Jewish “curls” can mean two different things: natural curly hair (a genetic trait) and the deliberate side curls worn by some religious Jewish men (a religious practice). Both have very different reasons behind them.

1. Natural curly hair: genetics and ancestry

Many Jews, especially from Middle Eastern, North African, and Mediterranean backgrounds, have naturally curly or wavy hair because of ancestry, not religion.

Key points:

  • Curly hair is caused by the shape of the hair follicle and how hair proteins are produced; more curved or asymmetrical follicles tend to make hair curlier.
  • Jewish communities historically lived in regions (Middle East, Mediterranean, parts of Europe) where curly or wavy hair is common, so those genes show up more often.
  • Not all Jewish people have curls, and having curly hair does not mean someone is Jewish; it’s just one of many possible physical traits.

So when people say “Jewish curls” about regular curly hair, they’re really talking about genetics tied to regional ancestry, not about a religious rule.

2. Side curls (payot): a religious commandment

The distinctive long side curls worn by some Orthodox and especially Hasidic Jewish men are called payot (often spelled peyos/payos/peiyot). These are religious, not genetic.

Where it comes from

  • The source is in the Torah (Hebrew Bible), in Leviticus 19:27: “You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads…” (often paraphrased).
  • Rabbinic interpretation understands “corners” or “side-growth” of the head to mean the area where sideburns grow, near the bone around the temple (the zygomatic process).
  • To avoid violating this commandment, many observant men do not shave or cut that area closely, letting the hair there grow long into visible curls.

Different communities have different styles:

  • Some Hasidic groups grow long, very visible spiral curls that hang down the cheeks.
  • Others tuck the payot behind the ear, keep them shorter, or style them less dramatically, but they still avoid shaving that “corner” area.

This is why you might especially notice “curls” on the sides of the head in photos of Hasidic or other Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews.

3. Culture, identity, and “Jewish curls”

Curly hair also has a cultural and emotional meaning for many Jewish people beyond religion or biology.

  • Historically, in antisemitic contexts, features like curly hair and “Jewish-looking” hair were sometimes used to stereotype or identify Jews, which gave hair a heavy symbolic weight.
  • Some modern Jews talk about embracing their natural curls as a way of embracing heritage and resisting pressure to “look less Jewish” (for example, straightening hair to fit mainstream beauty standards).
  • Others may choose to style or straighten their hair for personal, professional, or safety reasons; experiences vary widely.

In that sense, “Jewish curls” can be both a genetic trait and a conscious statement of identity, depending on the person.

4. Quick recap

If you’re asking “why do Jewish people have curls,” there are two main answers:

  1. Natural curls:
    • Come from ancestry in regions where curly hair genes are common.
    • Not unique to Jews and not required by religion.
  1. Side curls (payot):
    • Come from a biblical command not to shave the “corners” of the head.
    • Kept long and often curled by many Orthodox/Hasidic men as a sign of religious observance and identity.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.