The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-06
WIGS OF HEBREW WOMEN.
A Badge of Marriage to Those Who Com
form Strictly to the Talmudic Rules.

"A Badge of Marriage to Those Who Con-
form Strictly to the Talmudic Rules.
The fact that many Hebrew women in
the east side tenement district wear
Wigs, and the many signs of wigmakerS
and hairdreSserS to be seen in that re-
gion, often attract the attention of
strangers who for the first time visit the
streets east of the Bowery. Their first
idea is likely to be that badness is
more prevalent among Hebrew women
than among those of other races. But
when the women are seen, as is often
the case, with their own hair cut short
below the wigs it becomes evident that
they have another reason for wearing
wigs. especially as. in most cases, the
wigs are ugly, Hitting and a positive
Disagreement. The fact is that nearly
all the women with wigs have their hair
cut or shaved off after marriage in ac-
cordance with Talmudic law, in order
that they may be rendered unattractive
to other men than their husbands. The
wearing of wig has therefore come to
be badge of marriage among the or
thodoX. Hebrew women who conform
strictly to the rules of the Talmud. Al
most the only Hebrews in New York
who adhere strictly to this custom come
from Galicia, the Polish and Russian
Hebrews having discarded it from their
observances. A former rabbi, who was
brought up in the orthodox faith of the
Jews, but since he came to New York
has adopted the ideas of the Reformed
Jewish church, which discards a great
number of the Talmudic ordinances,
said In speaking of the subject:
1.-THE Galicians form about % per cent
of the Hebrew population of New York,
and are probably the only Jews here
who conform literally to all the Talmud-
ic ordinances. They are the poorest and
least educated of the Jews. knowing no
language but their own While among
the Polish and Russian Jews here may
be found many students who have been
exiled from their native land through
persecution or on account of their politi-
cal opinions. I believe it would be hard
to find family of Russian or Polish
Jews in New York at the present day
which believes in carrying out the law
requiring married women to cut or
shave off their hair. On the other hand.
it would be equally hard to find a mar
ried Galician Jewess who does not OBJ
serve it to the letter, no matter how
much it detracts from her good looks.
DO you the young women ever pro-
test against the parting with their nat
ural tresses? Oh, yes, certainly. / have
known cases where girls have wept bit
terly at the thought of it Jewish girl
take great delight in their long, flow
lIiSs uldlI, WHICH tHty ConSluHT one OIL tnp
principal adjunetsa to- beauty Any girl
with ordinary human feeling naturally
objects to being made fright of. In a
few instances / have known girls who,
with the consent of their husbands, re-
nounced the orthodox faith and adopted
the tenets of the Reformed Jews rather
than part with their hair; but these
cases are rare, as the Galician Jews are
welded thoroughly to the old faith.
Cpnpra11v ab a het faith
they renounce Judaism altogether. OF
course, the idea of having the head
shaved is horrible to young girls who
happen to be good looking and are con-
scious of it, but their mothers are. OBJ
durate, and the result is that the young
women have their heads shaved two
days after marriage, and ever after
ward they wear disfiguring arrange
ment of artificial hair. Those who can
afford it buy wigs which resemble their
natural head covering. but the great
majority, as you will see by going
through the east side, wear most unat-
tractive affairs, which are fatal to the
good looks of the wearers.
'It is not generally known he con-
tinued, that many Galician Jews will
not allow their children to go to the
public schools. They teach their chill
dren at home. and their principal text
book is the Talmud. The children, how
ever as they advance in years often
break away from parental influences
and attend night schools, as the crown
ing ambition of all the Jewish boys and
girls, especially the boys, Is to learn
English"
Regarding the large number of hair
dressing establishments on the east
side, which appear to be doing flour
ishing business, he said: THE reason
that so many of these places can do
business is because every unmarried
Jewish girl, whether orthodox or not,
delights in long tresses and pays par
ticular attention to her hair. Those who
are not naturally provided with abund-
ant locks supplement their hair with
switches and braids. This gives the
hairdressers plenty to do, especially in
the winter when there are plenty of
dances and weddings. New York Sun.
Catarrh Cannot BE Cured.
with LOCAL APPLICATIONS. as they cannot