French Jews flock to Israel amid rising anti-Semitic attacks

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahusuggested in a Paris synagogue last week that France's Jews should move to Israel, he likely tapped into the fears ofa communityshaken by the recent attack at a kosher market and increasinglyconcerned about their safety.

Before leaving for Paris for the unity rally, Netanyahu took to the airwaves, saying Israelwould welcome Jews from Paris and Europe with "open arms," and thathis government would be seeking toincrease immigration from France and other countries in Europe "that are suffering from terrible anti-Semitism.

And later, at a Paris synagogueamid chants of "Bibi, Bibi,"(Netanyahu's nickname) he repeated his claim, saying that "these days we are blessed with another privilege, a privilege that didnt exist for generations of Jews the privilege to join their brothers and sisters in their historic homeland of Israel.

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His comments,whilesparkingcontroversyamong some European Jewish leaders, certainly resonated with Jewswho have been concerned abouttherise ofanti-Semitismin France, particularly among Islamic extremists, longbefore the attacks.

'Many want to stay'

I think you won't findmany Jews in France who dont ask themselves the question today whether they have a future here," saidSimone Rodan-Benzaquen, the Paris director of the American Jewish Committee, a global Jewish advocacy organization.

"That doesn't necessarily always translate into action, doesn'tnecessarilyalways translate into leaving.Many want tostay, many want to continue to fight because they believe France is their country.Butthe question at least is being asked and that obviously is a problem."

But some Jews in France, which makes up the third largest Jewish population in the world, are more than just asking the questionthey are taking action.

Over the past 10 years, out of a population of around half a million, anaverage of 2,000 to 3,000 Jews have been emigrating to Israel from France each year.

In 2014, the number spiked, andalthough the final numbers haven't been calculated, it's estimated somewhere around 7,000 Jews left for Israel.

This would represent the highest number of Jews to leaveany country in the world, including the U.S., which has a Jewish population 10times the size of France.

"So this is really a moment of quite dramatic increase,"saidSergioDellaPergola, a professor at HebrewUniversitywho is consideredthe leading expert on Jewish demographics. "Were talking more than slightly oneper cent of the population, which is not insignificant,because if you take the U.S. as a country,oneper cent would be threemillion [people].

Proportionately, more Jews left Ukraine in 2014 around 4,000 from a population of 100,000 Jews. But Ukraine is in the middle ofa civil war, while Franceis a functioning stabledemocracy.

10,000 French immigrants to Israel in 2015

Meanwhile,NatanSharansky, head of theJewish Agencypromoting emigration toIsrael, said his estimate for 2015 is 10,000 French immigrants.

"Were still far from an exodus,"Rodan-Benzaquen said, adding, however, those statistics do not take into account Jews who leave for other countries.

"But itdefinitelytranslates into some sortoftrend. Again, those who are stayinghave great great great concerns."

More Jews may be leaving, or planning to leave, following a number of high-profile attacks on Jews and Jewish institutionsin France over the past years.

In 2012, a self-declaredal-Qaedaoperativeon a motorcycleopened fire at a Jewish school in Toulouse, killing a rabbi and his two young sons as they waited for a bus. He then chased down a seven-year-old girl, shooting her dead at point-blank range.

Last summer, during Israels Gaza offensive, pro-Palestinian French youth setfire to cars, pillaged Jewishstores and attackedtwo synagogues in Paris suburbs.

And in December, at least four suspects are alleged tohave specifically targeted a Paris home for robbery because the family insidewas Jewish and believed to have money. Once inside, one of the men raped a 19-year-old woman.

"The feeling of the Jewish population has been a growing lack of security," saidDellaPergola.

527 anti-Semitic acts reported in 1st half of2014

According to France'sJewish Community Protection Service (SPCJ), which records anti-Semitic acts, there were 423 incidents in 2013. For the first half of 2014, 527 acts have been reported.

In the wake of the hostage-taking crises in Paris, which included the attackon thekosher market that left four Jews dead,France has deployed 10,000 troops to protect sensitive sites including Jewish schools, synagogues andneighbourhoods.

Rodan-Benzaquensaid that although France has tough laws on hate speech, the French government needs to do more to tackle radical Islam and addressanti-Semitism online.

"I totally understandFrench Jewswho don't feel safe and want to go to Israel because they don't feel safe here," she said. "I would prefer that this country would make sure that Jews can live in the nation where they have alwaysexisted."