7 February 2025
Question
I live in an area with a large Jewish population and it’s relatively safe. But in my immediate social circles, I mix with non-Jews of all types. I wear my Magen David, but keep it under my shirt. I’m afraid to wear it out. I go to shul, but remove my kippah as I leave.
I feel like I need to get my courage up, but at the same time, why risk potential conflict?
I know we need to be proud, but at what cost?
Answer
I understand and respect your desire to avoid conflict.
But as long as a Jew hides his Jewishness, he is in conflict. With himself.
Being Jewish is your deepest identity. It is who you are, your essence. Hiding your Jewishness is suppressing your real self.
Conflict with self is the worst type of conflict. And it invites conflict with others. If I am not at peace with me, others won’t be either. They sense that I am hiding something. They know I am not being me.
The Jewish voice needs to be heard, and only proud and open Jews can do that. True, your kippah and Magen David will trigger people. That is good. That starts conversations. That forces people to think.
I believe the current wave of antisemitism, on a deeper level, is the world screaming out at Jews that we need to stop hiding. Run away from your Jewishness and you will be chased back into it.
We have to look the world in the eye and say, "I am Jewish. I belong to the nation G-d chose to bring love and light and goodness to the world. That is who I am and that's what I am going to do."
__________
A story:
In 1940, the Rebbe and his wife were living in Nazi-occupied France. A law was introduced that everyone had to register their religion with the authorities, a move that would later make rounding up Jews easier for the Nazis.
A government officer knocked on the Rebbe’s door while he was out, and his wife answered. When asked for the household religion, she brilliantly responded, “Orthodox.” This could be construed as Greek Orthodox, even though in her mind she was truthfully answering that they are Orthodox Jews.
When the Rebbe returned home and heard what happened, he stated that he is going to the local government office to change the record to “Jewish”. His reason: “I will not disconnect from my G-d, even on paper.”
To be clear, lying to save your life is completely permissible. And this was hardly a lie. The Rebbe’s wife did a wise thing. But for the Rebbe, denying Jewishness was not an option.
We are not on the level of the Rebbe. But we are also not in Nazi-occupied Europe. Sometimes we need to be reasonable, like the Rebbe’s wife was. Sometimes, like the Rebbe, we have to go beyond the rational and be true to our soul.
