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Kippah: A Blessing On Your Head offers an answer to when and why Torah-observant Jewish men wear a kippah, yarmulke or other type of head covering.
I found that discussion a little weak - for one thing I know Orthodox, shomer shabbos, Kashrut observant Jews who during a work day only wear kippah when they are making a brucha - the article quotes the leniency for a lawyer in court, but the individuals I am aware of are not lawyers, and the parnossah linkage is weaker.
OTOH I know observant Conservative Jews who wear kippot all day. Of course they ARE Torah observant
My strong impression is that most American Jews who wear a kippah at all times while in Israel are not secularists expressing pride, but are at least in some says halacha observant - the ones I am most familiar with are the young men who go with Conservative youth groups, and who are completely or almost completely observant, at least while in Israel.
Though OTOH I also know of a couple of mostly non-observant Jews who wear kippahs all the time out of pride - RIGHT HERE IN THE USA.
The other thing I found weak is that the article really did NOT explain why and where wearing the kippa is mandatory - it did not cite halacha (except on leniencies) and did not clarify the connection to saying brachos.
Many Jews both men and women wear kippot in shul. In my community many wear a kippah and some don't.
Shortly after my own bar mitzvah, I was invited to a friends'. He belonged to a reform synagogue, and I remember walking in and being somewhat shocked that the rabbi and I were the only two men in the room wearing kippot. As soon as you bring reform congregations into the discussion, you've got an entirely different element to deal with.
Shortly after my own bar mitzvah, I was invited to a friends'. He belonged to a reform synagogue, and I remember walking in and being somewhat shocked that the rabbi and I were the only two men in the room wearing kippot. As soon as you bring reform congregations into the discussion, you've got an entirely different element to deal with.
I once belonged to a Reform shul where the president of the congregation not only wore a kippah, he wore a knit one, modern O style - and the rabbi did NOT wear one.
Also, some Sephardi do not wear kippot, regardless of their level of observance. I met an Orthodox Sephardic military chaplain who didn't wear a kippah.
As far as reform goes - things seem to have swung back the other way in the last 20 years, and you see at least 50% with kippot - I went to a Reform Yom Kipper service this year. Not my cup of tea, but very welcoming folks. Tallit, on the other hand, are quite rare in Reform temples, while being universal in Conservative and Orthodox shuls.
I met an Orthodox Sephardic military chaplain who didn't wear a kippah.
Which branch?
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