Client dumps London tattoo artist after learning he is Jewish

Adam Silas, a London-based Jewish tattoo artist, shared with the Jewish Chronicle on Wednesday that a client had cancelled their appointment upon discovering that Silas is Jewish.

“It has come to my attention that you are Jewish. Is this true?” the former client asked Silas in the message. “If so, I’m afraid I will have to cancel our appointment as I can’t in good conscience be tattooed by you at the moment, given the current political climate. I’m sure you understand. I wouldn’t be so bold as to ask for my deposit back but I would humbly ask that you donate it to a humanitarian cause. Hopefully there will be a permanent ceasefire soon so we can reschedule.”

Silas confirmed to the Jerusalem Post that he blocked and deleted the former client, spending her deposit on Falafel - which is a Middle Eastern delicacy recognized as Israel's national dish.

Silas has reportedly been a professional tattoo artist for 6 years and works in a studio in Soho. His Instagram suggests his specialty is geese but he also designs Jewish-themed tattoos, which he said his Jewish clients were grateful for.

Antisemitism increased after Oct.7

While Silas said he had received multiple antisemitic messages since October 7, when Hamas launched massive attacks on southern Israel and killed over 1200 people, this is the first client to have cancelled on him. 

"That was what was so shocking about it because everything up to that point had just been horrible antisemitic messages since October 7,” said Silas. “It's very disheartening. Every time I get a message it really affects me and that feeling stays with you. I can't overstate how much it's affected me mentally.”

“I'm open about my Jewish identity. It's very separate to anything political, as it should be,” he said while explaining that he avoids posting  about politics. “But unfortunately, people make links when they want to. My Instagram is my work profile, it's my portfolio and it's where I do business. So I feel like I can put my Jewish identity up there, but I know I don't want to see anyone's political opinions on their work Instagram.”

“Are we boycotting just Jewish people?” Silas said. “Is that what's happening? Every time that Israel is in the news, it's a vessel for antisemitism.”

One print Silas shared, entitled ‘Less Hamas more Hummus,’ reportedly made him lose several followers.

“It’s mad how many people could be offended by the suggestion that hummus is superior to Hamas,” he said. “My tattoos are very cartoony, very happy, very silly. I like drawing stuff because it makes me smile. So for someone to see that and decide, ‘I'm going to abuse this person’, it just boggles the mind – I can't get inside that mindset. All I'm trying to do is spread a bit of joy and my clients are very appreciative of what I do.”