Rabbis in an ultra-Orthodox settlement have come out
publicly against the trendy Brazilian fitness dance known as Zumba.
A rabbinic panel in Beitar Illit ruled against Zumba
classes, the Hebrew-language website Mako reported, even as it is practiced in
this religious community - with a female instructor and all-female
participants.
In the document issued by the Rabbinical Court of the
Ashkenazi Community in Beitar and headlined "warning," women are
explicitly forbidden from running or taking Zumba classes, deemed indecent
because they involve moving parts of the body.
"Recently our city has seen the opening of classes
employing the South American 'Zumba' method,” it reads. “After having
established that both in form and manner, the activity is entirely at odds with
both the ways of the Torah and the holiness of Israel, as are the songs
associated to it, I hereby announce that the organization and participation in
such classes is forbidden.”
According to the report, the existence of the women’s Zumba
classes in the city had infuriated extremist elements in the Haredi-dominated
town, leading to the publishing of the warning. It quoted an angry resident of
the town who accused the Zumba opponents of “wanting to turn our city into
Afghanistan, and we won’t go along with it. The rabbis and judges can’t
determine whether or not we participate in Zumba classes. I’m sick of them
strangling us with these illogical halachic rulings.”
It is unclear what consequences women who flout the decision
and carry on with Zumba will face, but the city has a history of vigilante
punishment of members of the community who ignore local standards.
In February, Israel Police probed the activities of a local
‘modesty patrol’ in Beitar Illit.
Two men were arrested for allegedly
threatening and attacking residents whose dress or behavior was deemed
inappropriate.
As part of the investigation, the mayor of the town was
questioned on suspicion that he knew of the actions of the men, who worked for
the municipality as youth counselors, and that he told residents who complained
not to inform the police.
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