ANT KATZ

Julia Lipnitskaia was appropriately clothed

The of SA Jewish Report published a front page picture of 15-year-old Russian Jewish skating prodigy Julia Lipnitskaia – who took home Olympic gold with a routine set to John Williams’ Theme from Schindler’s List – in our print edition.

Some of our more religious readers complained that Lipnitskaia was scantily dressed in a red costume evoking the iconic “girl in the red coat,” who briefly appears in the movie Schindler’s List to enhance the pathos of a scene of liquidation of Krakow’s ghetto.

SAJR Online last week explained that, “as is the case with all skaters, she wore a bodysuit (which can be clearly seen tucking over her boots) and was in no way inappropriately dressed.”

The image was taken from a video of Lipnitskaia performing this routine at the 2014 European figure skating championships, which preceded the Sochi Olympics.

The performance was dubbed: “Schindler’s List on Ice.”

PICTURED RIGHT:
THE COVER PICTURE
OF TWO WEEKS AGO

 
As one member of the Twitterati called it, was, for some, another strange element in an already bizarre Olympics that has been plagued by malfunctioning snowflakes, toilet troubles and political unrest.

USERS HAD A LOT TO SAY, FROM BOTH SIDES!

Gary Selikow posted the following comment on the day the story was published:

“How ridiculous – its ice skating gymnastics-sport – not pornography – this is the Iran/Hamas type of mentality that should not be appeased. There should be no place for such narrow-minded bigots. Do not apologize to them and do not let it guide your policy on what to publish in future issues of SAJR.

Shortly thereafter, Selikow added an afterthought:

All the pictures of men in football shorts didn’t offend them – genuine sexism that is!

Janine agreed:

I think it is absolutely incorrect for people to impose their religious viewpoints on anyone else and to limit what can be published in a non-Frum paper. This girl is beautiful, the story is awesome and if Frum Jews cannot control their animal impulses by looking at a girl in a less dressed state than a long skirt and wig, then they should not be going out in public, going on holiday, reading anything secular, they should just lock themselves away in a room where the outside world is shut out. I respect everyone’s choice of how observant to be, but I don’t respect an imposition of their sexual insecurities and worries about their reaction in a public, non-religious paper. Just my opinion.

But user Daniel certainly didn’t:

It’s not my opinion or your opinion that counts. It’s Hashem’s. And Hashem says that for a woman to dress in such a costume, and for men to view such a picture is absolutely forbidden.

Julian Pokroy posted:

I think the cover picture is in no way inappropriate. It is a great cover. Well done Jewish Report

Gitl agreed:

It’s a beautiful cover, and she is a talented and lovely 15-yr old. It’s time that ‘religious’ men stopped blaming women for their own inability to keep their emotions in check.

Another Gary argued:

Only a sick person could see that as sinful

And “bijou” also enjoyed it:

loved your cover. beautiful girl properly dressed for a fabulous sport. well done JR.

Akiva posed the following question to Daniel:

Where exactly did Hashem say this? Not your rabbi, or an Art-scroll book on your shelf – but Hashem. Where did Hasmen say this?

An ambivalent Joshua Grigst added a new dimention to the engagement:

I suppose it mst be hard to be one paper for the many schools of thout in our small community. I understand both sides but I agree you did the right thing. The questin is, if she wasnt wearing a bodysuit would you have published it?

Gary answered Joshua’s point:

Even if she want wearing a bodysuit, If she was in a bikini playing volleyball at the summer olympics, SAJS still has a right to publish it as SAJR is not a frum newspaper

READ THE FULL STORY

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A THOUSAND JEWS HAVE TWO THOUSAND OPINIONS

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