(Jewish Group) 27 Jews On What It Feels Like To Be Afraid For Their Lives [View all]

[Behind the Aegis]

(THIS IS THE JEWISH GROUP! RESPECT!!)

If you feel your eyes watching the exit during Shabbat services, if you see danger lurking at Jewish celebrations and events, if you’ve felt the metallic cold of a Magen David as you tuck it into your shirt “just in case,” you’re not alone.
In a recent survey of American Jews by the American Jewish Committee, 1 in 4 respondents said that they “avoid certain places, events or situations out of fear” for their “safety or comfort as a Jew.” Nearly a third of the more than 1,200 respondents said they avoided “publicly wearing, carrying or displaying things that might help people identify” them as Jewish.

We wanted to hear the stories behind these numbers, so we asked readers to write in and describe when and why they had avoided places or public displays of their Jewishness. Many mentioned removing or concealing kippot. Others expressed particular fear for children, elderly people, and ultra-Orthodox Jews whose traditional dress makes them stand out. And some raised the concern that their pro-Israel activity would be met by anti-Jewish aggression.

Though we asked for anecdotes about things people did avoid, a few wrote to say that rising fear has made them defiant, determined to display their identity.

“I want to be MORE visible as a way of showing that hate won’t keep me from being proud of my heritage,” wrote Jay, a 49-year-old from Eugene, Oregon.

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Guess there will be lots of 'splainin' to do for some.

See also: Holocaust Survivor Under Guard Amid Death Threats

Personally, I do have concerns whenever I am somewhere unfamiliar, sometimes even here where I live, about expressing that I am Jewish. Even in supposed liberal "safe spaces" it can be dicey as well, but I did take great pride in wearing my Jewish Gay pride shirt to the local GLBT festival. It came in handy when a couple of homophobes trying to convert people to their faction of Christianity came up to me and I simply pointed to my shirt and said, "Spoken for!" When they turned to my husband, I let them know, he was "Spoken for!" as well. He isn't Jewish, but he is Jew-ish.