Israel – Jerusalem women turned out in droves for a hair donation drive to benefit young cancer victims, breaking the world record for most hair donated in a single drive.
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Over 250 women showed up at the Avi Kavim hair salon in Jerusalem’s Malcha Mall on November 11th to donate their pony tails at the event run by Zichron Menachem in conjunction with Pantene Israel’s Beautiful Lengths program. According to the hair donation team at Zichron Menachem, over 116.82 pounds of hair was collected in a five hour time period, breaking the previous record of 107.14 pounds.
“We heard many touching stories from people,” Zichron Menachem’s event coordinator Avigayil Birnbaum told VIN News. “We hear about girls who were sick and had gotten wigs from Zichron Menachem coming to help by donating their own hair. There were families who lost a child to cancer who came to donate hair in their memory. What most people don’t understand is that for many women and girl, donating hair is much, much harder than donating money.”
Zichron Menachem only accepts minimum hair donations of 30 centimeters or 11.8 inches in length. According to Pantene’s Beautiful Locks website, it takes eight to fifteen ponytails to make one wig for a cancer patient.
“It takes on average about two years to grow your hair long enough to donate it,” said Birnbaum.
Despite the long length required, Birnbaum urged Jewish women and girls who want to donate hair to keep their donations within the Jewish community.
“It is a shame when people donate hair to non-Jewish organizations,” said Birnbaum. “It is nice to donate to Locks of Love or other organizations, but aniyei ircha kodmim, we have to help within our own community. Jewish girls with cancer want wigs with longer hair, so maybe you have to grow your hair for another half a year, but isn’t it so much more meaningful knowing that the hair you are donating will go to Jewish children?”
230 hair salons throughout Israel participated in this year’s hair donation event, which lasted for three days. Birnbaum noted that there are approximately 15 salons throughout the country which offers free haircuts for Zichron Menachem donations throughout the year. Last year alone Zichron Menachem collected 4,587 ponytails at 14 hair donation events in Israel.
The new hair donation record has not been officially confirmed by Guinness Book of World Records, a process that normally takes several weeks.
“We have not received their evidence yet, but we can confirm that we have received the application from Zichron Menachem,” said Jamie Panis, a public relations manager at Guinness Book of World Records.
The Pantene Beautiful Lengths program began in 2006 in the United States and since that time, more than 24,000 wigs have been made from hair donated by 300,000 women and girls.
Online: Zichron
Mi K’amcha Yisroel! This is beautiful! Correct “easier to donate money than your hair”.
Just wondering if a married woman’s hear could be used.
As is all too common, even what should be a nice uplifting story is tainted with the stains of frum bigotry and insularity. Imagine your reaction if you were to read a story of a Catholic or Evangelical or stam a secular organization advising people to only give to non-Jewish causes. In other words, to hell with everyone else, we only care about non-Jews. This is exactly what is happening here, in reverse. Contrast this to all the church-sponsored charities, hospitals, hospices, etc. that help or treat everyone, no matter their background.
Horrible statement! Should Christians designate their bone marrow contributions as only for fellow Christians? Why does the gemora allow the violation of Shabbos to provide lifesaving care to gentiles? Does this article not violate Chazals criterion of Mishum Ayvah ( to prevent us becoming resented or hated)? Sometimes syug le’chochma shtika! (silence is a perimeter to wisdom)
The stupidity is not about asking our own to contribute to our own first….nothing wrong with that..The stupidity is coming on here and advertising it.
Why is it even discussed? If someone in my family needs something, I will give it to them before anybody else. Everyone of you “non-insular” ones would do the same. Our acheinu bnei Yisroel are our extended family, surely we respond to their needs in preference to anybody else’s. How can it be any other way?
Why don’t all cassidisha girls donate their hair when they get married? I thought once married they are required to go bald.