A study of the Jewish populations in twelve European countries found that Jews living in France were the most fearful for their own safety, mostly due to anti-semitic terrorist attacks in recent years.
The European Jewish Association (EJA) released the data earlier this week, which compiled a “Jewish Quality of Life” index using data gathered by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research in London and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights regarding key issues for Jews in Europe.
According to the index, French Jews claim they feel the least safe in their country. In contrast, Jews in Denmark felt the safest, with Daniel Staetsky, the author of the index, citing anti-semitic terrorist attacks in France as a possible reason for the feelings of insecurity, broadcaster CNews reports.
France, which has the largest population of Jews in the European Union, ranked 10th out of 12 in the index overall, which covered security of Jews, government attitude toward Jews, freedom of worship and other issues relating to the security of religious sites.
A survey has found 45 per cent of French Jews instruct their children to hide their religion to avoid insults and possible violence. https://t.co/jXyRP6kHRC
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) February 2, 2022
Italy was ranked first in the index with a score of 79 out of a hundred, while Hungary came in second place, despite the country being ranked first on anti-semitism.
Insecurity among the Jewish community in France is a trend that has been reported on for years as members of France’s Jewish community have fled areas like the suburbs of Paris due to high levels of anti-semitism.
Rabbi Moshe Lewin commented on the situation for Jewish people in the Paris suburbs of Seine-Saint-Denis in 2017 saying, “What upsets me is that in some areas of France, Jews can no longer live peacefully, and that just five minutes from my home, some are forced to hide their kippas (skullcaps) or their Star of David.”
Earlier this year, a survey commissioned by the American Jewish Committee and the Foundation for Policy Innovation found that nearly half of the Jews in France instruct their children to hide their Jewish faith to avoid insults and possible violence as at least 60 per cent of Jewish parents reported their children had been subjected to anti-semitism in school.
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) February 22, 2019
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