele. We're not trying to create provocations and therefore offer shawls to women who are dressed immodestly," he explained.