Take a Look at France

Monday, 8 MarCheshvan 5787 [October 19, 2026]

riots The riots in France offer yet another opportunity for those who have so far shut their eyes to reality to learn what happens as a result of containment, “understanding,” spoiled discrimination—termed “corrective” [affirmative action] in the language of political correctness—and the other side effects of global progressivism toward barbaric Islam. This is a wake-up call—perhaps a final one—for the Jews of France in particular, Europe in general (and also the US): it is time to pack your bags and come to the land G-d chose, which today is thriving, flourishing, and growing stronger by every material measure. And although a struggle is being waged over the spiritual reality here, the general trend here too is continually improving, and the situation is infinitely better than anything the world has to offer.

But beyond that—the riots also teach us what awaits us here in the Land of Israel if we continue, Heaven forbid, to contain, accept, and “understand” the beasts of prey who slaughtered us mercilessly just three years ago, and who are constantly plotting to repeat the atrocities on a much larger scale. If in France—where they arrived through the grace of foolish Frenchmen who believed they were fulfilling hospitality, expecting them to be grateful and adopt the values of the Republic—one can only imagine in particularly dark colors what they will do in a place where they feel they are the masters of the house, and we are perceived in their eyes as invaders of a land that is not ours. Quite chilling…

And lo and behold, a female journalist from Haaretz comes along and fantasizes about how they will recreate the riots here in Israel and set fire to the offices of the Chief Rabbinate. This is no mere slip of the tongue; rather, it is a sick worldview that long ago took root among the radical left, and is increasingly spreading into the realms of what is called the “mainstream” of Israeli secularism. For those with too short a memory, let us recall the anarchistic riots that accompanied the protest against the judicial reform—riots backed and supported by top figures in the opposition, with Yair Golan (a candidate for a senior position in an Eisenkot government, Heaven forbid) orchestrating the wild mob that threatened the life of a woman whose only “crime” was her marriage to a man they dislike, and who happened to arrive in North Tel Aviv for her private affairs.

In France, as in Israel, these are not “spontaneous” protests. It is an organized, orderly method of operation with ideological roots. These are people whose goal is the dismantling of societal institutions from the ground up to establish the new social order they wish to force upon the public. In this framework, they will refrain from no violent act, yet they accuse the “Hilltop Youth” heroes of “terrorism” when they defend themselves against Israel-hating anti-Semites who cloak themselves in diplomatic and journalistic attire.

We need to put things out in the open. The Left, both in Israel and around the world, has long been fed up with the democratic process it supposedly claims to protect. The Left is certain it knows what is best for the ignorant masses, and when those masses do not buy its goods, it allows itself to riot to its heart’s content and destroy the social order from its foundation. This is the most accurate definition of “anarchism.” And just like in France, so too in Israel—in order to force its corrupt values on the entire population, the Left is willing to cooperate with the nation’s darkest enemies, who rejoice and celebrate at the free gift they receive from those foolish people who believe anyone will spare them on the day the barbaric rioters succeed in realizing their desires. Nothing was learned from the horrors of October 7th, when the beasts of prey set out to destroy, kill, and annihilate everything in their path—and those who happened to be in their path were primarily those leftists from the kibbutzim and the Nova festival.

And there is a deeper and no less important lesson: the French Republic, which was established through a bloody revolution against oppression and exploitation in pursuit of freedom and enlightenment, is gradually sinking due to the moral decay produced by Western materialism, the ultimate end of which is destructive progressivism. This phenomenon—where the Left joins forces with Islam to complete the destruction of society that it began with its social views and the destruction of the family unit—is a global phenomenon threatening all of Europe, the United States, and Israel as well. On the surface, the answer to this is an uncompromising war against the physical threat posed by the Left’s mercenaries, namely the representatives of Islam; as the US President has already said, the liberal immigration policy practiced in Europe is a recipe for disaster.

In Israel, this applies even more strongly, as the enemy is already here and it is our duty to remove them without flinching or hesitation—bringing about voluntary emigration or otherwise. But above all, the war is within ourselves, against the destructive trends of progressivism that seek to dismantle the family unit, social institutions, and above all, faith in G-d and the values of justice, integrity, law, and kindness rooted in the Divine goodness expressed in our world through the giving of the Holy Torah and absolute obedience to its laws.

That despicable journalist from Haaretz dreaming of burning down the Rabbinate offices looks across the sea and sees the riots in France as a worthy model for destroying society here in Israel. If we desire life, it is our duty to eradicate not only the local counterparts of those rioters, but also those elements within Israeli society who try to inject into our midst the sick values of the global Left that backs those rioters. These dangerous people could come to power here if we do not pull ourselves together to defend our lives. We must understand that our entire existence hangs in the balance!

– The author is Rabbi Yehuda Epstein, Chairman of the Kedushat Zion Association