Wearing a Kippah The Hebrew word for a yarmulke is kippah.

A kippah is not a required part of Jewish traditions... but they are nice.

Jews wear a yarmulke, or skullcap, to cover their heads during prayer. Covering one's head is a sign of respect for God.

Many Jews wear a yarmulke all the time, even though it is not required.

You say the shehekheyanu prayer when you put on a new garment for the first time. With the exception of a garment (shoes) made of leather because an animal was killed to get the leather and therefore this is not an appropriate blessing.