Standing proud as a Jew in Europe and finding allies amid antisemitism

Let us stand loud and proud, and may we learn from history to live in a better future where our hearts never have to skip a beat for wearing a piece of jewelry.

By ALYSSA ANNIS NOVEMBER 16, 2024 08:31 Updated: NOVEMBER 16, 2024 08:33

OPENLY WEARING a Star of David, the writer visits the Berlin Holocaust Memorial this week. (photo credit: Sharaka)

Last week, Jews were attacked in the streets of Europe – in Amsterdam. This happened almost exactly 86 years after Kristallnacht, yet we awoke to a familiar fear, a reminder of those dark times. 

The very next day, I found myself standing in front of the mirror, putting on my Star of David necklace with a renewed sense of purpose, and boarding a plane bound for Europe – Berlin. 

I wondered if I should feel scared, if I should heed the warnings on the news and cover my necklace with a scarf, or simply breathe and be proud.

I remembered that Berlin once had a massive Jewish population, which was decimated during the Holocaust. And then I thought how surreal it is that once again we find ourselves feeling exposed, facing the grim reality of antisemitism. 

This week, writing this article on a bus traveling from Berlin to Poland, I’m sitting next to friends from Morocco – Muslim friends. 

MARCHERS WRAPPED in Israeli flags attend the annual March of the Living at the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau death camp, near Oswiecim, Poland. (credit: REUTERS/KACPER PEMPEL)

In a world that often tries to make Jews feel isolated or unwelcome, here I am, surrounded by unexpected allies who stand with me in unity.

Together, we are defying narratives of division and fear, bridging cultural and religious divides. 

An organization that bridges 

We’re doing this through an amazing organization called Sharaka. 

Sharaka was founded after the signing of the Abraham Accords in order to have people-to-people interactions with people from these countries. 

After our governments made their commitments, we saw that it was time to make more personable relationships and to learn from one another.

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Together at Sharaka, we’re proving that solidarity can transcend borders and beliefs, that genuine human connection can thrive even in times of darkness, and that the lessons of history’s greatest genocide—the Holocaust—will be remembered not only by Jewish communities or vocal allies but by communities around the world, across all faiths. 

The spread of an ideology 

We see the Holocaust as a defining moment in history and as a prime example of how an ideology spreads through borders.

We see the moments of strength throughout the Holocaust as a reminder to stand up for what we believe in and be proud of our identity, and we see the acts of the righteous among the nations as a reminder that even in the darkest times, we have allies. 

In moments like these, our defiance lies not in fear, nor in silence – and not in violence, but in our quiet allies who stand beside us.

Our defiance is our determination to be a bright light and to spread the ideals of equality, peace, and tolerance. 

So, I refuse to hide my Star of David, and I wish for all of us to feel the freedom of wearing our religious symbols openly.

Now more than ever, we must resist the forces that seek to make us invisible. 

Let us remember that unity, resilience, and courage are our most potent forms of resistance. 

Let us stand loud and proud, and may we learn from history to live in a better future where our hearts never have to skip a beat for wearing a piece of jewelry.

The writer is the Holocaust program coordinator at Sharaka and a Holocaust educator on social media. @mymissiontoremember