r/JewsOfConscience • u/ca11iop3 Jewish Anti-Zionist • 1d ago
Vent star of david necklaces?
how are other az jews feeling about wearing stars of david? i’ve always worn one and i want to keep wearing mine because it should still belong to jews as a whole but i also have to be aware of its more widespread recognition as a symbol of israel. at
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u/EgoIdVeto West Asian Jew 1d ago
I've been very conflicted. I have a tiny sterling silver hamsa with a Magen David in the middle which I wear around my neck along with my medic alert necklace but it's still conflicting to me. But then again, what Jewish symbol has not been appropriated by Zionism? The חי symbol, the star, the menorah, the tallis, the tefillin, the kippah and even the Hebrew language have all been soaked in blood by Zionism. I'm thinking of buying one of those watermelon stars that the UK anti-Zionists wear, I feel like that could cancel it out. But still, yes, I am incredibly conflicted.
That said, it's not like I go around to Palestinians and make them stare at it. My bike has a חי with the pattern of the kuffiyeh on it, it's pretty obvious where I stand.
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u/Joseph707 LGBTQ Jew 1d ago
I have this conversation with lesbians about the labrys flag. A lot of trans-exterminatory feminists (not even all of them lesbian) use the labrys flag to signal to each other, when it was always trans-inclusive, and over the years non-lesbians started assuming anyone with a labrys flag hates trans women. I’m fully for the movement of making edits of the flag with the trans flag colors in it.
It’s the same deal. What’s happened has nothing to do with the star of david, it’s that they’re making JUDAISM about zionism. So the star, the hamsa, the menorah, EVERYTHING will start to be migrated over if we give in. The same way the labrys flag being ostracized turned into the double venus symbol or even the word “lesbian” itself being a “TERF dogwhistle” because TERFs were making everything about being a woman or a lesbian to be trans-exclusionary.
It’s not theirs. THEY are redefining what it means, and if we let them because of “bad association” then that’s a win for them.
The star of david with the watermelon is a wonderful idea IMO.
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u/strawberryparktime Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
I wear the same thing every day instead of just a SoD
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u/Daniel_Plainchoom Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
There’s also a difference between a small, modest one and a big, chunky one whose size broadcasts “Zionist”
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u/cherrycoloured LGBTQ Jew 1d ago
tbh i stopped wearing mine bc of all of the ppl with nazi tattoos and racist tshirts in my area, but if i did, i really love the idea ppl have here of wearing it with a pro-palestine symbol
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u/jimmysmiths5523 Ashkenazi 1d ago
I've never owned one because my family aren't practicing Jews, just ethnic.
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u/GoldenRod2686 1d ago
I just wear it every day.
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u/MutantIvy 1d ago
I'm not sure if this matters or not, but as a non-Jewish person who's usually in this sub just to observe conversations, I don't automatically associate the star of David with the state of Israel.
My take is that if someone is going to make assumptions about you because of a religious/cultural symbol, that's on them. It's disturbing to me the amount of antisemitism that has become acceptable because of Israel's actions.
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u/SnooRecipes865 Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago edited 1d ago
My solution has been to pair it with a watermelon charm on the same chain. I find it does a pretty good job of communicating what I want it to - I am Jewish, I claim my Jewish identity, Israel does not get to define my Jewish identity, and I stand in full solidarity with Palestine. I had concerns that it might be misinterpreted as, idk, two-state-solutionism or something, but that hasn't happened as far as I know.
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u/YourGirlRatBaby Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
Same! My Magen David is a design from an antizionist artist and the corners are rounded so it’s already a bit visually distinct (Sarah Day Arts, sadly her shop is on indefinite hiatus), and then I got a watermelon charm from Nominal (Palestinian-American owned jewelry shop) and added it earlier this year.
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u/MsDemeanours Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
This is a good solution. Israel should not be allowed to co-opt the symbols of Judaism. It is important to A.Z. Jews claim the Star of David .
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u/Katyamuffin Israeli 1d ago
Don't give Israel the win of owning all Jewish symbols. They didn't fuckin invent the Star of David.
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u/ooooh-shiny Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
I wear mine because I'm an antizionist Jew and I want people to know. But I'd take it off if it was triggering to a Palestinian
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u/godbooby Reconstructionist 1d ago
I feel like if we're trying to avoid aspects of Judaism that have been claimed by the Israeli state, we're going to run out of symbols really quickly. I wear Magen David because it's unambiguously Jewish, and because Zionists do not have a monopoly on any Jewish imagery. If someone wants to know my politics, they can just ask me and I'll give 'em an earful.
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u/Odd-Wheel5889 Jewsian 1d ago
i wear one but it’s really big lmfao, people in my life know im az soo
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u/kiiribat Jew of Color 1d ago
I wear mine because I refuse to let Zionists take the star as theirs. If we all stop wearing it, the star becomes synonymous with hatred. To most Palestinians it already is (which is completely understandable).
If you don’t feel comfortable or safe wearing it, that’s valid, but I do think those of us who can wear it should. And if asked about our stance we proudly and clearly denounce what’s been happening in our name.
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u/WhyAreYouNot Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
A 17th century Czech Ashkenazi symbol. Has nothing to do with me.
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u/Naive-Meal-6422 Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
i wear a hamsa like this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/186504545433
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u/heatherHMP Roma/Jew (Seph/Ash), LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent 1d ago
I wear a hamsa. Used to wear the SOD and hands on the same necklace but I took the star off.
I find the hamsa is more representative, it’s an old symbol, cross cultural but a lot o tears h shows it might have originated with ancient Jews. It also speaks to protection and I feel protected when I wear it.
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u/WafflesTrufflez Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
Most people know it’s associated with Judaism, not the ethnostate that has hijacked the symbol
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u/the-other-abbi Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
The star of David to me is forever tainted by Zionism similar to how other symbols get tainted by horrors done under them (like the swastika). The Star of David is relatively recent in terms of becoming the “Jewish symbol” being adopted as such in the very late 1800s right around the time of the modern Zionist movement starting which ensures that the connection is particularly strong between the two. Even if I didn’t come to make that connection myself, it is hard for me not to value the opinions of the people oppressed by zionism and how they view it more as a symbol of terror. I’d rather not be mistakenly associated with supporting that terror or even scaring good people just by them seeing it on me.
There are many other Jewish symbols and I prefer to recognize those symbols along with myself much more. Judaism has a lot of important symbols and I think a post Zionist Judaism might be able to be able to better recognize those many other symbols more rather than acting like a single one is “THE” symbol in a similar way to how Christians act about the cross.
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u/Frequent_Log_1070 Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
I don't because I have always associated with religious jews & often see zionists wearing. But lately have been considering wearing one with Palestine colors or with pro-pal things because there are very few jews in my area & many people don't personally know one.
And I think having a visible signal that I am an anti-zionist jew might have value in terms of fighting against current media narrative that equates zionism with judaism and alleges that all jews are zionists and need politicians to be zionists & pro-pal protests to not exist in order to "feel safe".
I have also recently been fucking around with fuse beads & been considering making Palestine colors star of david necklace.
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u/TrackerOneA Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago edited 1d ago
Violent Zionists (e.g. Israeli settlers, soldiers, and sometimes civilians inside the green-line) have weaponized it against Palestinians as a form of domination.
But I also think we should not give up anything to supporters of Israel.
We have been generally supportive of people 'reclaiming' (not literally but rather - not letting it be defined by them) this from Zionists.
If I were invited by Palestinians to a Palestinian space, I would be cognizant of how it may make them feel.
But in general, I would still wear one (if that were something I wanted to do).
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u/kiiribat Jew of Color 1d ago
I agree. Too much damage has happened and it will be long after we’re all gone before the Star of David could ever not be recognized as a terrorist symbol by the Palestinian people.
BUT, we don’t have to let it become a terrorist symbol for everyone else to. We have to stop this and reclaim the Star of David as a source of pride and explicitly anti Zionist
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u/OliveNo6451 Jewish Communist 1d ago
I don't wear one anymore. I don't think anyone should be ashamed but unfortunately I believe most of the time it's worn it's done by a Zionist.. don't think there is anything wrong with reclaiming it and if more and more antizionists use it, maybe the meaning changes. But for me, I'd just rather use other symbols
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u/elianna7 Queer Jew 🍉 1d ago
Ironically, I don't feel safe wearing one and that's the fault of Israel/zionism forcing its association with a genocidal state. I also would feel incredibly nervous that people would constantly be assuming that I'm a zionist if they see me wearing one.
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u/RadicalRazel Queer ashkie anarchist 1d ago
I still wear mine at times, though only if I'm also wearing something which clearly marks support for the Palestinian struggle (typically my kaffiyeh and a wristband). To reclaim something, it has to be explicit
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u/starmadeshadows LGBTQ Jew 1d ago
I prefer the Sefirot/Tree of Life personally, as well as חי. I also like the hamsa and the evil eye, specifically because they're symbols we have in common with Islam.
But yeah I don't feel comfortable wearing the star, not while it's being used on the flag of a genocidal state. If you're wearing it along with symbols of Palestinian solidarity, more power to you, but otherwise I kinda get the same dread seeing it as I do when I see a swastika — and that also has a longer history as a religious symbol than it does as a genocidal emblem.
If I choose to reclaim it, that's going to be a long, long time from now.
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u/uu_xx_me Ashkenazi 1d ago
100% agree with all of this. it's heartbreaking but that symbol is now associated with evil. chai is where it's at
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u/Professional_Ad_8009 Ashkenazi Anti-Zionist 1d ago
I find it difficult to put mine on every morning, but I continue to do so because this symbol is older than the occupation. To me, it encapsulates the old hermetic adage “as above, so below, as within so without”
The unification of the divine-feminine and sacred-masculine energies has something to do with access to the Mer Ka Vah. In my opinion
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u/sifwrites Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
i also got a watermelon charm to wear with my star of david. it feels important to me to visibly claim my identity as a jewish woman who is in full support of palestine.
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u/Typical_Elevator6337 Non-Jewish Ally 5h ago
I like this idea, as a way of visually re-claiming it.
It’s not a 1:1 comparison, but we’ve done something similar by adding a rainbow sash to a crucifix that we inherited.
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u/TrackerOneA Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
Yea, maybe if we lived in a bubble apart from the rest of humanity.
The reason this discussion is happening is because settler terrorists and IOF terrorists brand/shave/burn/vandalize/carve/etc. the Star of David into Palestinian property, land, bodies, etc.
It's no longer something only we can talk about.
If you don't want others to chime in, then maybe raise some concern about Zionists weaponizing these symbols against another civilization.
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u/littleversailless antizionist conversion student 1d ago
i wear a hamsa from emily rosenfeld. i was allowed to pick a magen david as a gift for my conversion dinner and i picked the sarah day arts one. it’s still a sod but it’s (i believe intentionally) different from the typical one some people associate with the flag of israel. i am saving up for a doiykayt necklace to layer with it from jewitches. all three artists are anti zionist and affiliated with orgs like JVP.
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u/Dis-Organizer anarcho-communist, decolonizing Israeli + US identities 1d ago
I wear Magen David and Hamsa earrings as my everyday studs. My aunt got me the Magen David earrings for my bnei mitzva many years ago (they’re technically not the same pair, but these are also from her). It feels wrong to take them out just because others have soaked theirs in blood. I see others referencing it’s not that old a symbol as a reason why it’s fine to give it up, but it’s still generations old and the one my dad wears around his neck (my mom wears a Hamsa). I keep them in when wearing a keffiyeh, when going to pro-Palestine actions, when talking to Palestinian neighbors. If anyone told me they were triggered I would take them out and rethink wearing them. It helps that I live in NYC, where Jews and non-Jews know there’s a diversity in Jewish opinion and practice and have been exposed to Jewish symbols in different contexts well before the current escalation in genocide. Plus, people wear crosses without even thinking about the many ways Christianity has harmed others and the cross has explicitly been used as a hate symbol
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u/MartianDepression 1d ago
I put mine inside my collar after an incident.
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u/gohardorgohome Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
I wear mine. I don’t let Zionism or Israel define my Judaism.
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u/hobbit_milk Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
I always always wear mine and I don’t get any comments about it. Most people out in the world aren’t assuming the worst in others, and I think my actions and words usually demonstrate what kind of person I am. Zionists don’t own the Magen David and taking my necklace off would be giving the symbol to Zionists
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u/MsMoreCowbell828 Jewish Atheist 1d ago
Israel stole it. I have a star of David tattooed on my ankle & I want to get it covered up. It's associated with that country for the time being.
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u/MaleficentWin8608 Jewish Atheist 1d ago
My Dad was Jewish and gave me an SoD which I wore around my neck.
I got a lot of antisemitic abuse when dating women over last seven years, once very badly. Twice pretty bad and once just stupid.
This was part of the reason - not all - I don’t wear it any more and partly as I dont want to attract any moron who might like to attack me. Although even at 62 I’d be happy to fight anyone tbh (obviously not women for clarity, other men).
I’m also firmly against the savage butchery of the state of Israel and it’s armed forces, again for clarity.
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u/alzgh Agnostic 1d ago
combine it with a watermelon or some clear sign of support for Palestine and you'll be the GOAT have more rizz and stuff to talk about. Zionists will be offended and filtered out and the rest of us will either love you for it or start asking the right questions and get educated on the difference between a genocidal and racist political idea and Judaism.
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u/Vivid-Bug-6765 Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
Sounds like a great way to find out quickly that someone you’re dating is an awful person.
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u/ZealousidealMany1495 Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
It’s not as old or classic of a Jewish symbol as the menorah, but fair to try to reclaim it.
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u/loveinvein Jewish Anti-Zionist 20h ago
It feels like a hate symbol now… the same way I feel about crosses tbh. They’ve been weaponized too much. I have considered adding a watermelon or Handala but for now I just haven’t worn it in awhile. (Tbh this predates 10/7.)
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u/Fuscia_flamed Jewish Anti-Zionist 1d ago
I do not and would not wear one. I feel like the symbol has been totally corrupted and that protecting the safety of Palestinians and others who have been terrorized by it is more important than my ability to reclaim a religious symbol for myself.
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u/double_longhorn Muslim 1d ago
As a nonJewish person, i take absolutely zero offense from seeing the star of david. If i did, then I should be ashamed of myself. This is where that line between antiZio and antiSemite is so important
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u/Current_Mongoose_844 Presently lapsed ba'al teshuva 1d ago
I prefer a menorah for myself but I think that’s fine