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Whilst I respect the decision that a lot of people have made to boycott Twitter for 48 hours due to their inaction over antisemitism, this is not the approach I personally will be taking.
I understand the logic behind it and in no way criticise the approach.
I understand the logic behind it and in no way criticise the approach.
Instead I would like to share some of my experiences of antisemtism throughout my life.
Some of them are subtle. Some of them less so. Some touch on Israel, some don't. Some there was antisemitic intent, others there wasn't. Some only hurt a little bit, others a whole lot more.
Some of them are subtle. Some of them less so. Some touch on Israel, some don't. Some there was antisemitic intent, others there wasn't. Some only hurt a little bit, others a whole lot more.
1. Being referred to at primary school (reception) as Michael Jewish 'pooish' Lewis.
2. Being told at primary school (a CofE primary school) by other pupils that 'Jews killed Jesus'.
2. Being told at primary school (a CofE primary school) by other pupils that 'Jews killed Jesus'.
3. When being bullied at both primary and secondary for a whole variety of reasons, my Judaism being invoked by the bullies - using the term as an insult.
4. Regularly having people make jokes about me if a coin was on the floor 'oh Michael will go for that'.
4. Regularly having people make jokes about me if a coin was on the floor 'oh Michael will go for that'.
5. At secondary school sitting through an RS lesson where we watched Schindler's list whilst other pupils laughed - the teacher did nothing.
6. At secondary school, shortly after the flotilla incident being held accountable for it by another pupil - asking me why I supported Israel - unprovoked. I never mentioned my position on Israel or the flotilla.
7. During secondary school when on a residential trip one of the DT staff held up a hoola-hoop crisp and told me it was my foreskin - to big laughs from other pupils.
8. After Gavin and Stacey hit our screens I was constantly referred to as "Michael, Jewish Michael" a la "Sue, big fat Sue" by certain people in my school.
9. My mother being told by one of my economics teachers in 6th form that I had missed too much school when I missed three days for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
10. At secondary school we had a talk on drugs and addiction where the guy essentially tried to convert us to Christianity. I went to a non-religious comprehensive.
11. I briefly made YouTube videos (all gone now don't even bother looking) and any time I talked about Judaism I had comments about the plight of Palestinians.
12. Every single year of University registration overlapping with the high holidays and being told I needed to skip going to synagogue to register - no allowances made.
13. At University I was handed a SWP paper that called Zionists terrorists. Now I believe a Jewish state needs to exist to make sure there is one place where the state won't persecute Jews. I explained this and was told I was a terrorist and a racist.
14. At University I lived with my landlord who refused to allow me to put my shabbat candles in the living room as he didn't want religious symbols in the communal spaces. He put up a Xmas tree.
15. Whilst working as a youth worker one colleague constantly would tell me Holocaust 'jokes' and make 'jokes' about me being greedy and money grabbing.
16. As a youth worker being told that I look like a Jew because I look like 'that weird little weak boy from the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas'.
17. At Pride, being told my star of david was inappropriate at the event because it was the Israeli flag
18. Whilst training to be a teacher, being asked for evidence of Labour antisemitism because the person had never seen any - use google.
19. Whilst training to be a teacher, after I had talked about antisemitism being asked if it was all being overblown in the Labour Party. I'm Jewish and saying there's a problem so someone asking me if it was being overblown felt at the very least a bit tactless.
20. Whilst training to be a teacher at a CofE school sitting through an Easter assembly where Jews were painted as complicit in the death of Jesus because they were resistant to his beliefs.
21. Whilst training to be a teacher at a CofE school the form tutor I was with announced that I would be helping the form to run a prayer service in assembly. Something I would not have volunteered for. This wasn't discussed with me before it was announced to the form.
22. Whilst training to be a teacher the head of the school was talking about how pupils could look around the hall for inspiration on remembering details for exams. He looked at the glass and said 'looks like crystal... KRYSTALLNACT!' cue huge laughter from the staff.
23. Previous year teacher dresses up as a "Jew" in the Holocaust with a "Jude" star, plays guitar and wears cowboy hat - for virtual assembly - this happened years before I joined but deeply troubling - and discussed in an insensitive way and laughed about by staff in front of me
24. When I mentioned that teaching the Holocaust was emotionally challenging I was told to just be objective.
25. I was challenged about the inclusion of the Holocaust on our curriculum as pupils already cover it at primary and in English - it was described as a waste of time.
26. When discussing getting a cat a senior member of staff said that her neighbour did Cat Protection Agency fostering and the sheds looked like Auschwitz - cue laughter from the staff room.
27. When I challenged someone for comparing the Israeli annexation to the Sudetnland when there are more recent and applicable analogies I was, myself, accused of being antisemitic.
28. When I publicly tweeted about leaving the Labour party due to not feeling safe as a Jew I was called a "melt", a "centrist" and was also told "good riddance".
I mentioned in this that I consider myself left wing and agreed with much of the party's platform and was told that I wasn't left wing because I believed the Labour Party could be institutionally antisemitic.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. And I know people who have had it far, far worse. But these are my experiences. Most of these were done completely unknowingly. Some of them not. But the effect of 'othering' me persists in all of these.
Some bonus ones:
29. Whilst training to be a teacher one retired ex-teacher who came with us on a trip told me that I was a stereotypical Jew because I was intellectual and smart. This obviously wasn't meant to be insulting but still...
29. Whilst training to be a teacher one retired ex-teacher who came with us on a trip told me that I was a stereotypical Jew because I was intellectual and smart. This obviously wasn't meant to be insulting but still...
