Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge Room?

[Bill Lins]

2100 hrs (9:00pm for civilians :wink Friday, 7 Dec., @ Cricket's in the 200 block of Franklin- we'll be on the balcony.

 

[Phre-massen.nash]

I wear my yarmulke in blue house, scottish rite and york rite meetings.

 

[dfreybur]

Art. 278. Master Presiding “Covered.â€
The ancient custom of the Master presiding “covered†must be complied with, except that the Brother presiding at Masonic funerals, memorial services, graveside services, or during open meetings of the Lodge, may at his discretion, preside over such services and ceremonies uncovered.

To be “covered†shall mean the wearing of a hat, and a hat is described as a head covering with a shaped crown and a full circle brim. No person other than the presiding Master shall wear any type of head covering, except for required religious head coverings (italics mine), while in Lodge or at other Masonic ceremonies. (Revised 2010)

I wonder about a Sihk's ceremonial dagger. They aren't the only faith that expects members to go armed.

Note that the brim seems to be to keep guys from wearing a hat from one of the appendant bodies. No cap or fez.

I've got a fedora because one of my lodges has that local tradition.

 

[Bill Lins]

Note that the brim seems to be to keep guys from wearing a hat from one of the appendant bodies. No cap or fez.

Actually, there is a different section of GLoT Law prohibiting the wearing of regalia of other orders in a Blue Lodge. GM's Decision 1990-3 indicates that the requirement of a full brim is to preclude the wearing of baseball or "gimme" caps.

 

[Roy Vance]

Bro. Graham,

That Decision has been superseded by the following:

Art. 278. Master Presiding “Covered.â€
The ancient custom of the Master presiding “covered†must be complied with, except that the Brother presiding at Masonic funerals, memorial services, graveside services, or during open meetings of the Lodge, may at his discretion, preside over such services and ceremonies uncovered.

To be “covered†shall mean the wearing of a hat, and a hat is described as a head covering with a shaped crown and a full circle brim. No person other than the presiding Master shall wear any type of head covering, except for required religious head coverings (italics mine), while in Lodge or at other Masonic ceremonies. (Revised 2010)

Bro. Bill_Lins77488; That article still stands as revised. I just looked it up. I normally keep my nose in the Law Book as I am JW in my affiliate Lodge and I am all the time being asked things. I have only been a MM since May of 2011, but, I have tried to become as knowledgable as I could in so short a time.


Roy Vance
San Angelo Lodge 570 JD
San Angelo, TX
Phil Head Lodge 1415 JW
Carlsbad, TX

 

[Roy Vance]

Bro. dfreybur; As far as the hat goes, in Texas, in as many Lodges as I have visited, it seems that the Western or Cowboy hat is the norm. I suppose the WM would decide if he liked a Fedora or something else better, but that is what I have seen. Even our MW Grand Master wears a cowboy hat.

Roy Vance
San Angelo Lodge 570 JD
San Angelo, TX
Phil Head Lodge 1415 JW
Carlsbad, TX

 

[Bill Lins]

Bro. Bill_Lins77488; That article still stands as revised.

Bro. Vance, please allow me to add to your education, if I may. What I stated was that the Decision I referred to had been superseded by the revised Article. The difference (& it is critical) is that a GM's Decision, while having the force of Law, can be undone by a following GM on his own, while an Article of GL Law has been adopted legislatively by the members of the Grand Lodge and can only be modified or undone in the same manner. If a Grand Master wishes to change or delete an Article of Grand Lodge Law, he must present his proposed action as a resolution to be considered by the Brethren at a Grand Communication, just as any other member of Grand Lodge must do.

 

[BryanMaloney]

In Rockport, from the WM portraits, it's personal choice among fedora, cowboy hat, or what I call the "Texas Urban Hat", which looks like one of the several styles of cowboy hats, but always with a smaller brim and sometimes not as tall. You can see them worn a lot in older photographs from the first half of the 20th century.

 

[jvarnell]

I asked my bro. In the lodge and they said we have even let someone with cancer to ware a stocking cap so yes.

 

[MarkR]

I wear my yarmulke in blue house, scottish rite and york rite meetings.

In Scottish Rite, do you wear your Scottish Rite cap over the yarmulke, or do you not wear the Scottish Rite cap?

 

[Zayzee18]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

In our district we have several orthodox Jewish brethren who follow their religion faithfully and two of them have sat as Worshipful Master of their Lodges with distinction.

 

[JohnnyFlotsam]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

I wonder about a Sihk's ceremonial dagger. They aren't the only faith that expects members to go armed.

This issue comes up from time to time. While I have never seen the issue settled once and for all, one helpful brother did point out that a wooden Kirpan is not uncommon...

 

[tldubb]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

Why not..

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[Companion Joe]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

I will start out by saying I have never seen this issue come up, and in my current location it likely won't in my lifetime. As far as I know, the closest Jewish house of worship is in Knoxville more than an hour away. If it did, my personal opinion is that it wouldn't be a big deal. I feel absolutely certain that if a man was a Mason, he wouldn't come to Lodge trying to make some sort of statement as in, "I'm not the Master, but I am wearing a hat, too, la, la, la," etc. The same would be true for a member needing his head covered fore medical reasons.

We host an annual outdoor degree. Just about everyone on the sidelines has a cap on during the meeting. The officers don't, with the exception of the Master, but the members do. Of course, it is in an open field on top of a mountain, so the definition of sidelines is pretty broad. It's just wherever you can find a level spot to put your lawn chair!

In my area, I can't think of a single Lodge where the Master doesn't the standard "crown" type hat you can get at any Masonic regalia seller. I don't know if it's defined anywhere as to what type of hat you are supposed to wear, but that's the standard. The GM wears a Fedora or top hat most times, but at regular Lodges it's just the crown. At my Lodge, the Master's chair has a high back - it's a throne, after all - so wearing a cowboy hat with a big brim would make it cumbersome to lean back.

 

[dfreybur]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

In my area, I can't think of a single Lodge where the Master doesn't the standard "crown" type hat you can get at any Masonic regalia seller. I don't know if it's defined anywhere as to what type of hat you are supposed to wear, but that's the standard. The GM wears a Fedora or top hat most times, but at regular Lodges it's just the crown. At my Lodge, the Master's chair has a high back - it's a throne, after all - so wearing a cowboy hat with a big brim would make it cumbersome to lean back.

Crown? Cool.

Most eastern chairs I've seen have been too deep for me to lean back in at all so that's never been an issue for me. Maybe tall brothers with long legs can. I figure the requirement for a full brim helps keep sitting WMs from leaning back. Keep him on edge at all times, just like every PM remembers being!

 

[Companion Joe]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

It's not a true "crown" in the sense of something made out of metal and jewels. It's something similar to this.

 

[dfreybur]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

Companion Joe,

So far I've only seen that style hat at PHA lodges. It's good to see it sees use across jurisdictional boundaries.

 

[vangoedenaam]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

In my country ( the Netherlands ) masons do not wear hats in blue lodge at all. In our culture it is polite to take off hats indoors. You would take off your hat for the WM anyway. Also, i think wearing anything signifying a certain religious affiliation would probably be frowned upon although im not sure it is explicitly forbidden.


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[BryanMaloney]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

In my country ( the Netherlands ) masons do not wear hats in blue lodge at all. In our culture it is polite to take off hats indoors. You would take off your hat for the WM anyway. Also, i think wearing anything signifying a certain religious affiliation would probably be frowned upon although im not sure it is explicitly forbidden.

For the yamulka to be "frowned upon" sets up a de-facto religious requirement against Jews.

 

[vangoedenaam]

Re: Can a Jewish Brother Wear a Yamaka in a Lodge

I do not share that conclusion. Frowning and condemning are not the same thing imo. The general idea is that in the lodge we should be equal regardless of status, race, religion etc. that is why military brothers would not show their ranks, ppl dont show their wealth, nor their religion. It is to prevent inequality and inappropriate discussion. Which also means that conduct is more important than attire which would make a yamulka acceptable in certain cases. As far as i know, there isnt a rule against it and i think there shouldnt be.


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