Trapped by history: France and its Jews

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

France has witnessed numerous horrific anti-Semitic incidents and attacks on Jews over the past decade, ranging from simple vandalism and graffiti to the attempted demolition of synagogues to murder. Ironically, these events have happened just around the time anti-Semitism among French Christians has decreased to its lowest ebb in modern history. The number of incidents increased dramatically during the intifadas, again with the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and yet again this past winter with the invasion of Gaza. Until the later nineteenth century, France moved between monarchy, empire and the short-lived Second Republic of 1848, and attacks on the Jews still concentrated on the stereotypical Jewish activity of money-landing. The French political community itself will not classify the current wave of anti-Semitism among French Muslim youth as an extension of the Middle East conflict onto European soil.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)24-34
Number of pages11
JournalWorld Affairs
Volume172
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1 2009
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Social Sciences

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