No + in Israeli math books

[snopes]

Comment: Here is a curious one that is easily substantiated.

A number of websites claim that the plus sign (+) is banned from
elementary school math texts books in Israel because it looks too much
like a cross. They claim it has been replaced with an upside down T.

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

Wikipedia (for what it's worth)

A Jewish tradition dating at least from the 19th century is to write plus using a symbol like an inverted T. This practice was adopted into Israeli schools (this practice goes back to at least the 1950s) and is now commonplace in most elementary schools (including secular schools) and some secondary schools. It is also used occasionally in books by religious authors, but most books for adults use the international symbol "+". The usual explanation for the practice is that it avoids the writing of a symbol "+" that looks like a Christian cross.

[Dropbear]

This site says the same thing - in almost identical language though.

A Jewish tradition going back to at least the 19th century is to write a plus not as cross, but rather like an upside-down T. This practice is usually explained with the wish to avoid use of a symbol that's reminiscent of the christian cross. The variation of the plus is encoded separately in the Unicode at U+FB29 "Hebrew letter alternative plus sign"

Since the 1970s, this alternative plus has been taught in schools in Israel and is commonplace now in most elementary schools and some secondary schools. Books for adults use the international plus-sign though, apart from the works of some religious authors.

Bits of it seems to be linked to Wiki - not sure how though

Dropbear

This seems a lot like saying freedom fries instead of french fries to me.

[Silas Sparkhammer]

Originally Posted by Malalaise

This seems a lot like saying freedom fries instead of french fries to me.

Well, European Jews would have a legitimate gripe against the cross of the Crusades, as each of the major Crusades to the Holy Land began with a mini-crusade to slay Jews back home in Europe.

It would be like "Freedom Fries" if France had attacked the U.S. at Pearl Harbor!

One wonders if Arabic textbooks on geometry ever happen to mention two equilateral triangles rotated by pi/2 and having the same center.

Silas

[Jonny T]

One wonders if Arabic textbooks on geometry ever happen to mention two equilateral triangles rotated by pi/2 and having the same center.

I'm dense. what would that look like?

ETA: Star of David?