The CEO Wears a Sheitel

The youngest of five girls, I was a complicated child who never accepted half measures and endlessly pushed for more.   As a pre-teen, I declined being “confirmed” into Christianity. I understood G-d ran the world and felt strongly that he would not want me to make a spiritual commitment I did not believe in. So began my pathway to Judaism. Almost thirty years later I have moved countries, been married to the same amazing man three times (civil, Conservative, and Orthodox) and B”H have three incredible children. I have also enjoyed a challenging corporate career with a global firm. And, I wear a sheitel (wig as a head covering).

My journey since hair covering has been loaded with diverse emotion ranging from spiritual “connectedness” and extreme panic at being “found out”, to humor at fielding comments about my “Jewish hair”. Working in a secular corporate environment, where keeping kosher is a massive divider and identifier, knowledge of wearing a wig would likely have me labelled a thorough lunatic, or at least that is what my insecurity tells me every morning, every washroom visit, every car drive and every glass window I walk by as I “hair check” and obsess whether my hair looks like a wig. Does everyone know?!

Covering one’s hair is a supernatural mitzvah which has beautiful explanations of blessings and spirituality that will flow to one’s family. While engaging in community life I am fully subscribed to the emuna plan that this is what my mitzvah must be; however, in my daily work-life it is a constant struggle. There is a mystical concept that what we struggle most with in observance could hint at what our special mitzvah for our souls is. I am acutely aware that it is this very struggle that has blessed my family with miracles of health, shalom bayit (marital peace) during exceptionally trying marital times, and income opportunity. I see Hashem everywhere in my daily life and know that much of my daily guidance comes from this irrational connection to the mitzvah of covering my hair.

Although a daily struggle, I have a clear and incredible awareness of unique responsibility that I wear with pride, depth of commitment, and a knowing that the sheitel stays. Why: EMUNA! Through the insecurity of hair I have found the security of coming closer to Hashem and gaining clarity regarding my personal life journey and living life to the fullest. As the Torah teaches us, choose life!