Strip Club Installs Mechitza To Attract Orthodox Clientele

“I did a little research on their lifestyle, and we’re moving forward with what I’ve learned.”

New York, September 1 – A local gentlemen’s club has erected a barrier to separate female patrons from the males in order to cater to Jewish males who adhere to stricter standards of modesty than most, and eschew mingling socially with females.

The strip club Swank, one of the few remaining adult entertainment establishments on the West Side of Manhattan since Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s zoning crackdown eliminated most of them, has built a partition known as a mechitza, a common feature in Orthodox Jewish houses of worship. The move, according to Swank manager Uptha Rongtri, is aimed at attracting patrons who might otherwise be turned off by the lack of separation of the sexes.

“This is still a competitive businesses, despite the reduction in number of competitors,” explained Rongtri. “You need every advantage you can get. So the owners and I brainstormed a bit and hit upon the idea of appealing to an untapped niche market – all the visibly religious Jews who come in and out of Manhattan every day. So I did a little research on their lifestyle, and we’re moving forward with what I’ve learned.”

Rongtri believes his establishment can attract visitors from the diamond district, which is ether a short taxi ride away or a fifteen-minute walk. “You can see hundreds, maybe more, black-clad, black-hatted men going to their businesses over in the low 40’s,” he noted, referring to the concentration of predominantly Jewish Orthodox jewelry dealers less than a mile to the northeast of Swank. “Many of them commute by bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, which is practically in our back yard. A little bit of promotion, maybe using Yiddish, should do it to get their attention and demonstrate how we stand out and can cater to their sensibilities.”

Beyond the mechitza itself, Swank aims to appeal to Orthodox Jews via such new features as kosher certification on numerous beverages and a special ritual hand-washing cup at a sink outside the restrooms. “I think we’ll also put up an ‘Asher Yatzar’ sign there – it’s something I’ve seen in a Jewish home or two,” suggested co-owner Gil-Lou Yarayos, referring to a benediction in appreciation for a functioning body, recited after relieving oneself. “Anything to make our target clientele feel more welcome.”

Yarayos said Swank would also offer special Sabbath admission rates to encourage Orthodox men to visit on Friday nights, when they are known not to go to work the following morning.

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