History of the Jewish Star Yellow Badge in 10 Minutes

Everything Jewish - 10 Minutes at a Time · Sep 20, 2026 · 11m

Today, the yellow Star of David is most closely associated with the Holocaust, but the practice of forcing Jews to wear identifying badges began more than 700 years earlier. From medieval Islamic lands to the decrees of the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, governments and religious authorities used distinctive clothing, hats, badges, and colored symbols to separate Jews from the rest of society. In this episode, we'll trace the history of the Jewish badge from its earliest origins through medieval Europe, examine how these policies evolved over the centuries, and explore how the Nazis revived…