Around 1,400 young Jews and their parents gathered at a Jewish community center in the city, whose location was not disclosed in advance for security reasons, to hear, ask questions, and deliberate about programs that enable them to reach Israel, each for their own reasons – studies, pre-military preparatory programs, military and national service, internships, academia, and career.
The large number of participants turned the event into the largest Jewish conference held in France in recent years, mainly due to the broad need it reflected within the community itself. The desire to connect with Israel came at a time when identifying as Zionists outside Israel has become more complex.
Security at the venue was present but not unusual. For Parisian Jews, the fact that the conference location was not publicly announced is not exceptional. Antisemitism, unfortunately, is also not an unusual phenomenon in their lives. This is a familiar reality that has been part of daily life for years, long before October 7, but for most conference participants, this was not the main factor in attending. "We're used to living with this," one parent said, "but we didn't come here out of fear. We came out of a desire to understand how to stay connected to Israel."
The conference's purpose, like the broader activities of Masa, is to connect diaspora youth with Israel, the language, society, opportunities, and identity. This connection has become especially significant since October 7, given the growing difficulty Jews in the diaspora face in identifying as Zionists in the public sphere.
"Since October 202,3 we've been seeing real difficulty being Jewish and Zionist outside Israel," Lauren Weitzman, head of Masa in France, says. "This conference was meant to tell young people that you're not alone, there's a place where this identity is a natural part of life. We're not coming to convince anyone. We're presenting real pathways to life in Israel, each according to the stage they're at, but in France it often ends in aliyah."
The data reinforces this claim. Around 70% of Masa program participants in France choose tracks defined as Gap year – a year between programs that includes pre-military preparatory programs, yeshivas, ulpanim (Hebrew language schools), psychometric (Israeli college entrance exam) preparation, and educational tours. The remaining 30% integrate into post-college tracks such as internships and ulpanim.
National leadership also sees France as a unique case. "This is currently the only country in the world where we're seeing consistent growth in participant numbers since October 7," Meir Holtz, CEO of Masa, says. "This happens because here Zionism isn't just ideology, it's part of the deep DNA of the Jewish community. We've reached a point where we had to open six or seven completely new programs, simply because we ran out of space for all the young French people who want to come to Israel."
Emmanuel (Manu) Sion, head of the Jewish Agency delegation in French-speaking countries, adds that, unlike direct aliyah, "Masa gives young people the opportunity to live in Israel like locals. To learn Hebrew, open a bank account, and create a social and professional network even before the final decision. When we see that about 80% of program graduates in France ultimately choose to make aliyah to Israel, it's clear to us this is the best way for them – not to start from zero, but to arrive when they're already part of Israeli society."
The legitimacy to be Zionist
The conversation with young people and parents during the conference repeatedly returned to the same point – the level of Zionism. "Almost everyone I spoke with is seriously thinking about Israel," one participant said. "Many are also thinking about aliyah, some already at age 15."
Boaz, a 15-year-old tenth-grader from Paris, is a striking example of this. "I admit I'm the only one in my class talking about enlisting in the IDF, but it's my dream," he says. The desire to enlist strengthened since October 7, according to him, but wasn't born there. "It's not from fear of antisemitism, it's a desire to be part of something, to contribute." His mother, Ariella, adds, "It's not an easy decision. We have five children, and aliyah is very complex, but for him it's a deep sense of commitment."
Emmanuel also emphasizes that antisemitism is only part of the picture. "In France, Jews are used to living with antisemitism, that's not new. What has changed since October 7 is the legitimacy to be Zionist." According to him, since the start of the war, there has been approximately a 150% increase in interest in programs related to Israel. "It's not just fear, it's an understanding that Israel is the place where Jewish and Zionist identity can exist without apology."
Condis, a 17-year-old twelfth-grader, plans to study business administration in Israel. "I want to leave now," she says. "Not wait." Her mother, Sonra, emphasizes, "We know there's antisemitism, but that's not what drives us. It's love for Israel and a desire to be part of it."
And it's not just Zionism. Israel is also perceived as a high-tech and technology power, with study and career opportunities among the most advanced in the world. Eli, a 23-year-old engineering student, came to the conference to check the possibility of interning in Israel after his degree in the cyber field. "In Israel, there are opportunities that don't exist here, and I also don't need to explain or hide who I am there," he says. "Here I don't feel free to talk about Zionism, and in Israel it's simply not an issue."
The conference was also attended by educators and national service representatives. "One of the most important things here is the sense of togetherness," says a school principal who collaborates with Masa. "It's not one young person facing a whole world; it's an entire community in a process."
"Israel is home"
Alongside the enthusiasm and Zionism, one of the main challenges that emerged in conversations is the economic gap. The average and median salary in France is significantly higher than in Israel, and for upper-middle-class families, the move to Israel involves a decline in living standards.
Beyond that, a less-discussed challenge also emerged – social absorption. Quite a few participants shared the feeling that Israelis are not always warm or patient toward new immigrants. "The transition to the country is difficult even without language and without a social network," one young person said. "When you feel you're not always welcomed with open arms, it's even more complex."
Emmanuel addressed this explicitly. "If we want immigrants to stay and build lives here, we Israelis need to be nicer, more patient. To understand they're taking a brave step and that absorption isn't just forms, but attitude."
Ultimately, the conference didn't try to provide clear-cut answers, but rather to strengthen connections. And in reality, after October 7, this very connection has become not just important but essential for young diaspora Jews. And perhaps that's why, as one parent said upon leaving, "What surprised me most wasn't how hard it is to make aliyah, but how many of them already feel that Israel is home."
