Actress Virginie Khalifa-Hag: 'Paris Is No Longer the City I Grew Up In, Jews Are Afraid'

Actress Virginie Khalifa-Hag, known for her role in "Fauda," has expressed deep concern over the escalating unrest and antisemitism in Paris, stating that the city is no longer the place she grew up in and that Jews are now afraid. She recounted an incident on October 17th where her mother, who manages a shop near the Champs-Élysées, had to hide during riots and looting that involved "Free Palestine" flags. Khalifa-Hag described the situation as "crazy" and compared it to an "intifada," lamenting that her father, who grew up in Algeria, never feared, but "today Jews are afraid."

Khalifa-Hag, who was born and raised in Paris to an Algerian-Jewish father and Polish-Jewish mother, noted that her family, like many other Jewish families, owned clothing stores in the city. However, she observed a decline in Jewish businesses, with Chinese merchants taking over the clothing trade, leading many to leave for America and Israel. She also shared that some French friends stopped speaking to her after October 7th, and conversations with friends from Turkey and Greece are impossible due to their perception of Israel's actions as "genocide."

Having moved to Israel 13 years ago, Khalifa-Hag now lives in Moshav Beit Hillel in the Upper Galilee, where she and her husband, Oren Hag, are involved in winemaking and pecan harvesting. She initially came to Israel for work, joining i24news in 2013 as a journalist and presenter. She pursued her acting career, eventually landing a role as a French terrorist in the fifth season of "Fauda," a role she actively sought because she felt the storyline mirrored the current situation in France. She advised French Jews to be prepared to leave, as she believes their security in France is no longer guaranteed.

Khalifa-Hag's experience in "Fauda" led to widespread recognition, with messages flooding in from around the world. She mentioned that while her role was filmed in Budapest and Israel, the plot was set in Marseille two years after October 7th. She also noted that her friends in France have reacted differently to her move, with some joking about her transition from Paris to a moshav, while others have distanced themselves following the outbreak of war.