Record rise in aliyah to Israel amid riots in France: "Afraid to live as Jews"

The wave of riots in France, which included arson, looting, and the vandalism of a synagogue in Paris, is raising concerns among the Jewish community. The number of immigrants to Israel from France surged by 65% in the past year. Three women who left France share the anti-Semitic incidents they experienced and their decision to start anew in Israel.

The wave of riots in France, which included arson, looting, and the vandalism of a synagogue in Paris, is reigniting fears among the Jewish community in the country. Against this backdrop, the number of immigrants to Israel from France surged by 65% in the past year. The article tells the stories of three women who left France and immigrated to Israel: Audrey, who ran an Israeli café in Paris and left due to anti-Semitic incidents; Leah, who says she was attacked on the subway because of her Jewish identity; and Dalia, who experienced a severe incident in a taxi where the driver expressed support for Hitler and Hamas. According to data from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency, in the year 5786, 4,364 people immigrated to Israel from France, compared to 2,649 the previous year. Concurrently, 7,033 aliyah files were opened from France. The article also notes the personal cost of aliyah, such as separations from family members, and the women's concern for the safety of their loved ones who remained in France.