Uncovering the tallit, the long-standing traditional textile in Israel
By DENNIS ZINNUpdated: SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 14:42The tallit (prayer shawl) is a customary Jewish prayer garment.(photo credit: DENNIS ZINN/THE JERUSALEM POST)
The tallit (prayer shawl) industry is one of the oldest in the field of textile. Although Israel no longer produces almost any textile, the tallit industry is still leading in the market.Unlike other textiles, the tallit is a holy object. Therefore, those working on its production are well-educated on the sacred forms of weaving it according to the halacha.Israel"s Tallit industry, one of the country"s last textile industries (Credit: Dennis Zinn)"Halacha is our guiding light and we have to produce according to halacha," said Shlomo Avrahami, CEO of Mishkan Hatchelet, Ltd. "All of the workers are God fearing and know how to bless according to the Tzitzit (ritual fringes) commandment.""There are no motor-driven machines," he continued, "there is no electricity. We go back a few thousand years and man manufactures the tzitzit by hand."
