Jewish Life in France

As a British Jew who spends a lot of time in France, I have been very surprised to see old canards in the form of emails recirculating, mostly emanating from the United States, concerning the sorry lot of Jews residing in France. Apart from Israel, I have never felt any country more congenial to live in as a Jew than France. Of course, much of this is subjective, and it is undoubtedly true that France is also home to the largest Muslim population of Europe [1], many of whose youngsters feel discriminated against and who adopt hostile attitudes towards their Christian and Jewish fellow-citizens. It should also be noted that France boasts the largest Jewish population in Western Europe [1] .

But what country other than France would have elected as President someone who, even before the election, loudly proclaimed his Jewish roots? (Three major contenders for nomination as their party’s presidential candidate in the last election – Nicolas Sarkozy, Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Laurent Fabius – were Jewish or half-Jewish.) Certainly this could not happen in the United States; there never has been, and I believe never will be in our lifetime, a Jewish President of the United States, nor indeed a Jewish Prime Minister of England (Disraeli was a Christian by conversion). On the other hand, the Prime Ministers and Presidents of France can count several Jews among their ranks (one of whom, Leon Blum, was elected Prime Minister THREE times) [2] not counting those only of Jewish origin like the present President Sarkozy. And let us not forget the only Jewish Cardinal, Lustiger, born Jewish and died Jewish[3].

In fact, Napoleon was the first leader in Europe to grant liberty, equality and fraternity to all religions. including the Jews, declaring France to be the "homeland of the Jews". To their credit, the French have admitted and faced up to their atrocious behaviour - like that of nearly all of Europe - during the Second World War. Numerous expositions in the various arrondisements in Paris regularly retell the stories of the deportation of French Jews. Since the time of Napoleon, apart from this terrible Vichy period, the Jewish status and institutions in France have been strongly supported by the otherwise strongly secular French Government.

Thus it was no great surprise to see the 900^th anniversary of Rashi celebrated by a standard French postage stamp. I do not recall any such celebrated Jewish scholar on a US stamp. The French media adopt a far more balanced attitude towards Israel than does, for example, the US-based CNN. And when I want to see an Israeli film, I merely walk to my nearest cinema; the French are great cinema-goers, and Israeli films are very popular here.

There is not nearly as much indigenous anti-Semitism in France as there is in the United States. Hate groups, such as the US-based National Socialist Movement (and many others - see http://judaism.about.com/od/americanjewry/a/am_nazis.htm
for a listing) would receive short shrift in France. Even Le Pen's Front National is a very mild relation of the British National Front, xenophobic but with a pro-Israel platform. For some time hate-preaching Imams have been summarily deported from France, an action taken only recently, long overdue, by the UK government.

The French equivalents of Jimmy Carter, and Walt and Mearsheimer, are thankfully few and far between. Jewish philosophers such as Bernard-Henri Levy and Alain Finkielkraut are omni-present pundits on French TV , while the Paris-based Jewish radio station Radio J is considered an authoritative source for the general media (other French cities also have their own Jewish radio stations – I do not know of any in the UK). A venerable weekly Jewish slot on mainstream television (Channel 2 TV) features such items as talmudic discussions from Adin Steinsaltz and other luminaries (a series undreamt of in the UK).

Paris abounds with Kosher restaurants; London with a slightly smaller Jewish population[4] has proportionately very many fewer. Synagogues are plentiful – look at the metro map for the Stars of David.

All in all, France may not be Israel, but it's the next best thing, and the cuisine is better.

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NOTES

[1] Muslim population estimated at 6-8 million; Jewish population 750,000.

[2] Alexandre Millerand (president 1920–4), Léon Blum (Prime Minister 1936-7, 1938, 1946-7),Pierre Mendès-France (Prime Minister, 1954-5), Laurent Fabius (Prime Minister, 1984-6)

[3] He requested that Kaddish be recited at his funeral.

[4] London estimated to have approx. 200,000 Jews, Paris 300,000