Inside Out Podcast: Tznius is More Than a Dress Code

Women of Iron Unite and the Hosts of the incredible Inside Out podcast collaborated to create a meaningful conversation around Tznius. The Podcast, hosted by Rivkah Krinsky and Eda Schottenstein, featured guest speakers, shlucha to Binghamton University, Mrs Rivkah Slonim and Orthodox Jewish fashion icon, Joyce Azria.

The premise of the discussion centered around Tznius, modesty, and the mixed emotions and feelings women and girls have about it. The discussion was lively, open and insightful.

Joyce shared her journey as a baalas teshuva, in the multi million dollar world of fashion. Joyce expressed her appreciation for Tznius and how it has shaped her life. She draws a correlation between the fashion industry and how it measures the greater quality the clothing with the greater level of care given to the material, design packaging and yes its level of modesty.

Mrs Rivkah Slonim, brought to the podcast her perspective and insights. As a shlucha on campus she interacts with young women on a daily basis. She uses her vast knowledge to influence those around her who live in a very immodest world. She explains, when discussing modesty and its seemingly many restrictions and rules of conduct, that rules, yes, can feel stifling, yet the entire order of the world exists on rules and modesty is just one aspect of that. Mrs Slonim highlighted The Rebbes clear and thoughtful views on this topic.

Eda and Rivkah masterfully joined and added to the conversation with their own personal stories/struggles.

Eda shared her perspective: “Modesty was always presented to me as a top-down concept—taught by mentors and teachers rather than explored through personal experience. I had my own idea of what it looked like, but in reality, it didn’t always align with halacha, especially in settings like the beach or the gym. This conversation challenged me to think about modesty beyond my own biases and to see its authenticity in a deeper way. I never expected to do a podcast on this topic, as it’s something I’ve personally struggled with, but hearing perspectives from Joyce and Rivka was eye-opening to say the least. Whether or not modesty is a challenge for you, this episode offers insight into its deeper meaning beyond just clothing.”

Rivkah shared so beautifully: “Because of my own journey, I found the topic of modesty daunting, as it can be so triggering today. Yet, it’s something I deeply value and feel proud to discuss, so I was honored to take part in this conversation. Rivkah Slonim shared profound wisdom on the Rebbe’s approach and how tznius empowers women, while Joyce Azria’s journey was incredibly inspiring—showing how she embraces modesty while thriving in the fashion industry. Their insights left me feeling truly uplifted and grateful to be part of this discussion.”

We, Women of Iron Unite, feel privileged to have facilitated this important conversation and we say a huge thank you to Eda, Rivka, Joyce and Mrs Slonim.
The journey and the conversation are not over, we’d love to hear from you!

Women of Iron Unite,
Sara Blau
Rivky Perl
Ruthie Sperlin