Latest Study Finds Half of French Jewry Hides Religious Symbols In Fear of Being Targetted

A recent study by the American Jewish Committee found that nearly half of the Jewish population residing in France usually chooses to hide their religious symbols and identity in fear of being the victim of a brutal antisemitic attack.

Nearly 50 percent of the entire Jewish population in France feels afraid of what may happen to them in case they put their religious symbols on display. According to the study, conducted in late 2021, 85 percent of Jews said that anti-Semitism is widespread, and that number is up nearly 20 points from a similar survey conducted just two years earlier that found 67 percent of French Jews said Jew-hatred was widespread.

Source: The Atlantic

73 percent of Jews have been victims of anti-Semitism. While the vast majority of incidents were derogatory remarks, some 20 percent of the reported incidents were labeled as “physical violence.”

Other findings show the impact these instances are having on religious life. For instance, 41 percent of Jews polled said they avoid displaying mezuzahs and other religious symbols—up from 37 percent in late 2019—and 45 percent of parents ask their children not to tell others they are Jewish.

Additionally, 32 percent of parents say their children have been the target of anti-Semitic insults, with 18 percent say their children have been physically attacked. The study, which also polled non-Jews, found that 64 percent of the general French public believes that anti-Semitism is widespread. That number is up from 47 percent in late 2019. Additionally, nearly a third of French citizens say anti-Semitism is not talked about enough, while 15 percent say it is discussed too much.