The fate of Jews in France and Hungary

The Hon. Chris Finlayson talked about his visit to Auschwitz for the 70th commemoration of its liberation as the representative of the New Zealand government, together with Annette King the deputy leader of the Labour Party. He mentioned the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe and said that were he a Jew in France or Hungary he would seriously consider leaving. Two young women from the south of France, visiting my daughter in England said that they would never go back to France because of the danger to Jews. Yet walking away from where you were born, where you lived all your life is not the answer. The Jews of France are Frenchmen and Frenchwomen, the Jews of Hungary are Hungarians. Wherever they would move they would be strangers. They would not be Israelis, English, or New Zealanders. They would have no sense of belonging. They would be cut off from their roots and traditions. The answer to their dilemma is to stand up for who they are, deny the right of North African Muslim immigrants  or native anti-Semites to question their identity. Jews made enormous contributions to both of these countries just because they belonged, they were integral parts of the nation that defined these countries as French or Hungarian. Perhaps the fate of Jews is to defy bigotry and confront it.