French Jews Still Anxious, Despite Calm

Falafel shop owner feels at home in Paris, but not all Jews agree. Sharon Udasin

by Sharon Udasin
Staff Writer

Paris — Nestled among Parisian gefilte fish proprietors, pickled herring vendors and boulangeries stocked with chocolate rugelach, an Israeli restaurateur yanks otherwise oblivious customers into his teeming falafel palace while Chabad boys sell palm fronds for Sukkot across the cobblestone Rue des Rosiers.

In the Marais, the traditional Jewish quarter of the French capital, neon leaflets advertise Hebrew classes and nearly every shop window has a stamp of approval from the Beth Din of Paris.

“We are in our home here,” says Yomi, the owner of the popular falafel shop, L’as du Fallafel (The Ace of Falafel), who refused to give his last name.

But step outside the close-knit quarters of the Marais district, and France’s Jews will tell you they hardly feel at home and that a low-grade but chronic anxiety gnaws at them because of their Jewish identity. And because of a persistent fear that tensions in the Middle East could escalate at a moment’s notice, leaving them vulnerable.

The war in Gaza ended 10 months ago, Hamas rocket fire into the southern Israeli town of Sderot is almost nonexistent and Iran, Israel’s existential enemy, is torn apart by internal political dissent. In other words, things are relatively quiet in Israel and the status quo is more than tolerable, say many Israelis. Yet in interviews with dozens of French Jews from Paris to Lille to Nice over the course of 10 days earlier this month, a picture emerges of a French Jewish population walking on eggshells.

Despite the 1,800 miles that separate Paris from Tel Aviv, Jews in France say they face ongoing repercussions from the ongoing Middle Eastern tensions. And it’s not only from the country’s large Arab population but perhaps even more so from native French citizens and political leaders. France, with a population of more than 62 million, boasts the largest Jewish population in Europe, as well as a growing Arab population — more than 600,000 Jews and an estimated 4 to 7 million Arabs, according to Time magazine.

“Even at university you can’t even show that you’re Jewish,” said Leah Soussan, 20, at a kosher sushi restaurant in the Marais, where she was catching up with five girlfriends home for Sukkot and Simchat Torah.

Soussan, who said she’d never dare wear a Star of David in public, decided to attend university in Israel at the Interdisciplinary Center of Herzliya, rather than stay in France. Perhaps the least traditionally dressed among her friends — she wore tight jeans while her friends all sported long skirts — Soussan actually attended a Catholic high school, where she said she tried to convert her Catholic friends into respecting her Jewish faith.

“Here there is no respect at all if they know you are Jewish,” said her friend Jessica Antunes, also 20.  Continue reading…

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Also take a look at this clip of Philippe Karsenty’s speech for American Friends of the Likud, 10/22/09:

J’adore Paris. J’adore Paris so much that I am too exhausted to write much of a blog post today. I hope that j’adore Paris just as much tomorrow!

Quickly though, I’ll start where I left off last night. After departing from Archie and then my three-hour stay at the Internet cafe, I headed to the Carcassonne train station, which I have to say was pretty creepily empty at that hour, as were the streets. But I got there, and after dealing with Bank of America, I met my new friend Jeremie, a 21-year-old French marine. I learned all about the French army/naval/marine system, and as a parting gift, he gave me one of his genuine marine chapeaus — like the real white ones with the red pom-poms. I guess I’m collecting military stuff apparently, my friend Daniel’s Israeli paratroopers hat and now French marine apparel. Next donor?

I slept very well on the overnight train to Paris and arrived here at 7:30 this morning. Despite the grossness I felt from having not showered in the previously sweaty day and a half, I set out to explore Paris almost immediately after dropping my bags in the hostel luggage room. I started my day with reporting — talking to lot’s of Jews in both the Jewish part of Montmartre and the Marais quartier, about anti-Semitism and the impact of Israeli-Palestinian tensions upon the French-Jewish population. Among others, I spoke extensively with a bookstore owner, a group of 20-year-old religious girls and the Israeli owner of a falafel joint. It seems that a lot of Jews are quite afraid here and feel like the French media and government spins everything possible against the Jews. One of the girls said she wears shorter skirts here than she does in Israel so that people won’t immediately detect she’s Jewish, and one man said he covers his kipa with a baseball cap in public.

Oh yeah, and I had a kosher lunch, certified by the Beth Din of Paris. It was nice to be with so many Jews in France today, and made me look forward to Israel (Sunday!!!) even more, despite the fact that I’m loving Paris.

For the rest of the day I ran from place to place, photographing lot’s of the big monuments and walking along the Seine. I just cannot believe I’m in Paris, the fairytale city. City of love and lights — though, the Eiffel Tower doesn’t sparkle as much at night anymore because the city is joining the global greening effort, true story.

In the evening, I met up with Sarah again, and we had a really great time hanging out with two new friends, Alex and Russell, from Texas. We went out to a relatively inexpensive (relatively) near the Champs Elysees, where the food was amazing! (called “Le Hide”). Alex and Russell are a hilarious duo, and we spent the evening snapping ridiculous photographs and drinking “mini Cokes,” tiny little Coca-Cola cans sold at the infamous Monoprix superstore, which largely resembles a Target + groceries. We wanted to climb the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe, but it was a rainy, wet evening — so hopefully tomorrow the weather will remain great like it was all day today!

Okay, I really need to go to sleep now, and though I’ve already taken 79 photos of Paris according to my computer, I’m going to wait till I’ve taken all of my Paris photos to post them. Bonne nuit, and I hope everyone has had a good week going into Friday/Shabbat/Simchat Torah.

Layla tov.