by stacey palevsky
staff writer
Before you read the next paragraph, check the tag on your shirt. If it reads “Made in China” or “Made in Bangladesh,” it might also mean “made in a sweatshop.”
Even in the United States, much of the garment industry disregards labor laws. An estimated two-thirds of garment factories in the United States are in violation of federal laws governing wages and overtime pay, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
But three Jewish organizations want you to know that it is possible to wear clothing not tied to human rights abuses.
Progressive Jewish Alliance, American Jewish World Service and The Hub will honor Passover’s themes of freedom and justice by educating people about sweatshops and labor abuses — and encouraging them to purchase clothing that doesn’t support either — with the first “Rags to Righteousness: From the Red Sea to the Red Carpet.”
“We want people to realize that their everyday choices — the clothes they wear and the bags they carry — have an impact on the way people live their lives,” said Heidi Winig of AJWS.
Rags to Righteousness begins 7 p.m. April 24 at the Swedish American Music Hall in San Francisco.
The evening will include a fashion show displaying fair-trade and sweat-free clothing from local and international designers and a bazaar selling sweat-free clothing and accessories.
Program coordinators intentionally organized the event for Passover.
“It’s our way of celebrating liberation,” said Zach Lazarus, a program coordinator with PJA. “The anti-sweatshop movement is about condemning the worst cases and creating a fervor against something, but the wonderful thing about this particular event is that we’re celebrating those who are doing the right thing.”
PJA has long advocated for fair labor laws. It has a Kosher Clothing Campaign that encourages Jewish summer camps, schools, youth groups and synagogues to choose sweat-free clothing manufacturers; the organization published a booklet called “No Shvitz” about the labor rights movement and the garment industry.
American Jews have a long history with sweatshops and the garment industry. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Eastern European Jewish immigrants worked in clothing factories.
In those days, the work was characterized by low wages, poor ventilation, hazardous conditions, long hours and no collective bargaining. American-Jewish workers soon organized and were on the front lines of America’s labor movement during the early 20th century.
And even though an American Jew today is more likely to own a garment factory than sew a garment in that factory, PJA staff points out that there is still work to be done.
Labor abuse persists in garment factories around the world; globalization and international trade has “deteriorated labor rights,” Lazarus said.
Rags to Righteousness hopes to educate about this grim aspect of the garment industry, but also wants to empower those in attendance to make smarter choices.
“We’re providing people with an opportunity to make meaningful choices of how they live their values,” Winig said. “People will actually be able to go home with ideas or pieces of clothing and accessories that were made in fair working conditions. This is a real celebration of the ways we can use our consumer power to promote justice.”
“Rags to Righteousness: From the Red Sea to the Red Carpet” will be held 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursday, April 24 at the Swedish American Music Hall, 2174 Market St., S.F. Cost: $8-$20. Kosher-for-Passover food will be served. For tickets or more information, visit www.pjalliance.org.
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California