‘Baby Rabbi’ Tops Worst Halloween Costume List
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
The Houston Chronicle has done a little pre-Halloween window-shopping and found some children’s costumes that parents should think twice about. The paper’s parenting blog deems them uncomfortable, over-sexualized or, as in the case of one Jewish-themed costume, culturally insensitive.
In the over-sexualized department, most of the costumes are for girls — as might be expected — and many have either extremely short skirts or no skirts at all. The Shmooze agrees that a tween should not be dressed as though ready for roleplay as a French maid, sexy schoolgirl, or Santa’s helper. Likewise, a little boy should never be seen in a pimp suit and hat straight out of a 1970s blaxploitation film.
The suede leather “Sweet Native Girl” mini-dress costume is a twofer, fitting both the over-sexualized and culturally insensitive bills.
The other outfit deemed culturally insensitive by the Houston Chronicle is called “rabbi baby bunting.” It includes a miniature black coat and hat with long, curly peyes attached to it.
Sure, some people might object to this blatant stereotyping. (Where, the Shmooze wonders, is the non-Orthodox variation on this costume? And how about a version for little girls?)
Plus, the costume is bound to look ridiculous on a kid not yet old enough to grow much hair on his head, let alone produce exceedingly long sideburns. On the other hand, is it ever too early for a Jewish mother to prepare her son to grow up to be a rabbi — that is, assuming he’s not going to medical school?
It’s our birthday and we’re still celebrating!
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 week we celebrate 129 years of the Forward. We’re proud of our origins as a Yiddish print publication serving Jewish immigrants. And we’re just as proud of what we’ve become today: A trusted source of Jewish news and opinion, available digitally to anyone in the world without paywalls or subscriptions.
We’ve helped five generations of American Jews make sense of the news and the world around them — and we aren’t slowing down any time soon.
As a nonprofit newsroom, reader donations make it possible for us to do this work. Support independent, agenda-free Jewish journalism and our board will match your gift in honor of our birthday!
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
