“Someone rings my doorbell. I open it — it’s my neighbor. ‘Happy New Year,’ she says nicely, and we exchange a few casual words.
And then her attitude changes, as if she is going to make a very official declaration to me:
‘Lisa, honey, the whole building is asking you to remove it,’ and with her finger, she points to my mezuzah.
I look at her, shocked, and hear the rest of her sentence, ‘You understand, Lisa, you don’t want to endanger everyone…’
Then I don’t hear anything more, I see myself with my fist in the air like Charb with his pencil to claim my freedom, freedom to be who I am… I’m lost in my thoughts, and suddenly, I hear: ‘You’ll do it, right?’
Yes of course, I say quickly.
But when I close the door, I realize how much my ancestors had worked hard for me to have a home, for the day I would be told: ‘Hide that you are Jewish!’
Mes amis, I am telling you that I have made the decision to leave to Israel. May Gd be with me in this new path.”
– Lisa, 45
France
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