The importance of remaining ‘visibly Jewish’

This week, as Jewish children across the country attend school outings for Lag BaOmer celebrations, parents have been coping with a basic reality – that if their children are dressed in a way which identifies them as Jewish, they may be at risk. 

Is there any other community that faces this reality?

Imagine if a shopping centre or theme park put up a sign that said ‘Sorry no Spanish people in here today, we can’t keep you safe’. There would be outrage. It is there job to keep everyone safe!

How have we got to a point in Great Britain where our children are needing to be warned not to go anywhere looking visibly Jewish?

As well as being a Rabbi, I am also a lifelong Tottenham fan (for my sins). Last year, living in Gibraltar, together with my cousin, I made the 11-hour trip to Bilbao for the final. Travelling by car across the entire country of Spain, I was told by many people, ‘Just be careful, don’t wear your kippah’. I remember at the time thinking, this is ludicrous – I can’t be visibly Jewish in mainland Europe?!

Typical to my personality, I doubled down and wore my kippah the entire time. Across Spain. In the fan park. Behind the goal.

But here is the craziest part about it. I could not walk 30 seconds without someone stopping me and either asking for a picture or congratulating me on wearing my kippah. Jew and non-Jew alike.

I could see from afar someone approaching, sticking their hand under their shirt, pulling out a Magen David and often together with a hug saying ‘I’m Jewish too’.

In the melee after the final whistle the person behind me took my kippah off my head, kissed it and said thank you.

I have never been prouder to be a Spurs fan in my life.

Before leaving the stadium, a famous influencer ‘Xpressions’ with 353,000 followers took a picture that has stayed pinned on his Instagram to this day and been liked over 86,000 times. You can clearly see me standing there, together with my cousin, visibly Jewish.

This is a microcosm of what our society can be — and, at times, what it has been like growing up in Great Britain.

Over the last few years, things have changed, but nothing is irreversible.

Let’s get to a point where every person in this country says

‘If you look visibly Jewish, I will keep you safe’

Rabbi Doron Birnbaum is a Rabbi, Educator and Consultant. He hosts the Bridging The Gap podcast.