Interviews of Jews: Sheitel Macher

by Rivka Schwartz

Mannequins are scary. Sheitels on mannequins, even scarier. I’m going to have nightmares, being attacked by hair.

Shalom
Shalom Aleichem

You're Religious?
I said, 'Shalom Aleichem.' 'Shalom,' without 'Aleichem,' is not religious.

I just said 'Shalom.'
Exactly.

So, you're a Sheitel Macher?
Yes.

Are you wearing a sheitel?
That's offensive.

Why is that offensive?
It's a wig.

Why not just call it a wig ?
Because religious Jews wear sheitels.

If there's no difference, it should be a wig.
​A Wig Macher sounds wrong. I would lose all my religious clientele.

Is there anything I should know about a sheitel?
It's hair to put on hair, for modesty.

Is it modest?
It's uncomfortable. You sweat in these things. Ever worn one in the summer?

That's not good for sales?
Winter sales are through the roof.

Why not another headcovering?
The snood, headwrap, or bandana looks like you're in a gang. Not many Hassidic Orthodox women have a violent crew they hang with.

Why did you go into the wig business?
Have you seen this community? Tons of messed up hair.

Mrs. Feinbloom?
That's a sheitel. I sold it to her.

No. That can't be true.
Mrs. Feinbloom wouldn't wear a sheitel if her hair was normal. She's not religious enough. That's how you can tell she has bad hair.

Isn't that Lashon Hara?
No. It's not speaking bad about her. We can all see how bad her hair is. It frizzes all the time. She goes shopping early in the morning. I see it. Speaking Lashon Hara about Mrs. Feinbloom would be talking about how her kid can't get into a decent college, because their mom doesn't stop yapping. 

Can you make a sheitel from your own hair?
I don't know. Am I rabbi?!

What do you think about the customers?
Annoying. Did you hear that Tirza's daughter had a baby. Tirza's not going to the Bris.

What do you do for the community?
I sell sheitels. I'm the Sheitel Macher.

I thought Machers were the people who talk a lot and have a lot of money.
Yes.

How much do sheitels cost?
Ten-thousand.

Is it a good business?
When I sell one.

How many have you sold this year?
Zero.

Can I try one?
There's a rental fee.

How's business going?
Not well. Nobody here is Frum.

You said that the Frum people are the target clientele you're shooting for.
You see.

Do you see it picking up?
If they stop wearing hats. It's a community with bad hair.

Why don't you sell hats?
I'm a Sheitel Macher. Not a Hat Macher. She wants me to start selling stuff I don't sell. Next thing, she's going to want me to sell shorts. Maybe I should call myself the Sheitel Hat Snood Bandana Shorts Macher?

That up to you. Do you wear sheitels?
Are you crazy. They're uncomfortable as anything. I wear snoods.

Shalom
Brachas.

I just said 'Shalom.'
Exactly.

Conclusion
The Sheitel Macher is worried about the religious clientele, but there are no religious people. I think that's why she's trying to make money off the rentals.
She was very honest and offensive. She was very judgmental too.  She was a Macher. She can afford to be. She was definitely spunky and pushy. I couldn't walk out of there without buying anything. I bought a snood from her private collection. She wears snoods herself. She hasn't sold a sheitel in a really long time. She should be a Snood Macher.
She tried throwing me off with Tirza and her daughter having a baby. I didn't go for it.

I learned a lot about religion in our community. To be considered religious you have to welcome somebody in many people form, and say blessing in Yiddish form. I also learned that uncomfortable means modest. Which is why polyester is religious to wear. I even learned that you can talk bad about people's hair.
Hassidic women wear headwraps. I've seen it. If she sold headwraps or bandanas made out of polyester, that would be modest. You would sweat in that during the summer.

She's definitely targeting people with bad hair. I'm glad she didn't target me. By the end of the interview, with all the humid weather, the Sheitel Macher’s hair was quite frizzy.