Is there a Future for Jews in France?

Rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes make the country a danger zone for Jews

Jewish communities in France are in danger of being wiped out from the demographic map in the country. This has become a real possibility after attacks against Jews have only increased in recent years. Hate crimes against the community have doubled between 2014 and 2015.

Is there a Future for Jews in France?[/tweetthis]

If one goes by the numbers published in the Breaking the Cycle of Violence: Countering Antisemitism and Extremism in France book, about 423 Jews were attacked in France in 2014. The next year saw the number of attacks double-851 people were assaulted in 2015.

Jew in France: "We are not safe in France any more. There is no future for Jews here in France. We are finished in France.”

— Winston_Truth (@Winston_Truth) January 13, 2015

It is no wonder that Jews have become afraid. An attack by a Muslim extremist on a kippa wearing Jewish teacher in the French city of Marseille has prompted Zvi Ammar, the president of the Jewish community of the city, to advise the Jewish residents to leave their kippas at home. Mr. Ammar, naturally, was criticized for his advice. Haim Korsia, the Chief Rabbi of France, said that the French Jews must continue to wear the Jewish skull cap in public. They should also portray a united front.

Jews make up one percent of the total population of France, but the percentage of hate attacks in France against Jews make up more than 50 percent of all hate crimes in 2014. Such anti-Semitic behavior was almost solely responsible for the rise of racist attacks during the 2013 and 2014 period. The actual figure is much more grim. According to a survey by the European Union, a large majority of hate crimes goes unreported. A majority of incidents comprise of verbal assaults and threats made against individual Jews. There have been cases of vandalism and graffiti against synagogues and Jewish stores.

A few notable recent instances of violence include a 2012 Jewish school shooting in Toulouse. It led to four people being killed. The incident was connected to anti-Semitism and Islamic extremism. Other incidents included the shooting of hostages in 2015. Gunmen opened fire at a supermarket selling kosher food.

French Jews have experienced a rise of hostilities directed towards them in recent times. A large number now does not wear anything that will reveal their religion. A few have even stopped places linked to the Jewish religion. In fact, there is a line of thought that the rise of radical Islamic terrorism and large scale Muslim immigration to Europe will make Europe inhabitable for Jews in the coming years.

Resources

• Breaking the Cycle of Violence: Countering Antisemitism and Extremism in France
• Catholic News Agency
• J Post

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