The kippah in his pocket: Don’t hide your Judaism, you never know who needs to see it - opinion

A rabbi and physician recounts how his son, a rabbi on a residential course in Australia, wore his kippah openly, prompting a fellow Jewish participant to take his own kippah out of his pocket and wear it for the rest of the course. The author reflects on the broader phenomenon of Jews hiding their identity amid rising antisemitism, arguing that visible Jewish practice gives others permission to be themselves.

A rabbi and physician recounts how his son, a rabbi on an intensive residential course in Australia, wore his kippah openly in the dining hall. A fellow participant, who had been keeping his own kippah in his pocket, saw this and decided to wear it for the rest of the course. The two walked together on Shabbat, singing Lecha Dodi. Non-Jewish participants offered to help carry items the rabbi could not carry on Shabbat. After the course, the young man baked challah and sent a photo, thanking the rabbi for giving him back his Jewish identity. The author contrasts this with the broader trend of Jews hiding their identity amid rising antisemitism, citing a statistic that kosher meal requests in some British hospitals have halved. He argues that visible Jewish practice gives others permission to be themselves, and that non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism.

The kippah in his pocket: Don’t hide your Judaism, you never know who needs to see it - opinion