Rekel

[1] The word rekel stems from the German-dialect word Röckel, a cognate of the High German Röcklein, one version of the grammatical diminutive of Rock (the other version being Röckchen; in this sense meaning a man's long coat, rather than a woman's skirt).

Many Hasidim in the past did not wear wool clothing, and the new polyester rekelech actually make it easier to keep the Biblical injunction against mixing it with linen (Lev.

[11] These garments tend to be light, and thinner than the average suit coat, since they are generally worn throughout the year.

Prior to World War II the most popular color for the rekel was a light grey, but this has fallen into disuse.

In recent times, rekelech with other patterns such as embossed checkers have caught on, particularly with the more colorful Breslov, Bobov, and Sanz-Klausenbug Hasidim.