I worry my son’s Jewish pride makes him a target

Recently my son visited his only Jewish friend in Perth. With my heart in my mouth, I watched him untuck his Star of David necklace as he walked inside his friend’s house. I didn’t realise he’d put it on before leaving home. As we said goodbye, I reminded him to tuck the necklace away if he and his friend went out, and I’ll never forget the look of resignation on his face.

I stopped wearing my own Star of David necklace last year after witnessing the most extreme anti-Jewish protest I’ve ever seen in Australia on the steps of the Sydney Opera House just two days after the October 7 pogrom in Israel. As those ugly scenes played out, I questioned how safe it is to be openly Jewish in Australia for the first time in my life.

My heart twists into a tight ball of guilt and anguish thinking about why I’ve asked my children to protect their Jewish identity in public. Did I ever think I’d make such a request? Every day I ask myself, am I being reasonable? Too sensitive? Am I overreacting?

Then I’m reminded of what my eldest son has faced at his high school over the last 11 months. Repeated Nazi salutes accompanied by “Heil Hitler!” Refusal to sit next to him on a bus because he supports Israel. Verbal outbursts including “Fuck the Jews!”, “I don’t like Jews!”, “Hitler was great!” and “I love Hitler!”

My son is one of very few Jewish students at his school. Despite the hate directed at him, he continues to courageously stand up for himself and remains unapologetically Jewish. Still, I can’t help worrying that his Jewish pride makes him a target.

Though I’m not religious, I’ve always been proud of my Jewish heritage. But since October 7, I’ve become extremely selective about who I share this part of myself with. Though my husband isn’t Jewish, he’s embraced and supported my family’s traditions. Never did I imagine that one day his family name might provide cover for me and our children.

My anxiety has kept me in a constant state of high alert since October 7. While I feel safe to express myself openly with friends, I’ve become more cautious online and am floored by the lopsided anti-Israel and anti-Zionist rhetoric repeated in parts of the writing and creative arts community. It’s been alarming and soul destroying to confront the ignorance, blind bias and double standards of ‘progressive’ people who fight for social justice and other minorities, but who cause so much harm to the Jewish community by fanning the flames of antisemitism.

Eleven months on, I’m beginning to wear my Star of David necklace again. This week I wore it to dinner with neighbourhood friends, to my writing group and to the local shops. I live in hope that one day soon I won’t think twice about wearing it, and that my sons will be able to proudly wear theirs without a hint of fear.