Since the war in Israel began on October 7th, almost every person in Israel likely has a close family member or friend serving in the IDF.

As a young olah in my 20s, I personally have many friends as well as more prominently for me, spouses of close friends serving in the war in Gaza and in the North.

Because of my interest in topics related to hair covering, a frequent concept I have discussed with friends is what their experiences are in covering their hair while potentially not seeing their husband for months at a time. I was curious how not actively living with their spouses might have shifted their relationship and perspectives to covering hair.

As I look to come back to podcasting and discussing hair covering at large, despite the war unfortunately continuing with no clear end in sight, I wanted to first put a spotlight onto army wives and their hair covering experience. And as Pesach with all its simcha approaches not lose sight of the sacrifice so many people are still making everyday

In this episode I speak with my dear friend Dina to discuss her experience covering her hair while her husband has been on reserve duty since the beginning of the war.

Each individual's experience will obviously be different but I believe what Dina has to say will resonate with many women whose spouses are serving and also provide insight to those of us who are not experiencing this challenge about what such women are experiencing and how we might be able to help.

This episode is the first in a three part series dealing with the connection between migraines and hair covering. In the coming weeks, I will speak to both a sheitl macher (wig maker) and a neurologist regarding their perspectives and advice regarding migraines.

In this episode, my mother in law, Esty shares her personal experience grappling with migraines and hair covering, and though each story is unique, I believe her story has the potential to provide insight and support for many women experiencing similar issues.

I referenced a few halachik resources in the episode and will link them here:

https://www.ou.org/life/inspiration/headaches-and-head-coverings/ 

https://www.ou.org/life/torah/headaches-and-head-coverings-part-ii/

https://www.yoatzot.org/questions-and-answers/headaches-and-headcoverings/

https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/1069547

Please consult with a personal Rabbi to determine any halachik decisions. Do not rely on the sources I am linking here, or on any brief halachik considerations discussed in the episode.