Rabbi David Lau, the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, called on German Jews to continue to wear their kippah in public Tuesday following the suggestion of a German Jewish leader that Jews should not wear kippahs on the streets of Germany.
The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, said in an interview with Radio Berlin that Jews should wear head coverings other than kippahs due to a recent spate of anti-Semitic attacks in Germany.
In response to the appeal, the Chief Rabbi emphasized that he calls upon Jews from all over the world to immigrate to Israel, but that as long as there are Jews in Germany and elsewhere in the Diaspora, as well as tourists from Israel, they must continue to wear the kippah and not be afraid to wear Jewish symbols.
Rabbi Lau added that Jews should not be instructed to remove their kippahs. He said that German law enforcement agencies should be required to ensure the security of Jews throughout the country. Rabbi Lau added that he would write a special letter to the German authorities on the matter.