French ex-pats say

THE GROWING French Jewish community in Britain looked on in dismay and fear as family and friends were directly affected by last week’s terror attacks.

Originally from Nice, Simon Tobelem, 45, is now a trustee of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation in London.

He said: “The first feeling of the French community here is of immense sadness because many people are in some way touched by it.

“My mother-in-law lives five minutes from the shop. Someone knew Yoav, one of the victims. If I was staying with my in-laws that is the shop where I would do my Shabbat shopping. It is very real for people here.

“There is a feeling of fear because you cannot prevent yourself from fearing it could happen here.

“Obviously many of the French Jews who come from Paris are now saying they don’t want to go back and the next step for them, if they don’t stay in London, will be Israel.”

It is estimated that 6,000 French Jews live in London. St John’s Wood Synagogue has a separate French minyan every Shabbat and there are other exclusively French minyanim in the capital.

Mr Tobelem said: “I think that we should not be complacent; life cannot just go on as usual. We need to be careful. Parents have tried to get strengthened security in schools and have asked me to put pressure on the local authorities.

“One of

the Hendon shul chair Marc Meyer and family