By COLlive reporter
A Jewish woman who went to a Lucille Roberts gym to work out this week was ejected from the gym for refusing to exercise without a skirt.
Yosefa Jalal of Crown Heights says that when she entered the gym on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, the woman at the front desk told her she couldn’t wear a skirt, but that it doesn’t state that in the gym’s official policy.
Jalal wrote on Facebook that she told the woman that she was going to wear the skirt.
“I went to join a class that was going on, and ten minutes into it the lady at the desk came in and told the instructor to stop the class unless I took off my skirt. I refused, so she stopped the class. Many of the participants were unhappy but she did not restart the class,” she wrote.
After leaving the class and going to work out on a machine, Jalal again was approached by the woman from the front desk, who asked for her name.
“She comes back to me saying that my membership has been revoked; I am trespassing and must leave. She also said the cops are on the way,” wrote Jalal.
Jalal says she has filed a case with the Commissioner of Human Rights.
“I just want to go to the gym and I really feel like my rights are being denied,” she said.
Since she posted this morning, Jalal’s post has received dozens of comments in support of her decision. Many related similar incidents or experiences in various Lucille Roberts gyms.
“Hashem wants us to take care of our vessel (body), and I know many women and men that attend gyms on a regular basis for this reason alone,” Jalal’s friend told COLlive. “If a gym policy exists in any form of contract it would be nice if it was boldly outlined before we sign on to the dotted line. Not only is it embarrassing that this happened but that there was no notice or warning about it.
“If a skirt is an issue on some gym equipment, why not then have a line listed in all contracts stating that you take personal responsibility for any injury incurred by the wearing of garments that may or may not have caused? That might prevent lawsuits instead of public embarrassment and membership revoking,” she said.
Lucille Roberts did not respond to COLlive’s request for comment. A district manager will be meeting with Jalal tomorrow to discuss her complaint.
im vrry religious, Docetic and my faith requires me to wear dresses and skirts .at my gym i love bc i can withoit persecution.i went thru 4 gyms before i found the right one!
“Hashem wants us to take care of our vessel (body)…” Nachon. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you! Remember: The choice to eat something healthy, rather than something unhealthy, is FREE… Daily walks in your community, in the park, on the beach, by the riverside are FREE… Stretching your muscles and joints at home with the aid of a simple chair is FREE… NO GYM MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED. May the women who have suffered such discrimination (who might not only be observant Jewish women, but also observant Muslim and Christian women…; one would have to explore the matter a bit further… Read more »
B”H
I have never heard that frum Chabad ladies are exercising in pants, Chas V’shalom. Hashem is also present in any gym (even if it’s exclusively for ladies). We cover ourselves for Hashem, blessed be He. At home, gym He is everywhere and He is expecting us to behave appropriately.
“If only we have fear of Hashem the same way we fear other people….”
If a frumma woman feel comfortable enough to exercise in pants that is a clear sign something is WRONG. Even in the comfort of her OWN HOME a woman should dress and act tzniusdikke. If one does not recognize this, that the presence of the Shchina is ALWAYS present, then one needs to look again to see how they feel dressing before the King even around all women, even in the comfort of her home with family and EVEN in complete privacy. What one does alone and is comfortable with, one will eventually become used to and go outside in… Read more »
I don’t know who would want to go to Lucille Roberts. Just walking into the foyer disgusts me. They are so “grob” and coarse.
Lucile Roberts is a Muslim gym that is why they have men working there even though it ks supposed to be all women. Muslim women only have to wear all their robes and hajibs when they walk outside otherwise they wear jeans and a teeshirt. That is why they need to be told that Judaism and skirts have nothing to do with the males we wear skirts and are tznius even in our own bedrooms. So not wearing a skirt is not an option. I’m sorry the girl went through that. They are required to accommodate for religious practice and… Read more »
Its actually not a muslim gym.
I used to workout in a gym also, but before I even started my exercising routine, I would change into a house dress with my stockings still on. That way when I actually exercised and sweat I wouldn’t have to stay in those sweaty things walking back home. You could have asked about that and not made a big deal over needing to remove your skirt.
It’s true that gyms do have policies and just need to protect themselves from unnecessary lawsuits, which can happen at the drop of a pin in this wonderful country.
I work out in an all womensfitness club for years. Our Rav told my niece to wear a skirt. I wear my tichel and skirt over my pants and feel like it is a constant reminder of how I am even amongst only women doing the same activity as me. I remember I’m there because it keeps me gezunt mentally and physically and gives me the koach and confidence to be a good mother, wife and shlucha. I also see myself as an ambassador of yiddishkeit when others see me sticking to my standards . I even get compliments on… Read more »
Dress appropriately for the type of exercises you will do in the gym. A skirt without tights or leggings is NOT appropriate if you will do floor exercises (bending, stretching, lying on a floor mat, rolling on a ball, lying on a table lifting weights). Wear exercise pants with a long tee shirt to cover your hips. Loose fitting clothing is inappropriate as it could catch onto equipment causing an accident. If you wear appropriate exercise clothing it means you are smart and does not mean you are not frum. Exercising is a health benefit for us to keep out… Read more »
I BET THEY WOULD NOT THROW OUT A MUSLIM WEARING A HIJAB.
The same thing happened to me at Lucille Roberts on Ralph.
I left. I came many times before and after and they let me exercise with a skirt.
It’s awesome that she stood up for what she believes in! It’s great, loads of mad respect. I think it’s important however to note that there are reasons for not being allowed to work out in a class in a skirt: You could trip over yourself and hurt yourself and those around you. It’s also not easy to work out in a skirt. If you do wear one, wear one that is not long, nor tight. Something you can move around in. And if it’s only women in the gym and they ask you to just wear your pants/leggings that’s… Read more »
I agree with you. women should not wear exercise pants even in there own home. I have heard of frum women who work out with pants in a mixed gym. What is happening to the definition of tznuis?
It is not tznuit for chabad women to wear pants in the gym even with other ladies. This should discouraged. women who want to wear pants in the gym should exercise in their own house.
Wow. I’ve never had a problem working out in a skirt before. It’s clearly this gym. There are certainly skirts designed to workout in and they are just as safe as wearing pants. I’ve gone to a couple of women’s gyms all over the US and no one has said anything, usually there are some other women in skirts there as well!
I worked out at Lucille Roberts on Fulton Avenue. I never had a problem wearing a skirt over my pants. The staff is lovely there. At that site, sometimes men come to talk to the staff, so sometimes a man might be in the room, but the room is large and you can move out of his line of sight. Yeled V’Yalda in Boro Park has a wonderful gym with a pool and sauna and steam room. The staff is lovely there too.
yes but she never heard that rule before!!!! it sounds to me like they were an anti semite trying to kick her out or something.
That is rude but also islam is better known to cover themselves lehavdil “tzniusly.” If you we’re in a place where being tznius was common, then it is especially rude because they know it is your custom. But then if it is not it is understandable That they could mix someone up with a goyish lady who can take off their skirt
I was there and was told to remove my skirt and an arab woman came in right after me with all her coverings and NO ONE said one word to her.
To show support we should all only wear skirts to the gym and cancel all out memberships to all Lucile Roberts there is enough antisemiti a without us supporting them and most importantly we live in a country where human and religious rights are the fortress of this country I and all people Support you by Exercising your rights as a citizen of this great country I am in awe of you standing by your religious beliefs we are very proud of you
Don’t be ridiculous its not dangerous to work out in a skirt. I’m sure she wasn’t wearing some full length ball gown skirt. Lets not pretend that a girl working out in a skirt is any more of a liability than somebody who’s sneaker gets untied or somebody with a ponytail. It does not sound like this girl woke up one day looking for a lawsuit. Its ok that half of this crowd is ok with working out in pants but she has a higher standard so good for her.
These days, people think the only people who have rights are those who do or believe things that are contrary to the Torah. Thank you for standing up for your rights as a frum woman. Also, instead of working out at a gym, have you considered the best exercise-walking? There are plenty of hospitals near Crown Heights which have Jewish patients and you can walk to visit. You would be working out and doing a mitzva too and you can take the money you would save on gym membership and donate it to tzedaka and ask Hashem for help in… Read more »
I was under the impression that in this country we have something called Freedom of religion? The clothing falls under religious observance, so unless it is explicitly stated in the contract that she can’t wear a skirt, she has a case to sue.
well.. the gym is think if someone wears a long skirt to the gym welll the gym is just being extra careful because then someone could sue them and say “oh you never told me i couldn’t were it” so the gym just does not want to get sued so when your jewish expect that you cant go to certain gyms or places that’s the way life is!
crunch for example says in their small print the following:
“Proper athletic attire is required. The club reserves the right to make the final determination in its sole discretion with regard to appropriate attire.”
>>>> I was formerly a member at Lucille Roberts on kings Highway. And nearly everyone wears a skirt. 100’s of women exercise in skirts there. So 100% there is no rule for ditching the skirts at Lucille Roberts
It’s small but it has separate hours, is in Crown Heights and you’re supporting Aliya.
Telling someone who is makpid on tsnius to switch to a gym that services both men and women makes no sense.
What was especially wrong btw is how the gym handled the situation. It sounds unprofessional and demeaning. Even if it had been in their contract, why did they need to humiliate her or threaten her? And it’s even worse because it wasn’t in the contract.
I am a chasidisch Bachur! I love going 2 water parks, just their are only half undressed woman over there, so I won’t go, only I will feel limited by my religion for 5 mins then I will see the beauty in Judaism and move on with my life, so too with most other ‘mitzvos loh tsaaseh’, the gym has 2 take extra precautions 2 make sure that in a world like we live in 2 day (where slipping on a banana peel, is grounds for sueing)
what is wrong with a very short skirt and leggings…over here in Israel, we do this all the time in our womens’ only gym…..I guess they are afraid that a longer the skirt could get caught into the equipment, she could get potentially injured and then they can be liable. certainly a compromise could have been made. smells fishy……
Isn’t there a women’s gym at Aliya??
maybe she was talking about crunch
it has some separate classes but the place itself is co-ed which makes it inappropriate to be there
ms. Jalal,
Great job on standing up for yourself!
We as Yidden don’t have to act like sheep so we shouldn’t offend the goyim. Just imagine the uproar if she was Muslim, this is what Ga’on Yakov is!
what is not modest about exercise ….!!!!!! ALSO IF it is a womans gym how modest does she need to be ….???
1 Lucille Roberts is a women’s only gym 2 the woman at the front desk told her she couldn’t wear a skirt, but that **it doesn’t state that in the gym’s official policy**. 3 I wear a long skirt in on my treadmill all the time. My goodness, a skirt long enough to get caught in in a tread mill is too long. Period. Your skirt shouldn’t be longer than your ankle unless you are at a chasunah. 4 It’s NOT a chillul Hashem to stand up for Yiddishkeit. 5 it is ‘untznius’ to exercise in pants in a women’s… Read more »
IF YOU DONT WEAR A SKIRT YOU ARE NOT FRUM !!!!
PLEASE ALWAYS WEAR A SKIRT THATS WHAT THE REBBE WANTED
Years ago I went and never renewed because of the trashy, unprofessional staff and atmosphere. They are just hurting themselves by alienating a whole demographic. These days our own Jewish started programs and ventures are best for us. I’m all for the ‘ghetto’ – why shouldn’t we be among those who know us and accept us and let us be who we are? let’s be good to each other cause it ain’t coming from them.
Nice to read about Jewish women sticking up for their beliefs!
why cant you just wear leggings under your skirt.
Be smart, get a lawyer and sue them. If this was a transgender getting kicked out , it would be all over the news.
What is Tznious to begin with
when a women goes to a gym
that is full with men, Jewish and Goyim !!??
Its no place for her at all !!
Is showering a tznut activity? One should always be appropriately dressed. Therefore be completely dressed in the shower. Ridiculous, right? so why is it inappropriate to exercise in loose fitting long pants (3/4 below knee)
Hi Yosefa! This happened to me too and they charged me a $65 cancellation fee! When I asked to speak with a manager, they told me that there were none! When I called the main number, they told me there were no supervisors. I just gave up. Good for you Yosefa!
(Also-women only? Great. What about the male fitness instructors and cleaning crew…)
If enough women would call up Crunch to ask for women’s hours, would they consider?
Being “frummer than G’d” is wrong. If Yosefa had fallen because of her skirt, she would condemn the gym because they didn’t describe ‘don’t wear skirts’ in the contract… if they cancelled her membership, she complains there was no ‘don’t wear skirts’ in the contract… she was destined to complain regardless of the gym’s opinion regarding her clothes. Being expelled from the gym is still better than have an injury due to a skirt getting stuck in a machine. imagine a long skirt in a treadmill… At least now, all gyms in the world will know how non-sense we can… Read more »
We are proud of you. Y by nature is refined and pleasant demeanor NOT at all argumentative or looking to cause problems. Her actions were purely sincere!!! Y our women have a right as do women from other cultures to be admitted and not shamefully dismissed.
Do however find a more accepting place to excercise!
HAtzlocha
A fan
Its not so unusual to not be allowed a skirt in a gym for safety reason….
I worked out at the Lucille Roberts in Philadelphia for years and always wore a skirt with no issues at all. No one ever said anything!
Was there w a friend and they approached her! She didn’t listen and no one said anything but so ridiculous! It’s not in the policy!
TIME FOR A QUALITY SEPERATE GYM IN CROWN HEIGHTS!
If an alternative couple can press law suit for a church refusing their marriage for them then I think u should take this to court n become rich! Bravo for keeping your standard
Is it safe to wear a skirt using exercise equipment?
Is there a problem with wearing pants in a womens only gym?
If the answer is no for both questions; what’s the problem? Go to a womans only gym and wear safe clothing?
Is an ONLY WOMENS GYM!!!!!!
And go yoseffa!!
What I meant by that was it’s ridiculous to insist on wearing a skirt for exercise, presumably for reasons of tznius, when exercising is not a ‘modest’ activity. By which I do NOT mean it is immodest . It is a full body activity that requires the attire that is right for such an activity, that’s all I’m saying.
If a frumma woman feel comfortable enough to exercise in pants that is a clear sign something is WRONG. Even in the comfort of her OWN HOME a woman should dress and act tzniusdikke. If one does not recognize this, that the presence of the Shchina is ALWAYS present, then one needs to look again to see how they feel dressing before the King even around all women, even in the comfort of her home with family and EVEN in complete privacy. What one does alone and is comfortable with, one will eventually become used to and go outside in… Read more »
To those who are saying she shouldn’t be there in the first place, Lucille Roberts IS a women’s only gym. So saying it’s not tznius to go in the first place makes no sense.
they told me to take off my skirt in flatbush, becuase people had been injured wearing skirts in their gym (which btw is like 90% filled with frummies)
go to brooklyn heights location they don’t care if you wear a skirt. closer too…
a) it’s a women’s only gym. no need for a skirt
b) many gyms have clothing rules. Don’t like it, don’t go.
To me, this is a chilul hashem.
I was a member at the women only Lucille in Kings Hwy- guys walk in all the time – also, Flatbush Ave is not the best neighborhood for Jews in any case and it was probably anti semitic – I wonder how they treat women in Muslim clothes…
There is no question that Ms Jalal is corrct and we are all proud that she is fighting for her (and our) convictions). After this being said, I need to point that a mixed gym is NOT a place for a woman (or a man) that takes pride in her tznius demeanor. Most if not all participants are dressed inmodestly (yes, tznius also applies to bnei noach), and the social scene there is unbecoming for a ben or bas Melech. I’m no Navi, but this looks as a sign that you should keep away from these places and exercise in… Read more »
. I was A member there for eight years. Once that location merged with Nevins Street they became very anti-somatic and I canceled my membership.The management must have changed.
Jewish women should not be in CO ed gyms
Pure anti-semitism!!!
When I was a teenager 40 years ago, we did gym with our skirts, and noone blinked an eye.
“Exercising by default is an ‘untznius’ activity. No need to make it so extreme.”
Where did you get this nonsense from?
It might be a safety issue
We are living in a peace loving country
Why fight
Just explain
If its their policy then they should have clearly stated that in their rules beforehand
The point is, it’s not ‘untznius’ to exercise in pants in a women’s gym. Exercising by default is an ‘untznius’ activity. No need to make it so extreme.
If someone gets injured in a gym, the gym is often on the hook for the injury, therefore they won’t allow members to engage in behavior they feel may lead to injury.
A waiver won’t necessarily resolve the issue either. While a member may sign that they waive their right to sue, courts don’t necessarily uphold such waivers and thus rendering them useless, so fitness centers are often left with the only option of banning it altogether.
While I sympathize with you, I feel that you need to look at it from the gyms management’s perspective as well.
it thats their policy then you have to follow it…go to a gym that doesnt mind.
Go to Crunch on Lefferts and Schenectady! They let you wear skirts and have some all women classes
And the fact that other frum women exersize in pants makes it fine for me too????????
Having a line in the contract that you are responsible for personal injury based on clothing wont help. It would be awful PR. It’s like you wanting to go bungee jumping but not wanting to wear the harness because its not tznius. They would be more than right to turn you away, even though you signed a waiver for your life…
Take it to the top!
See you in Court
It happened to me SEVERAL years ago too! It is a very rude place, horrible hours for working women and really crowded. I stopped going shortly after being told that.
Isn’t Lucille Roberts for women only? So what is the problem? Plenty of frum/chabad women exercise in pants only when in the company of other women.
If you pay the fee and there’s nothing in the contract about it, then yes! you are fully “entitled” to use the facility and some clerk hasn’t got the right to deny you that.
You go Yosefa!!! Standing up for EMES.
Be like Donald Trump and sue their a–! You’re representing a whole segment of population who like modesty, not only frum women.
No one wants to schlep to Yeled v’Yalda. Make a gym like that in Crown Heights.
I just went to work out on a different floor and they did not do anything except threaten to
Since when are “I just want to” and “I really feel like” valid reasons to get a green light for doing whatever you want? When the woman at the front desk says that you can’t wear the skirt, and you announce that you’re going to do whatever you want, what do you think is going to happen?
Many women work out in crunch gym with tznius clothes.
Good for u that u stood up for ur belief! !!
Yosefa! You are amazing! You stick to your beliefs and nobody can shake you!
I was told I cannot workout with a knee length skirt over my workout pants, so i left in tears. good for you for standing up to them!
YvY has a state of the art gym with separate hours for men and women. Support our own.