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Question: Despite having Jewish ancestry, I never really observed the religion until during the last several months. There is obviously so much I have yet to learn, but have always been taught that it is proper etiquette for any Jewish male to wear a kippah at any part of a synagogue or its grounds that he visits. However, this does give the impression that a man would be observant and know all the rituals/etiquette/customs well. In my case however, the appearance could be deceiving because I do not consider myself Orthodox (yet, at any rate) and don’t want to surprise people if I am not exactly what I appear to be. So, my question is are there any types of kippah that indicate a higher level of religiosity or awareness than others? I want to represent myself as honestly as possible especially since I am basically a newbie at being an observant Jew. –Benjamin, Singapore

Answer: This is a great question, Benjamin. In our article about head coverings, we talk about how wearing a kippah can be a badge of membership and commitment to the Jewish people. Though the kippah itself doesn’t have any inherent meaning, it does serve as a marking of a Jewish person (usually a man) who is heavily invested in Jewish life.

What you’re talking about is closely related to the famous Jewish concept of maarit ayin, or the appearance of impropriety. Basically, Jews are discouraged from doing anything that could appear inappropriate or wrong, even if it’s actually not problematic. For example, a traditionally observant Jewish person who needs to use the bathroom while walking around a city on Shabbat would be discouraged from walking into a bank or a restaurant to use their facilities. It may be technically permissible to use a bank bathroom on Shabbat, but a passerby might see the person in the bank and think the person is going to withdraw or deposit money, which is prohibited on Shabbat. Maarit ayin is aimed at preventing behavior that could be misleading to others, and that’s exactly what you’re trying to avoid by wearing a kippah.

It seems to me that you have a few options. The first is to cover your head with something other than a traditional kippah. Many religious men wear hats instead of, or over, their kippot. This allows them to cover their heads as tradition dictates, but to do so without marking themselves as Jews wherever they go. So if you can find a regular hat that you feel comfortable wearing in synagogue that is one way to avoid misrepresenting yourself to others.

But if you’d like to stay within the genre of traditional kippot, there is quite a variety to choose from. Ultra-Orthodox Jews tends to wear black velvet kippot, about the size of a salad plate. Men who don the black velvet kippah often wear a black fedora on top of the kippah, as well. If you don’t want to be mistaken for a very observant and knowledgeable member of the Jewish community, you should definitely avoid the black velvet kippah.

In general, dark colored kippot, whether they’re leather, crocheted or velvet, often are worn by members of more traditional communities. A kippah that’s white, or colorful, can imply a more modern outlook. A kippah with an obvious crease in it probably indicates that the kippah spends more time folded in the wearer’s pocket than on his head. This usually means that the person is observant enough to want to cover his head while attending synagogue or saying blessings, but not all the time.

The kippah that tends to indicate the lowest level of observance within the Jewish community is almost certainly the black (or white) silk variety that is often given out at funeral homes. These basically function as single-use kippot for people who don’t already own a kippah, and thus is a reliable sign that the person is not an authority on Jewish practice. If you want to wear a kippah but avoid being seen as an example of an observant Jew, the black silk kippah is the way to go.

I also want to mention that within the Reform movement, there are many people who do not wear a kippah at all. For decades, no kippot was the norm within the Reform community in synagogue. This has shifted in the last 20 years, and you’re very likely to find men and women wearing kippot during services at any given Reform temple, but there are still many people, including Reform rabbis, who do not cover their heads, even while standing on the bimah (the raised platform from which services are led).

There are a lot of options here, and I hope one of them fits for you. But if they don’t, try not to worry too much about what other people might be thinking. Wear whatever kippah you’re comfortable with, and if someone asks you a question that you don’t know the answer to, just be honest. It’s okay — even encouraged — to say, “I’m just learning this stuff, myself. Let’s go ask someone who knows a bit more about this.” Good luck!

With shipping being one of the last steps in completing the sale, it is often something that is not given much attention until the very last minute. Unfortunately, this leaves retailers struggling when they start researching all the shipping policies available.

With so many shipping terms and policies, the International Chamber of Commerce came together in 1936 to create the Incoterms to clarify the rules regarding international shipping and cargo insurance coverages.

In this article, we will cover one of the most common Incoterms - Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF).

If you’re looking for information on the other Incoterms, take a look at our Incoterms Overview section.

CIF insurance is one of the eleven international commerce terms (Incoterms) created by the International Chamber of Commerce in 1936. It is an international shipping agreement that stands for Cost, Insurance, and Freight. It specifies that the seller bears the cost of carriage to the destination port and has to acquire any relevant cover for the insurable interest of the buyer.

Under CIF, it is entirely the seller’s responsibility to pay freight charges, obtain insurance cover, and ensure the buyer receives the insurance document in case they need to make a claim.

Alongside the Incoterm CIP, CIF is the only other Incoterm that places the obligation on the seller to arrange the marine insurance to reduce the buyer’s risk.

CIF is exclusive to maritime shipping. This means the seller can only use it to transport goods through sea and inland waterways or on ocean freight. Sellers can’t use it for air freight or land transport.

The goods will be exported to the buyer’s named port as specified in the sales contract. The seller will be responsible for any costs resulting from loss or damage until the goods arrive at the buyer’s named port.

The seller is also responsible for packaging the goods for shipment, loading the properly packaged goods on board the vessel, obtaining relevant export licences, and ensuring the goods are delivered to the destination port on time. Once the goods reach the destination port, the buyer assumes responsibility for the onward carriage import formalities of the goods. Therefore, any additional fees associated with unloading the goods and further transport to the final destination lie with the buyer from this point.

The contract terms for CIF clearly define where the liability for the seller ends and where the responsibility is transferred to the buyer.

CIF requires a minimum level of insurance paid as identified by Clause (C) of the Institute Cargo Clauses.

The insurance coverage should be at least a minimum of 110% of the value of the goods on the sales contract - this is known as “CIF+10%”. Typically, the insurance will be an original insurance policy covering just that transaction. Additionally, the insurance coverage should be in the same currency as the contract.

Sellers will typically use CIF for non-containerised goods and bulk cargo shipping.

CIF's contract terms clearly define the liabilities between the buyer and seller. It also specifies at what point the responsibilities are transferred from the seller to the buyer.

A CIF policy states:

Typically, the CIF Incoterm places more responsibility on the seller’s side and is akin to a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) Incoterm.

Here are all the responsibilities that lie with the seller in CIF:

In addition to the above, the seller must ensure they ship the items within the agreed time frame according to the sales contract and provide proof of delivery once it reaches its destination.

The buyer still has some responsibilities in CIF, but they only apply once the goods arrive at the specified destination port.

Here are all the responsibilities that lie with the buyer in CIF:

It is also the buyer’s responsibility to claim if anything goes wrong on the voyage.

The CIF risk transfer is reasonably straightforward to understand. First, the risk associated with transporting the goods lies with the seller until the goods are loaded on the shipping vessel bound to the destination port.

The risk transfer point in CIF is different from the cost transfer point.

The risk transfer occurs when goods are loaded on the ship at the origin port. The cost transfer occurs when the goods are delivered to the destination port.

The buyer owns the goods as soon as they have been loaded on the vessel. From that point on, the risk transfers from the seller to the buyer for the voyage, and the buyer assumes the risk.

If a situation arises and a claim needs to be made, the buyer is entirely responsible for making the insurance claim with the seller’s insurance company.

CIF should be used if the seller is knowledgeable about their local customs and can handle export duties accordingly.

It should also be used when a seller can obtain insurance at a cheaper rate than if the buyer finds their own insurance.

CIF is generally used if there is bulk cargo or non-containerised goods. It is also primarily used when the seller has direct access to the vessel for loading the goods.

Additionally, CIF is best used when shipping lower-value goods. However, the CIP Incoterm might be a better option for higher-value goods.

CIF should NOT be used for containerised goods. This is because this cargo can have many terminal days, where it sits at the port waiting to be loaded onto a vessel. During the terminal days, the containerised goods could easily be damaged. Unfortunately, there is no method of knowing exactly when the cargo was damaged as it remains closed until the final destination.

Typically, a seller should choose CPT or CIP for containerised cargo.

Additionally, a buyer should not agree to CIF if it is more expensive than making arrangements through their own freight forwarder or if better cargo insurance coverages are available.

Lastly, CIF can only be used for sea and inland waterway shipments and can not be used for air freight.

One of the main advantages to the seller is that they often obtain cheap insurance by utilising CIF. Once the original insurance policy covering the freight has been purchased, the seller can add the cost to the sales invoice for the buyer to cover.

The only advantage of CIF for the buyer is that they do not need to declare the freight shipment to their own insurer because it is already covered and paid for by the seller.

One of CIF's main disadvantages is that the seller can only use it for specific types of international trade. This means sellers must ensure they obtain the right shipping policy for the entire cargo journey.

Another disadvantage of CIF is that it might be hard for the buyer to take out a claim if anything goes wrong. Although the seller purchases the insurance, it is entirely the buyer’s responsibility to make a claim if something goes wrong after the goods have been loaded onto the vessel.

Typically, insurance companies tend to hold out on paying claims if they can help it, and the potential language barrier might mean the buyer may have to go through some hassle for the claim to succeed.

Finally, it is important to note that some countries don’t permit CIF imports, and some authorities require a local insurance policy.

There are over eleven different Incoterms that can be selected. Below is a comparison of CIF against other popular Incoterms.

DDP stands for Delivery Duty Paid and places more responsibilities on the seller’s side. With DDP, the seller is responsible for additional steps along with the shipment, such as loading at the destination point, transport to the final destination, and import customs clearance, duties, and taxes.

In both agreements, the seller is responsible for any loss or damage along the journey. However, DDP places no obligations on the seller to obtain insurance.

Under the Carriage and Insurance Paid To (CIP) Incoterm, the seller must pay for the freight and obtain insurance to the named destination. The seller is also responsible for loading goods onto the vessel at the designated destination.

The difference between CIP and CIF lies in the risk transfer. With CIP, the risk transfer occurs at the destination point, and the seller is responsible for the entire journey. In CIF, the risk transfer occurs at the loading point, and the seller is not responsible after that.

Free Carriage Arrangement (FCA) places more responsibility on the buyer than CIF does. Under the FCA Incoterm, buyers are responsible for charges at the origin port, shipment to the destination port, and all charges at the destination port.

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