Social & Cultural Norms
Contents
Clothing
Men
The one deciding piece of clothing which makes a statement about what religious social group one belongs to, is the kippa (more commonly used than yarmulke here). For Chareidim, a plain black velvet kippa is the standard. Some wear black cloth kippas. An insignificant minority, usually more modern, may wear leather ones. A knitted kippa is a clear statement that one does not identify himself as Chareidi.
Most Chareidi men wear white button-down shirts, regardless of if they are kollel men or working. A small minority may wear colored or other shirts.
Women
While it is still the norm for Chareidi women, especially from Ashkenazi Yeshivish backgrounds, to wear a sheitel (a wig; in Hebrew called a pe'ah), it has become increasingly acceptable even in those circles to drop the wig in favor of a tichel (cloth head covering, in Hebrew: mitpachat). The level of acceptability may vary from community to community.
Children
Transportation
An overwhelmingly large percentage of Chareidim do not have cars or driving licenses, and are heavy users of public transportation. It seems that among Anglo Chareidim, there is a higher percentage of car owners.
Cars
It is not considered mainstream for yeshivah students to get a license before they get married. In most instances, it can be grounds for being expelled from yeshivah! This may not be the case in the more Anglo communities, but make sure to check!
In many Chareidi communities (even some Litvish), it is rare for women to drive, and in others (especially the more Anglo), it is perfectly acceptable.
Kashrus
There are several well-known kashrus agencies here.
Shmittah
There are several issues of halachic dispute, with practical ramifications for consumers.
In general, Heter Mechirah is considered unacceptable in most Chareidi communities. The big kashrus agencies are divided in opinion about Yevul Nochri (produce from gentile fields) and about the halachic Shmittah borders of Eretz Yisroel.
Shabbos
Electricity
Though the general practice of most Chareidim here is to use the Electric Company's electricity on Shabbos, there is a significant amount of Chareidim who don't. This can be true for whole kehillos - "Chazon-Ishnik", "Brisker," etc., and also individual families who themselves are machmir even from within kehillos who are not. The alternatives include connecting to community-wide generators, battery-powered lighting, or a rechargeable single-home battery system.
