Can Hair Be Considered “Jewish?”

Does hair texture have a religious connotation? According to an exceptionally inane article titled: “Why my daughter and I still straighten our Jewish curls,” the answer would seem to be yes…according to the author, that is.

Personally, I am amazed that someone who is actually Jewish would perpetuate such a ridiculous stereotype! First of all, Jews come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some members of the Tribe have curly hair and others have straight. Some of us have dark hair and others are naturally light (not the majority, but you get the idea). To label a single type of hair “Jewish” is not only insulting, it’s inaccurate.

The author further explains: “I don’t straighten my hair because I want to hide my Jewish identity… The truth is, it’s much easier to manage my hair when it’s straight. I also like the way it looks smoothed out at this stage in my life.”

Why in the world would straightening one’s hair be considered trying to hide your identity?! Clearly, this lady is not only confused, but also seems to feel guilty over a non-existent crime she’s committing.

Most ladies—and many young girls as well—are constantly trying out new styles. We dye it, we cut it off, we grow it long, etc. As someone who has naturally stick-straight hair, I’ve often envied curly heads and when I was little, I even had a perm. Regardless of whether I’ve worn my hair straight or curly, it’s never had any impact on my Jewish identity.

And that’s only texture. Let’s not even get into the debate about color (are fake blondes masquerading as Gentiles? I think not).

With so many critical issues impacting the Jewish community, wasting time and effort on something as insignificant as hair texture is downright ridiculous. Worry about a rise in Anti-Semitism, soaring Intermarriage rates, worldwide Islamic terrorism—those are important. Hair doesn’t even rate in the Top 500 concerns.

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