Orthodox Jewish woman told her long wigs are 'slutty'
Brooklyn mother of two Esther Adina Sash has been called a bad example for wearing long wigs out in public.
When Esther Adina Sash got married she knew that, as a proper Orthodox Jewish woman, she would have to start wearing a sheitel, or a wig. Jewish law dictates that married women wear sheitels "so as to not entice men who aren’t their husbands".
Women in the community experiment with styles and colour for their wigs, which must be made of synthetic hair, but they don't often deviate from the standard shoulder length, which is considered to be the most appropriately modest. But Esther occasionally enjoys wearing wigs that go down past her shoulders - and this is what has landed her in hot water with religious authorities in her community.Over several months in 2018, Esther has received negative comments on her Instagram page, with one person saying: "Go drown yourself in a lake — you’re negatively influencing young girls".
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Hyper-conservative people are claiming that her long hair flouts religious conventions and is a sign of deep disrespect. This comes on the heels of earlier disputes within the community which saw certain parties scaring women wanting long wigs with questions such as: "Dear Jewish Women, how badly are you trying to look like a prostitute?", the flier said, "How important is it for you to slap G-d [sic] in the face?", implying that it is only women who don't fear God who would boldly wear long hair in public.
Esther says she was amused when a rabbi tried to coax her into wearing shorter hair by saying that cutting her wig would guarantee her an "astronomical spiritual reward": "I was laughing that he would think hair length has a connection to spirituality".
Esther, like many women her age, wants to be able to practice her religion without being forced to adhere to outdated norms that stifle her freedom of expression.
The battle is ongoing as Esther admits that the sheitel is a contentious item in the Orthodox Jewish community.