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In a sunlit space in Brooklyn’s Industry City — warehouse-style windows, exposed ceilings, Lucite fixtures — forty Orthodox women who survived the Holocaust gathered December 16 for a very chic Hanukkah party. The event was organized by Orthodox jewelry designer and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors Freida Rothman, in collaboration with Nachas Health and Family Network,…
Orthodox leaders are increasingly policing the length of women’s wigs, the New York Post reported Sunday, citing numerous women who say they have encountered criticism and even discrimination because of their artificial locks. “People always say the longer it is, the sluttier it is,” Esther Adina Sash, 30, told the Post. Orthodox women traditionally wear…
The subject of women covering their hair is one of fascination in the western world. From burqa bans to sheitel shaming, women who cover are often viewed as victims of patriarchy or religious extremists, getting it from all sides. Enter: Wrapunzel. Wrapunzel is a Facebook group, a business and a community devoted to “celebrat[ing] the…
Digital flyers were recently sent among the Orthodox community’s wig makers. The senders’ names were kept anonymous. “Dear Jewish women,” the flyer’s message screamed in all-caps. “How badly are you trying to look like a prostitute? How important is it for you to slap G-d in the face?!” The flyer featured a collage of images…
Five Israeli ultra-Orthodox rabbis released a statement this past summer, blasting wigs made of human hair for their idolatrous origins (which has long been a dispute among rabbis). As is well-known, in the year 5764, the rabbanim and great poskin [ruler] in our generation have ruled that wigs which contain any human hair from India…
(JTA) — First there was “Tinder for bras.” Now there’s a Yelp for sheitels, the wigs worn by many married Orthodox Jewish women. ShayTell may be the first-ever online customer review site for wigs. It’s certainly the most cleverly named. And if you’ve never considered the demand for such a site, consider this: When was the…
At Shuly Wigs in Boro Park, Brooklyn / Martyna Starosta The sole purpose of Taxonomy of the Sheitel was to inform you, dear perplexed reader, of the various Orthodox wigs and what each signifies. The intention was not to opine on the reasoning behind wigs and its relevance today. However, as was expressed in the…
When I was 17, a matchmaker introduced me to my future husband. My family and I knew it was an auspicious match from the get-go: The boy and I were both Satmar Hasidism; we came from the same town, Kiryas Joel; we were socialized in similar circles, and we observed the same religious rules. But…
