To ask you to help with a cover story for my Jewish child

[Aislyn]

My eldest is at secondary school and has suffered horrific racist bullying due to being identifiably Jewish. She never told anyone, but they guessed due to her appearance, and her saying Eastern European countries when asked 'where are you from?'

Unfortunately the school has been completely unhelpful, and refused to tackle this.

My second child is starting at second and has sen. They are at even higher risk of bullying. They have an appearance that would mean that they could be identified as Jewish, especially when citing Eastern European countries in response to the above question. Can anyone think of a cover story for my child?

(Yes, I have tried to get them a place at a Jewish school, but there is none available)

Another bit of whataboutery- what’s your views on how the OP should deal with her kids being subject to anti semitism now, not what some kid might or might not have said 50 years ago. By all means discuss that but start another thread, stop trying to hijack this one.

I live in Scotland.

Agreed, this thread is nothing to do with Farage.

I am far more worried about the far left including the Greens at present.

I can't believe so many of the posters on here don't know that prejudice towards Jewish people is on the rise. I'm so sorry your children are having to navigate this. Could the youngest imply they are of Greek heritage? I know it's difficult to ask your children to mislead others. But it's a safety issue at this stage.

No, THIS is a ridiculous statement and, frankly, devalues the cause.
It is patently true that saying you are from London is an acceptable response, regardless of whether you have some weird idea of what ‘British’ people look like.

To say that pointing that out is antisemitic is a huge over reach and harms other arguments about what constitutes antisemitism.

I went to Uni in Scotland. I hope it’s not my old stomping ground. I’d be horrified, in fact.

I am not sure where you live, and I am glad your children have had a better experience.

Unfortunately it is common in my area, due to the characteristics of the area.

I knew the SNP government had caused serious issues in education, but I didn't realise it was this bad...

Traditionally I thought anti Semitism in Scotland was fairly low, compared with England?

If so, it shows how quickly prejudice and specifically anti Semitism can spread given the right conditions...

Op has said earlier on that there are many Muslim students. Many Muslims are ofc not like this, but as I said in my earlier post, IK Myslims are more likely than other groups to hold anti Semitic attitudes.

If they have dark curly hair and olive skin, perhaps get them to name Greece or Cyprus instead? it might throw people off the scent.

All universities can do is ask the student to leave/ de register them, but it doesn’t really solve the fact there are plenty more where they came from- ime they often not even students.

usually they involve the police as it’s a hate crime.

I don’t understand why people keep saying this. Are you thinking of the real life situation To which this applies? This isn’t a job interview, or 2 adults talking on the bus.

this is an 11 year old being questioned by other students who they will spend 7 hours as day for the next 5 years with. They aren’t just going to realise they pushed it too far and stop asking. Just roboting LONDON LONDON LONDON THATS ACCEPTABLE STOP ASKING YOU ARE BEING UNREASONABLE isn’t going to work. It’s going to create more suspicion more drama and make OPs kid look weird as fuck, which is nearly as bad as being Jewish in these kids eyes.

Until October 7th, I'd never had any concerns at all about having Jewish children here. We are a teeny, tiny minority so mostly people had no opinion at all and my kids never heard anything negative.

It's hugely different nowadays. Also my kids are also older now so maybe they just didn't notice it when they were younger.

I would think things are worse in English cities just due to the number of people involved but I have no idea how to calculate this! I can only speak to my own experiences and it has been pretty unpleasant for 2.5 years now. I had to stop coming to work on Fridays for a long time as they had a weekly rally outside my building and they would chant terrible things and I'd have panic attacks if I had to go outside during it. Had a recurring nightmare that I'd see someone who knew I was Jewish and I'd have to run for it.

In fairness, my son hasn't reported anything but he's not the sort of kid who would. I asked him recently and he said 'no one says anything I care about' which doesn't really mean that no one has said anything. But he's a super pragmatic child and it wouldn't really bother him if someone was yelling lies in his face. It bothers my daughter a lot.

It's not just 'some kid' though is it. - it's the leader of the political party people (like you presumably) vote for.

Farage aside, this is a very difficult situation for OP and her family. We live in a world in which anti-Semitism is on the rise because people can't seem to separate the actions of the Netanyahu govt from Jewish people in general. Just like they can't separate the actions of the Iranian regime from general Iranian people. Populist parties like Reform and the Green Party provoke and exploit the polarisation engendered through social media. They thrive on outrage and 'othering' to win votes - divide and rule, literally.

OP, this is so horrific. Is moving to another area an option? Of course you shouldn’t have to - but realistically, if this is a big problem in your area, the racist views are unlikely to change in time
to help your daughters. Realise it’s a huge thing to uproot - but possibly worth it?

I’m not surprised you are worried about the Greens. Not enough is being made of their leaders training in hypnosis, this will make him highly skilled in persuasive language and recognising people’s suggestibility (I too have studied hypnotherapy and hypnosis more widely in is historical uses under various guises) their leader is a dangerous gun for hire). Someone needs to gaslight the strategies being used.

Can you leave London - we had to leave Birmingham.

He was just “some kid” when he supposedly said it though, and there’s zero evidence he currently holds such views. Move on.

So what should the OP do?

@Aislyn my husband is Polish Jewish and I am well versed with the history of it in this country and previously. I don't know where you live but it sounds extreme. Nowhere have I ever encountered people who associate Poland and being Jewish. I haven't seen any reference to it in any pro Palestinian movements. In my close and wider family I wouldn't say there is anyone who is noticeably "physically Jewish" and find it a strange thing to say. I don't like some of what I'm seeing written here and much of it by yourself. There is no one such thing as looking British. While my husband was encouraged in the 1970s during letter box bombing not to admit to being Jewish no one has ever asked him if he is Jewish. I sincerely hope that this is not a reverse.

Many Jewish teenagers are now listing safety as on of the main reasons for selecting a university.

Anti-Semites come on here, as sure as night follows day, arguing the inside out of a dog's hole from Nigel Farage to disregarding lived experience but they are wrong.

Some know they are wrong but follow their own agenda, some swallow whatever they are told by the left wing media, the useful idiots and some are just a bit dim.

It may be wrong to lump this third group in with the first two-after all citing their dimness is a bit like laughing at the hunchback's hump-they can't help being dim after all but they are still dangerous.

Best not to give any of the three groups the compliment of arguing with them-their minds are closed and racist. The only advantage of doing so is that they show their arse and we see how they defend themselves.

On this thread, they have already done that so no point in engaging with them any further.

Christ how depressing.

What does 'looking British' mean these days?
I have loads of British friends who have heritage of other countries, having dark hair and Eastern European heritage doesn't automatically make people assume Jewish?!

I agree about the Polish = Jewish, there were quite a few Polish parents and children with that heritage at my DC's schools, all of them Catholic.

I agree especially in the south east of England, near to London or London itself. I am shocked as grew up in West London and my school was very diverse as a teen in the 90s!

He was 17, not 9.

there’s zero evidence he currently holds such views.
Not seen this?
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2026/mar/17/nigel-farage-videos-support-rioter-neonazi-event-far-right-slogans