Rabbi slams Bat Yam girls' 'immodesty'

Rabbi Yaakov Rojza, one of Bat Yam's prominent rabbis, is unhappy with what he sees as the immodest clothing of female school pupils in the central city.

"I am concerned about the way youth dress in the city," the rabbi said in a special interview on the eve of the new school year. "Some of the youth come to school as it were the beach. I see it mainly among female students making their way to school in the city's Kiryat Bobov area."

Rojza has no doubt about who is responsible for this situation. "The problem is among the adults. They dress like that, and they serve as a role model," he said.

"In addition, we must see who the youth's culture heroes are today. Ask them, and they'll tell you that model or another. Unfortunately, if I ask a ninth grader about her aspirations for life, she'll tell me she wants to be a model or a TV star."

Rabbi Rojza believes the young generation must be educated from the earliest age possible, and that it must be made clear that part of a person's dignity is the way he or she dresses.

The rabbi, who is known for his moderate opinions, preaches his doctrine among those calling him for lectures. Last week, for example, he spoke before the education staff of one of the city's schools.

"I am going to talk to them about ways to deal with discipline problems, about instilling values, and mainly about providing a personal example in terms of modesty," he said before the lecture.