Skip links
20220512012015 144105

Attacks change the routine at Jewish school in Paris

Here is the only safe restaurant in Paris. All Jews can come to eat here, as well as cartoonists, without fear of being assaulted. Of course, except for the bill," said Claude Journo, head of the canteen of a professional school in the Marais district of Paris, in a humorous tone. As in other places of study and worship, the police and military frequently patrol in front of the building on Rue des Rosiers, known for its Jewish establishments.

On Monday, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced the reinforcement of 4,700 police officers at 717 sites identified with Jewish culture. At the École de Travail, student trainees arrived for classes after a week in which 17 people died as victims of terrorism, including four at a Jewish market in Porte de Vincennes in the French capital.

Claude Journo runs the school canteen with his son. The Rue des Rosiers school was founded in 1852 by Jews, but opened to the general community in 1970. Currently, 25-30% of the students are Muslim, while approximately 45% are Jewish. However, students and teachers said they are now "more attentive" to safety when arriving for classes.

"We are more vigilant when we walk down the street after the attacks. The military passes in front of the school all the time," said junior Davi, a freshman. "We tell ourselves: be careful, but don't be afraid," recounted geography teacher Christel Roels.

The teacher said she spoke to students in class after the attacks and they all understood that it was not a religious issue. "They were angry about the lack of understanding - why attack a newspaper, why attack Jews and Muslims? And we talked about extremism, not religion. It's important to separate things," he explained.

Despite the concern in France, establishments on Rue des Rosiers were operating normally on Monday. The street was the scene of an anti-Semitic attack in 1982, when six people were killed in an attack on the former Goldenberg restaurant.

Leave a comment

Icon Chat
Do you want to receive news? OK No, thanks