Episode FEATURED story uses a star of david necklace on a non jewish character

Friends who read the original claim that there is zero connection or reference to Judaism in the story while there is to Christianity.

The Star of David necklace is only used as an accessory on premium outfits, to ”increase the chances that someone would pay gems for them because they’re so cute!”

If the character were Jewish, she wouldn’t have to say she was Jewish explicitly! But I’ve read episode 1 in order to take the screenshots and search for evidence if her being Jewish. She goes to ”Saint” something high school, which is CLEARLY Christian. But okay. It’s a private school, it doesn’t have to portray her religion personally even though I doubt many Jews would feel comfortable going to a religious school when they belong to a different religion. But if she were Jewish, there were TONS of places to put a reference to this. The easiest way, by the way? Put the Star of David on her PERMANENTLY and not just on Premium outfits! Show us that she wears the necklace! It would’ve been semi-believable! And if they wanted to establish that the character is Jewish, you won’t believe how easy it really is. She has a phone call with her mother in the first episode. If, when recognizing her mom’s voice she replied with ”Shalom, mom”? That’s a deal sealer right here. But they didn’t. Because I’m a Jewish atheist and I’m telling you there is NOTHING Jewish about the character.

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(reading through replies here, just my thoughts on it)
I find it hard to believe that they didn’t know what the Star of David symbol meant.
I went to a private catholic school, and just in 7th Grade alone we read three stories in Literature class that centered around the Holocaust. (Boy on The Wooden Box, script of the play for the Diary of Anne Frank, and Projekt 1065, all good books) We were in middle school and were taught the reason behind the Star of David and its significance to the religion. I find it impossible to not know and understand the link between the Star of David and Judaism.

Also, the necklace was released along with other religious items. The thread was literally called Cultural Accessories and was released along with rosaries, cross necklaces, and headscarves which I think ANYONE would see as religious assets. I still haven’t used the jade items that were released because I thought they were connected to a religion and didn’t want to disrespect anyone. (am I dumb? are they? I don’t know, the only thing I found about them is that jade jewelry is significant to Chinese culture but I can’t find a direct religious tie-in) Why would you use an item you didn’t understand?

Separate rant

Also, (I saw this in another comment) but as I said before I went to a Catholic school and there was 1 (ONE) person I knew out of the 200~ who had been in my classes throughout elementarry and middle school who who was Jewish (actually, if I remember correctly her dad was Jewish but she didn’t practice it as much) so if they were trying to pull it off that the character WAS Jewish, yet had her go to a Christian school??? really?

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You’re not alone there :unamused:

I hate how every 6 months we open a topic regarding the lack of misrepresentation or something offensive that’s been done to us, when will an actual change come in this community? Will this topic go for vain as well?

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Here’s a true story:
When I was little I found moon and crescent pendant. I thought it looked really cool and took it home and put it in a necklace. I wore it for a long time. Many people commented how nice it looked. As I grew up I grew out of it. I probably forgot all about it until in high school we were doing projects on different countries. A classmate did one on Turkey. I though “hey, there’s my little pendant”. So, I assumed it was a Turkish flag pendant.
Even years later a guy I knew wore one. He wasn’t Turkish, so I asked him why he wore it. He said he was a Muslim and that was their symbol, like the cross I wore. I had no idea about it until then.
So for a while, a Catholic child wore an Islamic symbol and no one I knew ever really questioned it. I’m sure a few people thought I was Muslim never said anything about it and had no qualms about it.

I still have that pendant in a jewlbox today.
True story

I did a thing following this and previous threads. Check it out if you want :slight_smile:

Ok, so let’s clear this up. I’ll start off saying that I’m Moroccan so none comes at me. The headscarf is mostly known to be a Muslim requirement but it’s really not, both Christians and Jewish women wear them, it’s just not as known. The star of David has a long story of oppression and brutality, it’s a symbol that was used against them for a long time. Dishdash is also a cultural clothing, not a religious one. I have a lot of friends that after going to live in the Middle East they either converted or they adapted to the culture. I don’t think that it’s the same thing, I would personally compare it to a non-muslim holding a Qu’ran without doing the Wudu first. I don’t think that the author of the story knew the meaning of that asset, but the purpose of this thread it to inform anyone who doesn’t know it, so none makes this mistake again

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Agreed!

@Rockified
I wouldn’t compare foreigners wearing a hijab in a middle-eastern country the same as a non-Jewish wearing the Star of David as a fashion accessory. One is usually done as a sign of respect, while the other isn’t.

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Hey everyone :wave:

Just a heads up that this was escalated to Episode by myself yesterday, so we will see what happens :yay:. Until then, please stay on topic
which is discussing the Episode story that includes the character with this necklace. If you want to discuss misrepresentation of religion in Episode stories there are plenty of threads dedicated to that. This one is not it. Thanks! :metal:

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Thank you for bringing this to the team’s attention, Nick! We will try to stay on topic :slight_smile:

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So if I recall correctly, I played this story around the time it got first released in the app. I vaguely remembered that some of MC’s classmates (I think all of them girls) were also wearing the necklace - like something from Swarovski or something. Then again I’m like 40% sure it was a glitch since my app refreshed when I was playing one of the later chapters and the MC changed uniforms to the one with the Star of David necklace in the same scene.

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Can anyone confirm that? Because I found this story only yesterday :upside_down_face:

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I used to live read this story, but I need to double check whether or not I got pictures of the other student wearing it. However I got some of the other times MC wore the Star of David necklace, besides in gem outfits.

In hindsight I could be misremembering the other students wearing it, but at least I got receipts on these.

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Huh, interesting. Because I only read episode 1, so maybe it isn’t only in premium outfits, but she definitely didn’t have it on her school uniform in episode 1 and the school uniform was red.

Do you recall when these screenshots were taken? Is it possible that the MC was Jewish at first and then they just “changed their mind”?

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That is why I thought my story had a glitch. I remember this choice (?) of accepting this necklace from the LI, but I think I didn’t accept it. At first she was wearing the uniform with the necklace but when my app refreshed it didn’t :no_mouth:

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I DECLINED THE GIFT IN EPISODE 1 (becuase why would I pay gems LOL)
Do you wanna tell me that if I accepted it, there’s a chance that he gives me a Star of David necklace???
Because this is HELLA WRONG :scream: :scream: :scream:

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No, no, this was a gift later in the story (about chapter 5 or 6 I think)

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Wow. Thanks for letting me know! This is important!

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Is the gift a premium choice too, or do you not have to pay for it?

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I don’t really remember but I’m about 70 % sure it is a premium choice (even though it is just one of the available pendants in the portal)

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