Local French Jewish Population Reacts To State Of Affairs In France
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AVENTURA (CBSMiami) - In North Miami there is a large French Jewish population, some of which gathers at a French bistro in the area to get a taste of their homeland.
CBS4's Cynthia Demos visited Rendez-Vous Bakery & Bistro in Aventura Tuesday.
Claude Amiel visits the bistro to get a taste of France where he no longer lives. He said he moved because he's Jewish and his life was in jeopardy.
"They want you to convert or die--it's that simple," Amiel said.
Click here to watch Cynthia Demos' report.
It pains Amiel to think about the Jews that were buried Tuesday at the hands of extremists.
"It's a catastrophe in France," Amiel said.
Amiel still visits his older sisters who live in Paris.
"On every corner they gave you a paper to convert. If you were on the subway wearing a kippah for sure you're going to get attacked," Amiel said.
Daniela Mandowsky, also a French Jew in Aventura, told Demos her young cousin just got a visa to move out of Paris to Canada.
Mandowsky said the reason being, "because of the persecution they feel that they are not safe, your children are not safe and they want to live in peace."
Tal Marofsky, also a French-Jew, said, "to not feel safe in your own environment is bad."
The group comes together in Aventura to get a taste of their homeland, remembering the good parts yet fearing for the future.
"It's unfortunate that this is what happens," Amiel said.
The Jewish population in France is 500,000, the French Jewish population in South Florida is 1500. Small the number but margin support and heartbreak.
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