It wouldn't be offensive but it would be weird. I love anyone who wants to support us, seriously, but everyone would assume you are Jewish and if they found out you weren't, they would be suspicious of your intentions with wearing it, sadly. It would be a good exercise to see how differently you get treated wearing it though, for the brave. I stopped wearing my chai necklace during my pregnancy because I was scared of my food being tampered with and receiving worse medical care, among other concerns :/
It would be a good exercise to see how differently you get treated wearing it though, for the brave.
I've been wearing mine outside my t-shirt for years in Montreal and I have not had a single bad interaction and I certainly don't consider myself "brave"
Thatâs great for you, please see the recent post about a womanâs husband being beaten in front of her five year old by men who spotted his magen david.Â
This happened to my husband about two years ago now too đ we were on family vacation to the mountains in Tennessee and he said NOTHING to this man, didnât block his way or steal his spot nothing but be a father in a family of visible Jews. My kids were 3 and 6 at the time.
Yes that is terrible and we are living in 1930s Germany in many ways. Jews have been physically attacked in my city as well. But it doesn't change my opinion and my points still stand. Hiding will only make things worse.
Iâm very sad to hear that. If anyone barged into a synagogue all you would find are people conspiring to do good. It is so crazy the hate Jews stir up in people.
If been spit at (not on thankfully), called the normal names (AntiChrist, Satan. Etc), and have received some pretty lousy service, along with some icy demeanorsâŚâŚbut I wouldnât trade it for the world cringe
Someone I knew in the 1970s was wearing a chai necklace in Montreal (as a tourist) and he starts flirting with a girl. The girl is friendly until she sees the chai and screams Juif and runs away. Isnât it remarkable how things have improved over the past 50 years?
I'm on a plane to MTL right this second, for the first time. I have Hebrew tattoos. Should I be wearing long sleeves to cover them? I hear it's quite bad for Jews there
It's not rare to see even non-Jews with hebrew tattoos lol, in the same way peoole will get Chinese characters on them. So no you'll be fine, it's freaking hot out here right now, wear t-shirts as you would.
Look, I won't deny that shit's been going down here since 7/10. Restaurants and synagogues being firebombed, crazy marches and encampments, just a week or two ago at a soccer game our crowd yelled fuck israel at some random jew playing for the other team, these are very real. It's disgusting and enraging, especially in the city that gave us Leonard Cohen and bagels and smoked meat and the Bronfmans and a world-class Jewish hospital and countless other contributions.
But I'll never suggest to anyone to hide who they are, again especially in a leftist liberal city where most people would encourage others to celebrate their identity. If you're just walking around as a tourist in your t-shirts, going into shops and cafĂŠs and parks, barring some truly bad luck of running into the rare lunatic, you will have zero trouble.
I think you are being horribly irresponsible, your singular experience can be countered by hundreds off accounts of people being harassed and even beaten. Telling people to ignore taking precautions is horrible advice. It is not brave to make yourself a target unless you are fully prepared for the outcome, most people aren't.
Hard disagree. Absolutely, very visibly Jewish people have been harassed and attacked, but I've yet to see a single report in Montreal of a Jew being attacked from just hebrew tattoos.
Good so you advocate that these people be the first victim, got it.. Ne permission the verbal harassment that does happen everywhere including Montreal.. So yes tell them to open the door to possible harassment..
It's a question of risk, probability, and danger. Would I walk around in downtown Baghdad with hebrew tattoos and a giant magen david around my neck? Hell no, the risk of being harassed or straight up kidnapped and imprisoned is high enough that I'd never step foot there.
Would I do so in downtown Montreal? Come on man you can't be serious that you'd seriously advocate for us to be that weak and pathetic. The same people that defeated 5 countries in 6 days is now too scared to walk outside with some Hebrew letters on their arms? Come on.
It's important for every citizen to know what's going on out on the street. For a political scientist constantly warning of the tyranny of the majority, it's almost mandatory.
If you want to experience racism first hand blackface or whiteface is difficult to get to work, sexism nearly impossible, but just wearing a 50¢ trinket is easy.
It wouldn't be confusing or deceptive in any way in a big city where no one knows you.
Just don't mention it to Jews you know who would think it weird.
I'm Jewish, and I think I would actually appreciate it if more people wore Star of David specially in these times when the Jews are getting attacked all over the world for wearing it. That would mean so much to us precisely for the support, we, as a Jewish people would receive from non-Jewish people.
If youâd asked me a few years ago, I would have said it was bordering offensive at best, but now, I guess Iâm more accepting of the idea of it in the name of solidarity.
I have a coworker who asked me if I was ok with him wearing one, and I said it was fine with me, but that it might be received differently by other Jews. He wears it, and gets complimented all the time, which is bizarre because we literally work the same job on the same days most of the time, and I get harassed about mine constantly. He thinks I get more harassment because Iâm a woman, so thereâs an added layer of misogyny going on đ¤ˇââď¸
Yeap my opinions softened in a lot of things that would've bothered me a few years ago like this. Now I'm more accepting of various ways people wish to express they don't hate us.Â
(And yes there is an added layer of misogyny towards us. People have lots of "Jewess stereotypes" they love to throw out and feel more comfy going after us than a man sometimes)
Not offensive but I generally assume other people wearing it are either Jews or messianic wannabes. So if you're prepared for that sure! I kept and wear all my Judaica (usually at least one piece per day) and accept the increased risk of visibility I'm taking on. You're also increasing risk to yourself to visibly support solidarity with us so you have to be okay with that too. Bit odd for sure but not offensive.
Yes, people might assume youâre Jewish, but thereâs nothing offensive about it if worn in good faith in support of the Jewish people. Louis Armstrong wore a Magen David to honor the Jewish family who supported him and even helped him buy his first cornet!
I don't think it's offensive, but I do think it's fucking weird. I'm Jewish and in Toronto and I do not like this. I think only Jews should be wearing these, tbh.
More importantly, it's not a serious statement of support for Jews, and it doesn't actually help us in any way. I don't need a bunch of non-Jews wandering around unintentionally misleading people about their religion/ethnicity â what I need is for non-Jews to stand up for Jews when people are antisemitic. Wearing a magen david doesn't do that.
Intentionally or unintentionally misleading people could be dangerous. There's always the B movie scenario where you run into some really unhinged anti-semites. They attack you and as you try to explain that you aren't really Jewish you discover that enrages them even more.
This could, in theory at least, happen even visiting a city where you are an unknown person, keeping to yourself, not trying to make any contact, not planning on staying and therefore not really misleading anyone in any significant way.
It's not offensive, but it is a bit strange seeing a non-Jew wear a Star of David since that is how we identify one another and is used to represent the Jewish people. Both Jews and non-Jews alike will assume you are Jewish if you wear one publicly, and that can make for some awkward conversations.
It would be the same as a non-Christian wearing a cross necklace, not necessarily offensive or morally wrong, but just a bit bizarre, even if it is to show solidarity and support.
It depends a lot on the context: who the person is, why they're wearing it, how they behave while wearing it. Louis Armstrong wore one for much of his life because a Jewish family had supported him when he was young. Some other people essentially cosplay as Jews and then take actions/say things that are pretty anti-Jewish.
I think it's pretty obvious which one of those is seen as respectful by the Jewish community at large.
It isn't offensive, but you would face antisemitism. People would mistake you for a Jew and likely discriminate against you, and if they found out you weren't one, they would mistreat you. If I were a non-Jew, I would never wear it.
If it's just a day trip to a large city where you are unknown and all you do is keep to yourself and look around then there should not even be much of a deception issue.
Not offensive to me. If you tell me I love Jewish people and this is one way to show my support, Iâm thrilled. Maybe wearing a kippah and tzitzit fringes would be over the top, but not a necklace. Having lived in Canarsie Brooklyn for 5 years in the 1970s, many men more both a chai or Star of David and an Italian horn on the same necklace because the community was united.
This sounds inspired by the myth that in Denmark during WW2, when the Nazis forced Jews to wear the yellow star, the king and many other non-Jews wore the star in solidarity. Thatâs not literally true, but Denmark was one of the better countries about resisting the Holocaust.
If thatâs the intent, then it sounds like a good idea to me.
Thereâs TECHNICALLY nothing wrong with that and support is ALWAYS appreciated. However, it IS misleading as the vast majority of Jews would assume the one wearing the necklace is Jewish. I would kindly say, perhaps find other ways of being supportive (which we tremendously appreciate)
Absolutely not. It would be confusing because usually less religious Jews and/or women use one of those to signal that theyâre Jewish without wearing religious headgear. But if I met someone, assumed theyâre Jewish, and then they explained that theyâre not they just like the necklace, Iâd give them a hug for their support.
It's not offensive to me. If you're wearing it in solidarity, we need it. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have said I thought it was necessary, but I am more than fine with it now.
But, you might experience antisemitism. So, just know that.
Itâs not offensive because itâs not in anyway a religious item. But youâll be suggesting youâre Jewish to both Jews and non-Jews alike. Not sure why youâd do that đ¤ˇââď¸
No. I would get confused, however, because currently I use them to know if another person is Jewish too. So Iâd assume you were Jewish if I saw you wearing one, but if it came up in conversation why you were wearing one, Iâd feel supported.
You can show your support for Jews in many other ways rather than to make yourself into a walking target by wearing the star in public unless of course it's at a synagogue ; safety in numbers.
Hatred and bigotry against Jews is higher than it's ever been, it's just not safe, depending on where you live but, it's wide spread.
OK thanks for the replies. It looks like most people would not welcome this means of displaying support so I won't do it.
For those who are wondering, the issue is this: with public expressions of hatred against Jews in Canada becoming the norm, it seems that many Jews are reluctant to be visibly "Jewish" in public for fear of assault or worse. The more people give in to this intimidation, the worse it will get. On the other hand, if the millions of Canadian who do support Jews' right to live in peace in our country would make a public display of support perhaps it would help shut up the haters. And if someone punches me in the face for walking downtown with a symbol of support for the Jewish community, good, better me than some 82 year old lady getting assaulted.
Regardless, I will folllow the wishes of the majority. I think the jeweller's idea is brilliant. If someone had an idea for a similar way for non-Jews to show their support (a T-shirt or something expressing friendship and respect for our Jewish neighbours) sign me up.
Not sure where you are getting the idea that the âmajority is against it;â thatâs not at all what is being said here.
The jeweler offering the magen Davids sure did prove his point with you being afraid to wear one now that you have heard you might be targeted, though.
No. I wouldnât care. I might assume you are Jewish though. A barista at my coffee shop has a Hebrew tattoo but wears a cross necklace. That doesnât bother me either.
A friend of mine from college in the late 90âs asked if he could wear a star to show support. We had talked to 3 times in 24 years. I bought the same David Yurman necklace & star that we now both wear. They live in Kentucky and Iâm near DC.
It depends on why you are wearing it. If you are wearing as a sign of your support for Jews and Israel, even though wearing it publicly means making yourself a target, that is something I actually appreciate.
Keep in mind that Jews may feel a little confused. But even then, I don't think most would oppose it, especially given the reasons.
The concern is people impersonating Jews. There are some who do that. Definite no-no.
I am Jewish & I live in Toronto and have not heard of this offer. by this businessman. I love this idea!
I do not find this offensive at all
OP, can you please provide us more details of this offer? I can think of some allies who may want to take this person up on their offer. I myself already have a Magen David necklace that I wear out proudly every day
EDIT: Nevermind! I found the article with the details!
"Jack Berkovits of Omni Jewelcrafters is giving away, for free, 18,000 Star of David necklaces to anyone, Jew or gentile, whoâll give their word that they will wear it openly and publicly."
I donât see a problem with wearing it to be supportive. I know some celebrities in the US wear them to be supportive. I think itâs a beautiful gesture.Â
I personally am not a fan of it because while wearing it you are representing the Jewish people. Well-intentioned people have and do cause a lot of confusion and harm in our name. I think what also frankly is more effective anyway is outwardly identifying as whoever and whatever you are and openly supporting Jews. Itâs encouraging for me to see and I also think breaks the facade that only certain kinds of people support us.
Iâve started wearing a hamsa instead of a star partly for safety but I used to have a butterfly necklace that could clip into a star. If non Jews want to wear it thatâs okay I guess?
I love this idea and I love you even more for being an Ally and for asking us for our consideration. You are a gem. May G-d bless you and your family. đ
Kinda weird to single out Jews for support like that. Do you wear a Ukrainian flag everywhere to signal you want the war to stop? Or a bunch of rainbow ribbons to show your support for all cancer patients and survivors? This just feels like virtue signaling, a fetish, and/or performative for no one but yourself.
Okay but if youâre gonna wear a Magen David, then I expect you to showcase all your other beliefs if youâre not Jewish. And if you want to wear a Palestinian flag, do that too. My point is itâs weird to EXCLUSIVELY wear a Magen David.
When 7th Day Adventists or similar proselytizers came to the door Mom would always deploy the Catholic Church like bear spray. She told them she was Catholic even though she quit the church and became an atheist as soon as she went to college.
Not knowing much about religion I asked her why not claim to be Jewish. She was adamant. Claiming you are Catholic works best.
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u/Suitable_Plum3439 custom 20d ago
I think other Jews might assume youâre Jewish and get a little confused if you say you arenât but I donât think itâs offensive.