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Persians wearing Kippot in public? |
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Written by Rav David Shofet
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Q: Did Persian Jews wear Kipot all the time in Iran and should they be expected to wear them now if they are not accustomed to it?
Rav David: If you look at pictures of any community in Iran 90 years ago, you will see that all males, young and old alike, had some kind of head covering. Moreover, our grandmothers, without exception, covered their hair with a traditional covering and many times they did so at home as well. Only recently, Iranian Jews stopped wearing head coverings in public. So the question ‘Why did Jews Iran not wear head coverings?” is not a valid one due to the fact that prior the 1900’s all Persian Jews followed this tradition without exception.
You should understand historically that only due to socio-economic concerns did Jews stop wearing head coverings in Iran. It is a misconception that we did not wear them in Iran. Only when Jews started moving out of their small cities and tried to assimilate more with their non-Jewish surrounding in an effort to prevent religious persecution did they take them off.
Our community now lives in a land of freedom, and I don’t see any problem with an Iranian Jew that wants to go in public with his kippa on his head. This is a practice that is acceptable by Jews throughout the world. The kippa is a symbol that you are proud to be Jewish and it reminds you that you are always in the presence of Hashem. Throughout history every Jewish community respected the idea of covering the head.
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Comments
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Jews in the diaspora at most time wore headcoverings because that was how people went, Jews and gentiles. Not for religious reasons. As in Europe headcoverings became less common they also became less common among Jews. This is simply a matter of fashion, nothing more nothing less.
Posted by yehudha, on Sunday, 22 June 2008 at 1:40
Be proud, wear your kipa everywhere!
Posted by Faraz Yazdi, on Sunday, 22 January 2006 at 11:43
You guys are really truthful. This article tells it like it is. I hope everyone appreciates your honesty. Nowadays everything seems to have a spin on it.
Posted by Tova Yehudis, on Sunday, 22 January 2006 at 11:43
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