Jews are saying goodbye to the homeland of Rashi and his descendants at a higher rate than ever. In the wake of the horrific terrorist attack that killed four in a Paris kosher supermarket, 25 percent more Jews left to make Aliyah than the year before at this time. In 2014, 4,000 Jews left France compared to 5,100 this year.
The numbers are submitted by the heads of French Jewish organizations to the Israel’s Immigrant Absorption Ministry, Ynet reported. Yair Rosenberg at Tablet, manages to find a silver lining to the exodus: while emigration is up (9,000 are expected by year’s end), the numbers imply that the majority of French Jews, numbering 475,000, are staying put.
“The challenge for the global Jewish community is to support and advocate for those who choose to remain,” Rosenberg wrote.
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.