Obliging Obama To Wear a Kippah At Yad VaShem

A guest post by Lichvod Shabbat Kodesh

As the standard of Jewish Theological Apologeticism in the 21st Century, (maybe Rabbi Nosson Scherman is of the 20th Century), please explain why we make all high-profile visitors to Yad VaShem (and the Western Wall) cover their heads for the photo-ops. Perhaps another contest is in order?

[DB: Okaaay... What should visiting dignateries to the kotel be forced to wear on their heads? When politicians stumble into Iowa, they're usually handed a cow; in Texas someone slaps a ten gallon on them. A shterimal, or a BH, seems like the obvious way to humiliate a guest at the Western Wall, but that's obvious not funny. Can you do better?]

Furthermore, why make him wear an ugly white cardboard kipah that shines out of place? They can't give him a nicer one (with extremely expensive Jewish, not cheap Arab, labor)?

Is Yad VaShem a synagogue? Last time I checked we don't force men tocover their heads at all musems!

While we are on the slippery slope, to be fair, why don't we make female dignitaries cover their head for these photo ops?

Would a church clergyman make a Jew wear a Christian symbol at one of their functions? Maybe a kippah is equivalent to a cross in their minds?

While I have th floor, I think a much more powerful message is a photo-op at the detention center in Atlit, where the civilized Gentiles held Jews hostage while their relatives were being exterminated in Europe.

[Related: Bush goes to Yad Vahem and so does Condi