Introduction: The Cap and the Helmet
In the shtetls of Eastern Europe, the Jewish head covering was often hidden. It was a small skullcap buried under a fur hat or a casquette, worn by men who lived in varying states of fear and distinctiveness from their non-Jewish neighbors. It was a private mark of a covenant with God.
Fast forward to modern Israel, and the head covering—specifically the Kippah—has undergone a radical transformation. It has been brought out from under the hat and into the blazing Middle Eastern sun.
In Israel today, the Kippah is no longer just a religious garment; it is a political manifesto. It tells you how the wearer votes, where they likely live, and how they view the history of Zionism. From the bare heads of the early pioneers to the “Knitted Kippah” of the settler movement, the history of this small piece of cloth is the history of Israel itself.
1. The Rebellion: The Bareheaded Pioneer (1880s-1948)
To understand the Kippah in Israel, we must first understand why it was initially rejected.
The early Zionist pioneers (the Chalutzim) were largely secular socialists. They were rebelling against the “Diaspora Jew”—whom they viewed as passive, weak, and overly focused on religious study. They sought to create the “New Jew” (Sabra): strong, tanned, agricultural, and self-sufficient.
For leaders like David Ben-Gurion (Israel’s first Prime Minister), removing the religious head covering was a symbolic act of liberation. It signified that the Jew was no longer relying solely on God for protection, but on their own labor and the plow.
The Status Quo: During the founding of the State in 1948, the Kippah was primarily the domain of the Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox) who lived in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, many of whom were ambivalent or hostile to the secular Zionist project. The Kippah was seen as a relic of the “Old Yishuv.”
2. The Birth of the “Srugim”: Religious Zionism (1950s)
In the 1950s and 60s, a new demographic began to assert itself, bridging the gap between the secular state and religious tradition. This was the Religious Zionist movement (Dati Leumi).
Inspired by the teachings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, they believed that the founding of the State of Israel was not a secular accident, but the Atchalta De’Geulah (the beginning of the Redemption).
They needed a symbol that distinguished them from the anti-Zionist Haredim (who wore black velvet) and the secular socialists (who wore nothing). They adopted the Kippah Srugah—the knitted, crocheted Kippah.
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The Symbolism: Unlike the factory-made velvet cloth, the knitted Kippah was often handmade, colorful, and allowed air to flow. It symbolized a Judaism that was organic, integrated into modern life, and intertwined with the future of the nation.
3. 1967: The Turning Point and the Settler Movement
The Six-Day War in 1967 was a watershed moment for the Kippah. When Israeli paratroopers liberated the Western Wall, the images of soldiers weeping at the ancient stones electrified the Jewish world.
One iconic image stands out: Rabbi Shlomo Goren, the Chief Rabbi of the IDF, blowing the Shofar at the Wall, wearing a uniform and a Kippah.
This moment cemented the alliance between the Kippah and the Gun. Following the war, the Gush Emunim movement rose, spearheading the settlement of the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). The “Knitted Kippah” became the international symbol of the settler movement.
Suddenly, the Kippah was not just about Halakha (law); it was about Land. A small, knitted Kippah came to signify a belief in “Greater Israel” and a rejection of territorial compromise.
4. The Army: From Marginalization to Command
For decades, the upper echelons of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were dominated by the secular Kibbutznik elite. Religious soldiers were often cooks or worked in the rabbinate.
However, beginning in the 1990s and accelerating into the 2000s, a sociological shift occurred. As the secular elite became more focused on high-tech and global business, the Religious Zionist community took up the mantle of military service as a holy duty.
Today, a disproportionately high percentage of combat officers and elite unit commanders wear Kippot.
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The “Kippah on the Battlefield”: This has led to complex societal debates about the “Religionization” (Hadata) of the army. Does a commander listen to his General or his Rabbi?
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The Reality: For the vast majority of soldiers, the Kippah represents a dual loyalty—a deep commitment to the defense of the State because of their religious values.
5. The Political Scale: Size Matters
In the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), the Kippah is a precise political barometer. You can often tell a politician’s platform by measuring their head covering.
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The “Coin” Size (Naftali Bennett): Naftali Bennett became Israel’s first Kippah-wearing Prime Minister. His Kippah was tiny, attached with tape, and sat far back on his head.
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The Signal: “I am religious, but I am a modern professional. I am a tech entrepreneur first, and a sectarian Jew second.”
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The Large Knit (Bezalel Smotrich): A large, visible knitted Kippah.
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The Signal: “My Judaism defines my politics. I am proud of the settlement enterprise and advocate for Jewish Law in public life.”
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The Black Velvet (Aryeh Deri / Goldknopf):
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The Signal: “I represent the Haredi sector. Our priority is the preservation of Torah institutions and exemption from the draft. We are practical participants in the State, but not ideological Zionists.”
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6. The “Transparent Kippah” (Kippah Shakufa)
In the 21st century, a new sociological term has entered the Israeli lexicon: the Kippah Shakufa (Transparent Kippah).
This refers to Israelis who do not wear a physical Kippah daily but define themselves as “believers.” They may recite Kiddush on Friday night, fast on Yom Kippur, and study Jewish philosophy, but they look secular.
This group represents the collapse of the old “Religious vs. Secular” binary. They are the “Traditional” (Masorti) Israelis—often of Sephardic descent—who see Judaism not as a rigid set of laws requiring a uniform, but as a family tradition. For them, the “Kippah” is in the heart, not on the head.
Conclusion: A Crown of Complexity
The history of the Kippah in Israel is the history of a people trying to figure out how to be both ancient and modern simultaneously.
It has evolved from a mark of the “old world” to a symbol of the “new pioneer.” It has been worn by peace activists and hilltop settlers, by tank commanders and high-tech CEOs.
Today, the Israeli Kippah is perhaps the most charged piece of fabric in the Middle East. It asserts that the Jewish return to Zion is not just a history of refuge, but a history of faith. Whether knitted, velvet, or transparent, it remains the crown of the Israeli identity crisis—and its resilience.
FAQ: The Israeli Context
Q: Do secular Israelis ever wear a Kippah? A: Yes. At weddings, funerals, and Bar Mitzvahs, almost all secular Israeli men will put on a Kippah out of respect. Additionally, on Yom Kippur, the streets are filled with secular Jews wearing white clothes and Kippot.
Q: What is the “Hilltop Youth” Kippah style? A: This refers to the radical fringe of the settler movement. They often wear very large, thick, rough-wool knitted Kippot that cover almost the entire head, often with long unkempt sidelocks (Payot). It signals a rejection of both Western materialism and the mainstream religious establishment.
Q: Was Naftali Bennett really the first religious Prime Minister? A: Yes. While Menachem Begin was traditional and respected religion, he did not wear a Kippah. Bennett was the first to wear one as his daily attire, marking a major milestone in the integration of Religious Zionism into the highest office.
