The French connection

Rarely have cause and effect had a clearer relationship. The prices of
apartments in Israel are skyrocketing because of the riots in France.
Notwithstanding attempts by some commentators to whitewash the riots as the
rational expression of nihilism amongst underprivileged youth, the facts are
that the overwhelming majority of the youth are Muslims and their rioting is
part of a campaign against French culture.
It's true that the rioters have not been specifically targeting synagogues
and other Jewish sites, but they have not spared them either. But, in the
recent past, Jews have been specifically targeted, and for a long time the
French Government ignored the problem, treating it as a mere crime spree.
Now the violence is premeditated, aggressive and national.
Jews in France, the largest community in Europe (500,000), are getting the
message. France is no longer a safe environment for them, with intimidation
rife in schools and universities, on the streets and on public transport.
It is unsafe to be seen as a Jew wearing a magen David or a kippah. So Jews
are voting with their feet. Unlike last time in Europe, when Jews were
trapped in Germany, they are getting out, and they are coming to Israel in
record numbers. Netanya is crowded with French people, French has suddenly
become the most widely heard language here.
Some of the French are assimilated chic Parisiennes, that you can pick out
by their smart dress sense. Others are North African Jews who themselves or
their parents moved to France from Morocco, Tunisia or Algeria in the
1950's-60s rather than come with the rest of their community to Israel. Now
after a generation in France they have had enough. They are opening
restaurants in Netanya: we have a new Moroccan restaurant, a French
patisserie and even a Japanese sushi restaurant opened by a Moroccan Jew.
And they are buying apartments. A large building, the second so-called
'Opera Tower II', a massive gray structure of ca. 18 stories, only just
begun building, is already all sold out, almost entirely to French buyers.
Not all of them are staying or making aliyah. It's impossible to know the
proportion, but I would estimate that 50% are staying or intending to stay
and the rest are returning to France. But, they have an apartment here, in
case they need to get out quickly, an insurance policy. In our building we
have two absentee French owners (out of 9 apts.), who come every few months
to settle their bills, have a short vacation and then return to their
businesses. But, more and more they are sending their children to come and
live here.