Tembel hat
Encyclopedia
A tembel hat is a hat
which is an Israeli national symbol. Unlike the bucket hat
, used as a heavy duty hat by the Israeli military
, it has no loose edge for shadowing the face and the neck. Like the bucket hat, it is easy to fold it into one's pocket but, since it is smaller, one does not need the big pockets of the military uniform
in order to put it in the pocket. It can fit into any pants pocket.
The tembel hat was commonly worn by Jews
in the Holy Land
from the beginning of the 20th century until the 1970s. In Israeli cartoon
s it is still used to symbolize the typical Israeli (e.g., the cartoon character Srulik
).
In Hebrew slang, tembel means silly or fool. However, it is not known whether the slang term was named after the hat or the hat after the slang term. There is a theory that the tembel hat was originally the heavy duty hat of the Templers Christian movement
that was active in Palestine at the end of the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century. By this theory the hat's first name was "Templers' hat," but it was changed to "tembel hat" by the Arab
s who could not pronounce the P and the correct vowels.
However, it is more likely that the name "tembel hat" derives from the Turkish
or Ottoman
word "tembel" which means lazy.
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
which is an Israeli national symbol. Unlike the bucket hat
Bucket hat
A bucket hat, or fishing hat, is a soft cotton hat with a wide and downwards sloping brim which is worn by both men and women. The brim offers shade from the sun for the eyes and face. The hat is usually made from heavy-duty cotton fabric such as denim or canvas...
, used as a heavy duty hat by the Israeli military
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
, it has no loose edge for shadowing the face and the neck. Like the bucket hat, it is easy to fold it into one's pocket but, since it is smaller, one does not need the big pockets of the military uniform
Israel Defense Forces insignia
This page details the uniforms and insignia of the Israel Defense Forces, excluding rank insignia. For ranks, see Israel Defense Forces ranks and insignia.-Uniforms:The Israel Defense Forces has several types of uniforms:...
in order to put it in the pocket. It can fit into any pants pocket.
The tembel hat was commonly worn by Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
from the beginning of the 20th century until the 1970s. In Israeli cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
s it is still used to symbolize the typical Israeli (e.g., the cartoon character Srulik
Srulik
Srulik is an illustrated character who symbolized Israel. The character was first drawn in 1956 by the cartoonist Kariel Gardosh, known by his pen name Dosh, a Holocaust survivor who made Aliyah to Israel from Hungary, and appeared for many years in cartoons that were published in the newspaper...
).
In Hebrew slang, tembel means silly or fool. However, it is not known whether the slang term was named after the hat or the hat after the slang term. There is a theory that the tembel hat was originally the heavy duty hat of the Templers Christian movement
Templers (religious believers)
Templers are members of the Temple Society , a German Protestant sect with roots in the Pietist movement of the Lutheran Church. The Templers were expelled from the church in 1858 because of their millennial beliefs. Their aim was to realize the apocalyptic visions of the prophets of Israel in the...
that was active in Palestine at the end of the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century. By this theory the hat's first name was "Templers' hat," but it was changed to "tembel hat" by the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s who could not pronounce the P and the correct vowels.
However, it is more likely that the name "tembel hat" derives from the Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
or Ottoman
Ottoman Turkish language
The Ottoman Turkish language or Ottoman language is the variety of the Turkish language that was used for administrative and literary purposes in the Ottoman Empire. It borrows extensively from Arabic and Persian, and was written in a variant of the Perso-Arabic script...
word "tembel" which means lazy.