Reclaiming Dignity cover

Reclaiming Dignity

A Guide to Tzniut for Men and Women
by Rabbi Anthony Manning
with Bracha Poliakoff
(Mosaica Press, Spring 2023)

Opening a completely new conversation on the topic of tzniut, Rabbi Anthony Manning takes an entirely fresh approach which moves away from the way that tzniut has been taught and discussed in the past. Part of this new conversation involves engaging men in a deeper discussion about their own connection to tzniut.

Rabbi Manning has written this new book “Reclaiming Dignity” to bring to a wider audience the approach that he has been teaching for many years in different seminaries. Some of his audio shiurim and source sheets on this topic can be found here.

Reclaiming Dignity

 Reclaiming Dignity by Rabbi Anthony ManningIn response to requests for a written version, the book offers a major rethink of this much misunderstood topic. It brings together women’s voices from different communities in an anthology of essays from 26 educators, community leaders and influencers. They approach the topic from a broad range of Orthodox hashkafot – Chabad, Chassidish, Beis Yaakov, Yeshivish, Centrist/YU, Modern Orthodox and Religious Zionist. Their essays have been compiled and edited by ​Bracha Poliakoff, LCSW-C, a licensed clinical social worker, speaker, and writer, and the driving force behind the publication of this book and its companion website: www.reclaimingdignity.com

Part 2 of the book presents a comprehensive analysis by Rabbi Manning of the development and structure of tzniut, based on the Torah of Rav Yitzchak Berkovits. This approach will be totally new to most people. It is detailed and source-based and shows the halachic, meta-halachic and hashkafic structure of tzniut. It broadens the conversation to include a deeper understanding of the role of minhag, hashkafa and community, and also the central importance of bein adam lechavero interactions in this area. At the same time it addresses in detail many of the practical applications, including a full analysis of head/hair covering.

Bracha Poliakoff and Rabbi Manning are working with community leaders, editors, educators, curriculum writers and social media influencers to get these ideas into the public forum in 2023. They hope that everyone will find this book helpful in navigating this tricky and often emotive topic.

For more information about the book, how to order it and what launch events are planned, visit www.reclaimingdignity.com. You can contact Rabbi Manning there or via the contact page on this website to arrange an interview or book launch event in your community.