Modern Prayer Shawls

These Prayer Shawls incorporate Judaic and Israeli themes onto wool, acrylic and silk Tallits, all certified Kosher.

There is much symbolism behind the the classic wool white prayer shawl (tallit) with black stripes. However, despite the symbolism, most Rabbis agree that as long as the shawl is four corners and has tzizit (specially tied fringes) on each of the four corners, the tallit is legitimate for prayer services. Additionally, most orthodox rabbis demand the tallit to be a certain size, specifically large enough to cover most of the man’s body during prayer.

In contemporary Judaism, an individual who is looking to buy a tallit today can be overwhelmed by the tremendous selection. Some people do prefer to wear the traditional black and white or blue and white tallit due to its symbolism of religious purity. Some Zionistic Jews like to wear a white tallit with blue stripes, which symbolizing their love for Israel. In fact, the Israeli flag’s two blue stripes on the white background were copied from the traditional tallit.

However, some people particularly like to stand out and express their individuality. Additionally, there are some people connect to G-d through art, and like to have this art exposed in their tallit. Some people particularly like having their tallit decorated with gold or silver threads symbolizing the royalty they feel when talking to G-d. Other people like a more colorful design reminding them of the colorful cloak given to Joseph by his father Jacob. Some people may choose to wear a silk tallit with special paintings. Other people choose to express their love for Israel by purchasing a tallit with decorations such as the Holy City in Jerusalem.

In addition to individual preferences, each culture has its own unique traditions. For example the Yeminite tallit has a special way of tying the side fringes – with seven joints. In contemporary society, where more people are exposed to cultures other than their own, some people may choose to wear a tallit that was traditional in a different country than their own. Over all, within one synegouge there is more variety today than there ever was before.