wearing a jewish star

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to be anti this and kind of felt that it was slightly yucky to go around with your religion around your neck. I felt the same way about crosses too. Since everything that's been going on, I'm wondering if this is something that I should reconsider as a way of showing solidarity with other Jews.

Please don't turn this into a rabid antisemitic thread or one that starts going into Gaza or it will be shut down. I'm curious about the ways that people want to show their jewishness in the current cultural climate. I've seen a lot of very pretty tiny jewish stars. It would just be a real departure from what I've been doing for about 40+ years!

I don't do it simply for a sense of safety. There are a lot of antisemites out there, and I'm not interested in an encounter.

Not Jewish, fwiw, but I completely get where you're coming from. Sadly, though, I'd agree with this PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try to be more Jewish rather than performatively wearing something Jewish.

^This is just postmodernist claptrap.

The signs and symbols of our religions are not separable from the things they represent. There is no need to embrace some kind of dichotomy.

Please wear it if you'd like. I am always happy to see people wearing signs and symbols of their religions, and it is actually comforting to me as an indicator that we still live in a free society. And I think it promotes pluralism.

My wife and daughters wear crucifixes. My wife also sometimes wears a small tablet of the law. In reality, this is anti-performative. In her case, wearing no religious symbols would be performative secularism.

[Anonymous]

I've always worn a Star of David necklace and only on very rare occasion have I felt like I needed to tuck it into my shirt for safety. Take into account your own feelings about your personal safety when making that decision. If you're uncomfortable with the obviousness of the Star of David (and ignorant peoples' associations of it exclusively with Israel, rather than to Judaism), there are certainly other more subtle expressions of Judaism, like the Shema or Chai, a mezuzah necklace, a lion, an etz hayim (tree of life), or a pomegranate. The sort of thing that other members of the Tribe will recognize, but won't be obvious to others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:oh just wikki-ed it and its a symbol of Israel. I'd think a 6 pointed star would be safer than an actual symbol of Israel what with how people are feeling these days!

What are you talking about? What did you "wikki" that is a symbol of Israel? The Star of David? That IS a six-pointed star.

[Anonymous]

Don't all it a "Jewish star". It's called a Star of David. It's much more common for Jews to wear a chai necklace (Hebrew word for 'life', not the tea). It's a more subtle symbol of Judaism.

Personally, I think it would be more confusing than supportive to wear a chai or a star of David if you aren't Jewish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't all it a "Jewish star". It's called a Star of David. It's much more common for Jews to wear a chai necklace (Hebrew word for 'life', not the tea). It's a more subtle symbol of Judaism.

Personally, I think it would be more confusing than supportive to wear a chai or a star of David if you aren't Jewish.

Op is Jewish.

[Anonymous]

Wear it for a few days and see how you feel.

[Anonymous]

I feel like this would take us down the road of people wearing stars, crosses and moons.

That is, of identifying by their religion.

There have been Supreme Court cases about whether any of these should be allowed in the workplace because it might make others uncomfortable. Would you really want to work in an office where 2/3 were wearing crosses?

[Anonymous]

This thread breaks my heart. Ladies, I hope the time comes when you can once again wear your favorite pieces of jewelry without fearing for your safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't all it a "Jewish star". It's called a Star of David. It's much more common for Jews to wear a chai necklace (Hebrew word for 'life', not the tea). It's a more subtle symbol of Judaism.

Personally, I think it would be more confusing than supportive to wear a chai or a star of David if you aren't Jewish.

I'm jewish and call it a "jewish star" and "Star of David" interchangeably. As a kid I wore a jewish star and a chai together on a gold necklace. Stop telling people what to wear, and what to call things within their own religion. Do what you want on your own body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like this would take us down the road of people wearing stars, crosses and moons.

That is, of identifying by their religion.

There have been Supreme Court cases about whether any of these should be allowed in the workplace because it might make others uncomfortable. Would you really want to work in an office where 2/3 were wearing crosses?

And rulings have consistently been that religious people are free to wear them. There is no uncertainty here.

Yeah, "there have been Supreme Court case". There have also been rulings, you idiot. You are advocating the same line of thinking that prohibits women from covering their heads (whether Muslim or Christian--this is also a historical Christian practice) or taking on other self-identifying marks of faith. Just because YOU don't think these symbols are important doesn't mean you can enforce that on everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like this would take us down the road of people wearing stars, crosses and moons.

That is, of identifying by their religion.

There have been Supreme Court cases about whether any of these should be allowed in the workplace because it might make others uncomfortable. Would you really want to work in an office where 2/3 were wearing crosses?

Sure, and I have. A lot of people wear crosses!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like this would take us down the road of people wearing stars, crosses and moons.

That is, of identifying by their religion.

There have been Supreme Court cases about whether any of these should be allowed in the workplace because it might make others uncomfortable. Would you really want to work in an office where 2/3 were wearing crosses?

And rulings have consistently been that religious people are free to wear them. There is no uncertainty here.

Yeah, "there have been Supreme Court case". There have also been rulings, you idiot. You are advocating the same line of thinking that prohibits women from covering their heads (whether Muslim or Christian--this is also a historical Christian practice) or taking on other self-identifying marks of faith. Just because YOU don't think these symbols are important doesn't mean you can enforce that on everyone else.

Whoosh. Look who’s calling who an idiot.

The question is, do you really want all your Christian and Palestinian coworkers saying, hey, cool, it’s ok again to broadcast our religions (after not being completely ok for a while), so I’ll go ahead pull my confirmation cross/moon back out?

Some people feel uncomfortable surrounded by crosses at work or being treated by someone with a cross.

So yeah, those people have brought cases all the way to the Supreme Court. As you rudely said as you missed the point, yeah, SCOTUS has ruled. But the point was the discomfort that made people bring the cases. I take it you’d be fine it though.

[Anonymous]

Performative religious symbolism is banned in France, where abortion is legal. Different strokes for different folks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like this would take us down the road of people wearing stars, crosses and moons.

That is, of identifying by their religion.

There have been Supreme Court cases about whether any of these should be allowed in the workplace because it might make others uncomfortable. Would you really want to work in an office where 2/3 were wearing crosses?

And rulings have consistently been that religious people are free to wear them. There is no uncertainty here.

Yeah, "there have been Supreme Court case". There have also been rulings, you idiot. You are advocating the same line of thinking that prohibits women from covering their heads (whether Muslim or Christian--this is also a historical Christian practice) or taking on other self-identifying marks of faith. Just because YOU don't think these symbols are important doesn't mean you can enforce that on everyone else.

Whoosh. Look who’s calling who an idiot.

The question is, do you really want all your Christian and Palestinian coworkers saying, hey, cool, it’s ok again to broadcast our religions (after not being completely ok for a while), so I’ll go ahead pull my confirmation cross/moon back out?

Some people feel uncomfortable surrounded by crosses at work or being treated by someone with a cross.

So yeah, those people have brought cases all the way to the Supreme Court. As you rudely said as you missed the point, yeah, SCOTUS has ruled. But the point was the discomfort that made people bring the cases. I take it you’d be fine it though.

I got your point, but I didn't respond to the stupidest part, the "uncomfortable" comment.

What you're really saying is that you're such a bigot that if your Muslim coworker was wearing a crescent necklace you would be...what? "Uncomfortable" to the point of, again, what? It's an absurd and stupid point. You are talking about "comfort" vs. someone closely held religious belief that does not hurt you.

Be "uncomfortable". It is the tiny, tiny price of living in a free, pluralist society.