This is a follow-up to my last post: Allyship or Appropriation? I suggest reading that first before continuing with this post.
Allyship is the active support of a minority or marginalized community without being a member of that community. Unfortunately, allyship is often performative, meaning it makes the doer feel good without meaningfully helping the community in question.
Cultural Appropriation (or Misappropriation) is when members of an outside group co-opt cultural elements from another group, often misusing them in a disrespectful and/or exploitative way.
Cultural Appreciation is the earnest effort to learn about a culture other than your own - their history, traditions, beliefs - and ideally building real-life relationships with members of that culture, which is an integral part of being an ally.
Sometimes the line is blurred between cultural appropriation and appreciation. And of course, no community is a monolith - what one person views as appropriation another may see as appreciation. What I think is important to understand about the Jewish community specifically is Jewish traditions and Judaism are closed practices - they are only for Jewish people. One is either born Jewish or converts through a rigorous process whereby they become a member of the ethnic and religious group. Non-Jewish people are welcome to participate, as guests, in Jewish holidays and traditions if invited to do so by a member of the Jewish community. Otherwise, it is cultural appropriation.
A mezuzah is a Jewish religious item. It is a mitzvah (a commandment from G-d) specific to the Jewish people and is meant to be hung and treated in a specific manner in accordance with Jewish law. It is not meant as decor for non-Jewish people, and using it as such is disrespectful. I can understand the intent of non-Jewish people hanging them if they live in an apartment building or dormitory where Jewish people have been targeted for having visible mezuzahs (as happened on many college campuses this past year). While this is less performative than hanging a mezuzah on a private home, it’s still appropriation.
Several years ago, I was selling my jewelry at a craft fair. A woman wearing a Magen David necklace stopped at my booth. I excitedly said “I love your necklace, I’m Jewish too!” because it’s uncommon to meet another Jew in the wild here in Tennessee. She replied “oh, I’m not Jewish, I’m Christian. I bought this necklace in Israel. Jesus was Jewish and it makes me feel closer to Jesus.” Her comment made me uncomfortable, but we ended up having a nice conversation about Israel. Another famous example that comes to mind is Harry Styles, who has been photographed several times wearing a Magen David necklace his Jewish friend gave him. Are these examples of appropriation or appreciation?
The difference between a mezuzah and a Magen David, however, is the Magen David holds no religious significance. It was not even originally a Jewish symbol, although it has become as ubiquitous with Jewish people as the cross is with Christian people. And as the symbol on the Israeli flag, the Magen David can be associated with all Israelis, not just the Jewish ones. So while I find it confusing when non-Jewish people wear it, I think there’s more room for debate on whether it’s appropriation or not.
My husband is not Jewish, but we are raising our daughter Jewish. We do not celebrate Christmas in our home, but we do spend it with his family. When Christmas and Chanukah overlap, I will bring my Chanukiah and dreidels to their house so they can celebrate Chanukah with us the way we celebrate Christmas with them. This is cultural appreciation. If they were to try and celebrate Chanukah on their own, that would be appropriation.
My husband is also deeply involved with our local Jewish community. Shortly after our daughter was born, he took an “Intro to Judaism” course that was co-taught by our Reform and Conservative rabbis. He helps put up the Sukkah at the Reform temple and has volunteered for their extra security team during the High Holidays. Over the past year, we started going to Chabad. He wears a kippah when we are there because it is respectful and he has been invited to do so by the community. He and the rabbi have become good friends and hang out on a weekly basis. These are all good examples of cultural appreciation and allyship.
Hanging a mezuzah, wearing a Magen David, lighting a Chanukiah - these are empty gestures if you’re not making an effort to get to know the Jewish community. Reach out, contact your local JCC or synagogues, and ASK what you can do to be an ally.
I also understand that as 0.2% of the global population, it is not always possible to meet a Jewish person in real life. But it is always possible to read a book or do some research on the internet. My post An Intro to Jewish Identity is a great place to start.
Finally, my goal is not to prove I am right and others are wrong. This is a subjective and nuanced topic. I am merely sharing my perspective and hoping to provide food for thought and facilitate further conversation. Thank you for reading!
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