Haredi Dolls Show Boys Learning, Girls Serving
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Debra Nussbaum Cohen May 14, 2012
It’s not even Shavuot, but if you’re already worrying about what to give the Haredi children in your life for Hanukkah, not to worry: Mitzvah Kinder dolls are here. As reported recently on Failed Messiah, the little plastic figurines come pre-labeled with various tasks for boys and girls, Totty [Daddy] and Mama. In one set of the plastic series, Totty “learns Torah,” little boy Tuli “learns with Totty,” and little girl Faigy “serves Totty and Tuli.”
In the “Seforim (Book) Room” set, Tuli sits on a chair holding a book, just like his Totty. And Faigy holds a tray, ever at the ready to serve. At least women are part of this Mitzvah Kinder “shul set,” replete, sigh, with plastic mechitzahs.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
