Rachel Wizenfeld, an orthodox Jewish woman who wore a wig in the past and was embarrassed to be seen in a headscarf, was inspired to put one on by…Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar.
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The outspoken rep’s controversial views on Israel notwithstanding, she has made admirable progress for those minorities who wish to maintain their religious regulations.
Her hijab has been showcased on the cover of every major newspaper, all over television, and in thousands of social media posts. She was even able to help overturn a 181-year-old rule barring members of Congress from wearing head coverings on the House floor.
Wizenberg wrote that “As much as I hate to admit it, her ascent to the halls of power has officially normalized head covering,” adding that in the past, whenever she had worn a headscarf she felt like a “shmatta” and walked around “with a big sheepish smile on my face, feeling like an out-of-place cultural weirdo.”
Yet after she saw the freshman lawmaker proudly wearing her hijab in public, she felt that it was time that she too flaunted her religiosity rather than hiding it behind a human-hair wig and fashionable skirts. She writes:
“Rep. Ilhan made headlines last month after Israel banned her from entering its territory due to her support of the BDS movement. Israel passed a law preventing supporters of BDS from entering the country, but the move caused significant controversy as Democrats saw it a way to prevent free speech. Ilhan was eventually allowed to visit Israel along with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D.-Mich) but was asked to pledge not to promote boycotts with Israel while there. Ilhan refused to comply and decided to abort her visit.
So now, as the freshman lawmaker makes waves nearly daily with her latest views on Jews and the Jewish state, I find myself wondering: If she can wear a headscarf proudly in public, why can’t I? Why am I so uncomfortable displaying my religiosity directly, preferring the ambiguity of a wig, long sleeves and a skirt?
I may not like or agree with Omar’s views, but if she can keep her cool with religious headgear in Congress, I should be able to do the same in front of a room of college students.
So if you see me wearing a headscarf at my next job interview, you’ll understand where my newfound backbone comes from.”
Original Source: JTA/ Rachel Wizenfeld
Crazy person. Inspired by a Muslim anti Semitic jerk.
You should only be inspired by frum yidden.
The lubavitcher Rebbe was firmly against women ditching their shaitels for tichels in public.
what a stupid article and Ilhan Omar is example? Veys Mir.
Fake inspiration .
We don’t get inspired my Muslim haters . It’s not real tznuis . Without Torah it’s a big fat zero .
Arafat yimach shimo had a huge head scarf too. Yet he killed women and children as did bin laden . It’s fake tznuis
what kind of tznius? The thing (I am not insulting women all over the world by calling her a woman) that married her brother! The thing that had an affair on said brother.. great source of inspiration maybe for vomiting,, I am inspired to daven for Moshiach because of this bittere galus, and people who take inspiration from an ugly monster.
A Jew should not be giving this filthy piece of dirt any credit at all! Better not to brag about this!
VIN shouldn’t post any pics of this machsheifa, you’re not supposed to look at the face of a rasha.
The rashanta gave her chizuk? There are soooooo many nice tichels out there that she could choose from. They are not the tichels our bubbies used to wear.
Me thinks there issue wasn’t the tichel.
I wear a yarmulke at work. An Indian colleague told me I inspired him and he began wearing his turban.
According to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, it’s more tznius to wear a shaitel. Many Lubavitch women will not walk out of their house in a headscarf.
The least meaningful article I’ve ever seen here. Or pretty much anywhere!
Very sad that Rachel doesn’t have enough conviction of her own from Yiddishkeit, and proudly says she got her strength from a low antisemite!
According to the Lubivatcher Rebbe , you should love every human being even Omar Natanue Arafat
Maybe the Jewish women will inspire Omar to wear a shaitel????
I was inspired to start wearing a yarmulke when I was in college when I saw someone with a green mohawk. I knew he was a freak but he wasn’t embarrassed. I lived in a place where no one understood what a yarmulke was. We can learn something from anyone.