- Title: FRANCE: 200 FRENCH JEWS LEAVE FOR A NEW LIFE IN ISRAEL
- Date: 28th July 2004
- Summary: (W5) PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 28, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. VARIOSU OF EXTERIOR OF DEPARTURE LOUNGE AT CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT WITH FRENCH JEWS PUSHING LUGGAGE TROLLIES AND BOXES 0.24 2. WIDE OF EMIGRANTS WAITING TO TRAVEL / SCU WOMAN TRAVELLER HOLDING SIGN SAYING "I've two loves. Jerusalem and Paris." 0.40 3. SLV CAMERA OPERATOR FILMING EMIGRANTS
- Embargoed: 12th August 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA7AVYGWPLCONLGK5V0LY8D16G7
- Story Text: Two hundred French Jews have left Paris to start a
new life in Israel.
An EL AL Israeli airlines flight left France's
Charles de Gaulle international airport in Paris on
Wednesday (July 28, 2004) carrying 200 French Jews to Israel
where they hope to settle down and start a new life. The
departure was called 'Alya 2004', Hebrew for 'going up' and
a term used to specifically describe Jews immigrating to
Israel.
An average of 2000 French Jews immigrate to Israel
every year. Just over half of them settle there.
The Boeing 757 was rented by the Jewish Agency, the
quasi-governmental Israeli body responsible for immigrant
settlement, and will land at Ben-Gurion International
Airport in Tel Aviv at 7.30pm local time (1630gmt). The new
arrivals will be greeted by Israel's Minister of
Immigration, Tzipi Livni, and by the Jewish Agency Chairman,
Sallai Meridor. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is also
expected to attend the ceremony.
The main reason the departing French Jews gave for
moving to Israel was to achieve their long-term dreams
but some fear they may have been pushed by a recent
escalation of anti-Semitism in France. Other reasons they
gave were strong religious belief, Zionist ideals, cheap
real estate and year-round sunshine.
"It's a long held dream that is coming true. We're not
fleeing anti-Semitism because we have always lived in Paris
and were never attacked or insulted. As I said it was a
dream we have has for years, we're been preparing for a
long time and now the time has come and that's it. France
however, remains a part of our heart. We're going to Israel
because it is our country, France is our country too but we
think that we will live just as well there, if not maybe
even better. There are risks that exist unfortunately but
you know that there are risks everywhere, whether you are
in Paris or in Spain where they were attacked, in every
country there are risks and so we take the risks and you
don't really think about it. Plus, it's sunny there," said
one passenger.
Two family members at the departure gate said they
wanted a new adventure and to get closer to Jewish culture.
"We'll be in a Jewish atmosphere and moreover it will
be a sunny climate, there's a lot of sun there especially
in the hearts of people well just as well as in France
where we were always OK and always happy. So we're going to
try out a new adventure."
Bargain retail prices are currently being enjoyed by new
immigrants to Israel with the current strength of the Euro
against the Shekel. According to the Bank of Israel,
property investment doubled in 2002-2003.
Despite Ariel Sharon's recent call for all French Jews
to leave France to escape the risk of "wildest"
anti-semitism, the Anti-Defamation League's study of
European Anti-Semitism released in April suggests that
there has been an overall decline in anti-Semitic attitudes
in France over the past two years. The total number of
reported anti-Semitic acts for the first 6 months of 2004
did come to 135 compared with 127 for the 12 months of 2003
and 192 for 2002.
Following Sharon's call, French Ambassador to Israel
said that there had been as many anti-Semitic attacks in
Italy and Belgium as in France (per capita) but France got
the most attention due to its larger Jewish population.
France has Europe's largest Jewish population of Jews,
numbering up to 600,000. According to Britain's Independent
newspaper, an estimated 60,000 French Jews have immigrated
to Israel since 1948, and almost half have returned.
According to Time magazine, the total number of Jews who
immigrated to Israel last year was 23,000, which is a 15
year low. Working and middle class Sephardi of North
African origin appear to be the French Jews who feel most
unease in France.
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