THE JEWISH PRESS
Bee's Note: This year is the year of "open mics" and as I watch the elections in France and Sarkozy's loss, I think back to the day when he was speaking to President Obama - remember? Unfortunately, the "leaders" were not aware that their mics were "open" and to their embarrassment, both men spoke freely of their intense dislike of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Sarkozy called Bibi a "liar". Now, he will no longer have to be concerned about Israel and the Prime Minister, and somehow I can't help but think that the French citizens will regret the day they chose their new socialist leader Francois Hollande'.
Published: May 7th, 2012
Francois Hollande's victory is sending many Jews packing.
Some 5,000 French Jews participated in an aliyah fair in Paris. The fair, organized and run by the Jewish Agency, took place Sunday as French voters went to the polls and elected Francois Hollande as their new president, beating incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy, considered the favored choice in the Jewish community.
“I cannot recall having seen such a massive number of people interested in aliyah since the days when lines of people stretched out of the Israeli embassy in Moscow,” said Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, who attended the fair. The annual fair usually attracts about 2,000 visitors, according to the Jewish Agency.
A new survey conducted in March, of the 500,000-member French Jewish community, the second largest in the Diaspora, found that French Jews have grown so disgusted with anti-Semitism that more than one quarter of them are considering emigrating.
The poll was conducted by The Israel Project, which previously measured American attitudes about Jews and Israel in order to produce pro-Israel ads. According to the poll, 26 percent of those surveyed said they have considered emigrating due to worsening French anti-Semitism.
Of them, 13 percent are “seriously” considering leaving, according to Washington pollster Stan Greenberg, who led the surveys and focus groups.
The mood among French Jews is like a “severe depression,” said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, a founder of The Israel Project.
According to Ynet, official results show that 92.8% of French nationals residing in Israel (9,186) voted for Sarkozy.
The fair in Paris came on the heels of an attack on a Jewish school in Toulouse in which a rabbi and his two young sons and the daughter of the head of the school were killed. In a visit Monday to Toulouse, Sharansky said the Jewish Agency and the Israel Trauma Coalition will send counselors to the Ozar Hatorah school from Israel in the coming days, followed by a delegation of Israeli youth counselors. The professionals are charged with helping the students and their parents, as well as the teaching staff, return to their normal routine following the March attack.
“I came to Toulouse in order to strengthen the children and the community, but also to remind them that the Jewish Agency will strengthen their connection to Israel and assist those who are interested in making aliyah,” said Sharansky, though he added that aliyah should not be based solely on a tragedy like the one in Toulouse.
JTA reports were used in this article.
As for President Obama, do you remember his reply to Sarkozy? Obama is quoted as saying:
"You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you."
If France is a sign of things to come, in November, Obama will also be given a one-way ticket out of the White House and he, too, will no longer have to be concerned about Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Americans have had enough of a socialist as president. Unlike the French, our votes will be directed to remove Obama's socialist agenda. Then, America and Israel will join hands and with one voice, say "Amen!"
As for the growing anti-Semitism in France, the citizens were only following their leader, Sarkozy, in his contempt towards all things "Israel", which included the Jews. The French Jews now seeking Aliyah must have been blind-sided about Sarkozy's true character, much like American Jews were fooled by Obama's "true colors".
"You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you."
If France is a sign of things to come, in November, Obama will also be given a one-way ticket out of the White House and he, too, will no longer have to be concerned about Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Americans have had enough of a socialist as president. Unlike the French, our votes will be directed to remove Obama's socialist agenda. Then, America and Israel will join hands and with one voice, say "Amen!"
As for the growing anti-Semitism in France, the citizens were only following their leader, Sarkozy, in his contempt towards all things "Israel", which included the Jews. The French Jews now seeking Aliyah must have been blind-sided about Sarkozy's true character, much like American Jews were fooled by Obama's "true colors".
To join in the celebration for the Jews able to make Aliyah, here's a lovely little song that is one of my favorites - a song I never tire of listening to - a song an Israeli friend made with translation, just so I would understand the Hebrew. Israel always blesses me.
