Young members of the French Jewish community have been removing their kippahs and hiding their identities just to feel safe as antisemitic and anti-Israel continue to permeate European society, according to testimonies shared with the French magazine Le Parisien.
Days before the second anniversary of Hamas's October 7 massacre, an anonymous Jewish woman dubbed Deborah said she woke up to the words “dirty Jew!” spray-painted on the exterior of her home.
Deborah told Le Parisien that she no longer tells people she is Jewish when she meets them. “It’s terrible, but it’s almost considered normal now,” she said, "People have cut ties with me since October 7, 2023, just because I'm Jewish."
The 25-year-old recounted an incident that occurred in a university communications class where a classmate, after asking Deborah’s opinion on Israel, told her, “You support them, so you're a genocidal person,” which caused Deborah to burst into tears.
A 'need to hide'
Le Parisien reported that several French Jews they spoke with expressed feeling a “need to hide,” something that they said had not improved following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which was implemented earlier this month.
A French Jewish man using the pseudonym Raphael also shared his experiences with Le Parisien on the condition of anonymity.
Raphael, a film student, told the French outlet that he no longer wears his Kippah daily and, like Deborah, also avoids mentioning his Jewish identity in public.
Antisemitism in academia
Antisemitic rhetoric has insidiously crept into all levels of education in France. Raphael’s mother, a teacher, overheard students warning each other to “watch out, she’s Jewish, she’s a dirty Zionist.” Raphael’s younger sister witnessed classmates tearing down posters meant to spread awareness about antisemitism.
The Union of Jewish Students of France (UEJF) told Le Parisien that they receive daily calls from students reporting antisemitic incidents or ostracization, leading to many opting to leave their original academic institutions of choice.
The National Union of French Students (UNEF) reaffirmed the severity of the issue, sharing that students who attempt to combat antisemitic tensions are also targeted.
According to Le Parisien, the French Ministry of the Interior recorded 1,570 antisemitic incidents in 2024. In the first eight months of 2025, the ministry recorded 889 antisemitic incidents.