Honestly, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry about this one—maybe both? The AP reports that an Israeli barber named Shalom Koresh has created a ‘magic’ hair yarmulke, designed to conceal the wearer’s Jewish identity, but allow them fulfill the religious requirement to cover their head as a sign of devotion to God. (So, yes, it is technically a partial toupee. An incidental win for the follicularly-challenged!)
“This skullcap is washable, you can brush it, you can dye it,” said Koresh, who was ‘inspired’ by rising anti-Semitism and violence attacks against Jews in Europe. “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.”
The yarmulkes range in price from $56 to $91, depending on the quality and authenticity of the hair. Rabbinic responses have been mixed, but most religious authorities concede that when it comes to keeping safe, a Jew’s gotta do what a Jew’s gotta do.
What do you think? Would you wear the magic yarmulke?
(Image: YouTube)