This resource provides an opportunity to explore the value of pride in the context of increasing antisemitism. It provides context for negotiating internal and external displays of Jewishness, and how those impact our own sense of pride. It brings a model from the narrative of the book of Esther to anchor the tension between public and private displays of Jewish identity. Learners will have the chance to explore and reflect on their own considerations and choices about how they express themselves Jewishly in public and feel validated and intentional about their decisions.
Read for context:
As antisemitism is on the rise, and public conversation surrounding it seems to fill our newsfeeds each day, it’s only natural that we may be thinking about the ways that we express ourselves as Jews. Each and every day we make decisions about how to show up in the public sphere. Sometimes, we may be confident with a decision about public displays of our Jewish identities, only to find ourselves shifting mid-way as a result of the gaze of others around us. Acts of overt antisemitism may shift how much we reveal or hide about ourselves, with the stakes feeling even higher about making choices about which parts of our Jewish pride we want to be on display for others to see.
Let’s explore the ways we show up wearing our Jewish identities through the activities below.
Facilitator prompts the group:
Summarize based on responses, highlighting the two competing desires - expressing Jewish pride and being reluctant to draw attention to ourselves.
Even if we feel the strongest sense of pride in our Jewish identities, the current climate may give us pause to think about the ways we express our pride outwardly. We may have concerns about safety. We may be worried about exclusion from groups or the subject of uncomfortable questions.
Close with a thought question:
To explore this issue more deeply, we are going to look at two different images.
Have a look at each one in turn.
View image #1 by clicking here:
#1 -The first image, Esther at the Palace Gate (scan the QR code to view) was painted by Sandro Botticelli (in 1475) and is based upon the Biblical book of Esther and its central character. It depicts Esther’s rise to power in ancient Persia, where she – a Jewish woman – became Queen of Persia and ultimately saved her people from genocide. At first, she kept her Jewish identity a secret, and only revealed it to King Ahasuerus when she needed to save her people from the evil decree of Haman. In this setting, she navigated when and how show outward expressions of Jewish pride while under the gaze of so many others. In this picture, we might imagine her contemplating when and how to reveal her inner Jewish identity and pride.
View image #2 by clicking here:
#2 -The second image is a contemporary photo and commentary of a student standing beneath Sather Gate at University of California, Berkeley. From the reflection, we learn that he, too, is questioning when and how to show up Jewishly.
Together in pairs, look at both images and reflect on the following questions:
As a group, get back together and discuss:
Facilitator prompts the group:
Use the handout (click here) for the prompt below.
DRAW:
We each have our “gates” – our platforms of sorts.
Based on both images you analyzed in this session, Under Sather Gate, and Esther at the Palace Gate, draw a picture of yourself under one of your own “gates” where you most often find yourself thinking about your Jewish pride and how much to reveal or conceal.
SHARE:
Share your drawings with one another, in pairs or in a full group and discuss the questions below:
In the exploration we have just experienced, we took an issue which is dominating our headlines and is of concern to global Jewry – antisemitism – and explored it through the value of pride. We did not only think about overtly antisemitic situations, but rather more generally offered an opportunity to reflect on the different ways we wear our Jewish pride. The questions of when, whether and how to reveal or conceal our Jewish pride are ones that we can always think about, not just when under threat. Today’s conversation provided a chance to explore what pride means and why you might at times decide to show your Jewish pride more overtly, and other times allow it to remain more internal.
In the exploration we have just experienced, we took an issue which is dominating our headlines and is of concern to global Jewry – antisemitism – and explored it through the value of pride. We did not only think about overtly antisemitic situations, but rather more generally offered an opportunity to reflect on the different ways we wear our Jewish pride. The questions of when, whether and how to reveal or conceal our Jewish pride are ones that we can always think about, not just when under threat. Today’s conversation provided a chance to explore what pride means and why you might at times decide to show your Jewish pride more overtly, and other times allow it to remain more internal.
Pop Up that come after 2 clicks on page just for one time in coockes session
