France’s Jews Have No Choice but Israel
Encouraging Jews from all countries to move to Israel is in Israel’s DNA, and Israel could greatly benefit from an influx of French immigrants. But Israeli leaders ought to pause before calling for a mass exodus of French Jews.
At the end of Mr. Netanyahu’s visit to Paris, he attended a ceremony in a synagogue, where the crowd spontaneously broke into song following his remarks. But they weren’t singing in Hebrew; they were singing France’s national anthem, “La Marseillaise.” One wonders what they were thinking when they reached the rousing chorus, “Aux armes citoyens!” And if these citizens one day take up arms to defend themselves, will they do so as French nationals or as Israelis?
On Sunday, France’s president, François Hollande, made quite clear how he views the situation. He reportedly vowed to Jewish leaders that he would take all necessary measures to defend them, including deploying the army.
But it is a devastating prospect that in 2015 the Jews of France might need soldiers to protect them from anti-Semitic violence.
For the four Jews who were killed at a Paris grocery store, Israel will be their final resting place.
If the only way for Jews to live in France today is behind barracks and guards with guns, perhaps it makes more sense not just for the dead to go to Israel, but also for the living to move to a place where we are the guards, we are the army and we are the government.
