Kittel

A kittel, also spelled kitl, (Yiddish:קיטל‎, robe, coat, cf. German Kittel ‘[house/work] coat’) is a white linen robe which serves as a burial shroud for male Jews. It is also worn on special occasions by Ashkenazi Jews. In western Europe this garment is called a Sargenes. The word Sargenes is related to the Old French Serge as well as Latin Serica. The term has mainly fallen out of use in modern times, except in certain neighborhoods such as Washington Heights in New York City.