The Jewish values behind Bernie’s infamous mittens
Bernie Sanders at the inauguration ceremony. Image by Getty
By Irene Katz Connelly April 20, 2021
At this point, you probably know more than you ever anticipated about Bernie Sanders’ infamous inauguration mittens.
But did you know they were made in accordance with Jewish values?
Vermont teacher Jen Ellis, who makes mittens out of recycled sweaters and gifted a pair to Sanders after he lost the 2016 presidential nomination, teamed up with PJ Library and a very tough interviewer — one of her former students, Owen — to talk about how crafting aligns with Yiddishkeit.
The primary Jewish teaching Ellis invoked was “bal tashchit,” the value of not being wasteful: Her mittens are made from old sweaters and lined with fleece, a recycled fabric. But the video also discussed “netina,” the value of giving joyfully and cheerfully, and “tza’ar ba’alei chayim,” kindness to animals, as Ellis has donated some proceeds from mitten sales to conservation charities.
As someone who has been knitting things for over a decade and yet has never been invited to discuss my process in a public forum, I can confirm that Jen Ellis has achieved every crafter’s dream.
But I’m not sure I would have wanted to face Owen’s last and most tenacious question: “How big of a snowball can you throw with these mittens?”
A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
