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.

I would say a big difference is islamophobia reflects how the community is perceived to interact with society, while antisemitism seems to be an abstract thing.

Sadly there are very few people who claim to support “Palestine” yet criticize Hamas. There are a few though - it’s very dangerous to do so in Gaza or even on the hate marches in the uk

Just to complicate things there are also Zionist people who hate Netanyahu

I 'personally' (and am not speaking for all Jews or anything) think Israel is super important to exist but is also being terrible just now. I also think America should continue to have democracy while also being very horrified with what they're doing with it. I also think Scotland should get our independence while we are at it ;-)

Basically I have a complicated relationship with all 3 of the countries I have lived in and all the views are nuanced. It isn't as simple as Zionist = murderer or Israel = bad or Palestine = good. There's a much bigger story to all of that and I think ignoring that leads to the situation we are in now. It isn't enough to shout 'Free Palestine' and leave it at that.

And yes - my daughter and I have had 'Free Palestine' shouted at us for literally no reason except being Jewish. We weren't at a rally (we wouldn't be at one anyway - I feel 100% unsafe in that space). I was just walking down the street wearing a Jewish star and my daughter was heading to maths class.

That was the exact phrase that started both of the worst incidents at her schools actually (primary and secondary). Kids yelling that while physically surrounding her. We had to put various support structures in place for her as the child who started on it in high school threatened to 'tell my cousins and brother about you' so we worried every time she walked back and forth to school for months. So it is definitely not a phrase that is used entirely kindly in my experience.

I would worry, too, unfortunately. I don't think it's unreasonable to be concerned and try to protect him while he's young, but at some point he'll be of an age to make the decision for himself, so you'll eventually need to explain the reasons why.

Read my original post that you responded to, where I explicitly stated that my response to your blanket claims of antisemitism weren't the point of this thread.

None of your accusations (dressed up as questions) relate to anything I said.

Why you feel compelled to shut down a debate that wasn't even a debate I can only imagine. Do you work for Luke Akehurst by chance?

Just to complicate things there are also Zionist people who hate Netanyahu

I don't think this is complicated at all. Being a Zionist doesn't mean you have to like and agree with every Israeli leader or politician...why would anyone think it does?

Fucking hell - and Jews are apparently the racist ones?! There is so much antisemitic stereotyped harmful bullshit in one post. How are you not embarrassed by yourself?! I hope by “in education” you mean you weren’t a teacher?

And TBH I know a lot of Jewish people, I’d say they’re the least racist demographic BY FAR. They aren’t the ones voting for Reform are they.

I was responding to the previous post where that wasn't listed as an option.

Whether Free Palestine is inherently antisemitic or not is a discussion for another thread. But the reality is that outside of rallies, it's only ever shouted at Jews.

Even if one were to argue that it's not an inherently antisemitic statement, it's certainly used as one.

As to you participating in rallies, try going to one wearing overtly Jewish symbols, ie be visibly Jewish, without actively holding pro-Palestinian signs or chanting. Let's see how well you'd be tolerated then.

Apologies....I didn't see what you were quoting...it makes more sense to me in context.

So sorry by the way for what you and your DD went through.

I don’t know who that is. But no.

Your continuation to dodge my question about the relevance of Gaza on a British Jewish child is Olympic level impressive.

Wow

Absolutely! I am a non-Jewish Zionist because I believe that Jewish people are entitled to a Jewish state in their homeland - I also believe in a two state solution. I think Netenyahu is maniacal and that Hamas are murderous terrorists.

This will melt the brains of the hard of thinking I expect who think people only exist on very specific boxes.

There's a lot to follow here! It's actually a relief to hear other people questioning some of these things as sometimes being 'the only one' is more exhausting than I realise!

Re Jewish people attending free Palestine rallies.

And how many Muslims are protesting and rallying against Hamas in our streets?

I knew some arsehole would make some antisemitic comment - to do it straight after “Jewish people get unwarranted stick” is almost laughable.

BTW Jewish people don’t get “stick” they get murdered, exiled, tortured and made to live in abject fear. HTH

I know - I’m not proud of it tbh but sometimes I get so mad. I’m bowing out now as I can’t be bothered reading all the rubbish I’ll be getting. I’ve known so many non Jewish people over the years who have never known any Jews who make the most ridiculous sweeping statements about them. Just ridiculous.

What like “Jewish children are spoilt and their parents are in credit card debt”

At least have the courage of your convictions instead of skulking off

Imagine making disgusting antisemitic comments - BTW @Ilovecleaning you might want to look up why tropes and stereotypes about Jewish people and money have been harming and killing Jews for centuries - then sulking because one person didn’t agree with you. Gross

There is also a major difference for me personally between antisemitism and islama'phobia'.

If you were to criticise any or all aspects of Judaism, I really couldn't give a toss. You're entitled to your opinion, and as long as it's just the religion or ideas you don't like, that's fine. It's a free country.

Even if you think Judaism is a false religion, or you have choice words for the Jewish God, again, I don't find that problematic. In a free democracy people can criticise ideas.

It doesn't work that though with Islam. Criticise the religion itself, or depict Mohammed (even verbally) in a non respectful way, and at best you're accused of islamaphobia. At worst you're in danger of physical harm.

In fact, even Hyde Park Speakers' Corner has weekly flare-ups of violence because someone took offence to something said about his religion. And it's never the Budhists.

To answer some questions: my child is nearly 7. We are in a diverse part of London and there are a large number of girls wearing Hijabs (and parents that collect with full face covering as well). No child wears a kippah at the school.

He is British, and born here. I deliberately didn't mention Israel in my post, but it seems a lot of people have done so here.