‘Magic’ Yarmulke Designed To Protect Jews From Attack

An Israeli barber has fashioned what he calls “magic” yarmulkes out of hair, designed to allow religious Jews to cover their heads without attracting unwanted attention from anti-Semites, according to the New York Post.

Shalom Koresh said his skullcap, known as a yarmulke in Yiddish and a kippa in Hebrew, was inspired by rising anti-Semitism in Europe and elsewhere. He said he has seen particular interest from buyers in France and Belgium.

“This skullcap is washable, you can brush it, you can dye it,” Koresh said in his salon in Rehovot. “It was created so people could feel comfortable going to places where they are afraid to go, or places where they can’t wear it, and feel secure.”

Koresh said his skullcap was inspired by rising anti-Semitism in Europe and elsewhere. He said he has seen particular interest from buyers in France and Belgium, reports Haaretz.

Many Jews in parts of Europe, especially France, say they feel uneasy walking around wearing symbols that mark them as Jews, fearing attacks. A 2013 European Union report found that one in five European Jews avoid wearing kippas or other Jewish symbols for fear of being harassed or attacked. The skullcap could also serve Jews traveling to the Middle East, where many Arab countries can be hostile to Jews.

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, who teaches at a prominent Jerusalem yeshiva, said that Jewish skullcaps must be visible and not hidden, but added that under certain unforeseeable circumstances, such as a risk of attacks, the “Magic Yarmulke” may be valid, according to Haaretz.

“Our sages said that, for example, when we are in danger, then it’s possible (to hide it),” he said.

The hairy yarmulke or kippa received mixed reactions among skullcap-wearing men in Jerusalem. Some said they felt ill at ease with the idea of hiding their identity abroad, but others welcomed the protection.

“It’s very dangerous in France right now and it’s dangerous for a person to walk outside with a kippa,” said Richard Altabe, who wore a regular black kippa atop his silver hair. “So if this is how they can maintain their religious commitment, why not?”

The New York Post reports Koresh’s hairy skullcap, which he has dubbed the “Magic Kippa,” comes in an array of shades and colors. He sells them online, starting at $56 for synthetic hair and $91 for ones made of natural hair. The skullcap can be fastened onto the wearer’s real hair with hidden clips.

“You don’t feel a thing. It feels like it is part of your hair. There isn’t such a difference between this and a regular kippa. It feels the same,” said Maor Hania, who modeled a dark brown skullcap at Koresh’s salon.

[Image via the New York Post]