My Jewish Hair

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About My Jewish Hair

Is there such a thing as "Jewish hair?"

The buzz about "Good Hair," Chris Rock's new documentary about Black hair, has got us thinking about "Jewish hair": what it is, what it means, and where Jewish women fit into that discussion.

Jewish women, like Black women, feel the pressure to conform to traditional, American standards of beauty (straight hair). Are our hairstyles our own, or are they statements about ethnicity, identity, and assimilation?

"Jewish hair" is a tricky thing to define, since Judaism can include people from any racial or ethnic background. And while Jews are known to have a variety of haircolors, as well as levels of curliness, "Jewish hair" seems to refer to dark, curly, and often frizzy, hair. But does this one image reflect the reality (and diversity) of Jewish hair?

The idea for this photo pool came from a post called "What is Jewish Hair?" on "Jewesses with Attitude," the blog of the Jewish Women's Archive -- the leading resource on American Jewish women's history.

How does your Jewish hair fit into your identity? Join us and share a photo of your great Jewish hair!