When I was 13 or so, I wanted to jump on the American Girl Doll wagon. But I never fancied myself a Molly, a Samantha, or even an Addy. I wanted to be different. So, I ordered myself one of those “design your own” dolls. I got her with red hair (because much as people tell me now that I’m a brunette, I still hold fast to the fantasy that I have red hair. seriously.), brown eyes, and bought curlers to go with it. I bought her my 13-year-old outfit of choice: tie dye juxtaposed with tie dye. I even got her a Hannuka Kit, complete with mini-menorah, dreidel, and star of David necklace.
And I named her Lisa Rosen.
My pubescent attempts to finally create a Jewish doll once and for all were thwarted time and time again. Her nose was still grotesquely tiny, her necklace lay on a flat chest, and try and try as I did to curl her hair, the plastic Aryan fibers would not have it.
Actually, there are American Girl dolls (not from the book set) with curly hair. Samantha’s hair is actually wavy, thouh not truly curly. I have a daughter who is into these dolls who now owns a Samantha and doll with straight brunette hair. There is the Gali doll of the same size with long skirts and sleeves. But I don’t know if those dolls feature “Jewish” hair.
Check out www.galigirls.com - Jewish dolls for Jewish girls. The dolls are specifically made for young jewish girls. There are also books and jewish themed accessories.