Hair and Faith: Jewish Museum Presents a New Look at the Sheitel

14 June 2026

Hair and Faith: Jewish Museum Presents a New Look at the Sheitel

Quick Read

• The Jewish Museum Vienna this week opened "On the Jewish Wig", a new installation running until 12 October 2026, examining why some Orthodox Jewish women cover their hair after marriage.
• The exhibition combines documentary film with immersive design and personal interviews to present contemporary perspectives from Vienna.
• At the same time, the museum's major exhibition "A Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew" invites visitors to reflect on shared roots and common humanity across the three Abrahamic religions.
• Together, the two exhibitions explore how perception, identity and religious traditions are often more complex than stereotypes suggest.

From perception to personal stories

The Jewish Museum Vienna is currently presenting exhibitions that encourage visitors to question assumptions and look beyond first impressions. One of them, "On the Jewish Wig", opened recently and will be on view until 12 October 2026. Through film and installation art, it examines a tradition that is often noticed but rarely understood: the wearing of wigs by some Orthodox Jewish women.

Running alongside it until 8 November 2026, the larger exhibition "A Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew" by Israeli artist Eran Shakine also focuses on perception. Using humour and recurring characters, the works suggest that Judaism, Christianity and Islam share historical roots and many human experiences despite theological differences. Rather than emphasising division, the exhibition highlights common hopes, emotions and values.

Why some married Jewish women wear wigs

In many Orthodox Jewish communities, married women traditionally cover their hair in public as an expression of tzniut, often translated as modesty. Depending on personal choice and community customs, this may be done with a scarf (tichel), a hat or a wig known as a sheitel.

The practice of covering hair dates back many centuries, but wigs became more common in parts of Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, when elaborate wigs were fashionable among the wider population. For some Jewish women, wigs offered a way to observe religious requirements while fitting contemporary styles. The shift from scarves or veils to wigs also sparked debate among religious authorities, with differing opinions on whether realistic wigs fulfilled the intention of hair covering. Over time, wigs became an established tradition in many Orthodox communities.

Today, the custom continues among many younger women as well as older generations, including in Vienna, illustrating that it remains a living religious practice rather than a historical relic.

Filmmaker Anja Salomonowitz turns the camera on everyday life

The museum's installation was created by Austrian filmmaker Anja Salomonowitz, whose work often blends documentary storytelling with artistic presentation. Internationally recognised and the recipient of numerous awards, including honours at the Berlinale, she most recently received acclaim for her feature film "Mit einem Tiger schlafen" ("Sleeping With a Tiger"), which also earned distinctions including Austrian Film Awards, Romy Awards and Diagonale recognition.

For "On the Jewish Wig", Salomonowitz produced a documentary work shown as part of a specially designed installation rather than a conventional cinema screening. Interviews with women who wear wigs and with a Viennese wigmaker provide insight into personal motivations, religious beliefs and everyday experiences. The presentation is arranged as an immersive museum environment, with spatial elements creating an intimate setting that encourages focused viewing and reflection.

Instead of presenting a single explanation, the installation reveals diverse voices and individual decisions, demonstrating that the reasons behind wearing a wig can vary from one woman to another.

Hair coverings connect many religious traditions

The exhibition also places Jewish customs within a broader cultural context. Across the world, women – and in some traditions men – cover their hair for religious or spiritual reasons. Variations of this practice exist in Islam, Christianity, Sikhism and other faiths, often linked to ideas of modesty, devotion, respect or communal identity.

By presenting contemporary testimonies from women in Vienna alongside the perspective of a professional wigmaker, the Jewish Museum Vienna offers visitors a nuanced look at an often misunderstood tradition. Seen together with Eran Shakine's exhibition on the shared heritage of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the installations encourage a wider reflection: religious practices may differ in appearance, yet many are rooted in similar human concerns about identity, belonging and faith.

Image: Display of wigs featured in the visual setting for the Jewish Museum Vienna’s exhibition 'On the Jewish Wig.' © Still from the film by Anja Salomonowitz.