The wearing of skullcaps in public was criminalised, as were other items defined as habitually Jewish. But Hasidic Jews responded by adopting the costume of the Polish-Russian merchant; the black fox-fur shtreimel hat worn over the yarmulka, the long belted black coat and white stockings that merchants wore in St Petersburg. This is what they still wear in Jerusalem and elsewhere, imagined as distinctively Jewish dress, which frozen over the generations it has duly become.
The public wearing of skullcaps and other items associated with Jewish identity was prohibited, prompting a significant adaptation among Hasidic Jews. They began to don the attire of Polish-Russian merchants, incorporating the black fox-fur shtreimel hat over their yarmulkas, along with long belted coats and white stockings typical of St Petersburg's merchants. This transformation allowed them to maintain their identity while conforming to the new laws.
This adapted clothing, originally a response to legal restrictions, has evolved into what is now considered a distinctively Jewish dress. The garments have become emblematic of Hasidic culture, particularly in places like Jerusalem, symbolizing a preserved identity that has remained recognizable and revered across generations.
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Other quotes in Belonging: The Story of the Jews 1492–1900
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