Macover.A determining thread concerning Jewish dress code is the insistence on clothing as identity, distinguishing the Jew from gentiles, as well as adherence to age-old tradition at all costs.Differentiation from gentiles attire has been dealt with extensively by Maimonides.Resistance to a change of dress code was shared by both hassidim and their Jewish Lithuanian adversaries.The Lubavitcher Alter Rebbe, Shneur Zalman of Liadi, went to czarist jail because he refused to sign an endorsement of change in the dress code.Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman Kremer, the Vilna Gaon, taught that for Jews forced to dress as gentiles, it would better to be killed and not comply.Macover traces the establishment of distinguishing Jewish outfits to the 13th century, in the context of distinguishing societys classes, religious affiliations and trade guilds according to their clothes.The initial distinguishing dress code was imposed on European Jews by the Catholic Church, aimed at stripping them of human rights, humiliating them and imposing discriminatory laws.The dress code was a tool for easy identification of Jews.Over the years, Jews embraced the originally imposed humiliating dress codes and actively fought any foreign enforcement to change them.During the 19th century, when Russians moved away from old outfits to Western European fashions, imposing modernization on populations was a common practice of regimes.Efforts to assimilate and modernize Jews were three-pronged: eliminating unique Jewish outfits, introducing local language and general knowledge studies in religious learning institutes at all levels, and instituting financial incentives for compliance as well penalties for resistance.Struggles over the administrative impositions were supported by the Maskilim Western-educated Jews but only hardened the religious hardcore.Will the outcome of the current impositions be similar
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