To stop my son from presenting as Jewish at school

[Wonderberry]

I really wish this wasn't the case.

My son wants to wear his kippah (skullcap) at school. This is entirely his choice, and something that he has chosen to start wearing recently. He just wants to express his religious and cultural background.

Unfortunately, I don't feel like he would be safe to do so. I hate that this is where we are at currently in the UK, but I know it is the reality. He goes to a community school in London, and doesn't understand why he cannot wear his kippah at school. On cultural days, he also cannot share his culture either.

Why specifically prior to nhs appointments?

She’s trying to justify antisemitism - which means she’s racist. End of. Don’t engage.

Not sure why my comment was deleted or why it offended anyone. I'm Jewish, I went to a Jewish school, and so do my kids. A Jewish child belongs in a Jewish school. That's how we pass on our heritage and give them a solid grounding in Judaism.

We’ll never truly be accepted. Tolerated, maybe - even warmly. But scratch the veneer, and the old lines are still there. Even with the best allies, there’s a wall. Unspoken, but very real.

Hitler ymsh went back four generations to hunt down baptized Jews and kill their grandchildren. In Germany, the epicenter of assimilation and supposed equality.

Being afraid to allow your kid to wear Jewish symbols and clothing in school, should be a wake up call to place them among our own, where they'll be accepted as the family member they are. And yes, I would love to feel safe everywhere in Britain, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

If 'Free Palestine' isn't an antisemitic chant, why is it only shouted at Jews.

I have yet to see anyone calling 'Free Palestine' to ordinary folk on the street, but for me - a Jew who refuses to hide my symbols - I get it shouted at me probably 1/4 times I'm in Central London. I don't go around wearing the Israeli flag, it's only because I'm Jewish.

It's the modern day, more palatable way, of shouting Heil Hitler.

I'm so sorry you feel this way. I know it doesn't make a difference but I just want you to know that I have zero Jewish connection but have always felt fiercely protective of Jewish people and will continue standing up for your community IRL as vocally as ever.

This is an awful thread. People are so entrenched, perpetuating absolute garbage. And excuses I wish I’d never posted and shall not anymore. stuck in ruts are my final words.

Thank you. TBH my previous post was perhaps just a tiny bit exaggerated, as there are individuals who'll treat us like equals and even stick up for us. I've had personal experience of that myself.

My comment was more about the abstract than the specific, and I shouldn't have been that extreme.

Untrue. I'm a Jewish person who (like many other of my Jewish peers and members of my community) who actively attends the rallies for a "Free Palestine". Being in favor of a "Free Palestine" doesn't make us "anti" anything. It makes us human and we do it precisely BECAUSE we're Jewish, not in spite of being Jewish.

Also not jewish, though strangely, my father, who had mediterranean colouring and was successful in business, was often asked if he was Jewish (make of that what you will but I tend to think that was the version anti semitism that thrived in the 70s and 80s). But am an ally and have never understood the conflation between Jewish people and the state of Israel. In all likelihood Jewish people have lived in the UK for for longer than any other group bar the celts and saxons. Yet from overt massacres and pogroms in the medieval period through to jibes and attacks today, anti-semitism is alive and unfortunately kicking.

This thread is depressing.

I don't know in that regard but decades ago when the dc were about 6 and 3 and ds had broken his arm I took him to an NHS appointment. The DC were and are blue eyed, blonde and tan and have a Teutonic build - strong paternal genes.

The orthopaedic consultant surgeon greeted us with a broad smile and "Oh, I have a visitation from the Aryan Master race".

Anti-semitism in all its forms is ingrained. My married name is a 12th Century English one, I doubt he'd have said it if I was using my very Jewish maiden name but he thought subconsciously or otherwise that he was in a safe space.

I did not hesitate to tell him our antecedents were Jewish. His face fell, because of his faux pas.

Unfortunately the two (Jewish and Israel) often get lumped together, so someone displaying their Jewish identity is seen by some ignoramuses as being Israel, thus fair game in regards to hearing comments about the current issue.

There is a 'free Palestine' flag in my next door neighbour's garden. This was put up a female primary school teacher who is one of the nicest people I've ever known, and she would be appalled at anyone saying anything antisemitic. She is merely anti imperialism (as I think most people in western nations are today). Russia invading Ukraine, a Russian will be lumped in with that war so by association they too will face discrimination.

I'm Irish, and during the troubles I remember being barred from places as soon as they heard my accent, the very discrimination by association I've mentioned.

OP, I am so sorry you feel this way. Instinctively I don't feel anyone should hide their Jewishness. My sons and husband wears their kippot all the time and none of them have ever experienced much antisemitism. But my kids have all gone to Jewish schools so I have not had the same experience.

Are there other Jewish kids in your sons school? I hate to think of him all isolated and alone.

Let me tell you something that happened to a Jewish student I know. She is studying in a university where she is one of about very few Jewish students, and many of the other students are from middle eastern countries, so since Oct 7th she has felt very isolated. She is blonde and therefore not particularly Jewish looking. (in as much as that is a thing...) She hid the fact that she was Jewish from her roommates until one day she came back from attending a shabbat dinner with a visiting relative. They asked where they had been and the relative said they had been to a shabbat dinner. This obviously let the cat out of the bag about her being Jewish. The roomates were not negative to her being Jewish, but felt hurt that she had hidden this from them and did not trust them. (The conversation ended positively.)

My takeawy from that is that there is no point hiding a crucial part of your identity if you want to make meaningful connections with people you can't hide the fact that you love to read, have a disability...or that you are Jewish.

I’ve been very clear in all my posts that all anti-semitism is inexcusable.

There is nothing intrinsically antisemitic about 'free palestine'. (we would all like to see Palestinians free and happy as long as that doesn't involve murdering Jews) but for someone to shout it at an obviously Jewish person is antisemitic.

Would you accost a Russian person walking around London by shouting 'Free Ukraine?"

Agreed. Context is everything.

It's always been there. Look at the rise in attacks against all protected characteristics around the time of the Brexit referendum.

20 odd years ago I worked with a Muslim woman who was too scared to wear her headscarf in public.

I don't "accost" anyone. Neither do of the others I personally know who attend rallies for a free Palestine. Nor have I ever heard antisemitic abuse by anyone around me at the rallies. I've been to countless rallies, all over Europe over the last 15 or so years. They are generally peaceful. It's actually very heartening to see so many fellow Jews taking part.
Obviously, accosting someone (whether for being Jewish, Israeli, Russian or anything else) is totally wrong and this ISN'T what the rallies are about.
Sadly, there will always be nasty minorities who try to use the rallies as a platform to spread or encourage hatred, but I've no personally experience of seeing/hearing this.
Personally, if a person approached me knowing that I'm Jewish and shouted "free Palestine" - I'd wholeheartedly agree with them and explain my reasons why, being true to Jewish values the primary reason <3

That’s awful - as an ally I will always stand with your community. I think it’s disgraceful how people behave in the name of progression and I’ll never stop calling it out

Yes people need to keep quiet about Islam's misogyny (women not allowed out without company, not allowed out without being covered up, not allowed to work or learn English, being "married" to uncles at age 14 and so on).
These things should be spoken out about, they never will be, even a Labour MP states that speaking out about Pakistani grooming gangs is dog whistle politics so better add child abuse to the things deemed islamophobic nowadays.
Why are so many people so keen to cover these things up instead of exposing them and crying racist/islamophobic to ensure they are hidden?

As a Jewish person are you worried about the hateful racism your Jewish peers are experiencing and believe that they are fearful of these rallies?

My DH is of Middle Eastern heritage and also gets mistaken for being Jewish and has been called the Y word at football matches. He’s very

Personally, if a person approached me knowing that I'm Jewish and shouted "free Palestine" - I'd wholeheartedly agree with them and explain my reasons why, being true to Jewish values the primary reason

Would you? I'd report them to the police.

This is a shame.
I have a Jewish colleague and he doesn't wear his for these reasons. Wouldn't bother me or our team one iota if he did.

There are some awful abuses perpetrated by Muslims, but not all Muslims are responsible for those abuses. I'd have thought that should be pretty obvious to those who are objecting to innocent Jewish people being blamed for acts perpetrated by the Israeli government in Gaza.

I think we should be able to talk about any issues honestly and openly, but if the discussion starts to descend into generalisations, stereotypes and antisemitic or Islamophobic tropes, then the discussion ceases to be viable.

Very sad that the OP even has to consider this.