Strange, in Hebrew it's referred to as "kissui rosh," "head covering.
According to Jewish Law, a married, even no longer married due to divorce or widowhood, woman is supposed to cover her hair when in public. What constitutes "public?" Some say "all places including home," and others say "only when leaving home." I'm not going to give the halachik citations. I'm not a rabbi just a woman who has been married 37 years.
I wrote about my general approach and personal history in HIDE and SEEK: Jewish Women and Hair Covering.
When I got married there weren't many options and the hair-covering culture was pretty marginal. Today, at least in the more traditional Jewish communities, it has never been easier.
For those who wear wigs, which I don't, they are more comfortable and natural than ever before.
Some women attempted to cover "all their hair," while others had a hat perched on a "proper" haircut. I had long hair, tied and pinned up to be hidden. It was no problem to cut it myself, since nobody could see how uneven it was.
The standard, non-wig, hair-covering in 1970 was a "tichel," a square of fabric folding "almost" in half on the diagonal with a piece of foam sewn in to give it "body." These were supplemented with all sorts of "little hats" when we were lucky enough to find them.
As time went on berets, worn like shower caps with all hair underneath, and lots of large scarves wound around like exotic turbans became fashionable. And they're still popular. A few years ago, as men's kippot became larger and more creative, women with very short hair began adopting them , too.
When I ran out of wall-space for my needlepoints, and I needed something I could do on a plane sans scissors, I began to crochet hats. Since then, I've cut my hair and have created a wardrobe of hand-made hats. They are the most comfortable of all the kinds of hair-coverings I've ever worn. The problem is that they don't provide sun protection.
For sun protection, I've tried wearing various shades and hats on the hats, and then I take them off when indoors. Recently, a neighbor asked me what I do, since her dermatologist demanded that she take precautions. I told her and then saw her in town and showed her my new enormous cotton hat. We were less than a minute from the store where I bought it.
"Really? I wouldn't dare walk around with something like that!"
OK, her decision.
Following Mother in Israel's post about hair covering, I took out your book from the library. I didn't know you wrote it. It is waiting for me back at home. Cool!
ReplyDeleteFern, I think Batya was one of the contributors.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking about adopting your idea for sun protection. I bought these really cute stretchy tichels and love them--they are so light.
chasida & mii,
ReplyDeleteYes, I wrote one of the essays.
About keeping the sun away, my daughter was horrified at how I look, but she's the one who's always telling me to be careful. I guess it's a mother's job to embarrass the kids.
I will most definitely have to get the book. I'd love to read your essay!
ReplyDeleteFor me, hair-covering would probably be a blessing as I have the most difficult hair of all time! ;-)
If that's the case, you'll like my essay. It's a great book, really.
ReplyDeleteI have to comment about my admiration
ReplyDeleteof frum women who traipse with wigs in place. I can't stand to have a lot of hair - it's heavy and hot. I can only imagine what life with a wig must be like.
I woudn't know about wigs; I wear everything but.
ReplyDeleteThey are a lot of work, which is unnecesary if you cover like I do.
This wonderful book is very informative for someone like me who's outside the more traditional segment(s) of the Jewish community. I'm always trying to figure out how and/or why things are done, and whether or not I'm interested in doing them. Here’s my post on "Hide and Seek."
ReplyDeleteFor the curious, I've always covered my head while praying or studying, even before I was married. But I'm not ready to cover my head full-time. For openers, it would be "false advertising," since covering the head full-time implies that one is Orthodox, and I'm not. For closers, it would make me appear "holier than thou" among my sister and fellow Conservative Jews.