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In biblical Judaism, the rule was that married women should cover their hair in order to be modest and unattractive. In more recent times, women wear wigs, which are sometimes more attractive than natural hair. So wearing a wig actually defeats the whole purpose of covering the hair!
Different kinds of head coverings are used, among them the mitpaḥat or tichel (headscarf), shpitzel, snood, hat, beret, fall, bonnet, veil, headscarf, bandana, and sheitel (wig).
Better known as sheitels, Jewish hair wigs hold a significant place in the lives of observant Jewish women. Beyond mere accessories, they serve as a religious and cultural expression meaning that women who wear sheitels adhere to specific guidelines outlined by Jewish law.
In many traditional Jewish communities, women wear head coverings after marriage. This practice takes many different forms: Hats, scarves, and wigs (often referred to as sheitels [SHAYtulls) all cover and reveal different lengths of hair.
But many observant women will either wear a scarf or a sheitel, the Yiddish word for wig. A Jewish teacher who taught in Israel in a girls’ seminary and also lived in the Haredi, or ultra ...
At the Zelda Hair wig shop in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, young Orthodox Jewish women are continuing the tradition of covering their hair after marriage — without sacrificing their identity.
Tsarist legislation on Jewish dress codes contributed to its rise in popularity; a decree banned Jewish women from using traditional headdresses, yet allowed them to wear wigs. In the lower classes, wigs made of thread were used, while those of wealthier women were made of natural hair, often modeled after the latest hairstyles.
It’s clear that by the late nineteenth century, in America and parts of Europe, many Jewish women abandoned their wigs and headscarves for the latest fashions of the day. Another part of this shift, for both men and women, was the rise of consumerism.
Orthodox women do not show their hair in public after their wedding. With a headscarf or a wig – referred to in Yiddish as a sheitel – they signal to their surroundings that they are married and that they comply with traditional notions of propriety.
But fashions come and go, and in the 19th century, trendy European women no longer wore wigs. As modernization crept into the ghettos, many Jewish women did not cover their hair altogether.