Israeli-French singer Amir Haddad has revealed that a mezuzah was torn from the entrance of his Paris home, an incident he described as reflecting the continuing problem of antisemitism in France, Israel National News reports
Haddad spoke about the incident during a concert in Tel Aviv, explaining that he discovered the mezuzah was missing shortly before leaving France to travel to Israel.
He noticed what had happened as he left his home for the airport and instinctively reached towards the doorway to kiss the mezuzah, a small parchment scroll containing verses from the Torah that Jewish families traditionally affix to their doorposts.
Although disturbed by the incident, Haddad told his audience that he would not allow such acts to intimidate him or weaken his Jewish identity.
„They touched an item that was important to me, but they will never be able to touch what’s happening inside us,” he said. „They will tire out long before us, and in the end, there will be justice.”
The removal of the mezuzah comes against the backdrop of persistently high levels of antisemitism in France, home to Europe’s largest Jewish community.
Figures from the French Interior Ministry show that 1,320 antisemitic acts were recorded across the country during 2025.
Haddad was born in Paris in 1984 and moved to Israel with his family as a child. He later established a successful career in France after appearing on the French edition of The Voice.
In 2016, he represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing sixth with the song J’ai cherché. He has since maintained a successful music career with audiences in both France and Israel.
For Haddad, the targeting of a religious object at his own home was personal, but his response on stage focused on resilience and his determination not to allow antisemitic intimidation to dictate how he lives as a Jew.
Photo credit: iStock
More News
