Any Orthodox Jews here?

[Alambil]

I have a question if you don't mind?

[malfoy]

not orthodox.

[TotalChaos]

very lapsed, but fire away.

[Alambil]

oh sorry - forgot about this...

My question is:

Why do the boys/men have the long bits of hair down the side of their face, regardless of if their hair's shaved or not?

Just wondering - saw some kids at a farm recently and DS was asking questions

[TotalChaos]

www.torah-voice.org/payess.htm

(the technical name for the long hair bits is payess)

it seems to be a matter of biblical interpretation of a para of the old testament that says men shouldn't round the corners of their head.

having the long curly bits shows these guys are ultra-orthodox - extremely religious - it would be more typical for an orthodox jew to wear a yarmulke (skullcap) or other head covering rather than have the payess too.

[ilovemydog]

Slight hijack, but do any of you know where I can get a cricket yalmulke for my cousin? he just had his Bar Mitzvah and has a collection of sporting ones, and he's fascinated by cricket (he's American)...

Have tried various on line places, but it seems to be soccer only...

[Alambil]

TC this family had yarmulkes and the payess - must be super-orthodox

Thanks for that though - now I can answer DS with some sort of intelligence!

[lisalisa]

My boy has payot ( as they are called) although not the very very long curly tyupe which are characteristic of chassidim - he has fairly short but noticeable ones that curl round the back of his ears and a big b lack yarmulka. Which farm were you at?

[ilovemydog]

Hasidic?

[MaryAnnSingleton]

on the subject of orthodoxy and hair - can you tell me about shietls ?

[lisalisa]

Sheitels are wigs bascially - I wear one!!! They can be made of either synthetic or human hair although the latter always look sbest and I only really know peopel who wear hnuman hair rather than synthetic. You could never tell it is a wig - they are very realistic.

[bloss]

Message withdrawn

[lisalisa]

Bloss - not realy. There is a concept that your children don't see your hair - its due to modesty - my childrne do.

But - your hair is supposed to be for your husband - part of the reason it is covered is becuase it is considered one fo the most sensual parts of a womans body and therefore reserved after marriage for her husband. Therefore I can't understand this woman saying she didn;t take it off even for her dh - seems illogical.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

thanks for that info..fascinating - there was a programme some yrs ago about Orthodox Jews (maybe about 8 yrs ago?)- with netball team ?

[Threadwworm]

I always wonder why orthodox Jewish women wear the Sheitels/wigs rather than a headscarf of some sort. Is there any religious reason for that, or it it essentially just historical accident?

[lisalisa]

threadworm - many orthodox jewish women do wear headscarves - i do too. headscarves are ok and many make them look really glam - colours incorporated into outfits etc but I like "hair" and need it to feel feminine . The rule is to cover the hair and it doesn't really matter with what - many wear hats too although as I'm not relaly a hat person I stay clear!!

[RubySlippers]

i know a lot of women who wear the most glorious headscarves!

Ilovemydog - did you not manage to find a cricketing yarmulke? I will check out the shops again and see if they have any new styles in stock as Jewish New Year is coming up soon ....

[ilovemydog]

Ruby - you are fab! Thank you! Shame we couldn't go to his Bar Mitzvah as I had studied up on some kosher rules, some which were very interesting like, 'how to bless a canteloupe...'

My (female) orthodox jewish cousin wears a baseball cap. Not glam. If I were Jewish, I'd either have a fantastic wig (red) or I'd learn how to wear scarves. I've thought about it!

[lisalisa]

Hmmm - i also thought I'd wear a fab wig somehting copmletely differnt but when you try one of htose on you just look funny!!! In the end people get one closest to their natural hair colour and sometimes opt for a bit shorter or more long. Mine is longish and nearly black and dead striaght - kind of hair I always wanted as mine was always curly as a chld!!!!

[MaryAnnSingleton]

when I was doing my A-levels I was at college with an Orthodox girl who always left early on Fridays and wouldn't eat anything from the canteen (obviously not a Kosher kitchen there) I was fascinated by it and longed to be Jewish (was brought up a Catholic) - think the rituals really appealed to me - lots in the Catholic Mass and Benediction. Since then some of the people I'm closest to have been Jewish,must trigger something inside me !

[lisalisa]

Hmmm Maryannsingleton - that is interestnoig....we had an au pair once from Poland who was catholice and to cut a very long story short she turned out to be jewish according to jewish law.

If I am not being nosy what is your lineage? If I am nosy just shout at me....

[MaryAnnSingleton]

not nosy at all ! no maternal line of Jewishness sadly..my parents both brought up as Catholics -
My best friend is Jewish and it was the cultural thing that interested me as much as anything as they aren't religious Jews. I have made lockshen pudding in my time

[lisalisa]

sounds nice maryannsingleton.

My Polish au pair's story was even stranger. she used to like hearing the klezmer/yiddishy type music we sometimes played and said it made her feel funny. Her parents both catholic and grandparents as far as she knew. When she returned home for half way visit to parents in poland she mentioned the music. Mum said to her that her mum ( maternal grandma) was jewish - abandoned child in holocaust taken in as refugee by priest - quite common at that time apparantly and then raised as catholic. Grandma no longer considered herself jewish - married a cahtolic and lifetime history of going to church and catholicism.

[MaryAnnSingleton]

that was probably quite commonplace as you say lisalisa !- Nothing that I can find in my family history to suggest any Jewish grandmothers. Maybe in another life ?
Was your au pair pleased with this discovery ?

[lisalisa]

Well she was a bit shell shocked I think but chose not to do anything about it although she did "watch " us and our way of life and custsoms etc a bit more closely ...she has since returned to Poland

[Anna8888]

lisalisa - I'm interested in your hair-covering story.

The wife of a friend of my partner's comes from a strictly Jewish home (most of my partner's friends are very lapsed ) and her aunts all shave their heads before putting their wigs on. They are of Moroccan extraction.