French Jews Move Out of Paris Suburbs

JERUSALEM, Israel – Reports from France say the country's Jewish population is leaving Paris suburbs as as anti-Semitic incidents continue.

Francis Kalifat, the newly elected president of CRIF, an umbrella organization of the French Jewish community, said Jews are experiencing the most difficult situation since the end of World War II, one that has led thousands of families to immigrate to Israel.

In the past two years, the French aliyah (immigration to Israel under the Law of Return) has led the rest of the world, with some 8,000 French Jews arriving in Israel in 2015. The Law of Return stipulates that anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent is eligible for Israeli citizenship.

France is one of many European countries that have seen increasing anti-Semitic and anti-Israel rhetoric pervading daily life.

Like other E.U. member nations, including Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland and Spain, rising anti-Israel sentiment appears a byproduct of growing Muslim populations.

In France and elsewhere, Jews have been advised to refrain from wearing clothing or jewelry that identifies them as Jews.