Bernie Scwartz, aka Tony Curtis discovered that he had much more appeal when he put on heavy plastic glasses...to Marilyn Monroe. She thought he had weak eyes from reading all those little stock numbers. Woody Allen learned to score big time with his nebbish glasses. Considering some of the Rabbis' behavior, these days, maybe they have ulterior motives for their heightened sense of fashion!

1600's      Spanish craftsmen create the first eyeglass frame temples.  They attach ribbons of silk or strings to the frame and loop them over the wearer's ears.  Spanish and Italian missionaries carry the new types of eyeglasses to China.  The Chinese attach small metal weights to the strings instead of making loops. 1730        London Optician Edward Scarlett introduces rigid temples that rest atop the wearer's ears. 1752         London medical instruments designer James Ayscough designs spectacles with double-hinged temples, which become widely popular.  He also introduces green and blue tinted lenses to reduce glare. 1784         American Benjamin Franklin invents Bifocal lenses. 1799         Scotsman John McAllister, Sr. opens the first optical shop in America in Philadelphia. 1800         The monocle (first called an eye ring) is introduced in England.  Monocles remain  popular in Europe among men in society's upper class throughout the 1800's. 1825         Englishman Sir George Airy designs the first lenses to correct astigmatism. 1826         Trifocal lenses are introduced by John Hawkins - inventor, musician, and engineer of London and Philadelphia. 1909         Dr. John Borsch, Jr. introduces fused bifocal lenses, making bifocals thinner and more attractive than Franklin-style bifocals. 1958         Essilor International of France introduces the first progressive multifocal lens, naming it Varilux.

firstly ynet should be ashamed by not following their own 'laws' : Comments containing incitement, slander, racist slurs and inappropriate language deemed to violate our terms of use won't be published. this is what it says in the talkback panel! all the depressed and close minded people out there why does this bother you so much? ok everyone has their thing they are into. have these hassidic people been attacking you for not wearing these plastic glasses? I think it's sad as a non religious jew watching all this depressing turmoil over glasses why not worry about soldiers getting killed and injured everyday, people who don't have money for bread out starving on the street? when you die we will all see the things which mattered most, a lot of us will regret spending time complaining about this person that person. how about take better care of ourselves worry how we are bringing our kids up and so on. MY POINT= you think these 'extremists' are old fashioned and narrow minded, why on earth are you being so biased, narrow minded and selfish by caring how they want to lead "THEIR" life. one day we will all be in peace realizing what really matters and mattered.

I find it disgusting that people want to dictate others lives! If viznitz followers decide to follow, let them follow whoever they want! it's your option if you want to follow! imposing that you are smarter than what they love, (their rabbi), is just utterly stupid! trying to impose your silly opinion, is just immoral!

I think that these Yeshiva students should listen to their optometrists advice on how to take care of their vision. They spend hours reading, so vision care is extremely important. Maybe one may need special contact lenses to help improve vision. Maybe another needs lightweight metal frames to keep from getting headaches. Leave it to the professionals to help them make their decision, a Rabbi is not an eye specialist.

...perhaps if they stopped marrying 'so closely' (i.e. cousins etc) there wouldn't be such a need for glasses as the visual birth defects associated with procreating with relations wouldn't be nearly as common. and a side note; by suggesting his followers not follow trends associated with the secular community, he's actually encouraging people to spend time focusing on their appearance...which is hardly in keeping with their mantra and will take time away from learning (or looking for gainful employment.. *eye-roll*)

On the same token why the hell is it the rabbi's business what kind of eyewear Jews wear??

or injured instead of worrying about glasses?

Rabbi Hager and those who support sexual abuse of children and shunning of those who have the courage to report this crime to authorities. You should be ashamed for assuming any religious role.