Donating Hair (Boy's) to Chai Lifeline or Other

Tova ↓

Sun, Feb 21 2010, 2:48 am

We are iy"H planning an upsherin for my son on Lag BaOmer.

He has kn"h beautiful long blond hair that is at least half-way down his back.

I was just thinking that maybe a Jewish organization would be interested if we would donate it, in order to make those faux-peyos pieces that attach to yarmulkas for (lo aleinu) boys in need.

I would be so happy to donate it, but would need info to tell barber and where to send it.

Has anyone done this, or know of whom I should call?

Thanks in advance!

sky

Sun, Feb 21 2010, 9:01 am

I got this off their website a while ago but it doesn't look like it is there anymore. Maybe call them to check.

Chai Lifeline welcomes donations of hair to be
made into wigs for Jewish children.

1. Hair must be a minimum of 12 inches long.
2. Hair must be cut while styled in a ponytail or braid.
3. Hair can be cut wet or dry.
4. Insert dry ponytail into a Ziploc bag.
5. It can be mailed via regular mail.

Mail the ponytail to:
Chai Lifeline Attention: Chaya Klein

Or check this link:
http://www.zichron.org/wigs_e.php
151 West 30th St. New York, NY 10001

theotherone

Sun, Feb 21 2010, 8:44 pm

Yes, chai lifeline does still accept hair. it must be a minimum of 10 inches (pretty sure of that number). call their main NY number and they can give you more info. What a nice idea!

smilingmom

Sun, Feb 21 2010, 9:47 pm

Tova wrote:

That is s cool, to start a kid off with such a tremendous Mitzvah!

momstaxi

Sun, Feb 21 2010, 9:58 pm

I am also planning a Lag b'Omer upsherin, and am looking to donate it.
My dd donated to Chai Lifeline a few years ago, and I am pretty sure they were makpid on ten inches. I have heard that their are organizations that have different requirements for the hair used for peyos, though I haven't yet figured out who they are.
Tova - If you learn where to send it, plase let us know!!!
TIA!!

↑ Tova ↓

Sun, Feb 21 2010, 10:11 pm

Thanks all. I am going to call these numbers this week and will iy"H post my responses. He's definately got 10-12+ inches from the root, but I honestly have to measure how long a ponytail would be.

acccdac ↓

Sun, Feb 21 2010, 10:33 pm

I really dont have much info but I do know there is a cancer center in bait vegan who does the same thing.

maybe someone else on this site from bait vegan knows the place I'm talking about and can offer more info

↑ Tova ↓

Sun, Feb 21 2010, 11:54 pm

chaylizi wrote:

My son has an afro. There will be no hope of donating anything.

Shhh - here's a secret: my husband's family doesn't even really have the minhag of upsherin. My parents did grow my brothers' hair, but overall we are pretty Litvish. So this is all new to me! I would have expected afro for us, based on our genes (I had very curly hair as does one of my sisters) but weirdly enough, his hair grew so nice and fine and easy to take care of and BLOND! when both of my husband and myself and all of our siblings have dark brown/black hair.

So I am fumbling through this upsherin thing, it's not like we do a hachnassah l'cheder (he's in a home playgroup) so I'm not even sure what we should be doing. My husband will be making a siyum on niddah then, so we'll have a seudas mitzva and as his birthday is daled Sivan, Lag B'omer seemed appropriate. Maybe I'll do the honey on the alef bais letters. This is all new to me, but I'm looking forward, iy"H.

bnm

Sun, Feb 21 2010, 11:57 pm

chaylizi wrote:

My son has an afro. There will be no hope of donating anything.

someone I know donated her son's curls... they where like afro curls but each one was probably half a paya, when it was humid out the kid looked like an astronaut.

↑ chaylizi

Mon, Feb 22 2010, 12:10 am

bnm wrote:

chaylizi wrote:

My son has an afro. There will be no hope of donating anything.

someone I know donated her son's curls... they where like afro curls but each one was probably half a paya, when it was humid out the kid looked like an astronaut.

He has my hair. It didn't actually grow down (as opposed to up & out) until I was about 4. I'm not sure what we're even going to be cutting.

Marion

Mon, Feb 22 2010, 1:52 am

acccdac wrote:

Zichron Menachem

They get my braid once every two years.

Atali

Mon, Feb 22 2010, 9:58 am

Marion wrote:

acccdac wrote:

Zichron Menachem

They get my braid once every two years.

I donated my oldest DS's hair to zichron menachem. They required it to be 10 inches long while braided and my DS's hair, which went to the bottom of his back, just made it. My second DS's hair was too short so we just did a regular upsherin.

At the upsherin itself we put the hair in a braid and cut off the braid before letting everyone else cut.

↑ acccdac

Mon, Feb 22 2010, 10:20 am

Marion wrote:

acccdac wrote:

Zichron Menachem

They get my braid once every two years.

Thanks Marion! that is the one

mosma

Mon, Feb 22 2010, 10:38 am

I didn't know about zichron menachem.
DS's braid was 12 inches by the upsherin. Chai Lifeline will only take it if it's 14, so we donated it to Locks of Love, who will take 10. I figure Hashem will get it to the correct person.
My mother started growing her hair under her sheitel to donate, and my two sisters have been growing and donating their hair for the past 4 years.

↑ Tova ↓

Mon, Feb 22 2010, 2:51 pm

I just got off the phone w/ Chai Lifeline, and whomever posted that they need 14 inches is correct. That's their current policy.

I actually measured his hair this morning, and once I made a pony and loosened it a bit (to give room to cut off the pony) we only have 10 inches. A good 10 inches but not longer.

I am going to try Zichron Menachem. Thanks all.

↑ Tova

Mon, Feb 22 2010, 3:00 pm

Thanks for the link to Zichron Menachem. The website gave me all the info I need. They are asking for 25 cm; which when I convert to inches is just under 10 inches. So it looks like they will be able to use it (I wish there wasn't a need for such a thing Crying

). They have a US office I can mail to, so I think I'll get the envelope all ready and put hair straight in after it is cut.

BZ BODY

Fri, Dec 20 2013, 12:24 am

Just bumping this up bec I have this same question, though it's my dds hair we just cut. Ive got a bit over 10 inches.
Anybody knows Chai Lifelines current policy?