Are French Jews making aliyah because of antisemitism or Zionism?

PARIS, France – Many French Jews at a medical aliyah exposition in Paris on Sunday cited rising antisemitism in the country as a motivation for immigrating to Israel, but officials argued that Zionism was the chief factor in a desire to move to the Jewish state.

At the international medical aliyah program, a joint project of the Immigration Ministry, Health Ministry, Nefesh B’Nefesh, and the Jewish Agency, doctors shared their concerns as organizers helped them with immigration documents and plans.

Medical student and future family doctor Ronen Djebali said that he was worried about increasing antisemitism in France in the wake of the October 7 massacre. He had experienced antisemitism playing soccer with a Jewish team, in which there were incidents where they were heckled as “bad Jews.” Yet his Zionist sentiments also played a strong role in his desire to immigrate with his wife and two kids.

“I love Israel and I wanted to make aliyah before my residency,” said Djebali, who had come to the exposition to streamline the Israeli accreditation process. “Our place is in Israel.”

The wife of a doctor who had come to the exposition said that she and her husband had been thinking of aliyah for a long time, and hadn’t experienced antisemitism in her Jewish-majority neighborhood. An ophthalmology student who had come to check out the possibility of immigration in the future said that he also hadn’t experienced antisemitism, but was looking to a life in Israel partly because of increased levels of antisemitism.

Surrounded by like-minded individuals, French olim find refuge

“Israel is my home,” said the student.

A French medical student studying in Switzerland said that she was interested in making aliyah so she could be surrounded by like-minded individuals.

“I’d like to be able to speak my mind and not hide my identity and opinions,” said the student.

The student said that she had endured veiled comments and uncomfortable silences in conversations with peers, such as when she had told others that she had visited Israel during the summer.

Jewish Agency France director Emmanuel Sion told The Jerusalem Post that “the main reason pushing people to make aliyah is Zionism,” and that concerns about antisemitism and the war were a contributing factor.

French Jews are very Zionist and have strong connections to Israel, said Sion, and many have wanted to move to Israel and come to help build up the state for a long time. New programs would make that easier.

Sion and other officials from the Jewish Agency and Immigration Ministry presented such a new program to local French Jews at the Grand Synagogue of Paris on Sunday night.

With blue and white mood lighting and decorations filling the hall as the residents danced, sang, and welcomed a surprise reunion between a French-Israel IDF lone soldier with parents, the atmosphere was one of celebration of Zionism and Jewish identity. There was no mention by the officials of antisemitism, though the event was held under heavy security and police protection.