These days, it’s not easy to have the name Israel. Almost every day, I hear my name associated with war, conflict and genocide.
As I matured into adolescence and learned about the horrors of the Holocaust, I knew that there were people in the world who would hate me without even knowing me – just because I am a Jew. “Why don’t you change your name?” I was asked. “Make it easier on yourself.” I declined, thinking it would be a betrayal of my Jewish heritage and history.
The story might have ended there, had it not been for a conversation I had later that day with the student’s teacher. She agreed that they had crossed a line. Moreover, she reiterated how important our names are – something teachers are always emphasizing to students, in efforts to affirm their identities in our classroom. “I have a long ethnic name that’s hard to pronounce,” she said, “but I have my students say it, instead of calling me Mrs. P because it’s easier.
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