Modesty in the Modern Age: A Symposium

In our time—perhaps more so than in previous eras—we need tzenius, writes Rabbi Reuven Brand, in the following symposium. “To live the rewarding and meaningful lives we seek, we must commit to living inwardly.” But upholding the value of modesty in the Instagram generation is no simple feat.

While the writers of the essays that follow all address similar concerns—developing an inner self, cultivating self-esteem, sharing and oversharing and the blurring of lines between public and private, among other issues—they each bring a unique perspective to the conversation.

In This Section

Rethinking Tzeniut by Bracha Poliakoff

Modesty: An Educator’s Perspective by Shifra Rabenstein, as told to Barbara Bensoussan

My Tzeniut Journey by Josepha Becker

A New Approach for Teens by Dr. Zipora Schorr

Tzenius: The Key to an Inner Life by Rabbi Reuven Brand

Can Social Media and Modesty Coexist? by Alexandra Fleksher

Public and Private in the Age of Instagram by Rabbi Yisrael Motzen

To Post or Not to Post by Gila Ross

Walking a Tightrope by Rebbetzin Ruchi Koval, as told to Barbara Bensoussan

High Fashion, Higher Standards by Sandy Eller