Fredo Pachter, the coordinator for the Aliyah (repatriation) of French Jews to Israel from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, stated that in his 17 years in this position, he has never seen such an interest in repatriation among the Jewish population of France.
The reason he cited is the atmosphere of fear in which French Jews are forced to live. “Some people tell me that they had to remove mezuzahs (a small scroll of kosher animal skin with a Hebrew excerpt from the Torah) from their doors so that no one would guess they are Jewish,” Pachter says.
Pachter noted a sharp change in the social profile of potential repatriates: “Previously, we were mainly approached by those experiencing professional or social difficulties, those who were fired or wanted to change their field of activity. But this time, engineers, doctors, and lawyers came to us. These are no longer people leaving France due to financial problems — their life in France was more comfortable.”
“I can no longer live in France. Every day I fear for my children, this can no longer be called life,” confessed one mother living in Paris to The Times of Israel, wishing to remain anonymous for her own safety.
