For Rabbi Arielle Stein, dressing up daily isn’t solely a type of self-expression; it’s a cornerstone of her rabbinic work. “Hiddur mitzvah is a vital idea in Judaism,” she tells Vogue, referring to the commandment to beautify. “You will need to me to decorate in a method that feels considerate and regarded.”
However it’s not so typically that you simply see a rabbi on the bema in pierced Tory Burch wedge mules. In October, Rabbi Stein took to TikTok to share her assortment of freaky sneakers, which she wears whereas attending to liturgical duties. “I had been actually into Mandy Lee’s Sneakers for Freaks movies,” she says. “I used to be like, wait, this may really be so humorous if anyone did a rabbi model of this.”
Amongst them are her so-called bris sneakers (which she additionally wore to her marriage ceremony earlier this month), a pair of white mules from Grey Issues with a notable twist. “They’ve an egg-shaped heel, which is symbolic in Jewish group of the circle of life, creation of nature,” Rabbi Stein defined on TikTok.
“It’s funky, nevertheless it’s not too attention-y,” she tells Vogue. “Folks that like creative stuff are going to get this and different individuals simply received’t discover.” Additionally in heavy rotation: the Tory Burch sneakers she wears to officiate fashion-forward weddings, Nike Air Rift split-toe sneakers for bar and bat mitzvah classes, and a slashed, low-heeled pump—additionally Grey Issues—for baby-naming ceremonies.
Whereas Rabbi Stein favors small manufacturers for all components of her wardrobe, she’s particularly keen on Grey Issues sneakers, which she calls her “go-to clergy shoe model.” “They’ve sneakers which are sculptural and creative but in addition acceptable. It simply feels proper to me,” she says. “They offer a nod to the formality of a clergy position, [but] we’re in New York Metropolis: individuals love funky trend stuff, so that they’re an ideal mixture.”
