The more religious the Jew, the more likely he or she (if married) is to wear a head covering in public at all times. Done out of modesty and so as to avoid attracting attention from other men, Orthodox married women might wear a scarf, a wig or a hat.

Jonathan Sarna, an author and leading scholar at Brandeis University near Boston, says that for men, in particular, "head coverings have become a marker of what kind of religious Jew you are." This, he says, is especially true in Israel but also can be seen in the United States.

Hasidic men, the strictest adherents to orthodoxy, can be identified by black hats, for example. Married Hasids in some sects, however, might wear large, fur-brimmed hats called shtreimels on holidays, the Sabbath or during special occasions. Sarna explains the type of hat and the color or kind of fur are all indicators of sect and religious stature.

Likewise, particularly in Israel, the kippah (singular for kippot) a man wears tells a story. A black velvet or black cloth skullcap signals traditionalism, Sarna says. Modern Orthodox men, however, are more likely to wear knitted kippot. The smaller the kippah, the more modern and even liberal he is.

Indeed, beyond serving as a religious marker, kippot in Israel provide glimpses into political stances. Jews who are part of the controversial settler movement, for example, can often be identified by their large knitted kippot.

jravitz@sltrib.com