‘We Wish to Keep a Wall of Reserve’: Modesty Practice and Discourse within Old Order Amish and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Communities

Keywords

modesty; religious groups; Old Order Amish; Ultra-Orthodox Jews; mixed gender groups; old and invented tradition

Abstract

This study advances our understanding of modesty practices within religious groups by examining mixed-gender groups among Old Order Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel. Through ethnographic participant observation and semi-structured interviews, my research addresses three questions central to understanding modesty practices: How do members of these religious bodies define and enforce acceptable practices of modesty and body management in mixed-gender settings? What mechanisms transmit written and unwritten rules within these groups? And how do religious leaders and texts shape modesty discourse and practices? Drawing on Hobsbawm’s differentiation between old and invented traditions, this comparative analysis reveals that Amish modesty manifests primarily through behavioral practices and parent-to-child transmission, while Ultra-Orthodox modesty encompasses both behavioral practices and formal discourse, relying on texts and books alongside interpersonal transmission. These findings suggest that Amish modesty represents largely an old tradition, while Ultra-Orthodox modesty exemplifies primarily an invented tradition. [Abstract by author.]

Recommended Citation

Neriya Ben-Shahar, Rivka. 2024. "‘We Wish to Keep a Wall of Reserve’: Modesty Practice and Discourse within Old Order Amish and Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Communities." Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies 12(1-2):29-46.