IKEA Apologizes For Ultra-Orthodox Catalogue With No Women
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has apologized for publishing a catalogue for Israel’s haredi Orthodox community that does not include any photos of women.
A spokeswoman in IKEA’s headquarters in Sweden told Israeli and international media outlets that the catalogue was produced by its Israel branch, which has three stores, and that it is “not something that has gone through us.” The spokeswoman also said that “we have been very clear that this is not what the IKEA brand stands for.”
The catalogue features furniture that would be in demand by large-sized haredi Orthodox families. There also are no photographs of women, in keeping with the community’s strict tradition of modesty.
Over the weekend, Shuky Koblenz, chief executive of IKEA in Israel, said in a statement: “The publication does not live up to what IKEA stands for and we apologize for this. We will make sure that future publications will reflect what IKEA stands for and at the same time show respect for the Haredi community.”
All IKEA outlets in Israel have kosher restaurants and are closed on the Jewish Sabbath and holidays.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30