Speech #1000149109

I am not a sociologist. but I imagine that. when many Frenchmen look upon these unfortunate Jews from north Africa. they are reminded not only of the loss of their empire. but also of the shameful complicity of many of their countrymen in the Holocaust. These unfortunates. these Jews from north Africa. have not been absorbed or assimilated. Though many have been in France for years. they remain refugees. subject to abuse and discrimination and fearful of a rising tide of right :.Ing nationalism. they continue to seek refuge. Mr. President. they are refugees. Last summer. I was called upon by a group of leaders of an organization known as Ozar Natora. It is a small group. headquartered in New York City. and it has a 40year history of support for Jewish refugees. particularly those who are Sephardic or eastern Jews. To date. this organization has established schools serving approximately 3.000 students in Paris. the suburbs of Paris. and in Toulouse and Marseille. which are the areas of the largest concentration of the north African Jewish refugees. The school system is being aided by voluntary contributions from Americans. Unfortunately. however. the organization does not have sufficient funds from these sources to compete the construction program. Ozar Hatora came to me requesting support for the construction of several additional schools for these Jewish refugees from north Africa. The proposal had the support of the French Government in the person of the Prime Minister. Jacques Chirac. who is also the mayor of Paris.