The annual gala dinner of CRIF brought together under the glass roof of a prestigious palace facing the Mediterranean, the elite of the Nice Jewish community, local elected officials, and civil and military authorities.
It was one of those evenings dubbed “the place to be,” and indeed, more than 300 people were there to see and be seen.
The occasion allowed Roger Cukierman, the national president of the association and a prominent figure in this religious community, to deliver some comments on the year about to end, which he described as “tough.”
Indeed, how can we forget the events of January 9th that marked the year and the many anti-Semitic acts that followed, for which the leader hopes to see the perpetrators severely punished as they deserve?
This brings us to the recent regional elections, during which CRIF’s voice was publicly raised to oppose the success of the FN, which Roger Cukierman defines as a “populist and xenophobic party.”
“The result according to our wishes allows us to hold our dinner here in Nice, a city I know well from having lived here during the Second World War, in a calm atmosphere. Otherwise, how could we not express our concerns?”
An experienced man, the CRIF president, who returned to office in 2013 after serving two terms from 2001 to 2007, reflects on current events with an analysis that leaves no room for emotion but instead positions itself with perspective: “The reaction of State services and the mobilization of the population is a good thing and shows that all citizens have understood well where the fight lies: republican values and our way of life against obscurantism and radicalization,” he says in a calm voice.
Continuing: “Now we must act on the causes through national education and the economy to deprive these ‘fanatics’ of the ground where ignorance and this feeling of exclusion, which are the alibi of rebellion, flourish.”
A sensitive topic is the departure to Israel of French Jews, which some want to be massive for security reasons.
Roger Cukierman prefers to stick to the numbers: in 2015, nearly 8,000 people emigrated compared to 7,000 in 2014. An increase that is nothing like an exodus. Moreover, not counting the returns from Israel to France.
“Of course, we know that our community is a primary target for Islamists and I find it legitimate that some decide to leave. But, I believe we must face adversity where it manifests,” analyzes the president.
His conclusion? “Europe faces an enemy attacking its civilization, traditions, and way of life. To combat it, we must be vigilant and react.”
