✡

Text style	Emoji style
✡︎	✡️
Text style is forced with ⟨︎⟩ and emoji style with ⟨️⟩.
✡ U+2721, ✡ STAR OF DAVID ← ✠ [U+2720] Dingbats ✢ → [U+2722]

Translingual

Description

The Magen David: a hexagram (six-pointed star formed by overlapping two equilateral triangles).

Etymology

The precise origin of the use of it as a Jewish symbol remains unknown, but it apparently emerged in the context of medieval Jewish protective amulets (segulot). The Jewish Encyclopedia cites a 12th-century Karaite document as the earliest Jewish literary source to mention the symbol.

Symbol

✡ (English symbol name Star of David or Magen David or Mogen David)

1. Represents Judaism and Jewish identify, whether religious, national or ethnic.
   1. Represents An aspect of Jewish culture, history, religion or politics, such as Jewish observances and the Jewish community.
   2. Indicates one's commitment to the Jewish faith; belief in, or devotion to, Judaism; a Jew.
   3. Indicates that one is ethnically Jewish or has Jewish ancestry; a Jew.
   4. (politics) Represents Zionism.
   5. (chiefly cartography) Denotes a synagogue.
   6. (possibly offensive) Represents solidarity with the Jewish people or Judaism, such as in remembrance to the victims of the Holocaust.
2. Represents the State of Israel.
   1. Specifically, the Israeli government; also, a national organ or organisation of the country, such as Magen David Adom and its military.
   2. (possibly offensive) Represents solidarity with, or support for, the country of Israel and its actions; used especially to show support for its sovereignty or support of its military endeavours and conflicts in the Middle East.
3. (criminal gangs, prison slang) Indicates an affiliation with, or membership of, the Gangster Disciples or Folk Nation criminal gangs.
4. A decorative fleuron, used especially in Jewish literature.

Usage notes

• This shape is generically called a hexagram, which has a wider array of definitions, but this specific variant is used as the Star of David.
• (solidarity senses): Some Jews find it offensive or in poor taste for a non-Jewish person to wear the Star of David.