Symbols can be extremely powerful in a positive or negative way. The swastika is immediately recognizable by most people in a very nefarious way. The Yellow Star is also very well known around the world as the symbol of Jewish identification in the 1930s and 1940s. That star was not the first attempt at identifying and ostracizing the Jews. We have to go back to the Middle Ages (13th Century) in Europe when a yellow circle known as "la rouelle" (little wheel in French), was applied to the garments of Jewish people to identify them as they moved around across Europe.

In the 1940s, my whole French family was forced to wear the Yellow Star in Paris. My mother told me that as a teenager, she hated that stigma attached to all of her garments. Risking reprisals and even death, she often hid it with a scarf. Again, symbols can be extremely powerful in a positive or negative way.

On a positive note, there is also the "Blue Square" that was introduced by Jewish New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft in 2019. It is the logo for "The Blue Square Alliance Against Hate." As of early 2026, five million Blue Square pins are in circulation globally. They symbolize a voice against hate in all its forms in general and support and friendship with the Jewish people. People wear the pins or post a blue square on their social media pages to express their support.

For the last three years, Robert Kraft spent millions to run adds during the Super Bowl. In 2026, the ad he ran cost him $15MM. The ad depicted a teenager walking through a school corridor, getting looked at, insulted, bullied to finally reach his locker, open it and see a sticky note with the words "Dirty Jew." Another student, comes behind him and sticks a blue paper square over the insulting note and gives him a friendly invite to walk away with him.

I am certain that Mr. Kraft meant well, and I am grateful for his involvement, but the ad was completely out of touch with reality. The Jewish teenager was painted as a weak and helpless victim. While as Jews, we are currently suffering from antisemitism at levels not seen since the 1930s and 1940s, since October 7, 2023, something quite unique has been happening. As a result of the terrorist attack from Hamas, it would seem that our Jewish spirit has really shown how resilient we are, and from some perspective, how as Jews, we can be united agains evil. Many of us a prouder than ever to let people know that we are Jewish.

The challenge brought by the blue square is that too many people wear one or post one on their online profile, and they immediately feel good about themselves. They feel like they have done their good deed, and they now belong to the community that fights antisemitism. While this is a true statement, in reality, many are displaying a symbol and doing nothing beyond that.

The time is now to get skin in the game. Putting a blue square patch on a yellow star is akin to painting over rust. It partially and temporarily hides the problem, but it doesn't contribute to the solution. A blue patch doesn't save lives, and today, the Jewish community needs to be reassured that we as Bible-believing followers of Yeshua have their backs.

If the Blue Square is moving you to express you support for the Jewish community, here are a few things you can do to get Skin In The Game.

• Security: Identify who your Jewish neighbors are. They might be next door or across the street. Reach out to your Jewish friends, co-workers, college buddies. Let them know that as a Christian you have their backs. It is important that they know you love Israel and the Jewish people because you are a Bible-believing follower of Yeshua. Tell them that your place will always be a sanctuary for them. Ask them how you can help, even with small things.

• Investment: The Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions movement is encouraging people to divest from Israeli companies, products and even companies that do business with Israel. Their rationale–as faulty and biased as it might be–is that the world should handle Israel's "occupation" and "apartheid" similarly to what took place in South Africa decades ago. It is time for Christians to invest in Israel. Currently, there are many opportunities to invest in ways that will save lives.

• Travel: Within six months of the Hamas terrorist attack, I visited Israel with a few friends and pastors. Tourism had come to a halt and the country was empty. People were asking us daily "What are you doing here?" Our response, while not quoting the Bible, was based on Genesis 12:3 and the biblical mandate we all have to bless Israel. I have since visited Israel three more times and met with many IDF soldiers to bring supplies and encourage them. This is part of what we call our "Ministry of Presence." Anyone can do the same by traveling to Israel and helping the economy as well as helping meet more specific needs.

• Gospel: At the end of day, our hope an prayer is that our display of the love of Messiah would make a difference in the lives of many Israelis. I believe that the most important thing we can do for anyone is to share the message of hope in Yeshua with them. He is the Jewish Messiah and Savior of the whole world.

The challenge to all of us is to look at the blue square and see it as an invitation to get skin in the game. If we don't respond to the invitation, we mistakenly feel good about our outward proof of love the Jewish people and support of Israel, but nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care!

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