By now most of us have seen the article (linked below) from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about the latest trend of non-Jewish people hanging mezuzahs to show support for Jewish people. Naturally, there is debate within the Jewish community on how we feel about it. Some think it’s a wonderful show of allyship and solidarity, others find it culturally appropriative. I lean toward the latter category.
Jewish identity is already grossly misunderstood. Even when well-intentioned, acts such as hanging a mezuzah, lighting a Chanukiah, wearing a Magen David, or holding a Christian Passover Seder ultimately don’t help the Jewish community or contribute to educating about who we are as an ethnoreligious group. When we Jews dismiss and/or celebrate this appropriation of our culture, it lends to the slow chipping away, the gradual erasure, of what makes us a People.
I saw one comment that said “beggars can’t be choosers” and I find so much wrong with that statement. First, we shouldn’t have to beg for allyship. Non-Jews should stand up to Jew-hatred because it is the moral and just thing to do. Second, we can choose how that solidarity is shown, and it doesn’t have to be, and I would argue shouldn’t be, culturally appropriative. So many of us are protective of our Jewishness because for so long our culture and religion have been plundered by people who then marginalized and persecuted us.
I constantly think of this quote relayed by Jonathan Safran Foer, in which he tells the story of his starving grandmother hiding in the European countryside during the Holocaust. A farmer offered her some pork, which she refused because pork is not kosher. When Jonathan questions her decision she replies “if nothing matters, there is nothing to save.”
Now we could obviously discuss the concept of Pikuach Nefesh in this scenario, but at its core I find this sentiment so compelling. If our cultural and religious items and practices are up for grabs to non-Jews, regardless of how well-meaning they are, then it feels as if they no longer matter. Why bother preserving Jewish culture and religion if it’s no longer Jewish? If nothing matters, there is nothing to save.
A short list of things non-Jewish people can do to show support for the Jewish community without cultural appropriation:
•Display an Israeli flag
•Display hostage posters
•Wear a yellow hostage ribbon
•Wear an Israeli flag pin/t-shirt/etc.
•Wear hostage dog tags (freedomtags.org or ask your local JCC)
•Wear a necklace in the shape of Israel
•Display a Happy Chanukah sign instead of lighting a Chanukiah
•Support Jewish-owned businesses
•Join the Facebook group “Israeli shops to purchase from” and support Israeli small businesses
•Learn Jewish and Israeli history from
Jewish and Israeli people
•Learn about antisemitism: what it is and how it operates
•Most importantly, SPEAK UP!
Please add more ideas in the comments! And to my non-Jewish readers: we do want and need and appreciate your allyship and solidarity. I, and so many others, just think there are better ways to go about it ♥️
Some resources:
JTA article
AJC “understanding antisemitism”
AJC “translate hate glossary”
IRHA working definition of antisemitism
Read my post on Jewish Identity
People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn
Israel by Noa Tishby
Some of my favorite voices on Instagram:
@rootsmetals
@that_semite
@henmazzig
@elicalebon
Call Me Back podcast by Dan Senor
Unpacking Israeli History podcast
Jew Oughta Know podcast
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