Kippot Facts

Often, the color and fabric of the kippah can be a sign of adherence to a specific religious movement. The Israeli Religious Zionist community is often referred to by the name kippot srugot (Hebrew כיפות סרוגות), literally "knitted kippot," though they are typically crocheted. Similarly, some Haredi sects are referred to by the name kipot shkhorot (Hebrew כיפות שחורות), literally "black kippot". Kippot shkhorot are usually sewn of black fabric and often made larger than kippot srugot, particularly those worn outside Israel. More recently, kippot in the colours of a sports team supported by the wearer, especially football, have been observed. In the United States, children's kippot with cartoon characters or themes such as Star Wars are popular. (In response to this trend, some Jewish schools have banned kippot with characters that do not conform to traditional Jewish values.) Some Breslov Hasidim, most notably the followers of the late Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser, wear a large white knitted yarmulke with the Na Nach Nachma mantra on it.

In the early 19th century in the United States rabbis often wore a scholar's cap (large saucer-shaped caps of cloth, like a beret) or a Chinese skullcap. A famous Californian rabbi, the Moldavian Rabbi Benjamin ben Benjamin (Rabbi Benjamin II), is pictured in a beautiful engraved portrait wearing a Chinese silk skullcap.

Other Jews of this era wore black pillbox-shaped kipot. During the Polemic Wars in the mid-1800s, Reformers led by Rabbi Isaac Weiss stopped wearing kipot altogether.

More recently, kipot have been observed in the colors of sports teams supported by the wearer, especially football. In the United States, children's kipot with cartoon characters or themes such as Star Wars are popular. (In response to this trend, some Jewish schools have banned kippot with characters that do not conform to traditional Jewish values.)

Some Breslov Hasidim, a.k.a. Bratzlav, known commonly as Breslovers or Bratslavers, most notably the followers of the late Rabbi Yisroel Ber Odesser, wear a large white knitted yarmulke with the Na Nach Nachma mantra on it. (Rabbi Yisroel found this mantra in the form of a little note that fluttered out of a book he was perusing, one day in 1886 or 1887. The note, called the "Letter from Heaven" and "The Holy Note", is hand copied onto parchments that are worn around the neck.) The mantra, "Na Nach Nachma Nachman me'Uman", refers to Rabbi Nachman and his death in the town of Uman- but the mystical secret of the phrase "me'Uman" ("goes/is going/has gone to Uman") is difficult to understand.

Breslovers most commonly wear full-head-sized crocheted yarmulkes, which are aptly named "Breslovers" or "Bratslavers". Lately these have come to be called "Frik". Bratzlavers are named for the town of Bratzlav, the birthplace of Rabbi Nachman.

"Kabbalist" yarmulkes are very popular today, consisting of a larger size and usually crocheted in a single, dark color. These seem to be reflections of the "Bratzlaver" kipot, which are designed to cover the entire head almost down to the ears.

Samaritan Israelis once wore distinctive blue head coverings, to separate them from Jews who wore white ones, but today they more commonly wear fezzes with turbans similar to that of Sephardic Jews from the Middle East and North Africa. Today, Samaritans don't normally wear head coverings except during prayer, Sabbath, and religious festivals. This is thought to be a recent development brought on by the constant Jewish criticism of Samaritan habits.