One of the reasons women – well, this woman – love receiving a piece of jewellery as a gift is that it’s rarely something we might buy for ourselves. It’s one thing splashing out on a dizzying pair of party heels. Or succumbing to the lure of another handbag. But there’s still something faintly practical in such purchases. Jewellery is different. That it has no obvious purpose is part of its allure. Since what remains is an expression of affection. One that connects the hand that gives to the heart that – readily – receives.
As such, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a pocket money trinket, a trendy costume piece from a gal pal, or something discreetly expensive yet utterly unmissable from a spouse. It is what these pieces represent – intimate, carefully chosen tokens that are truly worth cherishing. So when my birthday came around in July and my husband, Martin, asked what I wanted, I was ready with an answer: a glittery Star of David necklace.
I didn’t much care about the design – you can’t go wrong with two overlapping triangles. Or whether the diamonds were real or fake (sort of) . The important factor was the sparkle factor. I wanted everyone to see what was twinkling around my neck.
Despite never hiding my Judaism, I had never actually owned a Star of David – or Magen David, as it’s known in Hebrew. That was one reason for the request.
But there was more. In the wake of the spiralling antisemitism unleashed since October 7th, I felt a renewed need to wear something that linked me visibly to my Jewish identity. This wasn’t political – far from it. It was entirely personal.
To my delight, Martin generously obliged and now this lovely symbol of my ancient religion sits comfortably in the aging dimples of my throat.
Fast forward three months, and the atmosphere for Jewish people in the UK has become even more febrile. There has been, of course, the horrendous killing of two Jewish people at my family synagogue in Manchester – one I attended as a child, the place I got married, and where my late grandfather was choirmaster.
Yet rather than serving as a moment to give pause, the climate continues to darken for Jewish people in this country. Thanks to West Midlands Police, Jews have been banned from attending a football match.
And a Jewish lawyer says he was arrested for wearing a Star of David after officers from the Met alleged the symbol had “antagonised” pro-Palestinian protesters.
The Met Police say that he was arrested for not complying with laws to keep pro-Israel and pro-Hamas protesters apart. They say the six-minute video that sparked outrage was part of an hour-long interview.
That extract of the interview, published by the Telegraph, shows that the arrested man claimed to have been acting as a legal observer. It features the police asking him about his Star of David and that officers it felt it might antagonise the situation further.
Meanwhile, hate marches continue unabashed – even when, horrifically, some carry placards entwining the Star of David with its nemesis, the swastika. Little wonder our community feels abandoned by those meant to protect the law.
Allowing the Star of David – which has represented Jewish faith and culture for millennia – to be hijacked as proof of activism or regarded as a trigger for violence would be abhorrent.
To do this would be to provocatively shift blame from the perpetrators of hatred to those who innocuously wear this symbol as a sign of faith, heritage and identity.
Think this is just an issue for the Jews? Let’s be clear: opposing religious symbolism is dangerous. It tells society we have no right to the dignity of self-determination – whether it’s a star, a cross or anything else.
In fact, it’s society’s moral imperative to applaud and support the wearing of a Star of David. It publicly declares that Jewish life is present, ordinary, and normal.
Throughout history, Jews have been forced to hide their identity – or, as under the Nazis, wear a star to be singled out. Neither was a choice. With my birthday gift, I have a choice – not as provocation, but as an expression of freedom to embrace my heritage.
I wear my sparkling new Star of David without apology – proud of my faith, touched by my husband’s affection, and, frankly, because it’s a lovely bit of bling.
If you believe in what’s truly right you should try it too – whatever star you were born under.
