THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 70 Friday, November 2, 1919 Jewish Communities of France Fight Assimilation, Intermarriage By BEN G. FRANK (Copyright 1979, JTA, Inc.) LYON, France — At the junction of the turbulent Rhone River and the tran- quil Saone is one of the most famous crossroads of West- ern Europe: Lyon, the third largest city of France; a leader in book publishing, banking, the world's silk capital and also the gas- tronomic capital of France. And if you walk between the two rivers in the quiet pedestrian walkway section surrounded by attractive shops you will meet Jews who openly and proudly wear the Star of David. For there are about 35,000 Jews living in this city which is busy and bustl- ing and with its diversified economy which includes scientific and technical re- search as well as metal and aerospace industry. Unlike other cities in France where young Jews head for Paris, this community is proud of its accomplishments, its op- portunities and is even now welcoming Jews from Iran as it did nearly 20 years ago Jews from Morocco, Algiers and Tunisia. There are now more than 700,000 Jews in France and about half live in and around Paris. Much has been written about the Parisian Jews. But what about the other half spread throughout France which is the third largest Jewish community outside of Israel and the fourth largest in the world? A visit to three cities in France — Lyon, Marseilles and Nice — shows Jewish organizations no longer busily engaged in bringing in and absorbing immig- rants from North Africa. Today in these three cities, Jewish communities are well established with synagogues, institutions, community centers, day schools, senior citizens homes, kosher restaurants and active organizations — at least two or three for every member of the com- munity. are house calls a thing of the past?? OF COURSE NOT! Let The Jewish News visit your home or that of a friend or relative each week. MINEMONIIM To: The Jewish News 17515 W. 9 Mile Rd., Suite 865 Southfield, Mich. 48075 I Please send a year's gift subscription to: I 1 1 NAME ADDRESS STATE CITY ZIP OCCASION: FROM: [I] $15 enclosed 11- 1M111•1111111101•1 11 1116 MENIMMOMMINOMPINOMOI Mm•INISINgo • wo 1 11 Like their brothers and sisters in Paris, Jews are also settled into Lyon, Mar- seilles and Nice and many of them, as well as their sons and daughters, are profes- sionals, affluent and active in Jewish causes, especially Israel. The dangers the Jews face in these three cities are no longer adjusting, but fighting assimilation and intermarriage in a country which assimi- lates Jews faster than any other. Lyon, for example, which is 319 miles from Paris, makes a good stopover en route to the Alps or the Riviera. The Jewish com- munity of Lyon is proud to relate how Jews came with the Romans who settled here and even today, exca- vations in the old cemeteries often turn up tombstones ' with Hebrew writing. In "Old Lyon," there were Jewish streets in Roman times, and one such street today is called Rue Juiverie. Many of Lyon's Jews came before World War I from Turkey and other Mediterranean countries. Ashkenazim arrived before and after World War II and one of the most interesting Jewish sites is the main Ashkenazic synagogue at 13 Quai Tilsit, dedicated in 1864. Jews in Lyon have estab- lished more than a dozen synagogues, numerous so- cial halls and clubs. Like many cities in France, one finds numerous organiza- tions, at least 35 in Lyon, from Bnai Brith to WIZO to Young Leadership of the United Jewish Appeal, to Zionist youth groups, to a day school of Ozer Hatorah. Seventy percent of the Jewish community in Lyon is Sephardic. These Jews from North Africa at first were engaged in the export-import busi- ness. Later they ex- panded their establish- ments to become owners of factories and commer- cial enterprises, though their children often be- came professionals, doc- tors, teachers, lawyers, engineers. Information on this community can be obtained at the FSJU (Fonds Social Juif Unifie similar to a federation or welfare fund in the U.S.), at 146 Grand Rue de la Guillottiere, in Lyon. One finds a difference in Marseilles. Here is a smaller Ashkenazic com- munity, for Marseilles is a city of Sephardic Jews, vib- rant, exciting people who brought with them their de- votion to Judaism which was ingrained over hun- dreds of years of living in the mellahs and casbahs of North Africa. There are 70,000 Jews in Marseilles which is the third largest Jewish com- munity in Western Europe. Most of them are North Af- rican Jews from Marrakesh, Casablanca, Algiers, Oran and Tunis. In 1956, there J ; were only 15,000 and it was the newcomers who have set up nearly 20 synagogues, day and vocational schools, youth centers and a kosher restaurant. Marseilles is, of course, an historic city for Jews. After World War II much of what the British called il- legal traffic of Jews to their future Jewish homeland flowed from Marseilles, whose famous street is the Canebiere which winds down to the Vieux Port (old port). Although Marseilles is becoming more indus- trialized, Jews here seem to indicate that a big problem is that many of the young people move to Paris which always has attracted thousands be- cause of its central posi- tion in the galaxy of French provinces. The young Jews who want to work in Jewish organiza- tional life usually have to relocate to Paris which is the headquarters of Jewish groups and - com- mittees. A two-hour train ride from Marseilles brings one to Nice, where there are 30,000 French Jews. Many Algerian Jews chose Prove- nce section and the Riviera because the sun-drenched climate, the red tiled roofs and their brilliant gardens reminded them of their former North African homes which they left in the early • 1960s when the French departed. When Algeria became in- dependent in 1962, it was natural for these Algerian Jews who were French citi- zens, French educated and French speaking to resettle on the mainland. As citi- zens, Jews from Algeria could immediately join the civil service as postal em- ployees, customs officials and civil servants. In Nice, the capital of the Riviera, many Jews engage in wholesale and retail trade, in clothing, and in the tourist industry. Many Algerian Jews in Nice have set up exquisite boutiques and shops and •become de- signers and sellers to the Aliya Predicted TEL AVIV (ZINS) — Akiva Levinsky, treasurer of the Jewish Agency, be- lieves 120,000 Jews will emigrate to Israel during the next three years. He said more than 100,000 Jews are now "stateless," including 50,000 Russians and 25,000 Iranians. Since 1948, 1,650,000 persons have emigrated to Israel. Military Balance JERUSALEM (ZINS) — The Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv Univer- sity believes that there will be no significant shift in the Middle East balance of mili- tary power before 1982: The center stressed in a report Israel's air superior- ity and the loss of Egypt's forces to the Arab side. • .• • fashion capitals of Paris and New York. Nice, too, has its many synagogues, its 'institu- tions, community cen- ters, as does nearby Can- nes and other spots along the Riviera. Most of the hotels in the area have notices of where one can find Jewish prayer serv- ices. The Nice area is a ca A of art and is proud of one of its most illustrious citizens, Marc Chagall, who is Jewish. Many of his re- nowned works are located in the beautiful hill-top sec- tion of Nice in the National Museum, the Bible Message of Marc Chagall on the Avenue du Docteur Menard. Jews in Nice, as well as Marseilles, Lyon and even Paris are looking for direc- tion and eager for a chal- lenge. One idea comes from Avi Primor, an Israeli, who for a number of years was second in command at the Israel Embassy in Paris. Primor plans to create a new infrastructure with the help of a core of 200 young, idealistic French Jews. The 200 had organized the highly successful demon- stration, "12 Hours for Is- rael," in Paris some three years ago. About 100,000 French Jews turned out for support of the Jewish state on that day. The group dis- banded shortly afterward and Primor said that he met with them and they are ready to volunteer and set up centers of Zionist action all over the Paris suburbs and the provincial towns that will become a new pro- Israel infrastructure. It is, of course, early to tell if it will succeed. But any- thing which will increase the participation in na- tional and Jewish life in France will help make this a stronger Jewish commu- nity. Stamp Honors Rogers, Cantor SILVER SPRING, Md. — Bnai Brith Philatelic Serv- ice will offer a special first- day cover with the com- memorative stamp honor- ing Will Rogers to, be issued on Sunday • in Rogers' hometown of Claremore, Okla. The cachet honors . Ae Cantor (1892-1964), great American Jewish entertainer of stage, movies, radio and television And a personal friend of Ro- gers. Jewish Director for Young GOP WASHINGTON — The College Republican Na- tional Committee an- nounced the appointment of Yacov Feingenbaum as Jewish College Republican Coordinator. Feigenbaum, 18, is active on various committees for Bnei Akiva (a religious Zionist youth group), and is a recent graduate of the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland.