Etymology
The name Sudra is Aramaic and derived from the Latin word "sudarium", which means cloth or handkerchief.
History
The sudra is believed to be thousands of years old and referenced to in the Bible. Ancient Hebrews used to wear a headgear that was similar to either a keffiyeh, turban or a stocking cap. As such, there are many ways of tying the fabric to make these different designs. The Sudra has been mentioned directly and indirectly in many of the ancient religious texts of Judaism including the Babylonian Talmud. Various targums or translators have interpreted different words in the Book of Ruth to be 'the keffiyeh of the Jews'. In Jewish tradition, the sudra was a twisted scarf worn around the neck There is also evidence of Jews wearing the sudra on their heads like a keffiyeh or turbin in the Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Berakhot
The Disappearance of the Sudra in the Jewish Community
There are numerous reasons why sudras have fallen out of favour with modern Jews. According to Benny Katz of the Zionist Freedom Alliance (ZFA):
"In ancient times, it was common for Jews to wear keffiyot, but the conquest of the region by Islamic tribes brought with it a series of laws that gave non-Muslims an inferior position in society. Synagogues could not be built higher than mosques and Jews could not ride atop animals for fear that they would appear higher than Muslims. As the keffiyeh came to be seen as the crown of the Arabs and its wearer was attributed an honorable status, non-Muslims were forbidden from wearing such garments.”