KIPPOT and TALLIT

KIPPOT and TALLIT

(If this material is inserted in the Simchat Torah discussion, put it just after the "SYNAGOGUE" section and before the "TORAH" section.)

Materials: Various kippot and tallit.

START OF PRESENTATION

KIPPAH

When you go inside many synagogues, you will see that people have their heads covered. People may be wearing hats, women may wear lace kerchiefs (hold up one), men may wear small skullcaps (hold one up). Her, I'll put one on. (Put on appropriate head covering for your sex.) They come in lots of different colors, and different fabrics.

The Hebrew word for skullcap is "KIPPAH."

Another word for skullcap is "YARMULKA."

When Jewish people wear a kippah it is worn as a sign of respect for G-d's presence and a sign of modesty in His presence. That is why some Jewish people wear a kippah or hat or other head covering everywhere, because by doing so, they wish to acknowledge that G-d's presence is everywhere. Some Jews wear a kippah only when they go to the synagogue to pray, sort of like deciding to wear your best clothes to church as a special sign of respect. Some synagogues have different traditions and a Jew who worships there doesn't wear a kippah or head covering.

Many times, in movies or musicals, like in Fiddler on the Roof, an actor will wear a kippah all the time to show that the character he is playing is a very religious Jew; or the actors will each wear a kippah during a staged religious service to show that the characters they are playing are Jewish.

This is a kippah from Tunisia. It looks a little like a Turkish fez with a tassel on top -- or like hats that other people in that country wear. This is a kippah from Uzbekistan. I has patterns like the Oriental rugs that come from there. This is a silk kippah from China. (Show a few different kinds of kippah, such as a small woven one, an embroidered Yemenite one, a Batman one, or your child's favorite one. If you don't have any at home, borrow some from your synagogue or rabbi.)

Suppose you go to a synagogue, say you have a Jewish friend whose sister is getting married and your family is invited. When you go to the synagogue, see if other people are wearing a kippah or head covering. You might also see at the entrace to the sancutary, a little box or two filled with head coverings and kippah. If other people are covering their heads and there is a box filled with head coverings, it is appropriate for you to take one from the box, and put it on. Some times for a weadding or special occasion, special kippot or lacy head coverings in special colors will be made for you to keep as souvenirs of the occasion. (Hold up wedding or bar mitzvah kippah or head covering, if you have one.) Otherwise, when the service is over, and you leave the synagogue, please put the head covering back in the box where you got it.

(Now is a good time to think about collecting kippot. When you travel to other countries, visit a synagogue. While you pray, see what the locals are wearing. Then purchase a locally made kippah for your collection. In addition, many Jewish catalogues and Jewish gift shops sell fancy kippah from abroad, especially from Israel.

Kippot are not just interesting or beautiful collectibles. You can use them to help make your Passover seder a special occasion, with participants wearing kippot from around the world. More unusual kippot, such as one from Tunisia, might add the perfect touch to your Purim costume.)

TALLIT

This is another type of covering that Jews may wear during prayers. It is a piece of cloth, a garment, with fringes on the four corners. The fringes are wrapped and knotted in certain ways. And the garment usually has stripes. In this country, the stripes are usually blue or black, but are sometimes other colors. (Hold up one or two tallit, showing stripes and fringes.)

The garment is called a prayer shawl or "TALLIT."

The part of the Bible that many people call the Old Testament, talks about putting fringes on your garments to remember all of G-d's commandments. This is sort of like tying a string around your finger to remember something. The knots on the fringes are to remind us of all the commandments, sort of like the way a set of rosary beads is used by Catholics to help remember all of their prayers.

Tallit are worn during certain religious services and most usually by men. They are not worn by children.

Just like kippah, you may see a tallit in the movies or in a play, worn by an actor in a staged religious service, to show that he is Jewish.

In an important respect, tallit are not like kippah. If you visit a synagogue, you may put on a kippah, even if you are not Jewish. But if you are not Jewish, you should not put on a tallit.

Tallit are worn especially when carrying or reading from the Torah. (You can put on a tallit.)