France has the largest Jewish community in Europe with just under 500,000 Jews.

But it is also the country where they feel the least safe, according to an index covering 12 European countries published on Tuesday as part of a meeting organized by the European Jewish Association (EJA).

16,000 European Jews interviewed

This index of "Jewish quality of life", based on polls and studies, crosses four sets of data: the feeling of security felt by the Jewish community, the attitude of the population towards Jews and Israel , anti-Semitism and "government performance" (statistics on anti-Semitic incidents, Holocaust memorial sites, budget for security of Jewish sites, freedom of worship and preservation of Jewish practices such as circumcision and ritual slaughter, etc.).

The studies were conducted by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research in London and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, with 16,000 European Jews in 2018.

Government action is not enough

It shows that France comes in 10th position (68/100) in this index dominated by Italy (1st place with 79/100) and Hungary (2nd).

Only Poland (11th) and Belgium (12th place with 60/100) do less well.

Germany, Spain, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Netherlands are also part of this study.

"One of the surprising conclusions is that the government of France is performing well" in the actions carried out by the state (score of 83/100), "but despite this, the Jewish community expresses a strong feeling of concern "for his safety (31/100), Daniel Staetsky, author of this index, statistician at the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, told AFP.

As possible explanations, he cited "anti-Semitic terrorist attacks" such as the killing of the Otzar Hatorah Jewish school in Toulouse in 2012 or the attack on the Hypercacher in eastern Paris in January 2015.

Denmark's Jews Feel Safe

Other lessons from these studies: it is in Denmark that the Jewish population feels the most secure.

Hungary ranks first in terms of anti-Semitism.

And Belgium is last for the actions carried out by the country in favor of its Jewish community.

According to the EJA, the meeting, which has been held in Budapest since Monday and ends on Tuesday, brings together some 250 people, including 120 representatives and leaders of Jewish communities in Europe.

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