Come along for an entertaining journey in Bnei Brak! Fashion and religion are on the table as we visit a hat store in this ultra-orthodox city.
Bnei Brak is a religious city in Israel. Although it is located near the modern city of Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak has ancient roots. It is mentioned in the Book of Joshua as a town in Judea. Today, it is one of the centers of Talmud study in the Land of Israel.
A brief Bnei Brak history
The modern city was founded in 1924 by eight Hasidic Polish families. They founded an agricultural village there. At first, they focused on citrus fruits. However, due to the lack of land, the people focused on other skills and the area became more urbanized. In 1928, Bnei Brak completed building a Great Synagogue. Additionally, in 1929, it was connected to the electricity grid.
The economy
A major employer in the area is the Coca Cola bottling plant. It is among Coca-Cola’s ten largest single-plant bottling facilities in the world. According to Dun’s 100, “CBC’s dedication to excellence and innovative technologies in all areas of its operations has won it prizes from the US-based Coca-Cola Company, as well as recognition and accolades from various public institutions for its environmental-friendly operation and ongoing community service”.
Black Hats
Religious men often wear black hats. There are many styles and shapes, although they largely come in black. This interviewer visited a hat shop in Bnei Brak. He learned about the hats, and tried on various models. While the men sometimes wear hats, the women often cover their hair. Sometimes they cover their hair with a wig. Other times they cover it with cloth. The customs may seem foreign to some, but this video does a great job of exploring it. So come along for the ride and enjoy this tour of a Bnei Brak hat shop! It’s going to be fun.