French Jews in Israel

From 2000 to 2009, more than 13,000 French Jews made aliyah, largely as a result of growing antisemitism in the country. A peak was reached in 2005, with 2,951 olim. However, between 20–30% eventually returned to France.{{cite web |url=http://www.terredisrael.com/infos/?p=34260 |title=Le chiffre de l'alya des Juifs de France ne décolle pas! |publisher=terredisrael.com |language=fr |access-date=9 October 2012 |archive-date=5 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505224110/http://www.terredisrael.com/infos/?p=34260 |url-status=dead }} After the election of Nicolas Sarkozy, French aliyah dropped due to the Jewish community's comfort with him. In 2010 only 1,286 French Jews made aliyah.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbs.gov.il/publications12/1483_immigration/pdf/tab05.pdf|title = Oops, Something is wrong}}

By 2012, some 200,000 French citizens lived in Israel. During the same year, following the election of François Hollande and the Jewish school shooting in Toulouse, as well as ongoing acts of anti-semitism and the European economic crisis, an increasing number of French Jews began buying property in Israel.{{cite news |title=Is crisis bringing French Jews to Israel? |first=Ofer |last=Petersberg |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4230253,00.html |newspaper=Ynetnews |date=23 May 2012 |access-date=7 October 2012}} In August 2012, it was reported that anti-semitic attacks had risen by 40% in the five months following the Toulouse shooting, and that many French Jews were seriously considering immigrating to Israel.{{cite news |title=French Anti-Semitic Attacks Up by 40 Percent |url=https://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2012/August/French-Anti-Semitic-Attacks-Up-by-40-Percent-/ |newspaper=CBN |date=30 August 2012 |access-date=7 October 2012}} In 2013, 3,120 French Jews immigrated to Israel, marking a 63% increase over the previous year.{{cite web | url=http://forward.com/articles/190040/immigration-to-israel-rises-by--led-by-french/ | title=Immigration to Israel Rises by 7% — Led by French | publisher=Forward | date=December 29, 2013 | access-date=11 March 2014}} In the first two months of 2014, French Jewish aliyah increased precipitously by 312% with 854 French Jews making aliyah over the first two months. Immigration from France throughout 2014 has been attributed to several factors, of which includes increasing antisemitism, in which many Jews have been harassed and attacked by a fusillade of local thugs and gangs, a stagnant European economy and concomitant high youth unemployment rates.{{cite web | url=http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/Jewish-Agency-touts-French-aliyah-increase-346962 | title=Jewish Agency touts French aliyah increase | date=2014-03-30 | access-date=5 April 2014 | author=Sam Sokol}}{{cite web | url=http://forward.com/articles/195508/thousands-attend-paris-aliyah-fair-amid-spate-of-a/ | title=2014 Sees Sharp Rise in French Immigration to Israel | publisher=The Forward Association, Inc. | access-date=5 April 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/179063#.U0BmuEIvla0 | title=312% Rise in French Aliyah in First Months of 2014 | date=30 March 2014| access-date=5 April 2014 | author=Yaakov Levi}}{{cite news | title=Hate fears push French aliyah to new high | date=March 31, 2014 | author=Marcus Dysch}}

During the first few months of 2014, The Jewish Agency of Israel has continued to encourage an increase of French aliyah through aliyah fairs, Hebrew-language courses, sessions which assist in potential olim to find jobs in Israel, and immigrant absorption in Israel.{{cite web | url=http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2014/4/7/french-anti-semitism-and-french-aliyah-skyrocket-on-parallel-tracks#.U0Np10Ivla0 | title=French anti-Semitism and French aliyah skyrocket on parallel tracks | date=April 7, 2014 | access-date=7 April 2014 | author=Josh Hasten}} A May 2014 survey revealed that 74 percent of French Jews consider leaving France for Israel where of the 74 percent, 29.9 percent cited anti-Semitism. Another 24.4 cited their desire to "preserve their Judaism," while 12.4 percent said they were attracted by other countries. "Economic considerations" was cited by 7.5 percent of the respondents.{{cite web | url=http://forward.com/articles/198445/-of-french-jews-consider-leaving-country/#ixzz32WWy7K3t | title=74% of French Jews Consider Leaving Country | publisher=Forward | access-date=23 May 2014}} By June 2014, it was estimated by the end of 2014 a full 1 percent of the French Jewish community will have made aliyah to Israel, the largest in a single year. Many Jewish leaders stated the emigration is being driven by a combination of factors, including the cultural gravitation towards Israel and France's economic woes, especially for the younger generation drawn by the possibility of other socioeconomic opportunities in the more vibrant Israeli economy.{{cite web | url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182037#.U7UbCUtrRHU | title=Jewish Agency: 'Dramatic' Rise in French, Ukraine Aliyah | publisher=Arutz Sheva | date=2014-06-22 | access-date=3 July 2014 | author=Moshe Cohen}}{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/21/world/europe/number-of-french-jews-emigrating-to-israel-rises-sharply.html?_r=0 | title=Number of French Jews Emigrating to Israel Rises | work=The New York Times | date=June 20, 2014 | access-date=3 July 2014 | author=Dan Bilefsky}} During the Hebrew year 5774 (September 2013 - September 2014) for the first time ever, more Jews made Aliyah from France than any other country, with approximately 6,000 French Jews making aliyah, mainly fleeing rampant antisemitism, pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist violence and economic malaise with France becoming the top sending country for aliyah as of late September 2014.{{cite web | date=22 September 2014|first=Gil|last=Ronen|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/185414#.VCDdCGPX6nY | title=Ahead of New Year, Aliyah Hits 5-Year High | publisher=Israel National News | access-date=22 September 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/24800-new-immigrants-arrive-in-Israel-in-5774-376063|title=24,800 new immigrants arrive in Israel in 5774|work=The Jerusalem Post|first=Sam|last=Sokol|date=22 September 2014|access-date=5 November 2024}}

In January 2015, events such as the Charlie Hebdo shooting and Porte de Vincennes hostage crisis created a shock wave of fear across the French Jewish community. As a result of these events, the Jewish Agency created an aliyah plan for 120,000 French Jews who wish to make aliyah.{{cite news | title=Jewish Agency-affiliated think tank composes aliyah plan for 120,000 French Jews | publisher=JTA News | date=January 25, 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/73795/aliyah-plan-prepares-for-120000-french-jews/ | title=Aliyah plan prepares for 120,000 French Jews | publisher=JWeekly | date=January 29, 2015 | access-date=13 February 2015}} In addition, with Europe's stagnant economy as of early 2015, many affluent French Jewish skilled professionals, businesspeople and investors have sought Israel as a start-up haven for international investments, as well as job and new business opportunities.{{cite web | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-22/israel-gains-as-france-loses-entrepreneurs-among-persecuted-jews | title=Israel Gains With Influx of French Jewish Entrepreneurs | publisher=Bloomberg | date=January 22, 2015 | access-date=13 February 2015}} In addition, Dov Maimon, a French Jewish émigré who studies migration as a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, expects as many as 250,000 French Jews to make aliyah by the year 2030.

Hours after an attack and an ISIS flag was raised on a gas factory Saint-Quentin-Fallavier attack near Lyon where the severed head of a local businessman was pinned to the gates on June 26, 2015, Immigration and Absorption Minister Ze’ev Elkin strongly urged the French Jewish community to move to Israel and made it a national priority for Israel to welcome the French Jewish community with open arms.{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11700513/Grenoble-attack-Man-found-beheaded-and-Islamist-flag-raised-above-French-factory-live.html | title=Grenoble attack: Man found beheaded and Islamist flag raised above factory in France - latest | publisher=The Telegraph | date=26 June 2015 | access-date=28 June 2015 | author=Raziye Akkoc and Henry Samuel}}{{cite web | url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/come-home-israeli-minister-urges-french-jews-amid-terror-wave/ | title=Come home!' Israeli minister urges French Jews amid terror wave | work=The Times of Israel | date=June 26, 2015 | access-date=28 June 2015}} Immigration from France is on the rise: in the first half of 2015, approximately 5,100 French Jews made aliyah to Israel marking 25% more than in the same period during the previous year.{{cite web | url=http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/06/21/israels-absorption-ministry-plans-for-influx-of-french-jews/# | title=Israel's Absorption Ministry Plans for Influx of French Jews | publisher=Algemeiner | date=21 June 2015 | access-date=28 June 2015}}

With the November 2015 Paris attacks committed by suspected ISIS affiliates in retaliation for Opération Chammal, some Israeli media sources claimed more than 80 percent of French Jews are considering making aliyah while others noted that French Jews realized that not just Jews but French people in general were now indiscriminate targets of jihadist terrorism.{{cite web | url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/203445#.Vku20HarSM9 | title=80% of French Jews considering aliyah | publisher=Arutz Sheva | date=16 November 2015 | access-date=17 November 2015 | author=Cohen, Shimon}}{{cite web | url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/french-now-realizing-they-and-not-just-jews-are-targets/ | title=French now realizing they, and not just Jews, are targets | publisher=Times of Israel | date=15 November 2015 | access-date=17 November 2015 | author=Amanda Borschel-Dan}}{{cite web | url=http://www.haaretz.com/world-news/.premium-1.686070 | title=For French Jews, a New Reality: Under Attack for Being French, Not Jewish | publisher=Haaretz | date=14 November 2015 | access-date=17 November 2015 | author=Shitbon, Shirli}} In 2015, a total of 7,835 French people moved to Israel.{{cite web|url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4864301,00.html|title=Large dip in number of French immigrants to Israel|work=Ynetnews|first=Kobi|last=Nachshoni|date=10 August 2016|access-date=5 November 2024}} This dropped to about 5,200 in 2016 and 3,500 in 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/International/User-friendly-aliya-507304|title=User-friendly aliya}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5075151,00.html|title=Between two worlds: French Jews at a crossroads|work=Ynetnews|date=27 January 2018|first=Yaniv|last=Pohoryles|access-date=5 November 2024}} In 2019, 2227 people immigrated from France, a 7.8% decrease from the 2018 immigration figure of 2416 total immigrants.{{cite report|title=TABLE 2 - IMMIGRANTS, BY CONTINENT AND SELECTED LAST COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE |url=https://www.cbs.gov.il/he/mediarelease/doclib/2020/223/21_20_223t2.pdf |publisher=Israel Central Bureau of Statistics}}{{cite report|title=Immigration to Israel 2019 |url=https://www.cbs.gov.il/he/mediarelease/DocLib/2020/223/21_20_223e.pdf |publisher=Israel Central Bureau of Statistics |date=July 26, 2020}}

• Sarah Adler, French-Israeli actress{{cite news |last1=Halutz |first1=Doron |last2=Melnikov |first2=Ilya |date=Dec 16, 2011 |title=There's something unusual about Sarah Adler |url=http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/there-s-something-unusual-about-sarah-adler-1.401827 |newspaper=Haaretz |location=Tel Aviv, Israel |access-date=Oct 28, 2013 }}
• Dov AlfonInterview with Dov Alfon in David Remnik: [http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/28/110228fa_fact_remnick "The Future of Israeli Newspaper Haaretz"] The New Yorker, Feb 28, 2011
• Jonathan Assous[https://www.haaretz.com/1.5002706 Israeli teams tell Diaspora Jews: Make aliyah, for soccer's sake! - Haaretz - Israel News | Haaretz.com]{{cite news |first=Or |last=Spunder |script-title=he:הקשר ג'ונתן אסוס מועמד למכבי ת"א |url=http://www.one.co.il/Article/109149.html |publisher=One.co.il |date=January 24, 2008 |access-date=January 28, 2008 |language=he }}
• Yoni Chetboun[http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Meet-the-MK-Yoni-Chetboun Meet the MK: Yoni Chetboun], Lahav Harkov, Published: 13.02.2013
• Riff Cohen[http://www.haaretz.com/haaretz-labels/essence-printemps-2015/1.649808 Entre Paris Et Tel Aviv]. Haaretz {{in lang|fr}}
• Daniel Cukierman (born 1995), Israeli tennis player
• Patrick Drahi
• Michal Escapa
• Nadav Guedj, Israeli singer and actor
• Emmanuel Halperin
• Sharren Haskel
• Natan Levy, mixed martial artist, born in France and raised in Israel, competes in the UFC
• Yael Naim, Israeli-French singer-songwriter{{Cite news

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• Rudy RochmanL'Chayim (2017): Rudy Rochman.
• Gilad Shalit*{{Cite news |last=Spencer |first=Richard |date=19 October 2011 |title=Israel: Gilad Shalit 'joked with military doctors over health' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/8836759/Israel-Gilad-Shalit-joked-with-military-doctors-over-health.html |url-status=live |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019192505/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/8836759/Israel-Gilad-Shalit-joked-with-military-doctors-over-health.html |archive-date=19 October 2011 |access-date=19 October 2011 |journal=The Daily Telegraph}}
• Amir Haddad, French–Israeli singer

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Category:France–Israel relations