I came to Fiji to officiate a wedding, a beautiful love story. He was from Sydney, she from the United States, and they had brought family from all over the world to meet in this paradise. My wife and I arrived three days early and decided to explore the island of Tokoriki before the celebrations began.
It was unlike anything I’d ever seen — crystal-clear waters, vibrant coral, playful dolphins leaping nearby. I disembarked the small vessel and climbed the stairs leading to the check-in counter, taking in the scene. As I passed the pool, something caught my eye.
A tall, strong man. Arms covered in tattoos. And around his neck — a large Magen David.
I thought to myself, I’ve got to hear his story. But I was checking in, so I told myself I’d come back and find him later.
Three days passed. I didn’t see him. And as it came time to leave the island, I thought, oh well, I missed him.
Then, as we boarded the vessel back to the mainland, I saw him. There he was. I introduced myself. I said I was a rabbi. His face lit up.
He told me he was a “half Jew.” His father was Jewish, his mother Roman Catholic. He lives in Sydney’s western suburbs. Before his father passed, he had given him this necklace — the Magen David — and he wore it every day, tucked inside his shirt, a private symbol of pride, memory, and connection.
And then came October 7. Everything changed. The world changed. And he made a decision: he would wear his necklace on the outside, visible for all to see. A proud, public declaration of his identity, his solidarity, his love for the Jewish people.
He told me it hasn’t always been easy. Sometimes people stare. Sometimes they sneer. Yet he continues to wear it. Because strength isn’t the absence of fear — strength is choosing pride in the face of it.
And then he shared something that touched me even more deeply. He told me he had been wanting to reach out to a rabbi — to ask, quietly, what it would take to become a “full Jew.” A question he had carried with him for years.
In that moment, in the middle of the Pacific, on an island far from home, this “half Jew” taught me something powerful: that in these days, when so many respond to rising antisemitism by shrinking or hiding, the most important thing we can do is stand tall. To double down in our pride. To be seen. To be proud.
On that small island in Fiji, different backgrounds, different journeys — yet the same heart.
Am Yisrael Chai.
#StoriesThatStayWithMe #RabbiOnDemand #AmYisraelChai #JewishPride #Courage #Connection #Faith
