Assessing the Threat of Antisemitic Harassment and Attack in France—Paris in Focus

Abstract

Reports of antisemitic harassment and attacks against Jews in France have become frequent in the French and international media. However, such reports are mostly anecdotal and provide only limited information on how widespread these attacks are or if they are increasing over time. Has antisemitism become a frequent experience for French Jews? Are certain community members especially targeted? How likely is it that a Jewish visitor to France is attacked? How threatened do Jews feel and what is the impact of the perceived threat? This paper reviews official statistics on antisemitic incidents (1), attitude surveys of the general population in France (2), and surveys among Jews (3). All three indicators have their weaknesses but taken together they can help to assess the threat that Jews in France face today of becoming victim of antisemitic harassment or attacks. Keywords:  France, antisemitism, physical attacks, Orthodox Jews, Paris