French Riots Echo 2015 Paris Experience of Jews Becoming Targets
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Author Zvi Klein reflects on the 2015 Paris attacks and his experience of Jews becoming targets of anger, drawing parallels to recent riots in France and a synagogue firebombing. He argues that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict increasingly targets local Jewish communities abroad, forcing them to account for Israeli policies. Klein calls for clear condemnation of threats against Jews and emphasizes their right to religious practice without fear, urging a shift towards recognizing them as neighbors.
The story in 7 lines · by baba
- Author Zvi Klein recalls Jews becoming targets in Paris after 2015 attacks, a phenomenon recurring amid recent French riots.
- A synagogue was firebombed in La Grande-Motte, France, by an attacker supporting Palestinians and seeking to provoke Israel.
- Klein argues that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict abroad targets local Jewish communities, forcing them to justify Israeli actions.
- Young Jews in France face peer pressure to explain and defend Israeli government policies, according to Klein.
- Klein criticizes equivocal responses to threats against Jews, emphasizing their right to safety and religious practice.
- He hopes for a future where Jewish communities abroad are seen as neighbors, not targets for Israeli policy.
- The article references recent riots in France with nearly 1,800 arrests and widespread vandalism.
Recent riots in France, which saw widespread vandalism and arrests, have brought back painful memories for author Zvi Klein of his experiences in Paris in 2015. Following terrorist attacks in the city, Klein walked through Paris wearing a kippah and tzitzit, observing how ordinary Jews became perceived as representatives of Israel and targets for anger. He recounts being subjected to curses and spitting in some neighborhoods, with one person shouting "Long live Palestine" at him.
Klein draws a parallel between these past events and a recent incident in La Grande-Motte, where a synagogue was firebombed. The perpetrator confessed to acting in support of Palestinians and aiming to instill fear, with the intent of provoking a reaction from Israel. Klein argues that this demonstrates how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, when it reaches places like Paris or New York, often targets local Jewish communities rather than Israeli officials.
He further highlights the pressure faced by young Jews in France, who are often compelled by their peers to account for Israeli government policies. This, Klein suggests, is the second stage of the problem: not only are Jews made into unwilling representatives of Israel, but they are then expected to justify its actions. He criticizes responses, like that of New York City Mayor Eric Adams's spokesperson, which he feels equivocate by condemning threats while also implying that the Jewish community itself bears some responsibility.
Klein concludes by emphasizing that while protesting Israeli policy is legitimate, Jewish individuals should be able to practice their faith without fear. He expresses hope that young people in France and New York will come to know Jews as neighbors rather than as targets for retribution related to Israel, recalling a child in Paris who, in 2015, expressed genuine fear for his safety simply for being visibly Jewish.
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