“Your place is here”

Jewish graves vandalized in Sarre-Union, Photo by Frederick Florin, Getty Images

“Your place is here”

"You, French people of the Jewish faith, your place is here, in your home. France is your country."
"I want to say that France will protect all its children and will tolerate no insult, no outrage, no desecration."
French President Francois Hollande

Pro-Palestinian protest descends into Anti-Semitic violence in France - Vice UK

"This wave of terror attacks can be expected to continue, including anti-Semitic and murderous acts. We say to the Jews, to our brothers and sisters, Israel is your home and that of every Jew. Israel is waiting for you with open arms."
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu

France has the largest Jewish population Europe at 550,000. European Jewish leaders have been warning for years that acts of virulent anti-Semitism have been on the increase. Figures published by the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) recently affirmed the number of anti-Semitic acts in France had doubled last year to 851 -- 241 of which were violent.

By contrast, the demographic from among whom most of the violence, the threats, the propaganda associated with anti-Semitism, and the deadly actions derive, now also represent the largest number of Muslims of any country in Europe. There are now five million Muslims resident in France. And from figures supplied by the council of Muslim organizations, CFCM, anti-Muslim acts fell to 133 in 2014.

Jews who have lived in Europe for over a thousand years have contributed to those societies in meaningful ways; economically, politically, culturally. The Jewish community absorb European nationality while celebrating its Judaic commitment. And in so doing it has never posed a threat to the greater community but sought to integrate itself fully. In comparison, the Muslim demographic isolates itself, agitates for Sharia to prevail, and commits violence against other citizens.

Governments in Europe, while acknowledging the Jewish presence and deploring the rise in anti-Semitism, have done little to address the situation beyond rote assurances of support and concern. The Jewish presence is appreciated, and most European countries genuinely value their Jewish demographic enriching the culture. What they also hugely appreciate is Jewish enterprise.

Jews tend to be better educated than their non-Jewish counterparts. Jews tend to excel in the sciences disproportionately to their numbers. Jews hold more Nobel prize awards than any other ethnic group ever has, in recognition of their brilliance in medicine, economics, the arts, pure science, technology. While representing 0.2% of the world's population, Jews hold 22% of Nobel prizes.

“Race does not come into it. It is pure religion and culture. Something about the cultural tradition of Jews is way, way more sympathetic to science and learning and intellectual pursuits than Islam. That would have been a fair comparison. Ironically, I originally wrote the tweet with Jews and thought, That might give offense. And so I thought I better change it.”  Richard Dawkins

Their influence in financial circles is also noted. And many Jews happen also to be affluent as well as highly educated. While making up less than one percent of the French population, Jews make up 8 percent of the country's billionaires. In the U.K. the Jewish one-half of one percent of the population accounts for 14 percent of its billionaires. The loss of well-educated, affluent Jews would not be welcomed in Europe. Capital flight never is.

History has ample lessons of Jewish flight deleteriously affecting the financial fortunes of countries that have expelled their Jews, from the 13th Century when England issued its Edict of Expulsion, to 14th Century France's expulsions and a century later when Spain and Portugal expelled their Jews the consequences were palpable and financially harmful to the expelling countries. 

Babylonia's King Nebuchadnezzar, recognized the Jewish genius in trade and commerce and welcomed in thousands of Jews to advance his kingdom's administration. Polish kings in the 13th and 15th Centuries likewise issued invitations for Jewish immigration for similar purposes. The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire invited Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492 to Constantinople: "Ye call Ferdinand a wise king he who makes his land poor and ours rich!"

The anti-Semitism now flooding Europe as a result of Muslim immigration and the propaganda of Israel as an oppressor of the Palestinian Arabs abounds with irony. The diaspora occurred as a result of Jews being exiled from their Judaic homeland, Israel, sending refugees fleeing for their lives into Europe and further in the Middle East and North Africa. With the re-creation of Israel in the Jewish state, Jews were once again expelled from Arab and African countries, to return to Israel.

Now, with the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa creating huge numbers of Muslim refugees fleeing Islamist conflict and oppression flooding Europe, Jews who originally sought refuge and found a home there, are being expelled by default as the Muslim hordes express their contempt and hatred for what they perceive as an ancient enemy. And Jews now see fit to return, thousands of years later, to their ancient homeland.

Where better to find refuge than in a land of their heritage, even if they are surrounded by the baleful hatred of traditional foes eager to destroy them? There is safety, encouragement and hope in the numbers of one's own. And not so much among non-Jewish nations whose regard for the security of their Jewish populations is somewhat less than fully committed.