Monday, March 11, 2013

The Exodus of Jews From France

This is an excellent article that summarizes the wise exodus of Jews from France to pretty much anywhere else they can get to. 

New York remains a pretty Jewish-friendly environment. So, if not America, I'd say Canada, Israel and Australia (less so because it is so isolated and they have some issues with their belligerent, antisemitic Lebanese immigrants) are the only countries where I would want to be a Jew. Lots of French Jews in Netanya and Ashdod in particular, in Israel. Lots in Eilat also. 

“The symptoms of Muslim intolerance against us began before 2002- adds Daniel, a French bank worker in Manhattan- but the second Intifada made the atmosphere asphyxiating”. 

“The killing of Ilan Halimi, 23, in February 2006 was the first shock. Then others followed suit,” explains David, father of two, from the Parisian suburb of Las Lilas."

“When I was a school boy, 20% of the residents were Jewish, now there’s almost none of them still there.”

Plus-a refreshingly honest assessment of the situation: 

"David's sister was attacked in Nice by some Arabs."

 "Episodes that occur continuously in the streets or in the subway - adds Aharon, a designer in a start-up - they force you to walk with your head down, put a hat on to conceal the kippah. The response from the police is to "often classify the attacks as anti-Semitism but not as robberies or violence" which conceals the true extent of the phenomenon."

Read the whole thing.