Solidarity Gathering for French Jewry

Hundreds of Jewish leaders from around the world will gather in Paris next week to show their solidarity with the Jews of France in their struggle with ongoing anti-Semitism.

The gathering will be under the aegis of the Board of Governors of The Jewish Agency, convening in that city for the first time, from Sunday, June 26 through Tuesday, June 28.

“This gathering of hundreds of Jewish leaders from around the world is the single greatest expression of the Jewish people’s solidarity with French Jewry,” Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky said.

Stressing that the gathering is not to promote aliyah but chiefly to give moral support to the Jews of France, Sharansky noted: “The Jewish Agency will continue to assist any French Jew who wishes to make his or her home in Israel while simultaneously doing everything in our power to ensure that Jewish life in France grows even stronger and more secure,” he said.

Sharansky himself is scheduled to address the convention, along with several other prominent officials from both Israel and France, including: French Minister of State for Relations with Parliament Jean-Marie Le Guen; Israeli Minister of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver; Israeli Minister of Construction and Housing Yoav Gallant; President of the CRIF (the umbrella of French Jewish communal organizations) Roger Cukierman; President of the Consistoire (the organization responsible for French Jewish religious affairs) Joël Mergui; and other leaders of the local Jewish community.