I saw the kippah you chose to wear — combining the Israeli and Palestinian flags — and I have not been able to look away from what it represents, particularly in this moment.

We will likely not agree on why you chose to wear it. You may feel strongly that it represents something important — something you believe is right. I respect your right to hold that view. However, I do not share it.

Because intention does not exist in a vacuum. And at this time, context matters more than ever.

I am an olah hadasha. I came here from North America, in part, to build a life where I would not have to confront certain realities I had experienced there — where symbols like these were often used in ways that felt directed against me, or against people like me.

So when I saw your kippah here, in Israel, I was not only surprised — I was deeply unsettled. It felt as though something I had hoped to leave behind had followed me........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)