The violent riots in France, which included arson, looting, and clashes with security forces, are reviving fears among the country’s Jewish community. Amid a vandalized synagogue in Paris and attacks on Jewish-owned businesses during the unrest, the question is growing louder: Can Jews still live safely in France? For Dalia, Audrey and Leah, who say they experienced antisemitism firsthand, the decision has already been made. All three left France and moved to Israel.
2+Left a Successful Business in Paris: “It Was Hard With the Antisemitism”
Audrey lived in Paris and ran an Israeli café she had founded for about three years. But she says the antisemitism and difficulties she experienced led her to leave both the business and the life she’d built in France. “I have a café in Paris; it’s an Israeli café. I ran it for three years, and it was hard with the antisemitism,” she said. Today she’s in Israel, trying to rebuild her life and watching with concern what’s happening in the country she left behind.
From an Attack on the Train to a Driver Who Supported Hitler and Hamas
For Leah, antisemitism became a tangible threat after she says she was attacked on the Paris metro because of her Jewish identity. The incident left her feeling unsafe and was part of the reality that led her to leave France. Dalia also describes a severe antisemitic incident she experienced during a routine taxi ride in Paris. According to her, the driver openly expressed support for Hitler and the terrorist organization Hamas, and even said that “Hitler should have finished the job.” The driver also justified the murder of Jews in the Holocaust, saying Hitler burned them in ovens because he understood they were “rotten people.” He later expressed support for Hamas’s actions as well. The remarks left Dalia shocked and reinforced her feeling that she could no longer live safely as a Jew in France.
2+65% Jump in Immigration From France to Israel
The testimonies of these three women come against the backdrop of a significant increase in the number of French Jews choosing to move to Israel. According to data from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency, 4,364 people immigrated to Israel from France in the year 5786 (Hebrew calendar), compared to 2,649 the previous year—a jump of about 65%. At the same time, 7,033 immigration files were opened from France, an increase of 31.5% over the previous year. This figure indicates growing interest in immigration, though not everyone who opens a file actually moves to Israel.
Against this trend, an immigration fair was held this month in Paris, attended by thousands of interested participants. For the first time, major Israeli companies also participated, offering employment opportunities to potential immigrants even before their arrival in the country. Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer made clear that his ministry is working to reduce bureaucracy and ease immigration and absorption processes, with the goal of helping French Jews who want to build their future in Israel.
2+“I’m Scared for My Mother”: The Personal Cost of Immigration
But behind the numbers are painful separations. Dalia immigrated to Israel in recent days, while her family members remained in France. Now, as she begins a new life here, the images coming from Paris fill her with anxiety and concern for the safety of her loved ones. “I feel very anxious; I’m scared for my mother,” she said. According to her, her mother still lives in France and is afraid to openly express her Jewish and Zionist identity.
When asked whether Jews still have a safe future in France, Dalia expressed doubt about the possibility of living there openly with Jewish symbols like a Star of David, kippah, and tzitzit. For Dalia, Audrey and Leah, the decision to leave has already been made, but for many French Jews the dilemma remains: Should they stay in the country where they were born and built their lives, or leave everything and start over in Israel? While concern for their safety occupies parts of the Jewish community, Israel is preparing to absorb additional immigrants—and seeking to offer them not just security, but also a home and a new future.