How Not to Wear Your Headscarf to the Kotel by Sandra

(Left photo: "Palestinian Style" Right photo: "Jewish Style")

In anticipation of my first visit to Israel I spent several months fretting pretty audibly about what I would be expected to wear and not wear in one of the holiest cities in the world. I prepared by purchasing a long-sleeve sun proof shirt and white wrap around head scarf by Sun Precautions, in order to have the option of wrapping up in the most efficient way possible. When I came home and showed Paul my head wrap, he mentioned that the way I was wearing it was more Palestinian style than Jewish. I replied that I would be interested to see how hung up on headscarf style the Jerusalemites would be.

Fast forward to my visit to the Kotel. Paul entered through the metal detector easily, especially since he was visibly a religious Jew (wearing a kippuh as well as tsitsit). I didn’t get so far before the guard growled at me “where are you from?’ and then “why are you wearing your head scarf like that?”. “Washington, US” I stuttered, adding “because it’s designed this way”. He continued to ask me “why do you wear it like that?” and I pulled out my star of David necklace and said “I’m a Jew”. He said “I know, but why do you wear it like that?” again. I’m not sure what happened next, but somehow I got through. I was naturally pretty steamed and Paul pointed out that some pro-Palestinan Americans have a habit of wearing their scarf in that way. I took of the wrap and tied it “Jewish-style” and we went off to the Kotel.

I would be lying if I said that this was unexpected, but I did need to see for myself. Jerusalem is a great place and this one incident hasn’t colored my love for this city or the enjoyment of it. It has, however, highlighted how, at least here, “you are what you wear”.