Those Men's Head Coverings Too

"Kippah Your Head Covering Outta My Office" (click link) by Rabbi Jason Miller, in the Huffington Post, covers another story or two about people who choose to cover and those who don't get it. To the point that they refuse service, entry or even common courtesy to the covered. In one recent news story, "an Italian man is suing McKinsey & Co., the international consulting firm, claiming he was fired after repeatedly complaining to human resources that his colleagues made fun of his yarmulke." The man's reason for covering: ""theosophy," an obscure spiritual philosophy that maintains that "there is no higher religion than truth."

In a recent television program, this scenario of "please remove your head covering before I'll accept you as a person" is acted out humorously, as a man who has gone deeper into his Jewish spirituality has begun wearing a yarmulke, and is not going to be allowed to enter a restaurant wearing it. It's a Palestinian chicken restaurant, which makes this a scene from a comedy, of course, but fantasy does tend to reflect reality, and in this case, according to the writer, Larry David, it does so purposely. The show is "Curb Your Enthusiasm", and a clip of the video is linked to the article.

Paragraph of note:

"Leo Rosten claims that the word "yarmulke" comes from the Tatar word for skullcap. However, I think it's more likely from the Aramaic "yira malka" meaning "awe of the king" as a sign of respect to God. Whatever one's reason for wearing a yarmulke, they deserve to be treated with respect. Whether you're an Italian New Yorker experimenting with many religions or a spiritually renewed Jewish dentist going to eat some Middle Eastern chicken."