ANTISEMITISM-IN-FRANCE.pdf

    ANTISEMITISM-IN-FRANCE.pdf

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    By François Legrand (Group leader of the Ifop Institute),
Simone Rodan-Benzaquen (Director of AJC Europe), 
Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache (Director of AJC Paris) and 
Dominique Reynié, (University Professor at Sciences Po and 
Executive Director of the Fondation pour l’innovation politique)
March 2022
AN ANALYSIS OF
ANTISEMITISM
IN FRANCE
2022 EDITION
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    ANTISEMITISM-IN-FRANCE.pdf - Page 2
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    By François Legrand (Group leader of the Ifop Institute),
Simone Rodan-Benzaquen (Director of AJC Europe), 
Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache (Director of AJC Paris) and 
Dominique Reynié, (University Professor at Sciences Po and 
Executive Director of the Fondation pour l’innovation politique)
March 2022
AN ANALYSIS OF
ANTISEMITISM
IN FRANCE
2022 EDITION
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    EDITORS
Fondation pour l’innovation politique:
Dominique Reynié, Executive Director of the Fondation pour l’innovation politique
AJC:
Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, AJC Europe Director
Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache, AJC Paris Director
PRODUCTION
Fondation pour l’innovation politique:
Victor Delage, Anne Flambert, Katherine Hamilton, 
Camille Jaffiol, Léo Major, Dominique Reynié, Mathilde Tchounikine
AJC:
Julie Decroix, AJC Europe Deputy Director 
Brigitte Guez, AJC Paris Office Manager
COMMUNICATION
Objet H:
Harold Hauzy, Founding President Objet H
Fondation pour l’innovation politique:
Victor Delage
AJC:
Valérie Maupas, AJC Paris Communications Director
TRANSLATION
Ubiqus
PROOFREADING
Alice Candy, Katherine Hamilton
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Julien Rémy
Survey designed by the Fondation pour l’innovation politique and the American Jewish Committee
The survey was conducted by the IFOP Institute
Within the Opinion and Corporate Strategies division
Frédéric Dabi, Deputy Executive Director, Head of Ifop Opinion,
François Legrand, Group leader
AUTHORS OF THE STUDY
François Legrand, Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache, Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Dominique Reynié
PRINTING
Galaxy Imprimeurs
PUBLISHED
March 2022
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    TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART ONE – ANALYSIS
I. Antisemitism, a phenomenon perceived as widespread and growing ......................................5
II. Antisemitic prejudices persist at the heart of French society...................................................5
III. The Muslim population is more affected by the spread of antisemitic ideas ..........................6
IV. French Jews remain highly exposed to antisemitic acts .........................................................7
V. Wearing distinctive signs of Judaism appears to be the main risk factor 
associated with antisemitic aggression.....................................................................................7
VI. The risk associated with distinctive signs of Judaism is so well-known 
that a third of French Jews say they have already opted to avoid 
wearing such signs for their safety ..........................................................................................9
VII. Behaviours of concealing are at their peak amid tensions in the Middle East.................... 10
VIII. Faced with antisemitic violence, the French approve of firm security responses 
and agree on the need to improve judicial .......................................................................... 10
Conclusion................................................................................................................................... 11
SECOND PART – RESULTS
I. Antisemitism: opinions and perceptions of the phenomenon................................................. 12
II. The persistence of antisemitic opinions within the French population ................................. 15
III. Antisemitism in everyday life: 
The state of mind of French people of Jewish faith or culture.............................................. 22
IV. Antisemitic acts: observation and victimisation .................................................................... 25
V. Behaviours of avoidance and strategies of concealing.......................................................... 32
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    From the yellow stars worn by protesters opposed to the health pass to the use by some of the pronoun 
“who” to denounce the supposed stranglehold of Jews in the media, not to mention the notion of Jewish 
conspiracy being revived as an explanation for the coronavirus pandemic, 2021 was marked by an increase 
in antisemitic incidents. While such facts are a reminder of the persistence of prejudice against Jews in 
French society, history teaches us that antisemitism thrives in times of crisis. Thus, nearly two years after 
the start of the health crisis, we felt it was essential to carry out a broad study to draw up a detailed and 
dispassionate diagnosis of this phenomenon.
What is the scale of prejudice against Jews in French society in 2021? Is the health crisis accompanied 
by a surge in antisemitism in public opinion? How do the French view this phenomenon? To what extent 
are French Jews concerned about the violence targeting them? How does this violence unfold? To try to 
answer these questions, we have built an exceptional survey system. Exceptional in size: we conducted the 
survey in parallel with two specific samples – people of Jewish faith, people of Muslim faith – and with an 
overall sample, representative of the French population as a whole, the latter also allowing us to look at 
other subcategories of the population: French Catholics, young people, groups of French people classified 
according to their geographical area, socioeconomic criteria, political affinities or even according to their 
preferred sources of information. This study is also exceptional in terms of the diversity of the themes 
addressed: exposure and observations of violent acts, opinions regarding Israel, the Holocaust, prejudices 
against Jews, etc. are all key topics to be examined in an attempt to shed a new light on antisemitism1.
1. See Rudy Reichstadt, “Pancarte ‘Mais qui ?’ : ‘L’antisémitisme auquel nous sommes confrontés avance en oblique, il 
prend des détours’”, interviewed by William Audureau, lemonde.fr, 10 August 2021 (www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2021/08/10/pancarte-mais-qui-l-antisemitisme-auquel-nous-sommes-confrontes-avance-en-oblique-il- prend-desdetours_6091082_4355770.html).
AN ANALYSIS OF
ANTISEMITISM
IN FRANCE
2022 EDITION
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    METHODOLOGICAL BIAS
• A barometric method
The study An analysis of antisemitism in France, 2022 edition is a continuation of the work undertaken 
by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Fondation pour l’innovation politique, with IFOP since 
2014. Most of the questions administered in 2019 during the last edition were repeated identically, in 
order to identify any changes in the behaviour and opinions expressed.
• A mirror survey
We have chosen to administer a certain number of questions identically to a control sample of 1,509 
people (representative of the French population as a whole) and to a representative sample of people 
of Muslim faith or culture living in France (501 people). Respondents of Jewish faith or culture (sample 
521) were asked about their exposure to antisemitism. Mirroring this, we gave the other two samples 
questions on observing antisemitic acts. Questions relating to prejudice towards Jews, the perception 
of Israel or the Holocaust were asked to representative samples of the French population and Muslims 
living in France. In order to guarantee comparability between the three samples, we have ensured 
that the surveys have the same characteristics in terms of temporality; they were administered in 
December 2021 – indicators; the questions were administered identically – and according to the same 
collection method; via the Internet. Given the sensitive nature of the topics addressed, conducting 
“self-administered” surveys online seemed entirely appropriate to us in order to mitigate possible 
social desirability bias 2.
• The sampling method used for religious minorities
Respondents of Jewish faith or culture:
Due to the ban on the collection of “religious” data in mainland France (the last official census of religion 
dates back to 1872), public statistics (INSEE, INED) do not provide the sociodemographic structure of 
people of Jewish faith. In this context, IFOP has chosen to isolate a subsample of 521 French people who 
declare themselves to be of Jewish faith or culture based on the aggregate of representative national 
samples corresponding to a total of 34,800 people representative of the French population aged 18 
and over. The representativeness of the cumulative sample was ensured by the quota method (gender, 
age, profession of the interviewee) after stratification by region and conurbation category.
Respondents of Muslim faith or culture:
Due to the absence of official statistical data enabling the establishment of quotas and/or adjustment 
variables for people of Muslim faith, IFOP determined these quotas based on the Ifop-Institut Montaigne 
study carried out by telephone from 13 April to 23 May 2016 on a representative national sample of 
15,459 people aged 15 and over living in mainland France. The representativeness of this national 
representative sample of 15,459 people was ensured by the quota method based on sociodemographic 
(gender, age), socio-professional (profession), geographical (administrative region, size of urban unit, 
proportion of immigrants in the municipality or district of residence) and civic (nationality) criteria.
2. Social desirability bias refers to the tendency of respondents to under-report certain opinions that are deemed to be contrary 
to the prevailing morality.
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    PART ONE - ANALYSIS
I. ANTISEMITISM, A PHENOMENON 
PERCEIVED AS WIDESPREAD 
AND GROWING
The first lesson from this survey is that antisemitism 
appears to be a phenomenon of which the French are 
well-aware. Two-thirds of respondents believe it is 
widespread (64%) and increasing (64%). This finding 
is shared across all levels of French society, regardless 
of the age, gender, social category or religion of the 
respondents.
The scale of the phenomenon is even more widely 
recognised by French people of Jewish faith or culture, 
almost all of whom believe that these attitudes are 
widespread (85%) and have been increasing over the 
past ten years (73%).
Rejection of Israel (53%) and Islamist 
ideas (48%) are perceived by the French 
population on the whole to be the two 
main causes of antisemitism. This feeling 
converges with that of the French Jews, since 
these two causes are also the most cited 
(62% and 45% respectively). Conspiracy 
theories and far-right ideas come in third and fourth 
positions for both categories of the public: conspiracy 
theories are cited in third place by 17% of all French 
people and 18% French Jews; ideas from the far-right are 
cited in fourth place by 20% of all French people and 16% 
of French Jews.This attests to a unanimous observation 
of the importance of so-called “contemporary” forms of 
antisemitism in French society.
As in 2019, antisemitism remains widely perceived, both 
by French Jews (77%) and the whole French population 
(73%), as a problem that concerns not only Jews but 
society altogether. Finally, the proportion of French 
people who believe that there is not enough talk about 
antisemitism has increased significantly compared to 
2019 (34%, +8 points).
II. ANTISEMITIC PREJUDICES 
PERSIST AT THE HEART 
OF FRENCH SOCIETY
Antisemitic prejudices exist among a significant 
proportion of French people, between a quarter and 
a third depending on the type of prejudice. While the 
increase in antisemitic incidents in 2020 and 2021 in 
the context of spreading conspiracy theories might 
indicate increased prejudice towards Jews in French 
public opinion, the results of this survey indicate stability 
over time.
The prevalence of antisemitic views has not increased 
with the health crisis. The idea that “Jews are richer 
than the average French person” is met with agreement 
among 30% of respondents, a stable proportion 
compared to 2016 (31%). 
The notion that Jews have too much power 
in the fields of the economics and finance 
(26% of respondents) or the media (24%) 
remain at a high level but still close to that 
measured in surveys prior to the Covid-19 
crisis. The idea that Jews have too much 
power in the areas of economics and finance is shared by 
more than a third of respondents who have a favourable 
impression of anti-vaccine ideas (37% versus 26% for 
the whole population).
Paradoxically, the proportion of French people who 
recognise their own antipathy towards Jews is low (5%), 
down (-4 points compared to 2016) and much lower 
than that measured for other minorities such as Muslims 
(21%) or Roma (34%).
However, the analysis of the results shows that certain 
segments of the population are very receptive to 
antisemitic allegations. Men and French people over the 
age of 65 are thus generally more inclined to harbour 
prejudices against Jews, and all are generally more 
receptive to racist and homophobic ideas. The spread 
of antisemitic prejudices is also more widespread on the 
far left and on the far right. Thus, the assertion that “the 
Jews have too much power in the areas of the economy 
and finance” is shared by 33% of respondents who vote 
for Jean-Luc Mélenchon and by 34% of those close to 
La insoumise, by 39% of Marine Le Pen’s electorate 
and by 33% of those close to Rassemblement national, 
compared with 26% across the entire population. 
However, a significant development is worth noting: for 
supporters of La France insoumise, endorsement of the 
idea that “Jews have too much power in the areas of 
64% of respondents 
believe that 
antisemitism is 
widespread and 
increasing.
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    the economy and finance” in 2021 (34%) is at the same 
level as measured in 2014 (33%), while for supporters of 
Rassemblement national, this idea is in sharp decline, 
from 50% in 2014 to 33% in 20211. 
Hatred of Israel is widely seen as the primary source 
of antisemitism. Nevertheless, the so-called “dual 
allegiance” accusation, that Jews are more loyal to 
Israel than to France is considered a legitimate criticism 
(39%). There are as many French people who 
like to legitimately accuse the Jews of being 
responsible for the policies of Israel (33%) 
as there are French people who consider 
that this is an antisemitic opinion (34%) 
or French people who do not know (33%), 
testifying to the difficulties in understanding 
the phenomenon of this “new antisemitism” 
linked to hatred of Israel, which has complex 
motives.
Furthermore, it should be noted that 49% of the French 
have a positive image of Israel (compared to 22% who 
have a negative one), with the notable exception of 
those close to La France insoumise who are significantly 
more likely than average to have a negative impression 
of the country (38%, while 37% of respondents close to 
La France insoumise say they have a positive image of 
Israel). 30% of La France insoumise voters (compared 
to 16% across all French people) believe that using old 
antisemitic prejudices to refer to Israelis is a legitimate 
criticism rather than an antisemitic opinion; 43% 
(compared to 33% across all French people) believe that 
accusing Jews of being responsible for Israel’s policies is 
also a legitimate criticism. Moreover, 70% of La France 
insoumise voters spoke out (compared with 40% for all 
French people) against the bans on protests organised 
in support of the Palestinian cause due to the risk of 
antisemitic outbursts.
1. Dominique Reynié (dir.), Anti-Semitic Attitudes in France: New Insights, Fondation pour l’innovation politique, March 2015, p. 28 
(www.fondapol.org/en/study/anti-semitic-attitudes-in-france-new-insights/).
2. Ibid, p. 21.
3. See Mehdi Ghouirgate, Iannis Roder and Dominique Schnapper, France : les Juifs vus par les musulmans. Entre stéréotypes et 
méconnaissances, Fondation pour l’innovation politique, May 2017 (www.fondapol.org/etude/france-les-jeifs-vus-par-les- musulmans-entre-stereotypes-et-meconnaissances/).
III. THE MUSLIM POPULATION IS 
MORE AFFECTED BY THE SPREAD OF 
ANTISEMITIC IDEAS
According to our data, 15% of Muslims admit to 
experiencing antipathy for Jews, a proportion 10 points 
higher than that measured across the French population. 
Even more so, it is with regard to adherence to prejudices 
that the differences with the general public 
are the most striking. The idea of Jewish 
control over the media (54%, +30 points 
compared to the French population as a 
whole) or in the economy and in finance 
(51%, +27 points) is thus shared by more 
than one out of every two Muslim people. 
The detailed analysis of the results 
invalidates the hypothesis of antisemitism 
attributable to socioeconomic ideas. Indeed, levels 
of adherence to prejudices are also very high among 
executives or graduates of higher education. Antisemitic 
views are also widespread among both Muslims from 
the Maghreb and those from sub-Saharan Africa. As 
we noted in our 2014 survey, adherence to prejudice is 
linked to the intensity of attendance at places of worship: 
for example, 61% of Muslims who visit the mosque 
every week believe that “Jews have too much power 
in the areas of the economy and finance”, compared 
to 40% of those who are non-observant 2. However, 
among Muslims, some antisemitic prejudices are less 
widespread among new generations. For example, 60% 
of Muslims over the age of 50 believe that “Jews have too 
much power in the media”, compared to 40% of Muslims 
aged 18-24. Similarly, 59% of Muslims over the age of 
50 believe that “Jews have too much power in the fields 
of the economy and finance” compared to 34% of 18-24 
year-olds.
An in-depth analysis of the results provides a better 
understanding of the rationale behind this antisemitism. 
The AJC-Fondation pour l’innovation politique qualitative 
study, administered by IFOP in 2017, showed that some 
Muslims spontaneously expressed the feeling of being 
wronged by the media and the public authorities 3. Some 
respondents interviewed in semi-structured interviews 
explained that French Jews benefited from “preferential 
treatment” which, according to these people, took the 
form of indignation expressed more zealously by the 
media and public authorities against antisemitic acts 
than against attacks targeting Muslims. 
60% of Muslims 
over the age of 50 
believe that 
“Jews have too 
much power 
in the media”.
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    The results of the survey allowed us to measure, at least 
in part, the weight of such opinions in the French Muslim 
population. More than a third of respondents believe 
that there is too much talk of antisemitism (36%), a 
result that is much higher than that measured for the 
French population on the whole (15%). Furthermore, 
it is interesting to note that the report to the Sarah 
Halimi case differs quite significantly depending on 
the two samples: while the court decision has inspired 
widespread misunderstanding and disapproval (72%) 
among French public opinion on the whole, significantly 
fewer Muslim respondents share this misunderstanding 
and disapproval (56%).
Over the last twenty years or so, there has been an 
increase in the number of testimonies from history 
teachers who report growing difficulties in teaching 
the memory of the Holocaust. The issues of memorial 
competition are at the heart of the return of antisemitic 
discourse, as demonstrated by the trajectory of the 
comedian Dieudonné or the indigenous movements. 
The polemicist has gradually shifted to a claimed 
antisemitism, blaming his inability in 2005 to obtain 
subsidies for the production of a film on the slave trade 
on “Zionists” and the “Jewish lobby”. We have therefore 
attempted to understand the weight of these issues 
related to “competition for memory” among the French 
population. The idea that commemorating the Holocaust 
prevents other tragedies from being taken into account 
in history resonates with a third of French people (35%), 
but it is much more widespread among French people of 
Muslim faith (59%).
It should also be noted that this more general idea 
that “too much is being done” about antisemitism, 
while generally less and less widespread among French 
people on the whole, persists in certain categories of the 
population: those who obtain their information via blogs 
or forums on the Internet are the most likely to think that 
there is too much talk of antisemitism (27%, compared 
with 15% on average for the whole population), as well 
as those who vote for La France insoumise (22%), or for 
Rassemblement national (20%) and supporters of the 
anti-vaccine movement (22%).
4. A third (32%) of respondents said they always or often wear distinctive distinctive signs of Judaism.
IV. FRENCH JEWS REMAIN HIGHLY 
EXPOSED TO ANTISEMITIC ACTS
Data on victimisation collected in this second edition of 
the analysis of antisemitism confirms the observation 
made in 2019: this directly affects a significant proportion 
of French people of Jewish faith or culture. Two-thirds of 
respondents report experiencing “derogatory mockery 
or vexatious remarks” (68%, 50% “repeatedly”). This 
mockery, which most Jews have faced, mostly takes 
the form of light-hearted jokes. Thus, 42% of French 
people but 54% of young people aged 18 to 24 say they 
have already witnessed such antisemitic comments. Of 
course, this “derogatory mockery” cannot be put on the 
same level as violent acts, but their scale testifies to the 
persistence within French society of the types of oldfashioned prejudices that Jews frequently face.
The results of the survey show that antisemitic acts 
perpetrated against Jews are not limited to inappropriate 
jokes, but also take the form of more serious acts, such 
as insults (53% in 2021, compared with 48% in 2019), 
threats of assault (24% in 2021, compared with 22% in 
2019), theft and damage (22% in 2021 and 2019) and 
physical assault (20% in 2021, 23% in 2019). Analysis of 
the data collected as part of this survey makes it possible 
to accurately identify how and where this violence takes 
place.
V. WEARING DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF 
JUDAISM APPEARS TO BE THE MAIN 
RISK FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH 
ANTISEMITIC AGGRESSION
In 2016, after a Jewish teacher wearing a kippa was 
assaulted in Marseille, the president of the city’s Israeli 
Consistory called on his co-religionists to stop wearing 
the headgear “until better days.” In this case, the data 
collected in this survey show that wearing distinctive 
signs of Judaism appears to be the main “risk factor” 
associated with attacks: 70% of respondents who 
wear distinctive signs of Judaism have been insulted 
(systematically or often 4), compared to 39% of those 
who rarely or never wear them. The gap is even greater 
with regard to exposure to threats of physical aggression 
(39% versus 13%).
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    Religious signs worn by women are often 
more discreet than those worn by men, and 
they are especially less distinctive. In other 
words, wearing the kippa is accompanied 
by an almost automatic identification in 
public space, which is not always the case 
with the distinctive signs of Judaism that 
are worn by women. We thus analysed the 
results more specifically on the basis of men 
wearing distinctive signs of Judaism, bearing 
in mind that these signs are not limited to the 
kippa, which is the most visible, but also include other 
much more discreet signs such as wearing a pendant 
with the Star of David. The data show that the latter 
are even more widely affected by assaults: 38% state 
that they have already been physically assaulted. It is 
therefore understood that people with signs that express 
their belonging to the Jewish religion or culture are 
overexposed to antisemitic acts and, in fact, are much 
more affected by the most serious attacks. Moreover, the 
analysis of the data shows that the modus operandi is not 
the same in the case of an attack on a Jew wearing these 
distinctive signs. Our survey shows that these antisemitic 
attacks most often take place on the streets (68%) and 
on public transport (57%), whereas conversely, violence 
perpetrated against people of Jewish faith or culture 
who do not wear signs of religious affiliation takes place 
mainly in schools (57%).
In our previous study in November 2019, we highlighted 
the fact that it is young French Jews who are the most 
exposed to antisemitism. 63% of 18-24 year olds said 
they had been victims of verbal abuse (compared with 
53%), 46% said they had been victims of threats or insults 
on social media (compared with 28%) and 26% said they 
had been physically attacked (compared with 20%).
More generally, 60% of victims report having been 
assaulted in school (including 42% on several occasions), 
an increase compared to 2019 (54%), making schools 
the primary place of exposure to antisemitic violence, 
ahead of assaults that take place on the street (50%), 
a figure that decreased compared to 2019 (55%) – a 
drop that must probably be attributed to the effects 
of Covid-19 and to the various lockdowns –, ahead of 
social media networks (42%), the workplace (41%) or in 
the halls of buildings (35%).
Events taking place in the homes of those concerned 
occur mostly during Shabbat. They include practising 
Jews (44%) who refrain from using digital keypads. The 
occurrence of assaults in schools probably explains why 
young people are more affected by violence than older 
people (26% of those under 25 say they have been 
physically assaulted, compared to 11% of those over 65). 
It should be noted that these under-25s 
went to school in the early 2000s, a 
period corresponding to a resurgence of 
antisemitic acts in France.
While insults, mockery and threats occur 
primarily in schools and public spaces 
(for Jews wearing religious symbols), 
social media also appears to be a place 
of exposure for expressions of antisemitic 
hatred. Thus, the antisemitic events 
reported by respondents were first observed on social 
media (48%). Moreover, 28% of French Jews report 
having already been threatened on social networks, 
a proportion that reaches 46% for those under 25 
years of age. Finally, it should be noted that while the 
workplace is still only marginally taken into account by 
antisemitism prevention programmes, it is not spared 
from expressions of antisemitism, as 41% of French Jews 
surveyed report.
Our survey highlights a major phenomenon concerning 
the way in which French Jews react to antisemitism when 
they are victims of it, namely an almost complete absence 
of filed complaints: some 80% of French Jews state that 
they have not filed a complaint following an antisemitic 
attack. It is important to be aware of this figure because 
it constitutes the main bias in the measurement of the 
actual level of antisemitism in France, since the data on 
antisemitic acts recorded annually by the Ministry of the 
Interior, in conjunction with the statistics collected by the 
Jewish Community Protection Service (SPCJ), only take 
into account the number of filed complaints.
VI. THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH 
DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM 
IS SO WELL-KNOWN THAT A THIRD 
OF FRENCH JEWS SAY THEY HAVE 
ALREADY OPTED TO AVOID WEARING 
SUCH SIGNS FOR THEIR SAFETY
It is clear that the risk associated with wearing these 
distinctive signs is well-understood by French Jews, 
some of whom even believe that wearing a kippa is 
tantamount to “provoking” an attack. More than a 
third of respondents report that they sometimes avoid 
wearing a dress style that links them to Judaism (35% 
in 2021, compared with 33% in 2019). This choice even 
applies to the 46% who usually wear these distinctive 
signs of Judaism at least occasionally.
60% of victims report 
being assaulted at 
school (including 42% 
repeatedly), making 
schools the first place 
where one is exposed 
to antisemitic 
violence.
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    Even more frequently, 41% of respondents avoid 
displaying symbols such as a mezouza 5. Indeed, our 
data show that after being the victim of such a serious 
act, people become more cautious, with these avoidance 
behaviours that become the norm. And while some 
French Jews avoid, at least in certain circumstances, 
revealing their religion, they more often instruct their 
children to adopt such avoidance behaviours.
This analysis of antisemitism allows us to measure 
the proportion of French Jews questioned about 
their experience of insecurity linked to their religious 
affiliation. In 2021, more than a third of Jews surveyed 
(37%) say they feel insecure “often” or 
“from time to time”, a proportion which has 
increased compared to 2019 (+4 points). 
Analysis of the profile of people of Jewish 
faith or culture most affected by this feeling 
shows that it is women (40%), people 
belonging to working-class categories 
(50%), residents of middle-class suburbs 
(43%) or practising Jews (51%). Furthermore, the feeling 
of insecurity because of one’s religion appears to be 
much more widespread among parents with children in 
school. The frequency of attacks in schools – as attested 
to by our survey – is known within the Jewish community, 
and it is reflected in a strong sense of insecurity among 
parents. A third (32%) of parents report that their child 
has already been the victim of antisemitic slurs and 18% 
of physical assaults. When an antisemitic attack occurs, 
the feeling of insecurity expressed by parents reaches 
72% of respondents.
The fear of having one’s child suffer attacks changes the 
behaviour of those interviewed. While about a third of 
those surveyed say they adopt concealment behaviours 
for themselves, these behaviours become the majority 
in families with schoolchildren: 55% of parents ask their 
children not to wear these distinctive signs and 45% not 
to say they are Jewish. 
Indeed, the feeling of insecurity reaches very high 
proportions (62%) among parents who have chosen 
a private Jewish establishment (compared to 37% 
across the whole sample) 6, while objectively children 
are probably more protected in these establishments; 
it is therefore understood that the feeling of insecurity 
probably preceded and motivated the choice of school.
The results of the survey show that 46% of French Jews 
have already considered leaving France. While this 
figure remains significant, it is down 6 points compared 
5. A mezouza is an object attached to the door of the homes to indicate that it is a “Jewish house”; it has a religious function of 
protection.
6. It should be noted that there are similar figures relating to private Catholic institutions that many Jewish parents also select. 
Faced with fears for their children, opposition between public institutions deemed more dangerous and private institutions deemed more protective plays a decisive role in parents’ choice of education.
to 2019 (52%). In addition, the reasons given for their 
planned departures have changed since our survey in 
2019. Indeed, the proportion of French Jews who plan to 
leave France due to fears about their future as Jews has 
decreased, going from 21% in 2019 to 13% in 2021. At the 
same time, the more positive reasons, such as cultural or 
religious reasons, for considering such a departure have 
risen sharply, from 6% in 2019 to 12% in 2021.
VII. BEHAVIOURS OF CONCEALING 
ARE AT THEIR PEAK AMID 
TENSIONS IN THE MIDDLE 
EAST
Rejection of Israel is seen by French people 
of Jewish faith or culture as the leading 
cause of antisemitism in France. In fact, 
the chronological analysis of violent antisemitic acts 
shows that the increase in attacks is linked to periods 
of tension in the Middle East. In 2014, according to the 
SPCJ, antisemitic acts and threats recorded during the 
first seven months of the year jumped from 276 to 527. 
This doubling of recorded antisemitic acts occurred 
in the context of renewed tensions in the Middle East 
related to the Israeli intervention “Protective Edge”.
The attacks and insults occurred in particular on the 
margins of protests in support of the Palestinian cause, 
such as in Sarcelles in 2014, where demonstrators 
engaged in looting and vandalism that targeted shops 
in the city’s Jewish quarter. The results of our new survey 
show that French Jews have fully assimilated the fact that 
tensions in the Middle East have resulted in increased risk. 
Thus, 55% of French Jews surveyed said they felt more at 
risk during periods of confrontation between Israelis and 
Palestinians. This impression of greater danger is felt by 
nearly three-quarters (72%) of French Jews surveyed 
who wear religious symbols. Similarly, it is during such 
periods that avoidance and concealment behaviours 
reach their peak: 49% of French Jews surveyed said 
they avoided going to certain neighbourhoods, with 
this proportion rising to 63% among Jews bearing signs 
indicating their religious affiliation. Nearly half of all Jews 
(47%) avoid wearing religious signs during such periods, 
while nearly 4 in 10 Jews (40%) say that these contexts of 
tension in the Middle East lead them to avoid indicating 
their religion.
55% of parents ask 
their children not to 
wear these distinctive 
signs and 45% not to 
say they are Jewish.
9
AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
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    VIII. FACED WITH ANTISEMITIC 
VIOLENCE, THE FRENCH APPROVE 
OF FIRM SECURITY RESPONSES AND 
AGREE ON THE NEED TO IMPROVE 
JUDICIAL RESPONSES
French people in general, including French Jews, have 
accepted that the persistence of antisemitic incidents 
should lead to additional public policy precautions. Thus, 
a majority (60% for French people on the whole and 
79% for French Jews) approved of the decision to ban 
protests in support of the Palestinian cause in May 2021 
due to the risk of antisemitic outbursts. This decision is 
important because it marks a shift in the implementation 
of a “zero tolerance” policy that many actors in the fight 
against antisemitism have been advocating for over 
time. Over the last twenty years, scenes of antisemitic 
unrest during street protests (cries of “Death to the 
Jews” in the streets of Paris, the attack on the synagogue 
on Rue de la Roquette, incidents of extreme violence in 
Sarcelles, etc.) have left an impression.
In the recent case of the antisemitic murder trial of Sarah 
Halimi, which had greatly moved French public opinion 
and shocked French Jews, it is particularly enlightening to 
note that, across the population, this court decision was 
disapproved by a large majority of respondents (72%). 
This case, in which developments are still continuing to 
happen relating to the conclusions of the parliamentary 
committee which is examining it, has allowed us to 
highlight the necessary improvements in the field of 
law. This tragedy has generated widespread outrage, 
heightened by the feeling that there is a form of impunity 
for antisemitic behaviour and that difficulties arise when 
it comes to apprehending the perpetrators, including 
when these antisemitic behaviours are criminal in nature.
CONCLUSION
The health crisis has not been accompanied by the 
surge in antisemitism that some may have feared. 
However, negative stereotypes about Jews are still 
present in French public opinion. While the proportions 
have remained stable since our 2019 survey, it remains 
important to remember that between a quarter and 
a third of our fellow citizens share these antisemitic 
prejudices. This new analysis of antisemitism confirms 
the persistence of antisemitism at the heart of French 
society.
French people of the Jewish faith do not suffer from a 
poor image and instead represent one of the most 
accepted minorities in French public opinion. In other 
words, the proportion of French people expressing 
antipathy or even hatred towards Jews is probably lower 
now than it has been in the past.
Yet this does not diminish the brutal reality of 
antisemitism and its potentially dramatic consequences 
for both the daily lives of French Jews and the country 
as a whole. Antisemitism in France mainly stems from 
particular segments of the French population. These 
segments are minor but particularly active. Antisemitism 
is particularly widespread among French people close to 
the Rassemblement national and La France insoumise; 
it is also more prevalent among respondents of Muslim 
faith or culture, particularly among those who declare 
themselves to be observant, especially those who visit 
places of worship most assiduously.
The health crisis has also seen the emergence of a 
protest movement – anti-vaccine sympathisers – who 
are more prone to antisemitic prejudices. The results 
of our survey confirm the driving role of these forms of 
protest and social networks in the production and spread 
of antisemitic hatred. However, these results cannot 
be attributed to the lockdown nor the pandemic, since 
we had already recorded the role of social networks in 
our previous surveys in 2014 and 2019. The antisemitic 
experience of French people of Jewish faith or culture 
is difficult and painful. Most French Jews (74%) say 
they have experienced antisemitic behaviour in their 
lifetime, from mockery to physical aggression, verbal 
insults or threats. Our survey confirms a very worrying 
fact: identification as a Jew in the French public space is 
a risk factor and tends to expose people to violence. It 
is therefore understandable why so many French Jews 
hide their religion. The fear of being possibly subjected 
to antisemitic behaviour at any time is greatest among 
parents who fear for their children. Therefore, they 
educate them to adapt or change their behaviour. It is in 
schools that assaults take place most frequently. Jewish 
families have understood this and often ask their children 
not to carry recognisable signs of their Jewishness, and 
even to avoid revealing that they are Jewish. This is why 
these families are increasingly schooling their children 
in religious institutions, be they Catholic or Jewish. The 
French schooling system has allowed citizens of all faiths 
to “make a nation” for decades, but this function, which 
is essential to the schooling system, to the Republic and 
the country, is now under threat.
10
    14/52
    Overall, French people seem to have understood this. 
The results of our survey testify to this; by the general 
indignation provoked by the murder of Sarah Halimi 
and the events surrounding the trial of her murderer; by 
the majority approval, in spring 2021, of the decision to 
ban protests in order to prevent consequent antisemitic 
outbursts.
French people seem to understand that antisemitism is 
not only a problem for French Jews but one that concerns 
society as a whole; that its institutions, culture and values 
would not withstand the increase in antisemitism. An 
increase in awareness is possible. Faced with a return of 
antisemitism after almost twenty-five years, our survey 
shows that a fair, strong, effective and lasting collective 
response is now necessary, and that it has become 
possible.
11
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    15/52
    The feeling that antisemitism is a widespread and growing phenomenon (in %)
The feeling that antisemitism is talked about too much, enough or not enough (in %)
Question: “In your opinion, is the phenomenon of antisemitism in France today…?”
Responses: “yes, absolutely” and “yes, somewhat”
Question: “In your opinion, do we talk too much, enough or not enough about the problem of antisemitism in France?”
ALL RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH 
OR CULTURE
ALL RESPONDENTS
85 Widespread 64
73 Increasing 64
Too much 15
Enough 51
Not enough 34
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
2019
26
2022
34
I. ANTISEMITISM: OPINIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE PHENOMENON
PART TWO – RESULTS
12
    16/52
    RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH 
OR CULTURE
RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH 
OR CULTURE
ALL RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS OF 
CATHOLIC FAITH OR CULTURE
Rejection, hatred of Israel
Conspiracy theories
Far-left ideas
Islamist ideas
Far-right ideas
62
45
35
28
21
53
48
37
36
13
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
The perception of the causes of antisemitism in France [1/2] (in %)
The perception of the causes of antisemitism in France [2/2] (in %)
Question: “What do you think is the cause of antisemitism in France? First? Second?” 
Responses: total quotes
Question: “What do you think is the cause of antisemitism in France? First? Second?”
Responses: total quotes
Far-right ideas
Conspiracy theories
Far-left ideas
Rejection, hatred of Israel
Islamist ideas
49
46
46
20
13
34
53
34
54
14
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
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    RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH 
OR CULTURE
ALL RESPONDENTS
Antisemitism is a problem for 
everyone because it concerns 
society as a whole
72 77 73 73
7 4 Do not know 19 19
Antisemitism is only a problem 
for Jews and does not concern 
society as a whole
21 19 8 8
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
The feeling that antisemitism only affects Jews or society as a whole (in %)
Question: “Which of the following opinions do you agree with the most?”
2019 Reminder 2019 Reminder
14
    18/52
    ALL RESPONDENTS
Homosexuals 40 7 53
Foreigners in general 29 9 62
Jews 36 5 59
North Africans 23 20 57
Black people 34 9 57
Roma 12 34 54
Asians 39 6 55
Muslims 24 21 55
Protestants 35 4 61
Turks 23 19 58
 Rather sympathetic Rather antipathetic Neither sympathy nor antipathy
3 Muslims 26
20 Roma 41
17 Homosexuals 7
15 Jews 4
11 Turks 22
10 North Africans 24
10 Black people 9
8 Foreigners in general 8
7 Asians 4
6 Protestants 2
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH
OR CULTURE
RESPONDENTS OF CATHOLIC FAITH
OR CULTURE
Sympathy or antipathy experienced for different categories or groups of people [1/2] (in %)
Sympathy or antipathy experienced for different categories or groups of people [2/2] (in %)
Question: “For each of these categories or groups of people, tell me if you feel sympathy or antipathy towards them or 
neither sympathy nor antipathy?”
Question: “For each of these categories or groups of people, tell me if you feel sympathy or antipathy towards them or 
neither sympathy nor antipathy?”
Response: “rather antipathetic”
II. THE PERSISTENCE OF ANTISEMITIC OPINIONS WITHIN THE FRENCH POPULATION
15
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    Change in the proportion of French people who believe that 
Jews are unfairly attacked when things go wrong
2014 2016 2019 2021 2022
46
57 66
53 57
Change in the proportion of French people who believe that
Jews are very united
2016 2019 2021 2022
74 72 68 72
Change in the proportion of French people who believe that
Jews are richer than the average French person
2016 2019 2021 2022
31 27 30 30
Change in the proportion of French people who believe that 
Jews today draw advantage from their status as victims of 
the Nazi genocide during World War II
2014 2016 2019 2021 2022
35 32
20 24 30
Endorsement of certain prejudices concerning Jews [1/5] (in %)
Changes since 2014
Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:”
Change in the proportion of French people who believe that 
Jews have too much power in the fields of economics and 
finance
2014 2016 2019 2021 2022
25 24 21 23 26
Change in the proportion of French people who believe that 
Jews have too much power in the field of politics
2014 2016 2019 2021 2022
19 19 14 14 19
Change in the proportion of French people who believe that
Jews have too much power in the media
2014 2016 2019 2021 2022
22 25 21 19 24
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
ALL RESPONDENTS
16
    20/52
    RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH 
OR CULTURE
RESPONDENTS OF 
CATHOLIC FAITH OR CULTURE
72
19
72
19
30
57
26
10
30
57
26
10
24
30
24
30
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Endorsement for certain prejudices concerning Jews [3/5] (in %)
Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:”
Response: “Agree”
Jews are very united
Jews today draw advantage from their status 
as victims of the Nazi genocide 
during World War II
Jews are richer than 
the average French person
Jews are responsible 
for many economic crises
Jews have too much power in politics
Jews have too much power in the media
Jews are unfairly attacked 
when things go wrong
Jews have too much power in the fields 
of economics and finance
68
54
53
51
42
40
40
24
82
29
35
29
20
34
65
11
 Agree Disagree Do not know
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Jews are very united 72 8 20
Jews are unfairly attacked 
when things go wrong 57 19 24
Jews are richer than the average 
French person 30 35 35
Jews today draw advantage from their status 
as victims of the Nazi genocide 
during World War II
30 42 28
Jews have too much power in the fields 
of economics and finance 26 39 35
Jews have too much power in the media 24 42 34
Jews have too much power in politics 19 46 35
Jews are responsible 
for many economic crises 10 56 34
Endorsement for certain prejudices concerning Jews [2/5] (in %)
Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:”
ALL RESPONDENTS
Overall 
average
Overall 
average
17
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    LFI SUPPORTERS RN SUPPORTERS
72
19
72
19
30
57
26
10
30
57
26
10
24
30
24
30
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Endorsement for certain prejudices concerning Jews [4/5] (in %)
Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:”
Response: total “agree”
Jews are very united
Jews today draw advantage from their status 
as victims of the Nazi genocide 
during World War II
Jews are richer
than the average French person
Jews are responsible 
for many economic crises
Jews have too much power in politics
Jews have too much power in the media
Jews are unfairly attacked 
when things go wrong
Jews have too much power in the fields 
of economics and finance
81
29
36
34
23
47
56
15 13
76
27
37
33
26
39
57
72
30
30
19
26
10
57
24
RESPONDENTS WHO HAVE A POSITIVE OPINION OF THE ANTI-VACCINE MOVEMENT
Jews are very united
Jews are richer than the average French person
Jews today draw advantage from their status as 
victims of the Nazi genocide during World War II
Jews have too much power in politics
Jews are responsible for many economic crise
Jews are unfairly attacked when things go wrong
Jews have too much power 
in the fields of economics and finance
Jews have too much power in the media
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Endorsement for certain prejudices concerning Jews [5/5] (in %)
Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:”
Response: total “agree”
70
49
37
37
32
34
27
18
Overall 
average
Overall 
average
Overall 
average
18
    22/52
    Yes, somewhat 
Yes, absolutely
No, not really
No, not at all
Catholic
Muslim
By religion:
8
27
42
23
35
59
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
ALL RESPONDENTS
The feeling that the commemoration of the Holocaust prevents the expression 
of other tragedies in history (in %)
Question: “And would you say that in France the commemoration of the Holocaust prevents the expression of the memory 
of other historic tragedies (such as the slave trade, the war in Algeria or the genocide in Rwanda)?”
35%
Total “yes”
Important 
but not essential
Essential
Secondary Catholic 15
Muslim
By religion:
34
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
ALL RESPONDENTS
39
45
16
Importance given to commemorating the Holocaust (in %)
Question: “Would you personally say that commemorating (at school, through ceremonies…) the memory of the Shoah 
or Holocaust (i.e. the genocide of the Jews) is something…?”
19
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    ALL RESPONDENTS
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Total
Gender of the interviewee
Men
Women
Age of interviewee
18 to 24 years old
25 to 34 years old
35 to 49 years old
50 to 64 years old
65 and over
Occupation of the interviewee
Artisan or merchant
Management and upper intellectual 
profession
Mid-level skilled profession
White-collar worker
Employee
Retiree
Education level
Higher education
1st cycle (Deug, LMD licence)
Baccalaureate
CAP / BEP
No diploma / CEP / BEPC
Category of conurbation
Paris conurbation
Provincial urban municipalities
Rural municipalities
Monthly income
Wealthy category
(more than €2,500)
Upper middle class
(€1,900 to €2,500)
Lower middle class 
(€1,300 to €1,900)
Middle class category
(900 to € 1300)
Low-income category
 (less than €900)
Attitude towards 
the anti-vaccine movement
Positive impression
Negative impression
2017 presidential vote
Jean-Luc Mélenchon
Benoît Hamon
Emmanuel Macron
François Fillon
Marine Le Pen
26
32
20
18
28
22
26
33
30
19
26
17
33
32
23
21
20
30
32
30
27
19
25
29
28
24
23
37
21
33
18
21
28
39
Endorsement of the idea that “Jews have too much power in the fields 
of economics and finance” [1/2] (in %)
Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:”
20
    24/52
    Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Total
Gender of the interviewee
Men
Women
Age of interviewee
18 to 24 years old
25 to 34 years old
35 to 49 years old
50 and over
Occupation of the interviewee
Management and upper 
intellectual profession
Mid-level skilled profession
White-collar worker
Employee
Inactive
Education level
Higher education
1st cycle (Deug, LMD licence)
Baccalaureate
CAP / BEP
No diploma / CEP / BEPC
Category of conurbation
Paris conurbation
Urban unit ranging from 100,000 to 
1,999,999 inhabitants
Less than 100,000 inhabitants
Origin
Maghreb
Sub-Saharan Africa
Frequency of religious services
Total regular observant
Total at least once a week
Several times a week
Once a week
At least once a month
Total occasional observant
Only occasionally, a few religious 
celebrations
Less often
Non-observant
Attitude towards the 
anti-vaccine movement
Positive impression
Negative impression
Self-positioning on the political scale
Left
Centre
Right
51
53
48
34
48
56
59
61
55
52
44
53
52
41
55
53
50
55
54
40
53
59
56
61
51
70
37
52
55
47
40
50
53
51
50
54
Endorsement of the idea that “Jews have too much power in the fields 
of economics and finance” [2/2] (in %)
Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:”
RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH 
OR CULTURE
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    RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH 
OR CULTURE
RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH 
OR CULTURE
ALL RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS OF CATHOLIC FAITH 
OR CULTURE
Your religious affiliation
Your gender
Your ethnic origins
Your sexual orientation 6
8
34 9 8
16
8
15
6
19 10
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
37
22
19
11
14
III. ANTISEMITISM IN EVERYDAY LIFE: 
THE STATE OF MIND OF FRENCH PEOPLE OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE
Your religious affiliation
Your gender
Your ethnic origins
Your sexual orientation 3
6
8
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
48
40
25
16
13
Feeling threatened due to religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender or origin
(often/from time to time) [1/2] (in %)
Feeling threatened due to religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender or origin
(often/from time to time) [2/2] (in %)
Question: “Do you ever feel threatened in your daily life because of…?”
Question: “Do you ever feel threatened in your daily life because of…?”
2019 Reminder 2019 Reminder
22
    26/52
    Total
Gender of the interviewee
Men
Women
Age of interviewee
18 to 24 years old
25 to 34 years old
35 to 49 years old
50 to 64 years old
65 and over
Occupation of the interviewee
Artisan or merchant
Management 
and upper intellectual profession
Mid-level skilled profession
Blue-collar worker
Retiree
Region of the interviewee
Île-de-France
Grand Est
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Occitanie
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Corsica
Type of municipality
City centre
High-end suburb
Intermediate suburb
Underprivileged suburb
Origin
Sephardi
Ashkenazi
Both
Religious practice
Very observant
Somewhat observant
Not very observant
Not observant at all
Exposure to antisemitism
At least one antisemitic act suffered
Derogatory mockery - Total yes
Insults or slander - Total yes
Insults or slander - repeatedly
Theft, damage – Total yes
Threats, insults on social 
networks – Total yes
Threats of aggression - Total yes
Acts of physical violence - Total yes
Presence of children in the 
household
Yes
No
Exposing children to 
antisemitism
Yes
Educational establishment 
attended by the child
Public school, middle school 
or high school
Private Catholic school, middle school 
or high school
Private Jewish school, middle school 
or high school
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Each result line reads as follows: “Out of 100 people in a given category, X% report feeling threatened often 
or from time to time due to their religious affiliation.”
37
34
40
40
33
46
34
31
39
29
38
50
29
34
39
36
42
29
37
37
43
26
39
38
31
59
49
36
13
47
47
56
61
74
61
72
67
51
29
72
45
59
64
The profile of Jews who often or occasionally feel threatened 
due to their religious affiliation (in %)
23
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    Very optimistic
Somewhat pessimistic
Prefer not to say
Somewhat optimistic
Very pessimistic
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
2019 Reminder
50%
2019 Reminder
50%
1
8
8 6 48%
Total “optimistic”
54%
Total “optimistic”
40
41
10
48
38
Level of optimism for the future (%)
Question: “In general, regarding the future would you say you are…?”
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH 
OR CULTURE
ALL RESPONDENTS
24
    28/52
    48
22
63
22
28
23
53
22
68
24
28
20
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Derogatory mockery 
or offensive language 68
Insults or slander 53
Threats and insults on social media 28
Threats of assault on your property 
or person 24
Theft, damage or destruction 
of your personal property 22
Acts of physical violence (slapping, 
beating, pushing, grabbing, etc.) 20
Total
“yes”
32
47
68
76
78
80
50 18
30 23
16 12
9 15
7 15
8 12
Exposure to antisemitic acts [2/2] (in %)
Changes compared to 2019
Question: “During your life, have you, because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, 
been personally subject to…?”
Derogatory mockery 
or offensive language
Threats of assault 
on your property or person
Insults 
or slander
Theft, damage or destruction 
of your personal property
Threats and insults 
on social media
Acts of physical violence (slapping, 
beating, pushing, grabbing)
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2022
2022
2022
2022
2022
2022
Exposure to antisemitic acts [1/2] (in %)
Question: “During your life, have you, because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, 
been personally subject to…?”
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH 
FAITH OR CULTURE
 Yes, several times Yes, once No, never
IV. ANTISEMITIC ACTS: OBSERVATION AND VICTIMISATION
25
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    Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Exposure to antisemitic acts and wearing of distinctive signs of Judaism (in %)
Places of exposure to antisemitic verbal attacks and the wearing of religious signs (in %)
Question: “During your life, have you, because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, 
been personally subject to…?”
Question: “And because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, have you been subject to abuse or verbal 
threats in each of the following places?”
Base: victims of an antisemitic act, i.e. 72% of the sample
RESPONDENTS WEARING 
DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM
(systematically/regularly)
RESPONDENTS WEARING 
DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM
(systematically/regularly)
RESPONDENTS WHO DO NOT WEAR 
DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM
(rarely/never)
RESPONDENTS WHO DO NOT WEAR 
DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM
(rarely/never)
Derogatory mockery or offensive language
In a school (e.g. middle school, high school, 
university, etc.) or during extracurricular activities
Acts of physical violence
(slapping, beating, pushing, grabbing, etc.)
On public transportation (e.g. bus, metro - 
underground or subway), tram, train, etc.)
In a bar, pub, restaurant or nightclub
During sporting activities (e.g. sports club)
Threats and insults 
on social media
On social media
Theft, damage or destruction 
of your personal property
In the lobby of your building, at your home (at your 
place of residence)
In public places (e.g. park, square, garden, etc.)
During a sporting event
Insults or slander
On the street
Threats of assault 
on your property or person
At your place of work or in your professional environment (e.g. office, factory, conference, trade show)
78
70
43
39
34
29
59
39
14
13
12
14
59
68
55
53
44
57
40
40
35
31
57
36
25
30
25
16
15
17
10
11
26
    30/52
    Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Places of exposure to antisemitic verbal attacks [1/2] (in %)
Changes compared to 2019
54 60
In a school or during 
extracurricular activities
2019 2022
35 28
In public places
2019 2022
55 50
On the street
2019 2022
27 27
In a bar, pub, restaurant 
or nightclub
2019 2022
46 41
At your place of work 
or in your professional 
environment
2019 2022
21 22
During a sporting event
2019 2022
36 34
On public transportation
2019 2022
19 20
During sporting activities
2019 2022
Question: “And because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, have you been subject to abuse or verbal 
threats in each of the following places?”
Base: applied to victims of an antisemitic act, i.e. 72% of the sample
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
In a school (e.g. middle school, high school, university, etc.) or during extracurricular activities
In public places 
(e.g. park, square, garden, etc.)
60
28
On the street
In a bar, pub, restaurant or nightclub
50
27
On social media
During a sporting event (e.g. game, competition, etc.)
42
22
At your place of work or in your professional environment (e.g. office, factory, conference, trade show)
During sporting activities 
(e.g. sports club)
41
20
In the lobby of your building, at your home (at your place of residence) 35
On public transportation
 (e.g. bus, metro – underground or subway, tram, train, etc.)34
Total “yes”
Places of exposure to antisemitic verbal attacks [2/2] (in %)
All victims
Question: “And because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, have you been subject to abuse or verbal 
threats in each of the following places?”
Base: victims of an antisemitic act, i.e. 72% of the sample
42 18 40
23 27 50
25 17 58
16 25 59
9 26 65
13 21 66
12 16 72
7 20 73
9 13 78
9 11 80
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE
 Yes, several times Yes, once No, never
27
AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    31/52
    Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Profile of Jews subjected 
to antisemitic slurs (in %)
Profile of physically assaulted Jews
(in %)
Total
Gender of the interviewee
Men
Women
Age of interviewee
18 to 24 years old
25 to 34 years old
35 to 49 years old
50 to 64 years old
65 and over
Occupation of the interviewee
Artisan or merchant
Management and upper intellectual 
profession
Mid-level skilled profession
Blue-collar worker
Retiree
Region of the interviewee
Île-de-France
Grand Est
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Occitanie
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, 
Corsica
Type of municipality
City centre
Wealthy suburb
Intermediate suburb
Underprivileged suburb
Origin
Sephardi
Ashkenazi
Both
Religious practice
Very observant
Somewhat observant
Not very observant
Not observant at all
Total
Gender of the interviewee
Men
Women
Age of interviewee
18 to 24 years old
25 to 34 years old
35 to 49 years old
50 to 64 years old
65 and over
Occupation of the interviewee
Artisan or merchant
Management and upper intellectual 
profession
Mid-level skilled profession
Blue-collar worker
Retiree
Region of the interviewee
Île-de-France
Grand Est
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Occitanie
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, 
Corsica
Type of municipality
City centre
Wealthy suburb
Intermediate suburb
Underprivileged suburb
Origin
Sephardi
Ashkenazi
Both
Religious practice
Very observant
Somewhat observant
Not very observant
Not observant at all
53
55
50
63
46
65
49
47
55
50
53
55
47
54
61
54
46
44
54
59
41
53
57
54
57
79
66
58
21
20
24
15
26
27
23
15
11
18
16
14
31
14
13
20
23
19
14
18
14
29
19
22
14
21
25
28
18
10
28
    32/52
    Yes, sometimes
Physically assaulted 
because they are Jewish
Yes, absolutely
Insulted because
they are Jewish
No, not really
No, not at all
Catholics
Muslims
By religion:
5
22
29
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
“Have you ever heard people around you say negative remarks about Jews? (in %)
Question: “Have you ever heard people around you say negative remarks about Jews?”
18
34
43
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
 Yes No
“Have any of your children ever been insulted/ physically attacked because they are Jewish” (in %)
Question: “Has one of your children ever been…?”
Base: parents with at least one child in school, i.e. 34% of the sample
32 68
18 82
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE
ALL RESPONDENTS
23% of French people have already heard 
negative remarks about Jews in their circles
2019
Reminder
22%
29
AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    33/52
    “In your lifetime, have you ever witnessed any of the following actions and behaviours?
[1/2] (in %)
Question: “In your lifetime, have you ever witnessed any of the following actions and behaviours?”
ALL RESPONDENTS
ALL RESPONDENTS
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Total “yes”
Jokes and discussions that convey 
prejudice or undermine Jews or challenge 
the reality of the Holocaust
42
Verbal aggression against a person of 
Jewish faith or culture (insults, derogatory 
mockery, threats or intimidation) due to 
their identity or religion
17
Damage to personal property committed 
against a person of Jewish faith or culture 
(theft, damage, graffiti or destruction of 
property) due to their identity or religion
10
A physical assault on a person of Jewish 
faith or culture (slapping, beating, pushing, 
grabbing, etc.) due to their identity or 
religion
8
 Yes, several times Yes, once No, never
24 18 58
6 11 83
5 5 90
3 5 93
16
40
17
10 9 8 12
42
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
“In your lifetime, have you ever witnessed any of the following actions and behaviours?
[1/2] (in %)
Changes since 2019
Question: “In your lifetime, have you ever witnessed any of the following actions and behaviours? 
Jokes and discussions that convey prejudice 
or undermine Jews or challenge the reality 
of the Holocaust
Damage to property committed against a person 
of Jewish faith or culture (theft, damage, graffiti or 
destruction of property) due to their identity or religion
Verbal aggression against a person of Jewish faith or 
culture (insults, derogatory mockery, threats 
or intimidation) due to their identity or religion
A physical assault on a person of Jewish faith or culture 
(slapping, beating, pushing, grabbing, etc.) 
due to their identity or religion
2019
2019
2019
2019
2022
2022
2022
2022
30
    34/52
    ALL RESPONDENTS
On social media
Somewhere else
At your place of work or in your 
professional environment
During a sporting event (e.g. game, 
competition, etc.)
On the street
In public places
(e.g. park, square, garden, etc.)
In a school or during extracurricular 
activities
During sporting activities
(e.g. sports club)
Within your family (e.g. during a 
discussion or a meal)
On public transportation (e.g. bus, metro 
– underground or subway, tram, train, 
etc.)
In a bar, pub, restaurant or nightclub
In a place of worship
Places where antisemitic aggression or speech is observed (in %)
Question: “Specifically, have you ever witnessed an antisemitic joke, verbal assault, property damage 
or physical assault in any of the following locations?”
Base: people who have seen at least one antisemitic act in their lifetime, or 46% of the sample
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
 Yes No
52
62
63
64
70
72
72
73
74
86
88
94
48
38
37
36
30
28
28
27
26
14
12
6
31
AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
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    RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE
Talked to a relative 
or relatives about the attack
Talked about the attack with a 
community association (e.g. SPCJ)
Filed a complaint
What is the reaction to an antisemitic attack? Inform relatives, 
talk to a community association, file a complaint (in %)
Question: “Following this attack, did you…?”
Base: people who experienced an antisemitic act, i.e. 74% of the sample
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
 Yes No Would not say
63 36 1
23 76 1
19 80 1
Revealing your membership 
of the Jewish community in a discussion
Displaying symbols expressing 
your belonging to the Jewish culture 
or religion (mezuzah, etc.)
Displaying signs expressing your 
belonging to Jewish culture or religion 
on the Internet or on social networks 
(Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
Going to certain streets or places 
in the city where you live
Displaying a form of dress expressing your 
belonging to the Jewish culture or religion
Revealing your membership 
of the Jewish community 
in your workplace
Playing certain sports 
Adoption of avoidance behaviours (in %)
Question: “During your life, have you, for fear (or after being a victim) of mockery, 
insults or antisemitic attacks, sought to avoid…?”
Responses: “yes, completely” and “yes, somewhat”
ALL RESPONDENTS VICTIMS OF AN 
ANTISEMITIC ACT
VICTIMS OF 
PHYSICAL ASSAULT
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
48
45
41
30
35
31
14
55
54
47
37
43
38
18
63
66
61
56
59
51
49
V. BEHAVIOURS OF AVOIDANCE AND STRATEGIES OF CONCEALING
32
    36/52
    The feelings and behaviour of French people of Jewish faith or culture during periods of tension 
between Palestinians and Israelis [1/2] (in %)
Question: “During periods of tension and clashes between Palestinians and Israelis (as in May 2021), 
would you say that…?”
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Total “yes” Total “no”
You feel more insecure 55 45
You avoid going 
to certain areas 49 51
You avoid displaying 
distinctive signs of 
Judaism (kippa, etc.)
47 53
You avoid saying 
you are Jewish 40 60
 Yes, absolutely Yes, somewhat No, not really No, not at all
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE
23 22
17 34
17 36
23 37
23 32
29 20
24 23
16 24
You feel more insecure
You avoid displaying distinctive 
signs of Judaism (kippa, etc.)
You avoid going to certain areas
You avoid saying you are Jewish
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
The feelings and behaviour of French people of Jewish faith or culture during periods of tension 
between Palestinians and Israelis [2/2] (in %)
Question: “During periods of tension and clashes between Palestinians and Israelis (as in May 2021), 
would you say that…?”
RESPONDENTS WEARING 
DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM
(systematically/regularly)
RESPONDENTS WHO DO NOT WEAR 
DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM
(rarely/never)
44
41
47
44
72
63
46
34
33
AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    37/52
    “Do you ever ask your child to adopt avoidance behaviours 
in order to protect them from antisemitism? (in %)
Question: “And do you ever ask your child…?”
Base: parents with at least one child in school, i.e. 34% of the sample
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Total
“often/from time to time”
Total
“rarely/never”
Prefer
not to say
To avoid going 
to certain 
neighbourhoods
60 35 5
To not wear distinctive 
signs of Judaism 55 43 2
To not say that 
they are Jewish 45 53 2
 Often From time to time Rarely Never
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE
7 28
8 35
9 44
41 19
34 21
27 18
1
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
“Have you ever considered leaving France? (in %)
46% considered 
leaving France
2019 Reminder
52%
Yes, mainly because you have concerns 
about the future of people of Jewish 
culture or faith in France
Yes, mainly for economic reasons
Yes, mainly because you have concerns 
about France’s future
Yes, because you are drawn elsewhere 
for cultural or religious reasons
No
Prefers not to say
13
8
13
12
53
34
    38/52
    Total
Gender of the interviewee
Men
Women
Age of interviewee
18 to 24 years old
25 to 34 years old
35 to 49 years old
50 to 64 years old
65 and over
Occupation of the interviewee
Artisan or merchant
Management and upper intellectual 
profession
Mid-level skilled profession
Blue-collar worker
Retiree
Region of the interviewee
Île-de-France
Grand Est
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Occitanie
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, 
Corsica
Type of municipality
City centre
Wealthy suburb
Intermediate suburb
Underprivileged suburb
Origin
Sephardi
Ashkenazi
Both
Religious practice
Very observant
Somewhat observant
Not very observant
Not observant at all
Exposure to antisemitism
At least one antisemitic act suffered
Derogatory mockery - Total yes
Insults or slander - Total yes
Insults or slander - repeatedly
Theft, damage - Total yes
Threats, insults on social networks - 
Total yes
Threats of aggression - Total yes
Acts of physical violence - Total yes
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
The profile of Jews who have already considered leaving France (in %)
46
49
44
62
62
58
36
23
60
43
42
62
25
43
45
52
47
37
46
35
56
52
51
37
60
72
57
43
25
54
54
58
55
76
68
72
78
35
AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    39/52
    Yes, very much agree
No, somewhat disagree
Prefer not to say
Yes, somewhat agree
No, very much disagree
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
1
6
79%
Total “yes”
60%
Total “yes”
Opinion on the ban on protests in support of the Palestinian cause in May 2021 (in %)
Question: “On 15 May 2021, a protest in support of the Palestinian cause in Paris was banned by the Ministry of Internal 
Affairs because of the risk of antisemitic outbursts. Do you agree with this decision to ban the event?”
RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH 
OR CULTURE
ALL RESPONDENTS
23
37
27
13
55
24
14
Jean-Luc Mélenchon
Benoît Hamon
Emmanuel Macron
François Fillon
Marine Le Pen
Based on 2017 vote
34
45
69
79
74
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Opinion on the court decision in the Sarah Halimi case (in %)
Question: “What does this court decision mean to you personally?”
On 4 April 2017, Sarah Halimi, a retired Jewish woman, was beaten before being pushed through the window of her apartment in the XIth arrondissement 
of Paris by her neighbour Kobili Traoré. He is being examined by several psychiatrists who agree that he acted in a delusional state resulting from a 
significant dose of cannabis. On 19 December 2019, the Paris Court of Appeal declared him legally incompetent. On 3 March 2021, the Appeal Court 
of Cassation confirmed Kobili Traoré’s legal incompetence; he was not tried and was committed to a psychiatric hospital.
You understand and 
approve of it
You do not understand it 
and you disagree with it
28
72
Catholics
Muslims
By religion:
75
56
36
    40/52
     This is an antisemitic opinion or behaviour
 This is an opinion or behaviour that is strictly critical of Israel and is not antisemitic
 Do not know
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Characterising Israelis in terms of old 
antisemitic prejudices (“child killers”, 
“bloodthirsty”, “responsible for the death of 
Christ”, etc.)
Comparing Israeli policies to Nazi policies
Accusing Jews of being responsible 
for Israel’s policies
Considering Israel an inevitably racist state
Begrudging Jews for being more attached 
to Israel than to France
The feeling that different opinions related to Israel or Jews are antisemitic 
or anti-Zionist [1/3] (in %)
Question: “For each of the following behaviours, would you say it is antisemitism (i.e. hatred of Jews) 
or simply criticism of the state of Israel?”
51 16 33
42 25 33
34 33 33
31 35 34
28 39 33
RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH 
OR CULTURE
RESPONDENTS OF CATHOLIC 
FAITH OR CULTURE
35
16
35
16
33
39
33
39
25 25
The feeling that different opinions related to Israel or Jews are antisemitic 
or anti-Zionist [2/3] (in %)
Question: “For each of the following behaviours, would you say it is antisemitism (i.e. hatred of Jews) 
or simply criticism of the state of Israel?”
Response: “This is an opinion that is critical of Israel and is not antisemitic”
Considering Israel an inevitably racist state
Begrudging Jews for being more attached to 
Israel than to France
Characterising Israelis in terms of old 
antisemitic prejudices (“child killers”, 
“bloodthirsty”, “responsible for the death of 
Christ”, etc.)
Comparing Israeli policies to Nazi policies
Accusing Jews of being responsible 
for Israel’s policies
50
44
43
38
32
35
25
42
36
17
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
Overall 
average
Overall 
average
37
AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    41/52
    The feeling that different opinions related to Israel or Jews are antisemitic 
or anti-Zionist [3/3] (in %)
Question: “For each of the following behaviours, would you say it is antisemitism (i.e. hatred of Jews) or simply criticism 
of the state of Israel?”
Response: “This is an opinion that is critical of Israel and is not antisemitic”
LFI SUPPORTERS RN SUPPORTERS
35
16
35
16
33
39
33
39
25 25
Considering Israel an inevitably racist state
Begrudging Jews for being more attached 
to Israel than to France
Characterising Israelis in terms of old 
antisemitic prejudices (“child killers”, 
“bloodthirsty”, “responsible for the death 
of Christ”, etc.)
Comparing Israeli policies to Nazi policies
Accusing Jews of being responsible 
for Israel’s policies
Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022
44
29
42
43
30
35
27
41
37
22
Overall 
average
Overall 
average
38
    42/52
    39
AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
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    ANTISEMITISM-IN-FRANCE.pdf - Page 44
    44/52
    ANTISEMITISM-IN-FRANCE.pdf - Page 45
    45/52
    ANTISEMITISM-IN-FRANCE.pdf - Page 46
    46/52
    FONDATION POUR L’INNOVATION POLITIQUE
A LIBERAL, PROGRESSIVE AND EUROPEAN THINK TANK
Created in 2004, the Fondation pour l’innovation politique has an economically liberal, progressive and 
European perspective. Through its work, it has two objectives: to contribute to a pluralist and informed 
debate, and to inspire public decision-making. 
As a state-recognised organisation, the website fondapol.org provides public access to all the 
Foundation’s work. Anyone can access and use all the data gathered for the various surveys via the 
“data.fondapol” platform, made available in accordance with a government policy desiring the sharing 
of public data. Moreover, when it comes to international surveys, the data are available in the different 
languages of the questionnaire; for example, in 45 languages for the survey Freedoms at risk: the 
challenge of the century, conducted in 55 countries. 
Furthermore, reflecting the Foundation’s editorial policy, our blog “Anthropotechnie” aims to 
explore new avenues prompted by human enhancement, reproductive cloning, human/ machine 
hybridisation, genetic engineering and germline manipulation. It contributes to thinking and debate 
on transhumanism. “Anthropotechnie” offers articles tackling ethical, philosophical and political issues 
associated with the expansion of technological innovations relating to the enhancement of human 
bodies and abilities. 
The Fondation pour l’innovation politique is independent and receives no financial support from any 
political party. Its funding comes from both public and private sources.
    47/52
    AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE
IN A FEW WORDS
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) is the largest American Jewish organisation in the world. 
Transpolitical, its objective is the defence of human rights, democratic values and pluralism, the 
promotion of transatlantic relations and the fight against racism, antisemitism and any form of 
discrimination.
Its European branch, AJC Europe, is led by Simone Rodan Benzaquen and is represented in France, 
Germany, Belgium, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. The office in France, AJC Paris, is 
headed by Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache.
    48/52
    Please return to:
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Contact :
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Administrative
and Financial
Director
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    49/52
    ANTISEMITISM-IN-FRANCE.pdf - Page 50
    50/52
    ANTISEMITISM-IN-FRANCE.pdf - Page 51
    51/52
    March 2022 ISBN : 978-2-36408-275-5
From the yellow stars worn by protesters opposed to the health pass to the use by some 
of the pronoun “who” to denounce the supposed stranglehold of Jews in the media, 
not to mention the notion of Jewish conspiracy being revived as an explanation for the 
coronavirus pandemic, 2021 was marked by an increase in antisemitic incidents. While 
such facts are a reminder of the persistence of prejudice against Jews in French society, 
history teaches us that antisemitism thrives in times of crisis. Thus, nearly two years 
after the start of the health crisis, we felt it was essential to carry out a broad study to 
draw up a detailed and dispassionate diagnosis of this phenomenon.
What is the scale of prejudice against Jews in French society in 2021? Is the health crisis 
accompanied by a surge in antisemitism in public opinion? How do the French view this 
phenomenon? To what extent are French Jews concerned about the violence targeting 
them? How does this violence unfold? To try to answer these questions, we have built 
an exceptional survey system. Exceptional in size: we conducted the survey in parallel 
with two specific samples – people of Jewish faith, people of Muslim faith – and with 
an overall sample, representative of the French population as a whole, the latter also 
allowing us to look at other subcategories of the population: French Catholics, young 
people, groups of French people classified according to their geographical area, 
socioeconomic criteria, political affinities or even according to their preferred sources 
of information. This study is also exceptional in terms of the diversity of the themes 
addressed: exposure and observations of violent acts, opinions regarding Israel, the 
Holocaust, prejudices against Jews, etc. are all key topics to be examined in an attempt 
to shed a new light on antisemitism.
The study An analysis of antisemitism in France, 2022 edition is a continuation of the 
work undertaken by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Fondation pour 
l’innovation politique, with IFOP since 2014. Most of the questions administered in 2019 
during the last edition were repeated identically, in order to identify any changes in the 
behaviour and opinions expressed.
    52/52

    ANTISEMITISM-IN-FRANCE.pdf

    • 1. By François Legrand (Group leader of the Ifop Institute), Simone Rodan-Benzaquen (Director of AJC Europe), Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache (Director of AJC Paris) and Dominique Reynié, (University Professor at Sciences Po and Executive Director of the Fondation pour l’innovation politique) March 2022 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE 2022 EDITION
    • 3. By François Legrand (Group leader of the Ifop Institute), Simone Rodan-Benzaquen (Director of AJC Europe), Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache (Director of AJC Paris) and Dominique Reynié, (University Professor at Sciences Po and Executive Director of the Fondation pour l’innovation politique) March 2022 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE 2022 EDITION
    • 4. EDITORS Fondation pour l’innovation politique: Dominique Reynié, Executive Director of the Fondation pour l’innovation politique AJC: Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, AJC Europe Director Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache, AJC Paris Director PRODUCTION Fondation pour l’innovation politique: Victor Delage, Anne Flambert, Katherine Hamilton, Camille Jaffiol, Léo Major, Dominique Reynié, Mathilde Tchounikine AJC: Julie Decroix, AJC Europe Deputy Director Brigitte Guez, AJC Paris Office Manager COMMUNICATION Objet H: Harold Hauzy, Founding President Objet H Fondation pour l’innovation politique: Victor Delage AJC: Valérie Maupas, AJC Paris Communications Director TRANSLATION Ubiqus PROOFREADING Alice Candy, Katherine Hamilton GRAPHIC DESIGN Julien Rémy Survey designed by the Fondation pour l’innovation politique and the American Jewish Committee The survey was conducted by the IFOP Institute Within the Opinion and Corporate Strategies division Frédéric Dabi, Deputy Executive Director, Head of Ifop Opinion, François Legrand, Group leader AUTHORS OF THE STUDY François Legrand, Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache, Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Dominique Reynié PRINTING Galaxy Imprimeurs PUBLISHED March 2022
    • 5. TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE – ANALYSIS I. Antisemitism, a phenomenon perceived as widespread and growing ......................................5 II. Antisemitic prejudices persist at the heart of French society...................................................5 III. The Muslim population is more affected by the spread of antisemitic ideas ..........................6 IV. French Jews remain highly exposed to antisemitic acts .........................................................7 V. Wearing distinctive signs of Judaism appears to be the main risk factor associated with antisemitic aggression.....................................................................................7 VI. The risk associated with distinctive signs of Judaism is so well-known that a third of French Jews say they have already opted to avoid wearing such signs for their safety ..........................................................................................9 VII. Behaviours of concealing are at their peak amid tensions in the Middle East.................... 10 VIII. Faced with antisemitic violence, the French approve of firm security responses and agree on the need to improve judicial .......................................................................... 10 Conclusion................................................................................................................................... 11 SECOND PART – RESULTS I. Antisemitism: opinions and perceptions of the phenomenon................................................. 12 II. The persistence of antisemitic opinions within the French population ................................. 15 III. Antisemitism in everyday life: The state of mind of French people of Jewish faith or culture.............................................. 22 IV. Antisemitic acts: observation and victimisation .................................................................... 25 V. Behaviours of avoidance and strategies of concealing.......................................................... 32 1 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 6. From the yellow stars worn by protesters opposed to the health pass to the use by some of the pronoun “who” to denounce the supposed stranglehold of Jews in the media, not to mention the notion of Jewish conspiracy being revived as an explanation for the coronavirus pandemic, 2021 was marked by an increase in antisemitic incidents. While such facts are a reminder of the persistence of prejudice against Jews in French society, history teaches us that antisemitism thrives in times of crisis. Thus, nearly two years after the start of the health crisis, we felt it was essential to carry out a broad study to draw up a detailed and dispassionate diagnosis of this phenomenon. What is the scale of prejudice against Jews in French society in 2021? Is the health crisis accompanied by a surge in antisemitism in public opinion? How do the French view this phenomenon? To what extent are French Jews concerned about the violence targeting them? How does this violence unfold? To try to answer these questions, we have built an exceptional survey system. Exceptional in size: we conducted the survey in parallel with two specific samples – people of Jewish faith, people of Muslim faith – and with an overall sample, representative of the French population as a whole, the latter also allowing us to look at other subcategories of the population: French Catholics, young people, groups of French people classified according to their geographical area, socioeconomic criteria, political affinities or even according to their preferred sources of information. This study is also exceptional in terms of the diversity of the themes addressed: exposure and observations of violent acts, opinions regarding Israel, the Holocaust, prejudices against Jews, etc. are all key topics to be examined in an attempt to shed a new light on antisemitism1. 1. See Rudy Reichstadt, “Pancarte ‘Mais qui ?’ : ‘L’antisémitisme auquel nous sommes confrontés avance en oblique, il prend des détours’”, interviewed by William Audureau, lemonde.fr, 10 August 2021 (www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2021/08/10/pancarte-mais-qui-l-antisemitisme-auquel-nous-sommes-confrontes-avance-en-oblique-il- prend-desdetours_6091082_4355770.html). AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE 2022 EDITION 2
    • 7. METHODOLOGICAL BIAS • A barometric method The study An analysis of antisemitism in France, 2022 edition is a continuation of the work undertaken by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Fondation pour l’innovation politique, with IFOP since 2014. Most of the questions administered in 2019 during the last edition were repeated identically, in order to identify any changes in the behaviour and opinions expressed. • A mirror survey We have chosen to administer a certain number of questions identically to a control sample of 1,509 people (representative of the French population as a whole) and to a representative sample of people of Muslim faith or culture living in France (501 people). Respondents of Jewish faith or culture (sample 521) were asked about their exposure to antisemitism. Mirroring this, we gave the other two samples questions on observing antisemitic acts. Questions relating to prejudice towards Jews, the perception of Israel or the Holocaust were asked to representative samples of the French population and Muslims living in France. In order to guarantee comparability between the three samples, we have ensured that the surveys have the same characteristics in terms of temporality; they were administered in December 2021 – indicators; the questions were administered identically – and according to the same collection method; via the Internet. Given the sensitive nature of the topics addressed, conducting “self-administered” surveys online seemed entirely appropriate to us in order to mitigate possible social desirability bias 2. • The sampling method used for religious minorities Respondents of Jewish faith or culture: Due to the ban on the collection of “religious” data in mainland France (the last official census of religion dates back to 1872), public statistics (INSEE, INED) do not provide the sociodemographic structure of people of Jewish faith. In this context, IFOP has chosen to isolate a subsample of 521 French people who declare themselves to be of Jewish faith or culture based on the aggregate of representative national samples corresponding to a total of 34,800 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over. The representativeness of the cumulative sample was ensured by the quota method (gender, age, profession of the interviewee) after stratification by region and conurbation category. Respondents of Muslim faith or culture: Due to the absence of official statistical data enabling the establishment of quotas and/or adjustment variables for people of Muslim faith, IFOP determined these quotas based on the Ifop-Institut Montaigne study carried out by telephone from 13 April to 23 May 2016 on a representative national sample of 15,459 people aged 15 and over living in mainland France. The representativeness of this national representative sample of 15,459 people was ensured by the quota method based on sociodemographic (gender, age), socio-professional (profession), geographical (administrative region, size of urban unit, proportion of immigrants in the municipality or district of residence) and civic (nationality) criteria. 2. Social desirability bias refers to the tendency of respondents to under-report certain opinions that are deemed to be contrary to the prevailing morality. 3 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 9. PART ONE - ANALYSIS I. ANTISEMITISM, A PHENOMENON PERCEIVED AS WIDESPREAD AND GROWING The first lesson from this survey is that antisemitism appears to be a phenomenon of which the French are well-aware. Two-thirds of respondents believe it is widespread (64%) and increasing (64%). This finding is shared across all levels of French society, regardless of the age, gender, social category or religion of the respondents. The scale of the phenomenon is even more widely recognised by French people of Jewish faith or culture, almost all of whom believe that these attitudes are widespread (85%) and have been increasing over the past ten years (73%). Rejection of Israel (53%) and Islamist ideas (48%) are perceived by the French population on the whole to be the two main causes of antisemitism. This feeling converges with that of the French Jews, since these two causes are also the most cited (62% and 45% respectively). Conspiracy theories and far-right ideas come in third and fourth positions for both categories of the public: conspiracy theories are cited in third place by 17% of all French people and 18% French Jews; ideas from the far-right are cited in fourth place by 20% of all French people and 16% of French Jews.This attests to a unanimous observation of the importance of so-called “contemporary” forms of antisemitism in French society. As in 2019, antisemitism remains widely perceived, both by French Jews (77%) and the whole French population (73%), as a problem that concerns not only Jews but society altogether. Finally, the proportion of French people who believe that there is not enough talk about antisemitism has increased significantly compared to 2019 (34%, +8 points). II. ANTISEMITIC PREJUDICES PERSIST AT THE HEART OF FRENCH SOCIETY Antisemitic prejudices exist among a significant proportion of French people, between a quarter and a third depending on the type of prejudice. While the increase in antisemitic incidents in 2020 and 2021 in the context of spreading conspiracy theories might indicate increased prejudice towards Jews in French public opinion, the results of this survey indicate stability over time. The prevalence of antisemitic views has not increased with the health crisis. The idea that “Jews are richer than the average French person” is met with agreement among 30% of respondents, a stable proportion compared to 2016 (31%). The notion that Jews have too much power in the fields of the economics and finance (26% of respondents) or the media (24%) remain at a high level but still close to that measured in surveys prior to the Covid-19 crisis. The idea that Jews have too much power in the areas of economics and finance is shared by more than a third of respondents who have a favourable impression of anti-vaccine ideas (37% versus 26% for the whole population). Paradoxically, the proportion of French people who recognise their own antipathy towards Jews is low (5%), down (-4 points compared to 2016) and much lower than that measured for other minorities such as Muslims (21%) or Roma (34%). However, the analysis of the results shows that certain segments of the population are very receptive to antisemitic allegations. Men and French people over the age of 65 are thus generally more inclined to harbour prejudices against Jews, and all are generally more receptive to racist and homophobic ideas. The spread of antisemitic prejudices is also more widespread on the far left and on the far right. Thus, the assertion that “the Jews have too much power in the areas of the economy and finance” is shared by 33% of respondents who vote for Jean-Luc Mélenchon and by 34% of those close to La insoumise, by 39% of Marine Le Pen’s electorate and by 33% of those close to Rassemblement national, compared with 26% across the entire population. However, a significant development is worth noting: for supporters of La France insoumise, endorsement of the idea that “Jews have too much power in the areas of 64% of respondents believe that antisemitism is widespread and increasing. 5 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 10. the economy and finance” in 2021 (34%) is at the same level as measured in 2014 (33%), while for supporters of Rassemblement national, this idea is in sharp decline, from 50% in 2014 to 33% in 20211. Hatred of Israel is widely seen as the primary source of antisemitism. Nevertheless, the so-called “dual allegiance” accusation, that Jews are more loyal to Israel than to France is considered a legitimate criticism (39%). There are as many French people who like to legitimately accuse the Jews of being responsible for the policies of Israel (33%) as there are French people who consider that this is an antisemitic opinion (34%) or French people who do not know (33%), testifying to the difficulties in understanding the phenomenon of this “new antisemitism” linked to hatred of Israel, which has complex motives. Furthermore, it should be noted that 49% of the French have a positive image of Israel (compared to 22% who have a negative one), with the notable exception of those close to La France insoumise who are significantly more likely than average to have a negative impression of the country (38%, while 37% of respondents close to La France insoumise say they have a positive image of Israel). 30% of La France insoumise voters (compared to 16% across all French people) believe that using old antisemitic prejudices to refer to Israelis is a legitimate criticism rather than an antisemitic opinion; 43% (compared to 33% across all French people) believe that accusing Jews of being responsible for Israel’s policies is also a legitimate criticism. Moreover, 70% of La France insoumise voters spoke out (compared with 40% for all French people) against the bans on protests organised in support of the Palestinian cause due to the risk of antisemitic outbursts. 1. Dominique Reynié (dir.), Anti-Semitic Attitudes in France: New Insights, Fondation pour l’innovation politique, March 2015, p. 28 (www.fondapol.org/en/study/anti-semitic-attitudes-in-france-new-insights/). 2. Ibid, p. 21. 3. See Mehdi Ghouirgate, Iannis Roder and Dominique Schnapper, France : les Juifs vus par les musulmans. Entre stéréotypes et méconnaissances, Fondation pour l’innovation politique, May 2017 (www.fondapol.org/etude/france-les-jeifs-vus-par-les- musulmans-entre-stereotypes-et-meconnaissances/). III. THE MUSLIM POPULATION IS MORE AFFECTED BY THE SPREAD OF ANTISEMITIC IDEAS According to our data, 15% of Muslims admit to experiencing antipathy for Jews, a proportion 10 points higher than that measured across the French population. Even more so, it is with regard to adherence to prejudices that the differences with the general public are the most striking. The idea of Jewish control over the media (54%, +30 points compared to the French population as a whole) or in the economy and in finance (51%, +27 points) is thus shared by more than one out of every two Muslim people. The detailed analysis of the results invalidates the hypothesis of antisemitism attributable to socioeconomic ideas. Indeed, levels of adherence to prejudices are also very high among executives or graduates of higher education. Antisemitic views are also widespread among both Muslims from the Maghreb and those from sub-Saharan Africa. As we noted in our 2014 survey, adherence to prejudice is linked to the intensity of attendance at places of worship: for example, 61% of Muslims who visit the mosque every week believe that “Jews have too much power in the areas of the economy and finance”, compared to 40% of those who are non-observant 2. However, among Muslims, some antisemitic prejudices are less widespread among new generations. For example, 60% of Muslims over the age of 50 believe that “Jews have too much power in the media”, compared to 40% of Muslims aged 18-24. Similarly, 59% of Muslims over the age of 50 believe that “Jews have too much power in the fields of the economy and finance” compared to 34% of 18-24 year-olds. An in-depth analysis of the results provides a better understanding of the rationale behind this antisemitism. The AJC-Fondation pour l’innovation politique qualitative study, administered by IFOP in 2017, showed that some Muslims spontaneously expressed the feeling of being wronged by the media and the public authorities 3. Some respondents interviewed in semi-structured interviews explained that French Jews benefited from “preferential treatment” which, according to these people, took the form of indignation expressed more zealously by the media and public authorities against antisemitic acts than against attacks targeting Muslims. 60% of Muslims over the age of 50 believe that “Jews have too much power in the media”. 6
    • 11. The results of the survey allowed us to measure, at least in part, the weight of such opinions in the French Muslim population. More than a third of respondents believe that there is too much talk of antisemitism (36%), a result that is much higher than that measured for the French population on the whole (15%). Furthermore, it is interesting to note that the report to the Sarah Halimi case differs quite significantly depending on the two samples: while the court decision has inspired widespread misunderstanding and disapproval (72%) among French public opinion on the whole, significantly fewer Muslim respondents share this misunderstanding and disapproval (56%). Over the last twenty years or so, there has been an increase in the number of testimonies from history teachers who report growing difficulties in teaching the memory of the Holocaust. The issues of memorial competition are at the heart of the return of antisemitic discourse, as demonstrated by the trajectory of the comedian Dieudonné or the indigenous movements. The polemicist has gradually shifted to a claimed antisemitism, blaming his inability in 2005 to obtain subsidies for the production of a film on the slave trade on “Zionists” and the “Jewish lobby”. We have therefore attempted to understand the weight of these issues related to “competition for memory” among the French population. The idea that commemorating the Holocaust prevents other tragedies from being taken into account in history resonates with a third of French people (35%), but it is much more widespread among French people of Muslim faith (59%). It should also be noted that this more general idea that “too much is being done” about antisemitism, while generally less and less widespread among French people on the whole, persists in certain categories of the population: those who obtain their information via blogs or forums on the Internet are the most likely to think that there is too much talk of antisemitism (27%, compared with 15% on average for the whole population), as well as those who vote for La France insoumise (22%), or for Rassemblement national (20%) and supporters of the anti-vaccine movement (22%). 4. A third (32%) of respondents said they always or often wear distinctive distinctive signs of Judaism. IV. FRENCH JEWS REMAIN HIGHLY EXPOSED TO ANTISEMITIC ACTS Data on victimisation collected in this second edition of the analysis of antisemitism confirms the observation made in 2019: this directly affects a significant proportion of French people of Jewish faith or culture. Two-thirds of respondents report experiencing “derogatory mockery or vexatious remarks” (68%, 50% “repeatedly”). This mockery, which most Jews have faced, mostly takes the form of light-hearted jokes. Thus, 42% of French people but 54% of young people aged 18 to 24 say they have already witnessed such antisemitic comments. Of course, this “derogatory mockery” cannot be put on the same level as violent acts, but their scale testifies to the persistence within French society of the types of oldfashioned prejudices that Jews frequently face. The results of the survey show that antisemitic acts perpetrated against Jews are not limited to inappropriate jokes, but also take the form of more serious acts, such as insults (53% in 2021, compared with 48% in 2019), threats of assault (24% in 2021, compared with 22% in 2019), theft and damage (22% in 2021 and 2019) and physical assault (20% in 2021, 23% in 2019). Analysis of the data collected as part of this survey makes it possible to accurately identify how and where this violence takes place. V. WEARING DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM APPEARS TO BE THE MAIN RISK FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH ANTISEMITIC AGGRESSION In 2016, after a Jewish teacher wearing a kippa was assaulted in Marseille, the president of the city’s Israeli Consistory called on his co-religionists to stop wearing the headgear “until better days.” In this case, the data collected in this survey show that wearing distinctive signs of Judaism appears to be the main “risk factor” associated with attacks: 70% of respondents who wear distinctive signs of Judaism have been insulted (systematically or often 4), compared to 39% of those who rarely or never wear them. The gap is even greater with regard to exposure to threats of physical aggression (39% versus 13%). 7 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 12. Religious signs worn by women are often more discreet than those worn by men, and they are especially less distinctive. In other words, wearing the kippa is accompanied by an almost automatic identification in public space, which is not always the case with the distinctive signs of Judaism that are worn by women. We thus analysed the results more specifically on the basis of men wearing distinctive signs of Judaism, bearing in mind that these signs are not limited to the kippa, which is the most visible, but also include other much more discreet signs such as wearing a pendant with the Star of David. The data show that the latter are even more widely affected by assaults: 38% state that they have already been physically assaulted. It is therefore understood that people with signs that express their belonging to the Jewish religion or culture are overexposed to antisemitic acts and, in fact, are much more affected by the most serious attacks. Moreover, the analysis of the data shows that the modus operandi is not the same in the case of an attack on a Jew wearing these distinctive signs. Our survey shows that these antisemitic attacks most often take place on the streets (68%) and on public transport (57%), whereas conversely, violence perpetrated against people of Jewish faith or culture who do not wear signs of religious affiliation takes place mainly in schools (57%). In our previous study in November 2019, we highlighted the fact that it is young French Jews who are the most exposed to antisemitism. 63% of 18-24 year olds said they had been victims of verbal abuse (compared with 53%), 46% said they had been victims of threats or insults on social media (compared with 28%) and 26% said they had been physically attacked (compared with 20%). More generally, 60% of victims report having been assaulted in school (including 42% on several occasions), an increase compared to 2019 (54%), making schools the primary place of exposure to antisemitic violence, ahead of assaults that take place on the street (50%), a figure that decreased compared to 2019 (55%) – a drop that must probably be attributed to the effects of Covid-19 and to the various lockdowns –, ahead of social media networks (42%), the workplace (41%) or in the halls of buildings (35%). Events taking place in the homes of those concerned occur mostly during Shabbat. They include practising Jews (44%) who refrain from using digital keypads. The occurrence of assaults in schools probably explains why young people are more affected by violence than older people (26% of those under 25 say they have been physically assaulted, compared to 11% of those over 65). It should be noted that these under-25s went to school in the early 2000s, a period corresponding to a resurgence of antisemitic acts in France. While insults, mockery and threats occur primarily in schools and public spaces (for Jews wearing religious symbols), social media also appears to be a place of exposure for expressions of antisemitic hatred. Thus, the antisemitic events reported by respondents were first observed on social media (48%). Moreover, 28% of French Jews report having already been threatened on social networks, a proportion that reaches 46% for those under 25 years of age. Finally, it should be noted that while the workplace is still only marginally taken into account by antisemitism prevention programmes, it is not spared from expressions of antisemitism, as 41% of French Jews surveyed report. Our survey highlights a major phenomenon concerning the way in which French Jews react to antisemitism when they are victims of it, namely an almost complete absence of filed complaints: some 80% of French Jews state that they have not filed a complaint following an antisemitic attack. It is important to be aware of this figure because it constitutes the main bias in the measurement of the actual level of antisemitism in France, since the data on antisemitic acts recorded annually by the Ministry of the Interior, in conjunction with the statistics collected by the Jewish Community Protection Service (SPCJ), only take into account the number of filed complaints. VI. THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM IS SO WELL-KNOWN THAT A THIRD OF FRENCH JEWS SAY THEY HAVE ALREADY OPTED TO AVOID WEARING SUCH SIGNS FOR THEIR SAFETY It is clear that the risk associated with wearing these distinctive signs is well-understood by French Jews, some of whom even believe that wearing a kippa is tantamount to “provoking” an attack. More than a third of respondents report that they sometimes avoid wearing a dress style that links them to Judaism (35% in 2021, compared with 33% in 2019). This choice even applies to the 46% who usually wear these distinctive signs of Judaism at least occasionally. 60% of victims report being assaulted at school (including 42% repeatedly), making schools the first place where one is exposed to antisemitic violence. 8
    • 13. Even more frequently, 41% of respondents avoid displaying symbols such as a mezouza 5. Indeed, our data show that after being the victim of such a serious act, people become more cautious, with these avoidance behaviours that become the norm. And while some French Jews avoid, at least in certain circumstances, revealing their religion, they more often instruct their children to adopt such avoidance behaviours. This analysis of antisemitism allows us to measure the proportion of French Jews questioned about their experience of insecurity linked to their religious affiliation. In 2021, more than a third of Jews surveyed (37%) say they feel insecure “often” or “from time to time”, a proportion which has increased compared to 2019 (+4 points). Analysis of the profile of people of Jewish faith or culture most affected by this feeling shows that it is women (40%), people belonging to working-class categories (50%), residents of middle-class suburbs (43%) or practising Jews (51%). Furthermore, the feeling of insecurity because of one’s religion appears to be much more widespread among parents with children in school. The frequency of attacks in schools – as attested to by our survey – is known within the Jewish community, and it is reflected in a strong sense of insecurity among parents. A third (32%) of parents report that their child has already been the victim of antisemitic slurs and 18% of physical assaults. When an antisemitic attack occurs, the feeling of insecurity expressed by parents reaches 72% of respondents. The fear of having one’s child suffer attacks changes the behaviour of those interviewed. While about a third of those surveyed say they adopt concealment behaviours for themselves, these behaviours become the majority in families with schoolchildren: 55% of parents ask their children not to wear these distinctive signs and 45% not to say they are Jewish. Indeed, the feeling of insecurity reaches very high proportions (62%) among parents who have chosen a private Jewish establishment (compared to 37% across the whole sample) 6, while objectively children are probably more protected in these establishments; it is therefore understood that the feeling of insecurity probably preceded and motivated the choice of school. The results of the survey show that 46% of French Jews have already considered leaving France. While this figure remains significant, it is down 6 points compared 5. A mezouza is an object attached to the door of the homes to indicate that it is a “Jewish house”; it has a religious function of protection. 6. It should be noted that there are similar figures relating to private Catholic institutions that many Jewish parents also select. Faced with fears for their children, opposition between public institutions deemed more dangerous and private institutions deemed more protective plays a decisive role in parents’ choice of education. to 2019 (52%). In addition, the reasons given for their planned departures have changed since our survey in 2019. Indeed, the proportion of French Jews who plan to leave France due to fears about their future as Jews has decreased, going from 21% in 2019 to 13% in 2021. At the same time, the more positive reasons, such as cultural or religious reasons, for considering such a departure have risen sharply, from 6% in 2019 to 12% in 2021. VII. BEHAVIOURS OF CONCEALING ARE AT THEIR PEAK AMID TENSIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Rejection of Israel is seen by French people of Jewish faith or culture as the leading cause of antisemitism in France. In fact, the chronological analysis of violent antisemitic acts shows that the increase in attacks is linked to periods of tension in the Middle East. In 2014, according to the SPCJ, antisemitic acts and threats recorded during the first seven months of the year jumped from 276 to 527. This doubling of recorded antisemitic acts occurred in the context of renewed tensions in the Middle East related to the Israeli intervention “Protective Edge”. The attacks and insults occurred in particular on the margins of protests in support of the Palestinian cause, such as in Sarcelles in 2014, where demonstrators engaged in looting and vandalism that targeted shops in the city’s Jewish quarter. The results of our new survey show that French Jews have fully assimilated the fact that tensions in the Middle East have resulted in increased risk. Thus, 55% of French Jews surveyed said they felt more at risk during periods of confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians. This impression of greater danger is felt by nearly three-quarters (72%) of French Jews surveyed who wear religious symbols. Similarly, it is during such periods that avoidance and concealment behaviours reach their peak: 49% of French Jews surveyed said they avoided going to certain neighbourhoods, with this proportion rising to 63% among Jews bearing signs indicating their religious affiliation. Nearly half of all Jews (47%) avoid wearing religious signs during such periods, while nearly 4 in 10 Jews (40%) say that these contexts of tension in the Middle East lead them to avoid indicating their religion. 55% of parents ask their children not to wear these distinctive signs and 45% not to say they are Jewish. 9 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 14. VIII. FACED WITH ANTISEMITIC VIOLENCE, THE FRENCH APPROVE OF FIRM SECURITY RESPONSES AND AGREE ON THE NEED TO IMPROVE JUDICIAL RESPONSES French people in general, including French Jews, have accepted that the persistence of antisemitic incidents should lead to additional public policy precautions. Thus, a majority (60% for French people on the whole and 79% for French Jews) approved of the decision to ban protests in support of the Palestinian cause in May 2021 due to the risk of antisemitic outbursts. This decision is important because it marks a shift in the implementation of a “zero tolerance” policy that many actors in the fight against antisemitism have been advocating for over time. Over the last twenty years, scenes of antisemitic unrest during street protests (cries of “Death to the Jews” in the streets of Paris, the attack on the synagogue on Rue de la Roquette, incidents of extreme violence in Sarcelles, etc.) have left an impression. In the recent case of the antisemitic murder trial of Sarah Halimi, which had greatly moved French public opinion and shocked French Jews, it is particularly enlightening to note that, across the population, this court decision was disapproved by a large majority of respondents (72%). This case, in which developments are still continuing to happen relating to the conclusions of the parliamentary committee which is examining it, has allowed us to highlight the necessary improvements in the field of law. This tragedy has generated widespread outrage, heightened by the feeling that there is a form of impunity for antisemitic behaviour and that difficulties arise when it comes to apprehending the perpetrators, including when these antisemitic behaviours are criminal in nature. CONCLUSION The health crisis has not been accompanied by the surge in antisemitism that some may have feared. However, negative stereotypes about Jews are still present in French public opinion. While the proportions have remained stable since our 2019 survey, it remains important to remember that between a quarter and a third of our fellow citizens share these antisemitic prejudices. This new analysis of antisemitism confirms the persistence of antisemitism at the heart of French society. French people of the Jewish faith do not suffer from a poor image and instead represent one of the most accepted minorities in French public opinion. In other words, the proportion of French people expressing antipathy or even hatred towards Jews is probably lower now than it has been in the past. Yet this does not diminish the brutal reality of antisemitism and its potentially dramatic consequences for both the daily lives of French Jews and the country as a whole. Antisemitism in France mainly stems from particular segments of the French population. These segments are minor but particularly active. Antisemitism is particularly widespread among French people close to the Rassemblement national and La France insoumise; it is also more prevalent among respondents of Muslim faith or culture, particularly among those who declare themselves to be observant, especially those who visit places of worship most assiduously. The health crisis has also seen the emergence of a protest movement – anti-vaccine sympathisers – who are more prone to antisemitic prejudices. The results of our survey confirm the driving role of these forms of protest and social networks in the production and spread of antisemitic hatred. However, these results cannot be attributed to the lockdown nor the pandemic, since we had already recorded the role of social networks in our previous surveys in 2014 and 2019. The antisemitic experience of French people of Jewish faith or culture is difficult and painful. Most French Jews (74%) say they have experienced antisemitic behaviour in their lifetime, from mockery to physical aggression, verbal insults or threats. Our survey confirms a very worrying fact: identification as a Jew in the French public space is a risk factor and tends to expose people to violence. It is therefore understandable why so many French Jews hide their religion. The fear of being possibly subjected to antisemitic behaviour at any time is greatest among parents who fear for their children. Therefore, they educate them to adapt or change their behaviour. It is in schools that assaults take place most frequently. Jewish families have understood this and often ask their children not to carry recognisable signs of their Jewishness, and even to avoid revealing that they are Jewish. This is why these families are increasingly schooling their children in religious institutions, be they Catholic or Jewish. The French schooling system has allowed citizens of all faiths to “make a nation” for decades, but this function, which is essential to the schooling system, to the Republic and the country, is now under threat. 10
    • 15. Overall, French people seem to have understood this. The results of our survey testify to this; by the general indignation provoked by the murder of Sarah Halimi and the events surrounding the trial of her murderer; by the majority approval, in spring 2021, of the decision to ban protests in order to prevent consequent antisemitic outbursts. French people seem to understand that antisemitism is not only a problem for French Jews but one that concerns society as a whole; that its institutions, culture and values would not withstand the increase in antisemitism. An increase in awareness is possible. Faced with a return of antisemitism after almost twenty-five years, our survey shows that a fair, strong, effective and lasting collective response is now necessary, and that it has become possible. 11 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 16. The feeling that antisemitism is a widespread and growing phenomenon (in %) The feeling that antisemitism is talked about too much, enough or not enough (in %) Question: “In your opinion, is the phenomenon of antisemitism in France today…?” Responses: “yes, absolutely” and “yes, somewhat” Question: “In your opinion, do we talk too much, enough or not enough about the problem of antisemitism in France?” ALL RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE ALL RESPONDENTS 85 Widespread 64 73 Increasing 64 Too much 15 Enough 51 Not enough 34 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 2019 26 2022 34 I. ANTISEMITISM: OPINIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE PHENOMENON PART TWO – RESULTS 12
    • 17. RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH OR CULTURE ALL RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS OF CATHOLIC FAITH OR CULTURE Rejection, hatred of Israel Conspiracy theories Far-left ideas Islamist ideas Far-right ideas 62 45 35 28 21 53 48 37 36 13 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 The perception of the causes of antisemitism in France [1/2] (in %) The perception of the causes of antisemitism in France [2/2] (in %) Question: “What do you think is the cause of antisemitism in France? First? Second?” Responses: total quotes Question: “What do you think is the cause of antisemitism in France? First? Second?” Responses: total quotes Far-right ideas Conspiracy theories Far-left ideas Rejection, hatred of Israel Islamist ideas 49 46 46 20 13 34 53 34 54 14 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 13 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 18. RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE ALL RESPONDENTS Antisemitism is a problem for everyone because it concerns society as a whole 72 77 73 73 7 4 Do not know 19 19 Antisemitism is only a problem for Jews and does not concern society as a whole 21 19 8 8 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 The feeling that antisemitism only affects Jews or society as a whole (in %) Question: “Which of the following opinions do you agree with the most?” 2019 Reminder 2019 Reminder 14
    • 19. ALL RESPONDENTS Homosexuals 40 7 53 Foreigners in general 29 9 62 Jews 36 5 59 North Africans 23 20 57 Black people 34 9 57 Roma 12 34 54 Asians 39 6 55 Muslims 24 21 55 Protestants 35 4 61 Turks 23 19 58 Rather sympathetic Rather antipathetic Neither sympathy nor antipathy 3 Muslims 26 20 Roma 41 17 Homosexuals 7 15 Jews 4 11 Turks 22 10 North Africans 24 10 Black people 9 8 Foreigners in general 8 7 Asians 4 6 Protestants 2 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH OR CULTURE RESPONDENTS OF CATHOLIC FAITH OR CULTURE Sympathy or antipathy experienced for different categories or groups of people [1/2] (in %) Sympathy or antipathy experienced for different categories or groups of people [2/2] (in %) Question: “For each of these categories or groups of people, tell me if you feel sympathy or antipathy towards them or neither sympathy nor antipathy?” Question: “For each of these categories or groups of people, tell me if you feel sympathy or antipathy towards them or neither sympathy nor antipathy?” Response: “rather antipathetic” II. THE PERSISTENCE OF ANTISEMITIC OPINIONS WITHIN THE FRENCH POPULATION 15 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 20. Change in the proportion of French people who believe that Jews are unfairly attacked when things go wrong 2014 2016 2019 2021 2022 46 57 66 53 57 Change in the proportion of French people who believe that Jews are very united 2016 2019 2021 2022 74 72 68 72 Change in the proportion of French people who believe that Jews are richer than the average French person 2016 2019 2021 2022 31 27 30 30 Change in the proportion of French people who believe that Jews today draw advantage from their status as victims of the Nazi genocide during World War II 2014 2016 2019 2021 2022 35 32 20 24 30 Endorsement of certain prejudices concerning Jews [1/5] (in %) Changes since 2014 Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:” Change in the proportion of French people who believe that Jews have too much power in the fields of economics and finance 2014 2016 2019 2021 2022 25 24 21 23 26 Change in the proportion of French people who believe that Jews have too much power in the field of politics 2014 2016 2019 2021 2022 19 19 14 14 19 Change in the proportion of French people who believe that Jews have too much power in the media 2014 2016 2019 2021 2022 22 25 21 19 24 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 ALL RESPONDENTS 16
    • 21. RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH OR CULTURE RESPONDENTS OF CATHOLIC FAITH OR CULTURE 72 19 72 19 30 57 26 10 30 57 26 10 24 30 24 30 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Endorsement for certain prejudices concerning Jews [3/5] (in %) Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:” Response: “Agree” Jews are very united Jews today draw advantage from their status as victims of the Nazi genocide during World War II Jews are richer than the average French person Jews are responsible for many economic crises Jews have too much power in politics Jews have too much power in the media Jews are unfairly attacked when things go wrong Jews have too much power in the fields of economics and finance 68 54 53 51 42 40 40 24 82 29 35 29 20 34 65 11 Agree Disagree Do not know Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Jews are very united 72 8 20 Jews are unfairly attacked when things go wrong 57 19 24 Jews are richer than the average French person 30 35 35 Jews today draw advantage from their status as victims of the Nazi genocide during World War II 30 42 28 Jews have too much power in the fields of economics and finance 26 39 35 Jews have too much power in the media 24 42 34 Jews have too much power in politics 19 46 35 Jews are responsible for many economic crises 10 56 34 Endorsement for certain prejudices concerning Jews [2/5] (in %) Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:” ALL RESPONDENTS Overall average Overall average 17 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 22. LFI SUPPORTERS RN SUPPORTERS 72 19 72 19 30 57 26 10 30 57 26 10 24 30 24 30 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Endorsement for certain prejudices concerning Jews [4/5] (in %) Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:” Response: total “agree” Jews are very united Jews today draw advantage from their status as victims of the Nazi genocide during World War II Jews are richer than the average French person Jews are responsible for many economic crises Jews have too much power in politics Jews have too much power in the media Jews are unfairly attacked when things go wrong Jews have too much power in the fields of economics and finance 81 29 36 34 23 47 56 15 13 76 27 37 33 26 39 57 72 30 30 19 26 10 57 24 RESPONDENTS WHO HAVE A POSITIVE OPINION OF THE ANTI-VACCINE MOVEMENT Jews are very united Jews are richer than the average French person Jews today draw advantage from their status as victims of the Nazi genocide during World War II Jews have too much power in politics Jews are responsible for many economic crise Jews are unfairly attacked when things go wrong Jews have too much power in the fields of economics and finance Jews have too much power in the media Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Endorsement for certain prejudices concerning Jews [5/5] (in %) Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:” Response: total “agree” 70 49 37 37 32 34 27 18 Overall average Overall average Overall average 18
    • 23. Yes, somewhat Yes, absolutely No, not really No, not at all Catholic Muslim By religion: 8 27 42 23 35 59 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 ALL RESPONDENTS The feeling that the commemoration of the Holocaust prevents the expression of other tragedies in history (in %) Question: “And would you say that in France the commemoration of the Holocaust prevents the expression of the memory of other historic tragedies (such as the slave trade, the war in Algeria or the genocide in Rwanda)?” 35% Total “yes” Important but not essential Essential Secondary Catholic 15 Muslim By religion: 34 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 ALL RESPONDENTS 39 45 16 Importance given to commemorating the Holocaust (in %) Question: “Would you personally say that commemorating (at school, through ceremonies…) the memory of the Shoah or Holocaust (i.e. the genocide of the Jews) is something…?” 19 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 24. ALL RESPONDENTS Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Total Gender of the interviewee Men Women Age of interviewee 18 to 24 years old 25 to 34 years old 35 to 49 years old 50 to 64 years old 65 and over Occupation of the interviewee Artisan or merchant Management and upper intellectual profession Mid-level skilled profession White-collar worker Employee Retiree Education level Higher education 1st cycle (Deug, LMD licence) Baccalaureate CAP / BEP No diploma / CEP / BEPC Category of conurbation Paris conurbation Provincial urban municipalities Rural municipalities Monthly income Wealthy category (more than €2,500) Upper middle class (€1,900 to €2,500) Lower middle class (€1,300 to €1,900) Middle class category (900 to € 1300) Low-income category (less than €900) Attitude towards the anti-vaccine movement Positive impression Negative impression 2017 presidential vote Jean-Luc Mélenchon Benoît Hamon Emmanuel Macron François Fillon Marine Le Pen 26 32 20 18 28 22 26 33 30 19 26 17 33 32 23 21 20 30 32 30 27 19 25 29 28 24 23 37 21 33 18 21 28 39 Endorsement of the idea that “Jews have too much power in the fields of economics and finance” [1/2] (in %) Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:” 20
    • 25. Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Total Gender of the interviewee Men Women Age of interviewee 18 to 24 years old 25 to 34 years old 35 to 49 years old 50 and over Occupation of the interviewee Management and upper intellectual profession Mid-level skilled profession White-collar worker Employee Inactive Education level Higher education 1st cycle (Deug, LMD licence) Baccalaureate CAP / BEP No diploma / CEP / BEPC Category of conurbation Paris conurbation Urban unit ranging from 100,000 to 1,999,999 inhabitants Less than 100,000 inhabitants Origin Maghreb Sub-Saharan Africa Frequency of religious services Total regular observant Total at least once a week Several times a week Once a week At least once a month Total occasional observant Only occasionally, a few religious celebrations Less often Non-observant Attitude towards the anti-vaccine movement Positive impression Negative impression Self-positioning on the political scale Left Centre Right 51 53 48 34 48 56 59 61 55 52 44 53 52 41 55 53 50 55 54 40 53 59 56 61 51 70 37 52 55 47 40 50 53 51 50 54 Endorsement of the idea that “Jews have too much power in the fields of economics and finance” [2/2] (in %) Question: “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:” RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH OR CULTURE 21 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 26. RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH OR CULTURE ALL RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS OF CATHOLIC FAITH OR CULTURE Your religious affiliation Your gender Your ethnic origins Your sexual orientation 6 8 34 9 8 16 8 15 6 19 10 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 37 22 19 11 14 III. ANTISEMITISM IN EVERYDAY LIFE: THE STATE OF MIND OF FRENCH PEOPLE OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE Your religious affiliation Your gender Your ethnic origins Your sexual orientation 3 6 8 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 48 40 25 16 13 Feeling threatened due to religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender or origin (often/from time to time) [1/2] (in %) Feeling threatened due to religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender or origin (often/from time to time) [2/2] (in %) Question: “Do you ever feel threatened in your daily life because of…?” Question: “Do you ever feel threatened in your daily life because of…?” 2019 Reminder 2019 Reminder 22
    • 27. Total Gender of the interviewee Men Women Age of interviewee 18 to 24 years old 25 to 34 years old 35 to 49 years old 50 to 64 years old 65 and over Occupation of the interviewee Artisan or merchant Management and upper intellectual profession Mid-level skilled profession Blue-collar worker Retiree Region of the interviewee Île-de-France Grand Est Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Occitanie Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Corsica Type of municipality City centre High-end suburb Intermediate suburb Underprivileged suburb Origin Sephardi Ashkenazi Both Religious practice Very observant Somewhat observant Not very observant Not observant at all Exposure to antisemitism At least one antisemitic act suffered Derogatory mockery - Total yes Insults or slander - Total yes Insults or slander - repeatedly Theft, damage – Total yes Threats, insults on social networks – Total yes Threats of aggression - Total yes Acts of physical violence - Total yes Presence of children in the household Yes No Exposing children to antisemitism Yes Educational establishment attended by the child Public school, middle school or high school Private Catholic school, middle school or high school Private Jewish school, middle school or high school Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Each result line reads as follows: “Out of 100 people in a given category, X% report feeling threatened often or from time to time due to their religious affiliation.” 37 34 40 40 33 46 34 31 39 29 38 50 29 34 39 36 42 29 37 37 43 26 39 38 31 59 49 36 13 47 47 56 61 74 61 72 67 51 29 72 45 59 64 The profile of Jews who often or occasionally feel threatened due to their religious affiliation (in %) 23 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 28. Very optimistic Somewhat pessimistic Prefer not to say Somewhat optimistic Very pessimistic Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 2019 Reminder 50% 2019 Reminder 50% 1 8 8 6 48% Total “optimistic” 54% Total “optimistic” 40 41 10 48 38 Level of optimism for the future (%) Question: “In general, regarding the future would you say you are…?” RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE ALL RESPONDENTS 24
    • 29. 48 22 63 22 28 23 53 22 68 24 28 20 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Derogatory mockery or offensive language 68 Insults or slander 53 Threats and insults on social media 28 Threats of assault on your property or person 24 Theft, damage or destruction of your personal property 22 Acts of physical violence (slapping, beating, pushing, grabbing, etc.) 20 Total “yes” 32 47 68 76 78 80 50 18 30 23 16 12 9 15 7 15 8 12 Exposure to antisemitic acts [2/2] (in %) Changes compared to 2019 Question: “During your life, have you, because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, been personally subject to…?” Derogatory mockery or offensive language Threats of assault on your property or person Insults or slander Theft, damage or destruction of your personal property Threats and insults on social media Acts of physical violence (slapping, beating, pushing, grabbing) 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 Exposure to antisemitic acts [1/2] (in %) Question: “During your life, have you, because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, been personally subject to…?” RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE Yes, several times Yes, once No, never IV. ANTISEMITIC ACTS: OBSERVATION AND VICTIMISATION 25 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 30. Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Exposure to antisemitic acts and wearing of distinctive signs of Judaism (in %) Places of exposure to antisemitic verbal attacks and the wearing of religious signs (in %) Question: “During your life, have you, because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, been personally subject to…?” Question: “And because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, have you been subject to abuse or verbal threats in each of the following places?” Base: victims of an antisemitic act, i.e. 72% of the sample RESPONDENTS WEARING DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM (systematically/regularly) RESPONDENTS WEARING DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM (systematically/regularly) RESPONDENTS WHO DO NOT WEAR DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM (rarely/never) RESPONDENTS WHO DO NOT WEAR DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM (rarely/never) Derogatory mockery or offensive language In a school (e.g. middle school, high school, university, etc.) or during extracurricular activities Acts of physical violence (slapping, beating, pushing, grabbing, etc.) On public transportation (e.g. bus, metro - underground or subway), tram, train, etc.) In a bar, pub, restaurant or nightclub During sporting activities (e.g. sports club) Threats and insults on social media On social media Theft, damage or destruction of your personal property In the lobby of your building, at your home (at your place of residence) In public places (e.g. park, square, garden, etc.) During a sporting event Insults or slander On the street Threats of assault on your property or person At your place of work or in your professional environment (e.g. office, factory, conference, trade show) 78 70 43 39 34 29 59 39 14 13 12 14 59 68 55 53 44 57 40 40 35 31 57 36 25 30 25 16 15 17 10 11 26
    • 31. Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Places of exposure to antisemitic verbal attacks [1/2] (in %) Changes compared to 2019 54 60 In a school or during extracurricular activities 2019 2022 35 28 In public places 2019 2022 55 50 On the street 2019 2022 27 27 In a bar, pub, restaurant or nightclub 2019 2022 46 41 At your place of work or in your professional environment 2019 2022 21 22 During a sporting event 2019 2022 36 34 On public transportation 2019 2022 19 20 During sporting activities 2019 2022 Question: “And because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, have you been subject to abuse or verbal threats in each of the following places?” Base: applied to victims of an antisemitic act, i.e. 72% of the sample Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 In a school (e.g. middle school, high school, university, etc.) or during extracurricular activities In public places (e.g. park, square, garden, etc.) 60 28 On the street In a bar, pub, restaurant or nightclub 50 27 On social media During a sporting event (e.g. game, competition, etc.) 42 22 At your place of work or in your professional environment (e.g. office, factory, conference, trade show) During sporting activities (e.g. sports club) 41 20 In the lobby of your building, at your home (at your place of residence) 35 On public transportation (e.g. bus, metro – underground or subway, tram, train, etc.)34 Total “yes” Places of exposure to antisemitic verbal attacks [2/2] (in %) All victims Question: “And because of your affiliation with the Jewish community, have you been subject to abuse or verbal threats in each of the following places?” Base: victims of an antisemitic act, i.e. 72% of the sample 42 18 40 23 27 50 25 17 58 16 25 59 9 26 65 13 21 66 12 16 72 7 20 73 9 13 78 9 11 80 RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE Yes, several times Yes, once No, never 27 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 32. Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Profile of Jews subjected to antisemitic slurs (in %) Profile of physically assaulted Jews (in %) Total Gender of the interviewee Men Women Age of interviewee 18 to 24 years old 25 to 34 years old 35 to 49 years old 50 to 64 years old 65 and over Occupation of the interviewee Artisan or merchant Management and upper intellectual profession Mid-level skilled profession Blue-collar worker Retiree Region of the interviewee Île-de-France Grand Est Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Occitanie Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Corsica Type of municipality City centre Wealthy suburb Intermediate suburb Underprivileged suburb Origin Sephardi Ashkenazi Both Religious practice Very observant Somewhat observant Not very observant Not observant at all Total Gender of the interviewee Men Women Age of interviewee 18 to 24 years old 25 to 34 years old 35 to 49 years old 50 to 64 years old 65 and over Occupation of the interviewee Artisan or merchant Management and upper intellectual profession Mid-level skilled profession Blue-collar worker Retiree Region of the interviewee Île-de-France Grand Est Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Occitanie Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Corsica Type of municipality City centre Wealthy suburb Intermediate suburb Underprivileged suburb Origin Sephardi Ashkenazi Both Religious practice Very observant Somewhat observant Not very observant Not observant at all 53 55 50 63 46 65 49 47 55 50 53 55 47 54 61 54 46 44 54 59 41 53 57 54 57 79 66 58 21 20 24 15 26 27 23 15 11 18 16 14 31 14 13 20 23 19 14 18 14 29 19 22 14 21 25 28 18 10 28
    • 33. Yes, sometimes Physically assaulted because they are Jewish Yes, absolutely Insulted because they are Jewish No, not really No, not at all Catholics Muslims By religion: 5 22 29 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 “Have you ever heard people around you say negative remarks about Jews? (in %) Question: “Have you ever heard people around you say negative remarks about Jews?” 18 34 43 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Yes No “Have any of your children ever been insulted/ physically attacked because they are Jewish” (in %) Question: “Has one of your children ever been…?” Base: parents with at least one child in school, i.e. 34% of the sample 32 68 18 82 RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE ALL RESPONDENTS 23% of French people have already heard negative remarks about Jews in their circles 2019 Reminder 22% 29 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 34. “In your lifetime, have you ever witnessed any of the following actions and behaviours? [1/2] (in %) Question: “In your lifetime, have you ever witnessed any of the following actions and behaviours?” ALL RESPONDENTS ALL RESPONDENTS Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Total “yes” Jokes and discussions that convey prejudice or undermine Jews or challenge the reality of the Holocaust 42 Verbal aggression against a person of Jewish faith or culture (insults, derogatory mockery, threats or intimidation) due to their identity or religion 17 Damage to personal property committed against a person of Jewish faith or culture (theft, damage, graffiti or destruction of property) due to their identity or religion 10 A physical assault on a person of Jewish faith or culture (slapping, beating, pushing, grabbing, etc.) due to their identity or religion 8 Yes, several times Yes, once No, never 24 18 58 6 11 83 5 5 90 3 5 93 16 40 17 10 9 8 12 42 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 “In your lifetime, have you ever witnessed any of the following actions and behaviours? [1/2] (in %) Changes since 2019 Question: “In your lifetime, have you ever witnessed any of the following actions and behaviours? Jokes and discussions that convey prejudice or undermine Jews or challenge the reality of the Holocaust Damage to property committed against a person of Jewish faith or culture (theft, damage, graffiti or destruction of property) due to their identity or religion Verbal aggression against a person of Jewish faith or culture (insults, derogatory mockery, threats or intimidation) due to their identity or religion A physical assault on a person of Jewish faith or culture (slapping, beating, pushing, grabbing, etc.) due to their identity or religion 2019 2019 2019 2019 2022 2022 2022 2022 30
    • 35. ALL RESPONDENTS On social media Somewhere else At your place of work or in your professional environment During a sporting event (e.g. game, competition, etc.) On the street In public places (e.g. park, square, garden, etc.) In a school or during extracurricular activities During sporting activities (e.g. sports club) Within your family (e.g. during a discussion or a meal) On public transportation (e.g. bus, metro – underground or subway, tram, train, etc.) In a bar, pub, restaurant or nightclub In a place of worship Places where antisemitic aggression or speech is observed (in %) Question: “Specifically, have you ever witnessed an antisemitic joke, verbal assault, property damage or physical assault in any of the following locations?” Base: people who have seen at least one antisemitic act in their lifetime, or 46% of the sample Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Yes No 52 62 63 64 70 72 72 73 74 86 88 94 48 38 37 36 30 28 28 27 26 14 12 6 31 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 36. RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE Talked to a relative or relatives about the attack Talked about the attack with a community association (e.g. SPCJ) Filed a complaint What is the reaction to an antisemitic attack? Inform relatives, talk to a community association, file a complaint (in %) Question: “Following this attack, did you…?” Base: people who experienced an antisemitic act, i.e. 74% of the sample Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Yes No Would not say 63 36 1 23 76 1 19 80 1 Revealing your membership of the Jewish community in a discussion Displaying symbols expressing your belonging to the Jewish culture or religion (mezuzah, etc.) Displaying signs expressing your belonging to Jewish culture or religion on the Internet or on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) Going to certain streets or places in the city where you live Displaying a form of dress expressing your belonging to the Jewish culture or religion Revealing your membership of the Jewish community in your workplace Playing certain sports Adoption of avoidance behaviours (in %) Question: “During your life, have you, for fear (or after being a victim) of mockery, insults or antisemitic attacks, sought to avoid…?” Responses: “yes, completely” and “yes, somewhat” ALL RESPONDENTS VICTIMS OF AN ANTISEMITIC ACT VICTIMS OF PHYSICAL ASSAULT Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 48 45 41 30 35 31 14 55 54 47 37 43 38 18 63 66 61 56 59 51 49 V. BEHAVIOURS OF AVOIDANCE AND STRATEGIES OF CONCEALING 32
    • 37. The feelings and behaviour of French people of Jewish faith or culture during periods of tension between Palestinians and Israelis [1/2] (in %) Question: “During periods of tension and clashes between Palestinians and Israelis (as in May 2021), would you say that…?” Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Total “yes” Total “no” You feel more insecure 55 45 You avoid going to certain areas 49 51 You avoid displaying distinctive signs of Judaism (kippa, etc.) 47 53 You avoid saying you are Jewish 40 60 Yes, absolutely Yes, somewhat No, not really No, not at all RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE 23 22 17 34 17 36 23 37 23 32 29 20 24 23 16 24 You feel more insecure You avoid displaying distinctive signs of Judaism (kippa, etc.) You avoid going to certain areas You avoid saying you are Jewish Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 The feelings and behaviour of French people of Jewish faith or culture during periods of tension between Palestinians and Israelis [2/2] (in %) Question: “During periods of tension and clashes between Palestinians and Israelis (as in May 2021), would you say that…?” RESPONDENTS WEARING DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM (systematically/regularly) RESPONDENTS WHO DO NOT WEAR DISTINCTIVE SIGNS OF JUDAISM (rarely/never) 44 41 47 44 72 63 46 34 33 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 38. “Do you ever ask your child to adopt avoidance behaviours in order to protect them from antisemitism? (in %) Question: “And do you ever ask your child…?” Base: parents with at least one child in school, i.e. 34% of the sample Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Total “often/from time to time” Total “rarely/never” Prefer not to say To avoid going to certain neighbourhoods 60 35 5 To not wear distinctive signs of Judaism 55 43 2 To not say that they are Jewish 45 53 2 Often From time to time Rarely Never RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE 7 28 8 35 9 44 41 19 34 21 27 18 1 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 “Have you ever considered leaving France? (in %) 46% considered leaving France 2019 Reminder 52% Yes, mainly because you have concerns about the future of people of Jewish culture or faith in France Yes, mainly for economic reasons Yes, mainly because you have concerns about France’s future Yes, because you are drawn elsewhere for cultural or religious reasons No Prefers not to say 13 8 13 12 53 34
    • 39. Total Gender of the interviewee Men Women Age of interviewee 18 to 24 years old 25 to 34 years old 35 to 49 years old 50 to 64 years old 65 and over Occupation of the interviewee Artisan or merchant Management and upper intellectual profession Mid-level skilled profession Blue-collar worker Retiree Region of the interviewee Île-de-France Grand Est Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Occitanie Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Corsica Type of municipality City centre Wealthy suburb Intermediate suburb Underprivileged suburb Origin Sephardi Ashkenazi Both Religious practice Very observant Somewhat observant Not very observant Not observant at all Exposure to antisemitism At least one antisemitic act suffered Derogatory mockery - Total yes Insults or slander - Total yes Insults or slander - repeatedly Theft, damage - Total yes Threats, insults on social networks - Total yes Threats of aggression - Total yes Acts of physical violence - Total yes Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 The profile of Jews who have already considered leaving France (in %) 46 49 44 62 62 58 36 23 60 43 42 62 25 43 45 52 47 37 46 35 56 52 51 37 60 72 57 43 25 54 54 58 55 76 68 72 78 35 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 40. Yes, very much agree No, somewhat disagree Prefer not to say Yes, somewhat agree No, very much disagree Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 1 6 79% Total “yes” 60% Total “yes” Opinion on the ban on protests in support of the Palestinian cause in May 2021 (in %) Question: “On 15 May 2021, a protest in support of the Palestinian cause in Paris was banned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs because of the risk of antisemitic outbursts. Do you agree with this decision to ban the event?” RESPONDENTS OF JEWISH FAITH OR CULTURE ALL RESPONDENTS 23 37 27 13 55 24 14 Jean-Luc Mélenchon Benoît Hamon Emmanuel Macron François Fillon Marine Le Pen Based on 2017 vote 34 45 69 79 74 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Opinion on the court decision in the Sarah Halimi case (in %) Question: “What does this court decision mean to you personally?” On 4 April 2017, Sarah Halimi, a retired Jewish woman, was beaten before being pushed through the window of her apartment in the XIth arrondissement of Paris by her neighbour Kobili Traoré. He is being examined by several psychiatrists who agree that he acted in a delusional state resulting from a significant dose of cannabis. On 19 December 2019, the Paris Court of Appeal declared him legally incompetent. On 3 March 2021, the Appeal Court of Cassation confirmed Kobili Traoré’s legal incompetence; he was not tried and was committed to a psychiatric hospital. You understand and approve of it You do not understand it and you disagree with it 28 72 Catholics Muslims By religion: 75 56 36
    • 41. This is an antisemitic opinion or behaviour This is an opinion or behaviour that is strictly critical of Israel and is not antisemitic Do not know Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Characterising Israelis in terms of old antisemitic prejudices (“child killers”, “bloodthirsty”, “responsible for the death of Christ”, etc.) Comparing Israeli policies to Nazi policies Accusing Jews of being responsible for Israel’s policies Considering Israel an inevitably racist state Begrudging Jews for being more attached to Israel than to France The feeling that different opinions related to Israel or Jews are antisemitic or anti-Zionist [1/3] (in %) Question: “For each of the following behaviours, would you say it is antisemitism (i.e. hatred of Jews) or simply criticism of the state of Israel?” 51 16 33 42 25 33 34 33 33 31 35 34 28 39 33 RESPONDENTS OF MUSLIM FAITH OR CULTURE RESPONDENTS OF CATHOLIC FAITH OR CULTURE 35 16 35 16 33 39 33 39 25 25 The feeling that different opinions related to Israel or Jews are antisemitic or anti-Zionist [2/3] (in %) Question: “For each of the following behaviours, would you say it is antisemitism (i.e. hatred of Jews) or simply criticism of the state of Israel?” Response: “This is an opinion that is critical of Israel and is not antisemitic” Considering Israel an inevitably racist state Begrudging Jews for being more attached to Israel than to France Characterising Israelis in terms of old antisemitic prejudices (“child killers”, “bloodthirsty”, “responsible for the death of Christ”, etc.) Comparing Israeli policies to Nazi policies Accusing Jews of being responsible for Israel’s policies 50 44 43 38 32 35 25 42 36 17 Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 Overall average Overall average 37 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 42. The feeling that different opinions related to Israel or Jews are antisemitic or anti-Zionist [3/3] (in %) Question: “For each of the following behaviours, would you say it is antisemitism (i.e. hatred of Jews) or simply criticism of the state of Israel?” Response: “This is an opinion that is critical of Israel and is not antisemitic” LFI SUPPORTERS RN SUPPORTERS 35 16 35 16 33 39 33 39 25 25 Considering Israel an inevitably racist state Begrudging Jews for being more attached to Israel than to France Characterising Israelis in terms of old antisemitic prejudices (“child killers”, “bloodthirsty”, “responsible for the death of Christ”, etc.) Comparing Israeli policies to Nazi policies Accusing Jews of being responsible for Israel’s policies Ifop | AJC | Fondation pour l’innovation politique – March 2022 44 29 42 43 30 35 27 41 37 22 Overall average Overall average 38
    • 43. 39 AN ANALYSIS OF ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE
    • 47. FONDATION POUR L’INNOVATION POLITIQUE A LIBERAL, PROGRESSIVE AND EUROPEAN THINK TANK Created in 2004, the Fondation pour l’innovation politique has an economically liberal, progressive and European perspective. Through its work, it has two objectives: to contribute to a pluralist and informed debate, and to inspire public decision-making. As a state-recognised organisation, the website fondapol.org provides public access to all the Foundation’s work. Anyone can access and use all the data gathered for the various surveys via the “data.fondapol” platform, made available in accordance with a government policy desiring the sharing of public data. Moreover, when it comes to international surveys, the data are available in the different languages of the questionnaire; for example, in 45 languages for the survey Freedoms at risk: the challenge of the century, conducted in 55 countries. Furthermore, reflecting the Foundation’s editorial policy, our blog “Anthropotechnie” aims to explore new avenues prompted by human enhancement, reproductive cloning, human/ machine hybridisation, genetic engineering and germline manipulation. It contributes to thinking and debate on transhumanism. “Anthropotechnie” offers articles tackling ethical, philosophical and political issues associated with the expansion of technological innovations relating to the enhancement of human bodies and abilities. The Fondation pour l’innovation politique is independent and receives no financial support from any political party. Its funding comes from both public and private sources.
    • 48. AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE IN A FEW WORDS The American Jewish Committee (AJC) is the largest American Jewish organisation in the world. Transpolitical, its objective is the defence of human rights, democratic values and pluralism, the promotion of transatlantic relations and the fight against racism, antisemitism and any form of discrimination. Its European branch, AJC Europe, is led by Simone Rodan Benzaquen and is represented in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. The office in France, AJC Paris, is headed by Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache.
    • 49. Please return to: Fondation pour l’innovation politique 11, rue de Grenelle 75007 Paris Contact : Anne Flambert Administrative and Financial Director +33 (0)147536709 anne.flambert@fondapol.org In order to remain independent and work effectively in the public interest, the Fondation pour l’innovation politique, a civil society institution, needs the support of businesses and individuals. Every year, donors are invited to attend the General Convention at which the organization’s priorities are set out. The Fondation pour l’innovation politique regularly provides donors with opportunities to meet its staff and advisers, discuss its work before anyone else, and attend its events. The Fondation pour l’innovation politique is a state-recognized organization pursuant to the decree of April 14th 2004 and as such is entitled to receive donations and legacies from individuals and businesses. I would like to support the Fondation pour l’innovation politique I would like to contribute: 100 € 500 € 1,000 € 5,000 € 10,000 € 50,000 € Other amount.......................€ I am making this donation: In my own name On behalf of the company:................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Recipient of the receipt required for tax purposes:............................................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Address:..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Postcode:....................................... City:..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... By cheque made out to the Fondation pour l’innovation politique By bank transfer dated: To the account of the Fondation pour l’innovation politique at the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations : IBAN : FR77 4003 1000 0100 0029 9345 Z16 BIC : CDCGFRPPXXX Public debate needs the Foundation and the Foundation needs you! Donation form
    • 52. March 2022 ISBN : 978-2-36408-275-5 From the yellow stars worn by protesters opposed to the health pass to the use by some of the pronoun “who” to denounce the supposed stranglehold of Jews in the media, not to mention the notion of Jewish conspiracy being revived as an explanation for the coronavirus pandemic, 2021 was marked by an increase in antisemitic incidents. While such facts are a reminder of the persistence of prejudice against Jews in French society, history teaches us that antisemitism thrives in times of crisis. Thus, nearly two years after the start of the health crisis, we felt it was essential to carry out a broad study to draw up a detailed and dispassionate diagnosis of this phenomenon. What is the scale of prejudice against Jews in French society in 2021? Is the health crisis accompanied by a surge in antisemitism in public opinion? How do the French view this phenomenon? To what extent are French Jews concerned about the violence targeting them? How does this violence unfold? To try to answer these questions, we have built an exceptional survey system. Exceptional in size: we conducted the survey in parallel with two specific samples – people of Jewish faith, people of Muslim faith – and with an overall sample, representative of the French population as a whole, the latter also allowing us to look at other subcategories of the population: French Catholics, young people, groups of French people classified according to their geographical area, socioeconomic criteria, political affinities or even according to their preferred sources of information. This study is also exceptional in terms of the diversity of the themes addressed: exposure and observations of violent acts, opinions regarding Israel, the Holocaust, prejudices against Jews, etc. are all key topics to be examined in an attempt to shed a new light on antisemitism. The study An analysis of antisemitism in France, 2022 edition is a continuation of the work undertaken by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Fondation pour l’innovation politique, with IFOP since 2014. Most of the questions administered in 2019 during the last edition were repeated identically, in order to identify any changes in the behaviour and opinions expressed.


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