The rabbi’s assault, in broad daylight, on Saturday, March 22, 2025, in front of his son, has sparked a wave of indignation. In Toulouse, representatives of the Jewish community denounce «pure and simple antisemitism» fueled by «harmful influences» within certain political parties.
«An odious and intolerable act.» In the eyes of Daron Naïm, rabbi of Toulouse and the region, the assault on Arié Engelberg in Orléans, as he was returning home with his nine-year-old son on Saturday, is unspeakable. «I am dismayed,» he says, «because it targets a person of faith, a man of religion.» But representatives of the Jewish community in Toulouse also denounce a form of political exploitation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The rabbi of Toulouse denounces a toxic atmosphere in France today. According to Daron Naïm, the Jewish community wonders about the possibility of still being able to live safely in France. In the background: the war between Israel and Hamas. «I honestly think that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an excuse, a cover, a facade,» says the rabbi of Toulouse. «There are people who are antisemitic and who take advantage of this conflict to freely express their hatred of Jews. I think it’s an argument for people who already had hatred, but who now have the opportunity to express it openly.«
This sentiment is shared by Pierre Lasry. The former head of the parents’ association at the Ozar Hatorah school targeted by Mohamed Merah in 2012 sounds the alarm. «By targeting the Jewish world, we end up with these kinds of results on weak and impressionable souls who end up believing everything they are told. That the Jews are responsible for everything. That they prefer the soldiers of the IDF to Palestinian children. These kinds of small falsehoods instilled, day after day, by people who know exactly what they are doing to the general public. Little by little, this is what happens. It leads to a disillusioned young person hitting a rabbi passing by in the street with his nine-year-old son.«
During a visit to Belfort on Monday, March 24, 2025, the Minister of the Interior responded to the assault on the rabbi of Orléans, mentioning «a resurgence of antisemitism,» which must be «fought tooth and nail.» Antisemitism has now mutated, Bruno Retailleau further stated. «It now has a dual face. The face of Islamism, which is ultimately a bit like yesterday’s fascism, a catalyst for antisemitic hatred. And another face, that of the far left which, under the guise of anti-Zionism, stokes the embers of antisemitism,» reports AFP. And the Minister of the Interior clearly points the finger at the responsibility of the Insoumis party.
The Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau pointed out Monday, during a visit to Belfort, the «double face» of antisemitism, that of «Islamism» and that of «the far left,» after the assault on a rabbi in Orléans on Saturday
— Le Parisien (@le_Parisien) March 24, 2025
Are these political statements reassuring the Jewish community? Not certain. «I don’t expect everything from the authorities,» says Pierre Lasry. «Of course, they must ensure that this does not happen again. But there is also work to be done on the public’s side. On the side of political parties. On the side of religious leaders who must also engage in education and prevention.» The entrepreneur and editor-in-chief of Aviv, the magazine of the Toulouse Jewish community, openly discusses «influences that are very harmful, that are very detrimental, that put targets on the backs of rabbis and individuals of the Jewish faith» within certain political parties.
Pierre Lasry calls for a form of awakening within the French community. In a spirit of conviviality and living well together. «We must unite in this country, France, to fight against this infamy of targeting Jews by importing the Middle East conflict,» he adds.
The Rabbi of Toulouse, on the other hand, is waiting for concrete measures, «that prove to us that today, we can continue to freely practice our religion, and above all, in complete safety.«
The assault on the Rabbi, in broad daylight, on Saturday, March 22, 2025, in front of his son, has sparked numerous reactions of indignation. In Toulouse, representatives of the Jewish community denounce «blatant antisemitism» fueled by «harmful influences» within certain political parties.
«An odious and intolerable act.» In the eyes of Daron Naïm, Rabbi of Toulouse and the region, the assault on Arié Engelberg in Orléans, as he was returning home with his nine-year-old son on Saturday, is unspeakable. «I am dismayed, he tells us, because it targets a person of faith, a man of religion.» But the representatives of the Jewish community in Toulouse also denounce a form of political instrumentalization of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Rabbi of Toulouse denounces a deleterious climate in France today. According to Daron Naïm, the Jewish community wonders about the possibility of still being able to live safely in France. In the background: the war between Israel and Hamas. «I honestly think that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an excuse, a showcase, a facade,» says the Rabbi of Toulouse. «There are people who are antisemitic and who take advantage of this conflict to freely express their hatred of Jews. I think it’s an argument for people who already had hatred, but didn’t have the opportunity to express it until today.«
An opinion shared by Pierre Lasry. The former head of the parents’ association at the Ozar Hatorah school targeted by Mohamed Merah in 2012, sounds the alarm. «By constantly targeting the Jewish world, we end up with these kinds of results on weak and impressionable souls who end up believing everything they are told. That the Jews are responsible for everything. That they prefer IDF soldiers to Palestinian children. These kinds of small untruths instilled, day after day, by people who know very well what they are doing in the eyes of the general public. Little by little, this is what it leads to. It leads to a disaffected young person hitting a rabbi passing by in the street with his nine-year-old son.«
During a visit to Belfort on Monday, March 24, 2025, the Minister of the Interior reacted to the assault on the Rabbi of Orléans, mentioning «a resurgence of antisemitism«, which must be «fought tooth and nail«. Antisemitism has mutated, Bruno Retailleau further declared. «It now has a double face. The face of Islamism, which is ultimately somewhat like yesterday’s fascism, a catalyst for antisemitic hatred. And another face, that of the extreme left which, under the guise of anti-Zionism, fans the flames of antisemitism«, reports AFP. And the Minister of the Interior clearly points the finger at the responsibility of the Insoumis.
Are these political statements reassuring for the Jewish community? Not certain. «I don’t expect everything from the authorities,» says Pierre Lasry. «Of course, they must ensure that this does not happen again. But there is also work to be done on the side of the public. On the side of political parties. On the side of religious leaders who must also do educational and preventive work.» The entrepreneur and editor-in-chief of Aviv, the magazine of the Jewish community in Toulouse, speaks candidly about «influences that are very harmful, very detrimental, that put targets on the backs of rabbis and people of the Jewish faith» within certain political parties.
Pierre Lasry calls for a form of awakening within the French community. In a spirit of conviviality and living well together. «We must come together in this country, France, to fight against this disgrace which is the targeting of Jews by importing the conflict from the Middle East,» he adds. Le rabbin de Toulouse attend des mesures concrètes pour prouver qu’il est possible de continuer à pratiquer sa religion librement et en toute sécurité. L’agression du rabbin à Toulouse a suscité de vives réactions d’indignation. Les représentants de la communauté juive dénoncent l’antisémitisme et les influences néfastes de certains partis politiques.
Pour le rabbin de Toulouse, l’agression de son collègue à Orléans est inqualifiable. Il pointe du doigt un climat délétère en France et s’interroge sur la sécurité des juifs dans le pays. Il estime que le conflit israélo-palestinien est utilisé comme prétexte par les antisémites pour exprimer leur haine. Pierre Lasry, ancien responsable des parents d’élèves dans une école juive visée par une attaque en 2012, met en garde contre la montée de l’antisémitisme et l’instrumentalisation politique.
Le ministre de l’Intérieur a réagi à l’agression du rabbin d’Orléans en dénonçant un retour de l’antisémitisme qu’il faut combattre. Il pointe du doigt l’islamisme et l’extrême gauche comme vecteurs de haine antisémite. Ces déclarations politiques ne suffisent pas à rassurer la communauté juive qui appelle à une action collective et à l’éducation pour prévenir de tels actes.
La communauté juive de Toulouse attend un changement de mentalité et un renforcement du vivre ensemble. Il est nécessaire de lutter contre les influences néfastes et de travailler ensemble pour garantir la sécurité de tous. Il insiste sur la nécessité de l’unité en France pour combattre la discrimination des juifs liée au conflit au Moyen-Orient. Le rabbin de Toulouse espère des actions concrètes qui garantissent la liberté et la sécurité de pratiquer sa religion.
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