09/15/2026
Lilith x H**b Media x rabbinicfitcheck is delighted to present the 5787 High Holiday Lookbook! We asked your favorite Jewish feminist rabbis what they were planning to wear for the High Holidays—and how they made their choices.
Rabbi Abby Stein’s top three considerations when dressing for the High Holidays are:
💫 Nostalgia. I used to try to “get over” my Hasidic past. Now, especially during Di Helige Taig - the Holy Days - I embrace its beauty, the power of overcoming its hardships, and what past and present can create together. Growing up in a rabbinical dynasty, every detail of our clothing was prescribed. Now I choose the traditions I love: a long white dress with a belt, echoing the kittel (white robe).
💫 Modesty. By which I mean making sure NOT to follow Hasidic modesty rules… I need to feel comfortable, physically and emotionally, especially when leading services. Knees showing, collarbone uncovered, yet still feeling very much “Days of Awe” appropriate: a mix of past and present that feels just right.
💫 My tallis (prayer shawl). For about eight years after coming out as a trans woman, I refused to wear one, even while working as a congregational rabbi. Most rabbis in my life were women who wore a tallis, but undoing 20 years of “tallis = masculinity” took work. When I was ready, I missed my family’s two silver atarot (decorative bands): one at the head and another across the back - the latter unique to some rabbinical dynasties. I also needed a tallis that reflected my present. Inspired by a fellow formerly Hasidic friend, I had the decorations from my old tallis attached to a modern B’nai Or tallit, designed by my own modern Rebbe, Reb Zalman.
And at the Rabbis for Ceasefire Yom Kippur rallies, for the past 3 years, I have been wearing a Tallit similar to the one shared on here by my friend Rabbi Elliot Kukla
Check back through the Days of Awe for more looks ⭐
