Have you ever noticed that some Orthodox Jewish women wear wigs? It's not uncommon in Orthodox communities. But why do they wear them?
If you're wondering why, this article is for you! We'll cover the main reasons some Orthodox Jewish women wear wigs, explain what a sheitel is and how it differs from the lace front wigs you may already know, and share a few related Jewish traditions.
Why Do Jewish Women Wear Wigs?
Many married Orthodox Jewish women cover their hair in public as part of their religious practice. Some wear a wig called a sheitel, pronounced SHAY-tl, while others wear a scarf or hat.
Not every Jewish woman wears one, though. Orthodox Jews make up about 9% of Jewish Americans, according to the Pew Research Center. Reform and Conservative Judaism generally don't require married women to cover their hair as a daily practice.
The main reasons Orthodox Jewish women wear wigs are to follow Jewish law, keep their hair private, show they're married, and because many prefer a wig to a scarf. Let's get into each reason below!
Free 10-page planner
Buying a wig or bundles? Get the fit, length, and fullness right before you pay.
Our free planner shows you how to measure your head for your cap size, how long a wig will look on you, and how full to go. It also has a page to help you choose between a wig, a sew-in, and extensions, a shopping card to check listings against, an install log, and how to wash each type of wig.
Free. You’ll get the planner by email, two more emails on how to use it, and then one every Thursday, plus the occasional extra. Unsubscribe anytime.
1. To Follow Jewish Law
Covering the hair after marriage is a long-standing practice in Orthodox Jewish law, known in Hebrew as kisui rosh (i.e., head covering). The Talmud (i.e., the central text of rabbinic Jewish law) bases it on Numbers 5:18, where a priest uncovers a woman's head as part of a ritual. The rabbis read that as a sign that Jewish women normally kept their heads covered (Ketubot 72a).
The Talmud connects basic hair covering to Torah law and discusses additional community standards under dat Yehudit, which refers to the customary practices of Jewish women (Ketubot 72b). Hair covering isn't listed as a separate commandment in Maimonides' count of 613 commandments, but Orthodox authorities still treat it as part of Jewish law and disagree about the details.
Some Orthodox women follow this practice by covering their natural hair with a wig. Better known in the Jewish community as sheitels, wigs allow a woman to cover her hair without sacrificing self-expression. But this wasn't always the case.
Some traditional sheitels are short and straight with heavy bangs, and that style is still common in certain Hasidic communities, which are very traditional Orthodox groups led by their own rebbes, or spiritual leaders (Jew in the City). Today, many women wear sheitels that closely resemble natural hair and allow them to express their personal style.
Some Jewish women have also opened wig shops that serve Orthodox communities. Some of these shops now sell wigs to non-Jewish clients as well. Certain sheitel makers also carry rabbinic supervision of where their hair comes from, which we'll cover below.
2. To Keep Their Hair Private
Covering the hair is part of tzniut (i.e., the Jewish practice of modesty in dress and behavior). In this view, modesty isn't about looking unattractive. Rabbi Aron Moss of Chabad (i.e., a worldwide Hasidic movement) describes modesty as a way to create privacy, so a married woman's hair is something she keeps for her private life (Chabad.org).
That's why a sheitel can be stylish and still count as modest to many Orthodox women. What matters is that her own hair stays private, not that she looks plain.
Unmarried women don't typically have to cover their heads (Aish). Practices for divorced and widowed women vary by community and rabbinic guidance, though many continue to cover their hair.
3. To Show They're Married
In many Orthodox communities, a head covering also signals that a woman is married. A scarf or sheitel can communicate her marital status to the people around her (Jewish Museum Berlin).
That's why many brides who plan to cover their hair start doing so after the wedding and may buy their first sheitel beforehand.
4. Because Many Prefer a Wig to a Scarf
Most women who wear sheitels do so for religious reasons, but choosing a wig instead of a scarf or hat is often a personal preference. A wig can stay securely in place, resemble natural hair, and work with many outfits. Many women who wear wigs also enjoy wearing them (The Forward).
Some Jewish women also wear wigs for the same reasons other women do. They might like the look of wigs or want to give their natural hair a break. Women of all kinds have embraced wearing wigs, and Jewish women aren't any different.
A few Orthodox women have also said they feel less noticed in a wig than in a scarf (Refinery29). That's a side effect some women describe, not a religious reason for wearing one.
Why Wear a Wig If It Looks Like Real Hair?
This is the question many people ask first. If the point is to cover her hair, why is a wig that looks just as good, or better, allowed?
Many Ashkenazi authorities (i.e., rabbis in the Central and Eastern European Jewish tradition) permit a wig because it covers a woman's own hair. Later commentators, including the Mishnah Berurah, explain that a wig may be left uncovered (Mishnah Berurah 75:15). Rabbi Michael Broyde, a law professor and rabbi, describes the sheitel as a way of covering the hair without appearing to cover it (Canopy Forum).
Not every authority agrees. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a leading Sephardi rabbi (i.e., one from the Spanish, North African, and Middle Eastern Jewish tradition), strongly opposed wigs and preferred a scarf (Jewish Women's Archive). In 2017, a group of rabbis in Israel renewed their opposition to long, natural-looking wigs (The Forward, 2017).
When Did Jewish Women Start Wearing Wigs?
Wigs themselves are very old in Jewish texts. The Mishnah, a collection of Jewish law from about 1,800 years ago, already mentions a woman wearing a wig (Mishnah Shabbat 6:5). What was new, much later, was wearing a wig in place of a cloth head covering.
It's important to note that sheitels weren't always embraced.
By the 16th century, rabbis in Italy were debating whether a wig could serve as a married woman's hair covering. Rabbi Joshua Boaz allowed it, while others opposed it (CCAR). Later rabbis, including the Chatam Sofer, also argued against wigs.
The sheitel spread slowly over the next few centuries. Up until the late 19th century, only a few upper-class, observant Jewish women wore wigs, according to sociologist Menachem Friedman (JTA). Today, sheitels are common in many Orthodox communities, although some religious leaders still debate whether they should be permitted.
Do All Orthodox Women Wear Wigs?
No. How Orthodox women cover their hair depends largely on their community, and some don't cover their hair every day.
- Chabad and many Ashkenazi Haredi women (i.e., women in the most traditional Orthodox communities) commonly wear sheitels (Unpacked).
- In some Hasidic communities, women wear a hat over a short wig. Some wear a turban with a small fringe of wig bangs attached.
- Scarves, snoods, and hats are common among many Sephardi women and religious women in Israel.
- Modern Orthodox women may wear a fall, hat, or headband, and some don't cover their hair every day.
Some Orthodox authorities also allow a small amount of hair to show. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein permitted up to a tefach, often described as approximately one handbreadth, according to My Jewish Learning.
What Other Head Coverings Do Jewish Women Wear?
Although wigs are common in some Orthodox communities, not everyone wears them. Many Orthodox women prefer a scarf, snood, or hat. In this section, we'll look at other head coverings Jewish women wear and the one many Jewish men wear.
Jewish women’s hair coverings at a glance
These are the most common ways married Orthodox women cover their hair. Customs differ by community, and many women wear more than one.
| Covering | What it is | Who often wears it |
|---|---|---|
| Sheitel | A full wig that covers all of her own hair. Many look like natural hair. | Common in Chabad and many Ashkenazi Haredi communities. |
| Fall | A partial wig worn with a headband, scarf, or hat covering the hairline. | Many Modern Orthodox women and Yeshivish women (i.e., Haredi women outside Hasidic groups), especially younger women. |
| Hat over a wig | A hat worn on top of a sheitel, so the wig is covered, too. | Worn in some Hasidic communities, including Satmar and Belz. |
| Tichel | A headscarf tied over the hair. Tichel is the Yiddish word, and mitpachat is the Hebrew word. | Common in Israel, among Sephardi women, and in many other communities. |
| Snood | A soft knit or fabric cap that gathers the hair in a bag at the back of the head. | Popular in Yeshivish and Hasidic communities. |
| Shpitzel | A turban with a small fringe of wig bangs attached at the front. | Worn by some Hasidic women. |
| Hat or beret | Anything from a dressy hat for synagogue to a beret or baseball cap. | Common among some Modern Orthodox and Sephardi women who don’t wear wigs. |
Based on Jew in the City’s visual guide to Orthodox head coverings (2020) and Unpacked (2024). Customs vary by family and community.
When most people think of Jewish head coverings, the kippah is the first thing that pops into their minds. The kippah and the yarmulke are the same small skullcap; kippah is the Hebrew name and yarmulke is the Yiddish name. Many Jewish men wear one to show reverence to God, and wearing one is a custom rather than a Torah law (My Jewish Learning).
Mainstream Jewish hair-covering practices don't cover the face. The full face and body covering you may have seen in some news reports belongs to a small fringe group in Israel. NPR reported that the group included about 100 women in 2008 and that experts found no historical basis for the practice (NPR).
What's the Difference Between a Sheitel and a Lace Front Wig?
A sheitel isn't a particular type of wig construction. It's a wig that many married Orthodox Jewish women wear to cover their hair. A sheitel may have a lace front or lace top, just like the lace front wigs you may already know. If you already wear lace front wigs, a sheitel will feel familiar in some ways.
The biggest differences are in how they're worn, where the hair comes from, and the price. Take a look at how they compare below.
Sheitel vs. lace front wig
A sheitel can have a lace front, too. The differences are in why it’s worn, how it stays on, and what it costs.
| Sheitel | Lace front wig | |
|---|---|---|
| What it’s for | Covering a married Orthodox woman’s own hair, as part of Jewish law. | Style, a protective style, or covering hair loss. |
| How it stays on | Traditionally, a snug, fitted cap. Many have combs or clips sewn inside. | Wig glue, wig tape, or a glueless fit with combs, clips, or a band. |
| The hair | Usually human hair, often from Eastern Europe. Some makers carry rabbinic supervision of the source. | Human or synthetic hair. Human hair is often sold as Brazilian, Peruvian, or Indian hair. |
| Typical cost | Often about $1,500 to $5,000 for a human-hair sheitel, based on a 2017 U.S. report. Prices vary widely. | About $90 to $500. |
| How long it lasts | Up to five years or longer with proper care, according to one sheitel stylist. | About 9 months to 3 years for a human-hair wig, according to cancer charities. |
| Care | Often washed and styled by a sheitel macher every few weeks. | Usually washed at home about every 6 to 8 wears. |
Sheitel figures come from Marie Claire (2017). Lace front costs come from our wig guide, and human-hair wig lifespans from these cancer charities. Sources: Breastcancer.org, Cancer Research UK.
Prices vary considerably. A 2017 report found that Orthodox women in the U.S. might spend $1,500 for a basic sheitel or up to $5,000 for a custom luxury wig. The hair alone could sell for $2,000 to $4,000 per kilogram (Marie Claire). In 2026, one resident of Kfar Chabad, a Chabad community in central Israel, told Ynet that the average price there was around 30,000 shekels, or $8,800, and that some wigs cost 40,000 shekels, or $11,800 (Ynet).
Some women take their sheitels to a sheitel macher, or wig stylist, for washing and professional styling. One Brooklyn stylist quoted by Marie Claire recommends doing this every few weeks and said that most of her clients keep several sheitels in rotation. If you wash a human-hair wig yourself, our guide on how to wash a wig walks you through it.
Where Does Sheitel Hair Come From?
Sheitel makers buy hair from many places, including Eastern Europe and Cambodia (The Forward, 2014). Where the hair comes from matters to many Orthodox women because of a 2004 ruling about hair from Hindu temples in India.
At many temples in India, worshippers have their heads shaved for religious reasons, and the hair may be sold to wig makers. Jewish law forbids benefiting from an offering made to idolatry, so rabbis have debated whether this hair counts as such an offering.
The sheitel hair question, year by year
How rabbis have ruled on hair from Hindu temples in India. We’re reporting the debate here, not ruling on it.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1989 | Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, a leading rabbi in Israel, allows hair from Indian temples. He’s told the hair is cut before the worship takes place, so it isn’t an offering. |
| 2003 | Rabbi Elyashiv sends Rabbi Aharon Dovid Dunner, the head of a rabbinic court in London, to India to look into how the hair is collected. |
| May 2004 | Rabbi Elyashiv rules that the temple hair is an offering to idolatry and can’t be used. Some women burn their wigs, including in Brooklyn, and wig makers rush to publish lists of wigs whose hair isn’t in question. |
| After 2004 | Some sheitel makers start carrying rabbinic supervision of where their hair comes from, and some buy hair from other countries, such as Cambodia. Other rabbis, including Rabbi Yisroel Belsky, argue that temple hair is permitted. |
| 2024 | A notice in the Orthodox newspaper HaModia, signed by rabbis in the U.S. and Israel, says all Indian hair is forbidden and that the strict supervision needed is nearly nonexistent. Other rabbis disagree. |
| 2025 | The Star-K, a kosher certification agency, sums up the debate and tells each person to ask their own rabbi. |
Based on the Star-K (2025), JTA (2004), and these reports. Sources: The New York Times (2004), VIN News (2024).
There isn't one universal kosher certification for wigs that every Orthodox authority accepts. Some sheitel makers carry rabbinic supervision of where their hair comes from, while some rabbis say that supervision can't guarantee the source. Some imported wigs have also been labeled "kosher" when no such certification exists (The Forward, 2019).
The Star-K, a kosher certification agency, ends its 2025 summary by telling each person to ask their own rabbi (Star-K). If you're shopping for a sheitel, ask the wig maker where the hair comes from and what supervision, if any, your wig carries.
Do Non-Orthodox Jewish Women Wear Head Coverings?
Typically, Conservative and Reform Jewish women aren't required to cover their hair after marriage. Reform Judaism doesn't require women to cover their hair inside or outside the synagogue (CCAR).
Some Reform women choose to wear a kippah while praying as a symbol of equality between men and women. The Conservative guidance cited here recommends that women and girls cover their heads when reading from the Torah, receiving an aliyah (i.e., being called up to the Torah reading), or leading prayer services (Exploring Judaism). Customs still vary by synagogue.
Do Jewish Women Shave Their Heads?
Most Jewish women don't. Even among Orthodox women, the majority don't shave their heads (Jew in the City).
In a few Hasidic communities, including Satmar and Skver, a bride's head may be shaved after the wedding. In some of these communities, married women continue shaving regularly before visiting the mikvah, which is a ritual bath. The practice is intended to prevent natural hair from showing under a covering and, according to some Hasidic authorities, to avoid concerns about hair interfering with ritual immersion.
Many other Orthodox rabbis don't require shaving, and some argue against it.
Pros and Cons of Wearing Wigs
Whether you're considering a sheitel for yourself or wondering what Jewish women who wear them go through, this section will be very useful to you. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of wearing wigs.
Pros
- Wigs save time - The amount of time a wig takes you to install depends on your personal preference. On the low-maintenance end of the spectrum, you can get a finished hairdo in the same amount of time it takes you to put on a hat!
- They hide hair loss - When some women suffer from hair loss and thinning, adjusting to their new look can take some time. Luckily, wigs can help you hide the effects of hair loss as you grow it out.
- You can customize your look - A wig can instantly transform your hair, giving you virtually any style you want.
- Wigs can protect your hair - Wigs may reduce how often you style your natural hair. But they're only protective when your hair is cared for underneath and the wig fits comfortably without pulling on your hairline.
- They let you test-drive different hairstyles - If you aren't sure about a new cut or color, a wig can give you a test run of what the style will look like with your face and wardrobe. They can help you avoid fashion disasters or take the anxiety out of a significant change.
Cons
- They can get uncomfortable - Any woman who's ever worn a wig knows the wave of relief that washes over you when you remove one after a long day. They can be tight, itchy, and all-around uncomfortable.
- Wigs are expensive - Higher-quality wigs are exceptionally costly. The price mainly depends on the quality of the materials and the length and thickness of the hair.
- They might make you overheat - If the material of the cap isn't breathable enough, it can cause you to get overheated. This is particularly true for anyone who lives somewhere that gets hot and humid.
- Some wigs can damage your hair or scalp - Although wigs can be protective, they may damage your hair or scalp if they're too tight or worn incorrectly. Combs, clips, adhesives, and rough wig caps can cause breakage or irritate a sensitive or exposed scalp.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Sheitel Mean?
Sheitel is the Yiddish word for wig, and it's pronounced SHAY-tl. In Orthodox communities, it usually refers to a wig that a married woman wears to cover her hair. The Hebrew term is peah nochrit, which means foreign hair.
Can a Married Jewish Woman Show Her Hair at Home?
It depends on the community and rabbinic interpretation. Many authorities allow a woman to uncover her hair at home when only her immediate family is present. Other authorities say it's proper to keep the hair covered at home, so some women do.
Can a Sheitel Be Made From a Woman's Own Hair?
Many rabbis allow a married woman to wear a wig made from her own hair, though some don't. If you're considering one, it's best to ask your own rabbi.
How Much Does a Sheitel Cost?
Prices vary widely. A 2017 U.S. report placed human-hair sheitels at approximately $1,500 to $5,000. In 2026, Ynet reported prices above $10,000 for some premium sheitels in Israel. Synthetic and imported wigs may cost much less, sometimes only a few hundred dollars.
Do Jewish Women Wear Wigs Over Their Own Hair?
Yes. Most women who wear a sheitel wear it over their own hair. Only women in a few Hasidic communities shave their heads.
Related Articles
- Why Do Jewish People Have Curls
- Why Do Black Girls Wear Wigs
- Where Were Wigs First Invented
- Types of Wig Hair
So, there you have it! Some Jewish women wear wigs by choice, while many married Orthodox women wear them as part of their religious practice. We hope this article has helped explain why some Jewish women wear wigs and given you a better understanding of this Jewish tradition.
