# Is Hebrew an issue at airport customs?



## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

This question may be odd but I have a few t-shirts which contain phrases in Hebrew alphabet since one of my favourite musical acts is from Israel. I was vaguely thinking about having a small tattoo with one of these words on the arm at some point (although haven't taken any steps towards really having it done)


I know that Israel has no diplomatic ties with the Arab countries except for Egypt and Jordan who have more or less normal relationships with Israel (and I know that in practise there are frequent travellers between Morocco and Israel as well since many Moroccan jews moved to Israel but still return to visit family) while I know that for example Lebanon and the UAE often reject those having an Israeli stamp in their passports.

Officially however these nations claim to not have any problem with Judaism by itself, but only with the political side of Zionism which is a seperate issue from Judaism as a religion. Also, lot of non-jews still learnt and speak Hebrew for non-religious reasons.



If I'd wear any of those t-shirts or had the tattoo in Hebrew characters done at some point, can that be a reason for airport control in Arab countries to deny you access, even when it's just Hebrew writing without any political or religious message?


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## Nomerci (Apr 28, 2010)

Gerrit, seriously, NO, not a good idea. Either at the airport or in daily life.
I don't know if they'd deny you access, but they may ask you some uncomfortable questions. also, do you have an Israeli stamp in your passport? That may not be such a brilliant idea either.

Look, maybe nothing happens, but maybe something will.


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

No Israeli stamp  Belgium tends to issue two passports for people planning extended travel in the Middle East, one passport for the Israeli stamp and a second passport for the stamps of the other countries. I am generally not that enthousiast about the Belgian embassies' services, but in regards to this problem they came up with a quite good solution.

But would a simple tattoo or t-shirt with a Hebrew word on it cause problems? I understand that the Israel-Palestine issue is a hot topic, however in the end Hebrew is a language just like Arabic, Spanish, English, German, ... and the use of Hebrew language does not say anything about the political or religious backgrounds of the person. You can have a totally non-political word or phrase in Hebrew ; this would still cause problems even when there is no religious (jewish) or political message displayed at all?


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## Nomerci (Apr 28, 2010)

gerrit said:


> No Israeli stamp  Belgium tends to issue two passports for people planning extended travel in the Middle East, one passport for the Israeli stamp and a second passport for the stamps of the other countries. I am generally not that enthousiast about the Belgian embassies' services, but in regards to this problem they came up with a quite good solution.
> 
> But would a simple tattoo or t-shirt with a Hebrew word on it cause problems? I understand that the Israel-Palestine issue is a hot topic, however in the end Hebrew is a language just like Arabic, Spanish, English, German, ... and the use of Hebrew language does not say anything about the political or religious backgrounds of the person. You can have a totally non-political word or phrase in Hebrew ; this would still cause problems even when there is no religious (jewish) or political message displayed at all?



Gerrit, what can I tell you. You have been, or are in the ME. Judge yourself. You want to do it, do it. You don't then don't.

You are saying you wear make up, you want to wear t shirts and tattos in Hebrew.
You know that the ME in general is a conservative place.
I told you what i can tell you. It's up to you .

Good luck.


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Well, I lived in Turkey and have many friends in israel and a few in Morocco. But then I think I just named the three most liberal countries in the Middle Eastern cultural atmosphere. I wore make-up already many years so also in Turkey and never had a single issue. I met several israeli tourists there and they never encountered any problem. But again, that's Turkey, and I know the Middle East is a very diverse place and customs in Turkey cannot be compared to those in more traditional Middle Eastern countries. That said, in Turkey nobody made any inpolite comment on my make up and long hair, while in Europe people tend to forget being polite from time to time. So definitely I'd expect no issues whatsoever in turkey but as said, Turkey and the countries on the Arab peninsula are very different in some ways.


The UAE travel agencies all state that Jews are welcome and can practise their faith without problem, that they only have issues with political propaganda for Israel but not with Jewish faith in itself. I read similar remarks on agencies promoting Qatar and Bahrain. I guess in practise things may be a bit different though (even though wearing a Hebrew sign doesn't mean you're jewish at all -- how many people have English words on their clothes while they're not from an English speaking country?)



Anyways, it's because of those grey zones why I asked. I know the side of the Middle East where I lived and where I know people. Basically this means Turkey, Israel and the Arab nations bordering the mediterranean. I won't claim to have such knowledge about the Arab peninsula nations to realistically know if simply having a Hebrew (non political) word on you can get you into problems in for example Bahrain, UAE or Oman.


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## Nomerci (Apr 28, 2010)

All I can tell you, as I have no experience with issues like those, neither have heard of anybody wishing to do what you want to do, in the ME, is that the Arabian Peninsula is rather conservative.
I think if you came here to Qatar, having long hair and wearing make up, you would have a few rather unpleasant experiences....some do to being taken as a homosexual...and as there are a lot of gay people (although homosexuality is against the law here)around here, you would be propostioned, and i doubt that ANYBODY would believe you are not gay. Then there are the Haters..a lot of those around too.
Then you have those who are not fond of Jews in general for various reasons ,so displaying what would be perceived as fondness for Jews may not be such a great idea ....anyhow....this is just my opinion of course. Maybe nothing would happen at all.

And Gerrit, with this my reservoir of information concerning this subject is exhausted.
Good luck with your travels.


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Put a conservative shirt on if your coming over. Why would you want to cause yourself unneeded stress?

Tats are tats. They are not well liked due to religious reasons but people are curious and ask about them. There is a time and a place and most can be hidden if need be unless your putting something on your neck or hand. 

What type of 'makeup' do you wear? Are we talking about trying to make yourself painted up like women do or marilyn manson stuff? Just forego the makeup whilst coming thru the airport. I have seen a number of arabic men who have longer beautiful hair. Why would long hair be an issue? Just pull it back and try not to draw attention.


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

My first thought was as well that if the tattoo is on a normally hidden body part (eg arms while wearing a shirt with long sleeves) no issue can occur, but then with those new "see through" scanners at airports I'm not too sure if tattoos could be well visable or not.


I don't wear Manson-esque make-up no  The make-up I wear is just black eyeliner (so called "panda eyes"). I am not a metalhead or goth (I do listen to these types of music but disassociate myself from the scene or subculture) , the wearing eyeliner has a very personal symbolic reason rather than any subcultural reason, it's because of the symbolic personal thing that I am very attached to it. But that's the only make-up I wear. I don't wear lipstick or facepaint or anything like that. My hair is like close to chest length ; I did see men with long hair often enough when I lived in Turkey but (with the risk of sounding like a broken record repeating itself) Turkey has a different mentality and legal system than most nations on the Arab peninsula. Several of my male Israeli friends have very long hair, but then Israel again is another story...

PS I don't mind people thinking I'm gay (only if it's a really nice girl I find attractive I'll bother to explain her I'm not) ; happens often enough in Europe as well that people shout those things. I learnt to just ignore it, and not be bothered by it anymore. All people knowing me well know I'm not gay ; what a stranger thinks isn't bothering me, as long as it couldn't bring me into legal issues.


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Just forego the eye liner for a day. Won't kill you. Just easier to try and cause as little ripples as possible.


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Once in the streets it shouldn't be an issue? I mean, you say it's only risky at the airport when going through border control, or do I misunderstand your post?

As for the tattoos, that's easily hidden if it's at a covered body part, I'm not sure if those new body scanners can see them but then AFAIK you can opt out of those scanners and have the old method of just touching your bags and pockets to check if you're not smuggling anything illegal into the country.


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

You should research the scanners. It doesnt just magically remove your clothes and the person see you like your naked. It is like taking an exray when you are at the dentist or when you break a bone. You can see the outline but it doesnt allow you to see a whole lot of the soft skin stuffs. 

Gerrit, it just depends where you are going. When you go to whatever country you are going to, you are going to have to determine if its appropriate. Just like when I come back and have a half sleeve tat I know that I am going to have to cover it in some places even here in Dubai and deffinatly in Sharjah. 

A little eyeliner just highlights the eyes. Its not sounding like you are part of the clad who tries to have racoon eyes. As long as you do not appear like a cross dresser, it will be ok. But I have to go back to, why not just forego it if its just a visit and get the feel of the land to see when its appropriate?? Smart business casual like you would wear in a professional environment is just a good choice for making a good impression. 

You have to use common sense.


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Well, I'm wanting not to visit but to relocate back to the ME. I lived in Turkey and loved it so much that I am determined to move back. Either back to Turkey, or else Israel, Lebanon and Morocco are options (if only working permits wouldn't be hard to get, I'd have made the move back already)

So we're talking about long-term stays and the eyeliner has an emotional value, it's not just a fashion thing in my case. In Turkey I never had a problem with it, and the other countries in the Middle East I'm trying my luck in are not the most conservative ones neither. But it'd be a shame to be so close to places like Damascus, Sinai, Petra, etc and not even paying an extended visit. 

You are right that my make-up is nothing drastic. It's just two lines of eyeliner, that's it. No crossdressing at all, oh no. I'm not using lipstick or nail varnish or anything neither. It's just eyeliner, but it's something that has become of great symbolic value to me (long story and irrelevant anyway) which is also the reason why I wear it all the time rather than occasionally. It's not about fashion to me, it has its symbolic meaning ; if it were just about fashion then I'd be more likely to do other sorts of make-up as well, which I don't. As I said, in Turkey I never had an issue with it - a bit of staring but looks cannot harm. 



Glad to hear about the body scanner not being that revealing. I thought it did display tattoos. So basically any Hebrew word is fine as long as it's on a body part usually covered when in public?

I thought the scanners were a lot more detailed, as some people who interpretate their religion in a more strict way refused to go through the scanner. Also, a UK airport staffmember got stuck in a scanner herself and a male co-worked said out loud that he loved "those big tits" (needless to say he got fired on the spot). So I thought the scanners were quite detailed ; detailed enough that a tattoo would be clearly visable. Thanks for clarifying that one.


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

I am starting to wonder about that boy.... (in my southern texas voice)


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## Nomerci (Apr 28, 2010)

Jynx...I have been...for a while....:0 (Texas voice too.....)

Maybe we ought to bring him to Texas, that;ll straighten him out in no time. lol


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