Why do they wear them? When must they wear them? What does it signify? Just curious.

I think it's in the OT or something.

The way I understand it,the yarmulka means "deference to God".

Here is what I found... :nice:

Yarmulka is the Yiddish name for the skullcap or kippah worn by many jews all the time and all male jews (and visiting non-jews) at Jewish holy sites. Yarmulka apparently derives from Yare Me-Elohim which means to "stand in awe of God." In the temple period only the priests wore a head covering. When the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. The synagogue became the center for Jewish worship and the rabbis took to wearing caps in the synagogue as a sign of respect to God and his presence in the holy place. In Isaiah's vision, the part of the liturgy we Lutheran's used to call the Sanctus, the angels were singing "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord! The whole world is full of God's glory." A fourth century Rabbi by the name of Honah ben Joshua took this to mean that not just in the holy places but everywhere God's glory is present. It is said that he never walked more than four cubits bareheaded because as he used to say, God's Presence resides above my head. In ancient times an uncovered head was a symbol of freedom and human strength. The skullcap thus proclaimed that man is subject to God, whose hand is always over him. By the 1500's it became a universal sign among all Jewish males of their special relationship to God. Orthodox Jewish males still wear it at all times, Conservative and reformed jews are more flexible in their use. Although traditionally only worn by men, who alone shouldered the responsibility to study the Torah and to pray, some women have begun to take up the practice at least during worship and prayer. Interestingly it is the covering of the head not the type of hat that is important. Any head covering will do. The skullcap is closely akin to the head covering worn by the ancient rabbis.

The jews with the black hats, dark clothing, and long sidelocks and beards, are ultra conservative jews who follow the religious teachings of Baal Shem Tov an eighteenth century Rabbi who lived in eastern Europe. He showed economically depressed and illiterate jews how to rejoice and praise God in spite of their hard conditions. The followers of Baal Shem Tov are called the Hasidim or Hasidic jews. Hasidim means pious ones. The share with Christian groups like the Amish a total disapproval of most modern forms of entertainment such as movies and television. their appearance comes from a strict interpretation of the scriptures and an adherence to conservative dress.

Orthodox christians wearblack hats. Catholics too. Hats are significant in judeo-christian traditions. St. Paul speaks out about women and hats in the New Testament.

Orthodox christians wearblack hats. Catholics too. Hats are significant in judeo-christian traditions. St. Paul speaks out about women and hats in the New Testament.
Never seen a Catholic wearing a black hat because of their beliefs and I should know because I used to be one of them. Indeed hats of any type tend to be taken off in church unless its a wedding or something.

Perhaps you are confusing Catholics with the Mafia? :|