Erasing Women from History?

It's no surprise to hear that many Jewish ultra-orthodox religious communities are struggling with the pace of change and impact of the outside world. Even in these close-knit religious enclaves some modern technology and fashion has managed to creep in. So, in response these communities have taken to finding extra stringincies to further protect themselves from the harm that may come from secular influences. While, most of the stringincies only affect these specific communities, some extremes that aren’t appropriate for the general religious public are nonetheless being pushed upon them.

One such stringency is that of refusing to publish a woman’s picture in any publication of any sort at any time for any reason.  This may have started as a response to advertising making inroads with pictures of attractive women in shop windows and publications in religious neighborhoods.  Somehow it turned into a blanket ban where even major news stories involving women couldn't have an accompanying photo.

This past week a tzadekes left this world.  Rebbitzen Kanievsky, wife of Rabbi Chaim Kanviesky of Bnei Brak left us.  Mishpacha Magazine wrote an extensive article on her and if you Google her you'll find plenty of moving tribute pieces.

While most of us don't live in Bnei Brak or move in charedi circles, the passing of a tzaddik or tzadekes is a matter of note. With any passing, it is popular to display photos of the person and this is even common in religious newspapers.

However, when Rebbetzin Kanievsky died it was near impossbile to find any pictures of her in the leading religious newspapers.   (Because of an extra stringency for a particular community that was worried about a particular problem which definitely would NOT apply to this special woman.) Someone who was revered by hundreds of thousands of Jews, who was not only famous in her own right but also famous for being the daughter of a gadol but also, the wife of a Torah giant. So, why can't we at least have a picture of her? For those who aren't in Israel, who counldn't meet her, who didn't merit to know her, shouldn't we at least see what such a woman looks like? Shouldn't we be able to show our daughters the pictures of great Jewish women as well? Don't we deserve to remember great Jewish women, instead of delete them from history?