jewish tour of paris

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Jewish Tours Paris

Welcome to Jewish Paris tours,

My name is flora goldenberg,.

I am a Parisian Tour Guide.

I specialize in the Jewish Walking tours of Paris. I offer the Original Jewish Walking Tours of my beautiful neighborhood where I live today : Le Marais. 

I am Licensed by the state. I studied  Art & History at the Sorbonne University for 5 years.

I tour in Paris museums, monuments and beautiful quarters such as the Louvre, Versailles, musée d’Orsay, Montmartre …

I am born and raised in Paris, in le Marais, t he Jewish Quarter of Paris has always been my Home :

I am the grand-daughter of Joseph Goldenberg , owner of a famous restaurant in le Marais.

My family lived in Rue des Rosiers, in the Pletzl of Paris for more than a century. My mother is a professional tour guide as well, she is my inspiration. We share the same passion for Paris, Art, and History.

To contact me : send me an email preferably for the first bookings. I will answer within 24h.

Email : [email protected]

Bio : Click here to read my biography as a licensed tour guide in Paris.

My list of the classic Jewish tours & City Tours & some unique ideas for your stay in Paris

 – 1 – the jewish walking tour  in le marais neighborhood of paris , duration : 3 hours –  languages : english  + español  +   deutsch +  עִברִית + french.

We will explore the Jewish Quarter located in the heart of Paris, the “Pletzl”, which has been the center of Jewish life in Paris since the 13th century.

While walking in the paved narrow streets of Le Marais, you will learn about the history of the Jewish communities in Paris, for more than 2000 years. We will talk about the history of the Jews in the Middle ages, when they were persecuted and expelled from the country in 1394. We’ll talk about the time of the French Revolution, and the occupation of Paris during WWII, and you will have the chance to discover some hidden places that only a local can know about.

I organize visits inside the beautiful synagogues of the neighborhood with the help of my local Jewish community.

We will also discover the cute Jewish shops, the Kosher bakeries and Jewish bookstores…

The tour can include a visit of the Holocaust memorial of Paris, located at the end of the tour, in Le Marais.

After the tour, you can stay in Le Marais for lunch, and maybe try the few Kosher Restaurants in the area or the trendy Jewish restaurants (but not Kosher)

• To book a private tour : c ontact me here
• To join a group visit & share the tour – 3 Hours – Click here

Customizing the private tour is possible

  Email : [email protected] 

* Shorter Tour : We can do the short version – 2 hours – with less walking.

* Longer Tour : We can add to the visit the Place des Vosges or the Shoah Memorial

* Full day tour : We can do the Marais tour & a Jewish Louvre tour in the evening with a lunch break together

* Tours are available also in Hebrew, German, Spanish with my trained colleagues : Español  +  Deutsch +  עִברִית

* For Families with kids and teenagers : I can tour with a game booklet to interact with children .

* For more Jewish restaurants , or more synagogues: I created a small map for the Jewish Paris

* Driver Services : You can book a safe driver for your airport pick-up , and add a city tour to see Paris highlights with me as your guide.

– 2 – Synagogue tour

The grand synagogue of paris, duration :  1.5 hours – small group tour – exclusive with flora.

Discover one of the biggest and most beautiful synagogues in Europe !

– 3 – Inside the Shoah Memorials

Private tour of the holocaust memorial of paris.

Duration : 2 Hours –   Languages : English  +   Deutsch +  עִברִית  + Français 

The Shoah Memorial of Paris is located in Le Marais and was inaugurated in 1956.

The Memorial is the Symbol of the transmission of the Shoah memory in France. The inauguration of the new Wall of Names was a national and political event in France.  We use the Memorial to teach History lessons of the Shoah for all school groups coming from all corners of France.

I have the privilege to work part-time as an official guide in the Shoah memorial of Paris. I guide mostly for Students and children every week. Now, with my experience, I also animate workshops for Adults, special guests and donors of the Shoah Foundation.

During the visit, we will see the Wall of Names and many documents, objects and evidence of the Holocaust.

We will take our time to talk about the rise of antisemitism, the WWII, the concentration camps, the occupation of France, the systemic organized deportation of the Jews from France and of course, “The Final Solution”

*The entrance is free for everyone in both memorials, except, for groups of more than 9 people, a reservation fee is required !

Private tour of the Holocaust Memorial of Drancy

Duration : 5 hours (half day) – languages : english  +   deutsch +  עִברִית  + français .

My colleagues and I are trained by the Shoah Foundation to guide in the Shoah memorial of Drancy. We will show you the moving memory of the crimes committed against the Jews of France, assisted by the Occupied France.

Drancy internment camp was a stop, in north of Paris, to assemble French Jews and political opposition before their deportation to eastern camps of extermination.

This new Shoah Memorial is created in 2012 to provide more details of the persecution of Jews with many documents, letters and personal objects of the French Jewish prisoners.

To go to Drancy, we need transportation : The Train RER, a Cab, a Uber, a Personal Driver or the free Memorial Shuttle departing from Paris. It is at least 40 minutes away from Paris.

It is possible to combine with the #1 Jewish walking tour in le Marais Paris and the Shoah Memorial of Paris, then go to Drancy, and back to Paris center, during a full day with a qualified tour guide and a Private Driver preferably.

The free shuttle to Drancy  departs only on Sundays at 3 pm. Ask me by email for the next departures so I can call the memorial of Paris to check the updates for you. 

*In both Memorials, the tours are highly regulated. Both memorials allows only visitors and tours in the area outside the Memorial. To get a tour inside the Memorial, you will need an official tour guide of the Holocaust Memorial or a visit with Memorial itself. 

*The entrance is free for everyone in both memorials, but, for more than 9 people, a reservation fee (per group) is required by the Memorial Website . 

– 4 – The Jewish Louvre tour

Duration : 2 hours –   languages : english.

We will reveal the Jewish hidden gems inside the biggest museum of the World : The Louvre.

This is a special and unique tour. We will make the link between Art Masterpieces of the Louvre to understand the complicated Jewish History of France using Art.

The Louvre is a world-class museum and it is one of the best places to make the link between antiquity civilizations and the History of the Kingdom of Israel and the diaspora to Europe and North Africa. The Jews are also depicted in many paintings of the Louvre and I will help look for them.  We will discover the many Jewish artifacts that we found in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Mesopotamia and brought to Paris !

We will not forget to do the classic tour and see the classic masterpieces of the Louvre : the Mona Lisa, the Fortress, the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory, the biggest painting of the Louvre … and actually, all the highlights that you can get on a normal tour. 

There are many surprises in the Louvre such as the painting of a Jewish Wedding in Morocco – 1841 next to a painting of Jewish Algerian Women on a Balcony – 1849 (the small painting on my left) by the famous artists Delacroix and Chasseriau.

We will see the oldest ever mention of Israel, the fascinating story of the Crusader period, we will understand how and why the country was disputed by Syria and Egypt… We will see Jerusalem through the eyes of many painters…

You can cutomize the tour if you want it to be all Jewish (no classic) or to be mixed with Art History and the classics. I can make you skip the waiting Line, thanks to my license, to enjoy more time inside the museum. I will be happy to handle the booking and buying the tickets for you.

*It is best to combine the Jewish Louvre with the #1 Jewish Marais Tour in Paris as they are connected to each other and they are in the same area. The Louvre is only 10 minutes away from le Marais area.

*If you are visiting Paris with kids , I can organize an engaging & kid-friendly Treasure Hunt inside the Louvre for 5-7 and 7-12. The treasure hunt is not around Jewish History but around navigating a big museum, absorbing and memorizing the Louvre Highlights and learning some basic notions to understand Art and Art history while playing detectives. The kids love it . I always do my best to inspire them and to transmit my passion for Art History and for Museums. I will give them small souvenirs and a gift to leave with a nice impression after a rewarding visiting of a museum.

Shabbat in Paris

To enjoy Sabbath in the best conditions in Paris, I can help you with many preparations :

I can deliver to you a heating plaque, made for Shabbat . I help you pre-order shabbat kosher dinners in Paris , and plastic dishes with aluminium trays. There is a possibility for a kosher breakfast & lunch.

I help you find a synagogue according to your stay in Paris.

During the classic tours inside a National Museum, we can avoid the metal detectors, and pre-pay for the tour with a trusted licensed tour guide offering alternative booking options to fit your demand.

It will be my pleasure to help you efficiently, respecting all your needs. Feel free to ask by  Email : [email protected] .

– 5 – My Special Tours

After 5 years of studies of Art History at the Sorbonne University and a decade of work experience as a Private Guide in Paris, I want to show more of my city than its rich Jewish Heritage.

Come with me to visit the beautiful Art museums, the amazing historical monuments and the Gourmet paradise that Paris city is offering : Louvre, Versailles, Musée d’Orsay, L’Orangerie , the Chocolate tour, the Kosher tour & many more.

a) Jewish Treasure Hunt for Kids

Duration : 3 hours – in le marais.

Transmitting the Memory to our children is very important. To make the tour more engaging for the kids 6-12, I elaborated a kid-friendly Jewish Treasure Hunt in Le Marais.

This open-air scavenger game will teach them about the Jewish Heritage of Paris by looking around for clues, by asking questions and by listening to their guide. We will discover the origins of Jews in France, their amazing History in Europe, and precisely in Paris, following a fun story in the preserved old streets of Le Marais.

The treasure hunt is printed on a colorful booklet with a map.

The game brings the Jewish sights to life. The story makes the tour more interesting and more interactive to kids.

The content is suitable for Jewish families and non-Jewish families who wish to have a nice introduction to the Jewish culture. We will try to talk less about the sad events that punctuated the Jewish History. The objective to transmit the passion for learning about our shared History.

Enjoy a slow paced walk with your children, in the beautiful narrow streets of le Marais, discovering on their own, but also with my help, the History of Paris, our common roots, learning many surprising facts about Paris City construction, learning how to appreciate History, architecture and Art, while having breaks in boutiques and synagogues . We will enjoy few moments to slow down, to listen, to ask questions, to search for the answers by looking around us!

This tour follows the same itinerary as the Classic Jewish Tour of Le Marais number 1 – but adapted to kids from 6 to 12.

You will not miss out on anything from the #1 Jewish tour except for some stories, but is possible to customize the tour privately with the parents.

b) Food tour & Chocolate Lab

Duration : 3 hours.

Not Kosher – Behind the scenes – Jewish Sephardi area called “Le Sentier”

Famous for its fabric & textile shops, “Le Sentier” jewish quarter is where the Sephardi Jews settled, as well as the main printing shops and newspapers started in the 19th century.

This is the perfect area, if you want to get a taste of the real Parisian life the way the locals live it.

This food tour will include different visits and tastings:

• One is a chocolate shop , where you’ll discover chocolate as an Art and an Experience. (French but Not Kosher)

Each Chocolatier master has his own creative process and artistic style. The chocolate shop that we visit is unique, and become famous for its original creations. It is very rare to find a chocolate laboratory and factory to make the chocolate in a central beautiful quarter. I have developed the tour exclusively with the Artist Chocolatier to show us in private how he makes his own chocolate. It is advised to book with us in advance.

Discover how the old-fashioned artisan chocolatier used to work. You’ll learn how chocolate arrived in France, the story of the cocoa beans and it’s journey to Europe thanks to European Jews. More details on the tour. 

2. As we stroll through the central area, you’ll discover how the Parisians live and shop the best local products of Paris. We will l earn how to understand the different hundred types of cheese (100% French but Not Kosher) produced in France and how to choose wine with each cheese, I will give my secrets to buy a good wine (French and Natural wine but it is Not Kosher) . We can get inside a bakery to see one of the last bakery ovens in Paris center.

*It is advised to book this local tour in advance with us as the partner boutiques and their owners work exclusively with private clients. The few remaining time slots need to be reserved directly with them.

See the beautiful outdoors markets, the trendy restaurants and crêperies, along with some old and historical places, by walking through the narrow and winding streets of this surprising chic area of Paris : LE SENTIER.

c) Car tour to see all the highlights of Paris

Duration : 4 hours – guide with a private driver + car.

This is a driving tour around Paris to see all the monuments and get a feel of the city with a professional driver and a tour guide seated next to you. While we cruise the city, the driver will be at our entire disposal to get off the car and walk.

The comfortable car tour has a classical circuit that we adapt to your desires. We will see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Pyramid, Montmartre, Place des Vosges, Les invalides, La Concorde, Champs Elysée, Arc of Triumph and many more depending on the duration of the tour.

We can hop off the car with me, to take pictures or to go inside a bakery, a monument and even a museum that you desire to see, while the driver awaits for us outside.

We can customize the itinerary with your wishes : The tour guide and the private driver are flexible.

d) Day round-trip from Paris to see the country side of France

Configuration : a safe driver + comfortable car + a tour guide + pick-up and drop off at your hotel.

Discover the gorgeous French country side on a memorable day trip from Paris. The tour starts from your Paris Hotel at 9.00 am with the tour guide in the car with you.

From Paris,

We can go to Champagne Region with Tastings of Champagne in three famous Houses with a small visit of the Region. There is an old Jewish neighborhood in Champagne region too. We have the keys to see exclusive Jewish sights. More details by email.

We can go to Giverny and see Claude Monet’s House and the pretty flower gardens that he used to paint.

We can go to Versailles and visit the Palace of Versailles and its amazing gardens.

Check here all my ideas for the round trip for a day – departure from Paris Hotel

We will go with Sam, a Professional and Safe driver : read about him here

Visit Normandy’s American Cemetery and the Landing beaches with a top guide.

– 6 – Help with your plans by email

You don’t need to book a tour to ask me for help 🙂

You can contact me for quick questions, it is my pleasure to help you.

With my experience and my knowledge of Paris, and especially of the Jewish Quarter of Paris, I will always help you find the answers quickly via email & whatsapp .

If you need help planning your stay, help to check and find kosher and Glatt kosher restaurants, find you a safe and clean private transportation to go visit or even doven in Parisian synagogues and get transfers from Paris airport.

I will be glad to answer you efficiently.

I can help you select and book Hotels & find Kosher Dinners in nice and safe areas in Paris.

See you soon !

Email : [email protected] 

Please use my email [email protected]  & I will reply within 24h. 

Please expect a little delay during Shabbat in Paris.

Time Difference :

Paris is 6 hours Ahead of New York | When it is 9.am in New York, it is 3.pm in Paris

Paris is 9 hours ahead of Los Angeles | When it is 9.am in Los Angeles, it is 6.pm in Paris

My Reviews from TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook below :

More about Flora Goldenberg?

Read Flora’s full biography here

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Jewish Paris History Tour

• Memorial of the Shoah
• Rue des Rosiers
• Place des Vosges
• Village Saint-Paul

• Discover and uncover historical and contemporary Jewish issues through centuries in the Marais
• Led by an expert on Jewish history

Jewish Paris Tour

"[our guide] was just wonderful. she was very knowledgeable about the specific focus of the tour and her background in art allowed her to field the considerable number of questions we had about dealing with confiscated art from the jews of paris/france after the war. highest recommendations.", jewish quarter paris.

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All cities > Private tours > Paris Walking Tours > Jewish Paris Tour

Jewish Paris Tour

Explore jewish marais of the past and present.

booking required private tour

What's in our tour?

You care about Jewish history. You wonder how Jews lived in Paris through World War II and the German occupation. You’d like to see the “Jewish pletzl”, the Shoah Memorial and the wall of names. You wonder what it’s like to live as a Jew in Paris today. And you’ve heard wonder about le Marais, and you’d like to see it.

Our Jewish Paris Tour is a tale of survival and inspiration, of persecution and liberation. German occupation and the Holocaust. The Dreyfus Affair. The freeing of Jews by the French Revolution and by Napoleon.

We tour Jewish Le Marais, a colorful and vibrant area where past and present talk at every corner. We run into innovative fashion, food and elegance. As well as into old stones, heritage, and time-honored traditions.

Your tour starts outside metro station Saint-Paul, the traditional meeting point for “the Paris Pletzl”.

We walk rue des rosiers – a residence for Jews for over 800 years. You learn about Jewish culture by observing shops, street names, yeshivas and synagogues. Alongside Ashkenaze foods and traditions, we also encounter Sephardic traditions and foods.

We discuss the Dreyfus court trial, and how the idea of a National Jewish Homeland was first born, here, in Paris.

Your host recalls the points – high and low – of Jewish life in France. The history includes “Jewish emancipation”, mass anti-semitism, the Dreyfus affair. But also the many successes of many Jewish families in fields from business to art and politics. And the horrors (and the saving graces) of World War II.

You also discover Paris: old landmarks, hidden gardens, appetizing foods, alleyways, and local gossip.

Your guide also debunks pre-conceived ideas. Do you know that 400,000 Jews live in France today? Do you know all the things Jewish you can explore in Paris?

Our last major stop is the Shoah Memorial, honoring 72,000 Jews who died in the hands of the Germans during World War II, and thousands of Righteous who saved Jews from extermination.

• The Shoah Memorial, Guimard’s famed synagogue, and where they burnt the Torah
• rue des rosiers, hidden gems and Jewish culture you would never find without a guide
• private tour, best price guaranteed
• a private guide, who will focus on what interests you the most. More religion – less religion. More history – more present-day France. You decide

Where and when?

Jewish Paris is a private tour. It runs at the time of your choice, every day, rain or shine.

We meet outside metro stop Saint-Paul at street level, near the merry-go-round, our guide is a pink vest (closest metro stop is Saint-Paul, on line 1.)

Closed on Dec. 24 & 25 only.

This private walking tour ends near “Hôtel de Ville” city hall, in central Paris.

Why take this tour?

To explore, to learn, to free yourself of wrong ideas. And to have a great family in one of Paris’ most inspiring districts.

Jewish Paris is a private tour. It runs 2 hours. €215 (or €245 for groups of 5 and more).

Booking is mandatory.

Other information

This Paris Jewish Tour is wheelchair accessible

Travel plans can change, we apply a FREE CANCELLATION policy. Consult our T&C .

We meet outside metro stop Saint-Paul at street level, near the merry-go-round, our guide is a pink vest.

Private tour available every day, at the time of your choice

Metro station

Closest metro station: Saint-Paul (line 1)

Additional information

Duration: 2 hours.

This private walking tour ends near “Hôtel de Ville” city hall, in central Paris. Look for our distinct pink vest.

Total reviews – 1400+

Verified – 5 /5

Google – 4.8

TripAdvisor – 4.5

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9 Places for Jewish History in Paris, From Museums to Memorials

Philippe Lissac / Getty Images  

Paris has a long and complicated Jewish history. Home to large and diverse Jewish communities from the Middle Ages onward, the French capital still bears the triumphs—and painful scars—of hundreds of years of culture, art, achievement, and terrible persecution. Keep reading for nine places to visit when you want to deepen your knowledge of how Jews have lived, worked, and created in the capital through the centuries.

Traditional Jewish Quarter (Pletzl)

Your tour of Jewish Paris begins in the heart of the Marais district and the area around Rue des Rosiers, also known as the "Pletzl" (a Yiddish term meaning "district" or "neighborhood.") Get off at Metro Saint-Paul (Line 1) and walk three blocks to the area.

Jewish communities have thrived in the district from at least the medieval period, and the present-day abundance of restaurants, bakeries, bookshops, and synagogues in the area is a testament to that tradition. Enjoy a falafel or traditional Yiddish babka in one of the pletzl's always-crowded eateries, and browse books or other items in one of the shops on Rue des Rosiers or Rue des Ecouffes.

It's also important to take in the moving plaques outside the area's schools, which pay somber tribute to Jewish children and former students deported to death camps during World War II. One of the most prominent of these can be found on the Rue des Hospitalières-Saint-Gervais, a pedestrian street just off of Rue des Rosiers .

Sadly, you can find such plaques outside schools in many Parisian neighborhoods —especially in the 10th, 11th, 18th, 19th, and 20th arrondissements (city districts), where large numbers of French Jewish citizens lived before 1940. On a more hopeful note, those communities have been rebuilt, and thrive once again. Nevertheless, the plaques remind us never to forget.

Shoah Memorial (Paris Holocaust Museum)

The Shoah Memorial invites visitors on an emotional and in-depth exploration of the event known as the Holocaust: the systematic murder of Jews by Nazi Germany that ended with the death of some six million individuals across Europe.

Inaugurated in 2005 on the site of the Memorial of the Unknown Jewish Martyr (itself opened in 1956), the Mémorial de la Shoah houses one of Europe's largest collections of artifacts and archives related to the Holocaust. To enter the exhibit, visitors must pass through a memorial area known as the "Wall of Names," a series of tall panels that list the names of the 76,000 French Jews deported from France to concentration and death camps between 1942 and 1944. Eleven thousand were children, and only around 2,500 people survived.

The free, permanent exhibit on the ground floor holds a dense collection of multimedia archives, from letters to video footage, radio broadcasts, and newspaper clippings to family photos, to document the persecution and murder of French and European Jews during the Shoah. There's a moving focus on individual lives, which makes it challenging to depersonalize the unthinkable events. While much of the exhibit is in French, many displays have been translated into English. We recommend the free audio guide to appreciate the collection fully.

Entry to the memorial site and its permanent and temporary exhibits is free for all.

Museum of Jewish Art and History

 Museum of Jewish Art and History, Paris

Another essential stop is the  Museum of Jewish Art and History , the city's most important collection related to Jewish cultural, religious, intellectual, and artistic practices.

The  permanent collection holds over 700 works of art and artifacts, including religious and archeological items. It traces the history of Jewish civilizations and cultural practices from antiquity to the present day, with a focus on various European diasporas and on the development of French Jewish cultures and communities over the centuries.

In addition to the permanent exhibit, temporary shows at the museum focus on key Jewish artists, cultural movements, and historical periods. Recent shows have highlighted the work of musician George Gershwin and the wartime photography of Adolfo Kaminsky, who participated in the forgery of identity documents to aid the French Resistance during World War II.

Agoudas Hakehilos Synagogue

 Agoudas Hakehilos Synagogue

This historic synagogue located at 10 Rue Pavée is situated, like many important Jewish sites in Paris, in the Marais district. Inaugurated in 1914, It was designed by renowned French architect Hector Guimard a year earlier and features a facade with distinctively modern, art-deco elements. Guimard is best-known for having designed many of Paris' most elaborate Metro (subway) entrances.

It was commissioned by a local community of Orthodox Jews, mostly of Eastern European, Polish and Russian origin, following a wave of immigration from the area to Paris at the beginning of the 20th century.

Inside, ornate furnishings such as chandeliers and benches are also the design of Guimard.

The synagogue remains an important place of worship in Paris and was deemed a historic monument by the French government in 1989. It has also seen periods of tragedy: on the evening of Yom Kippur in 1941, during the French occupation by Nazi Germany, it was dynamited alongside six other synagogues in the capital.

Vélodrome d'Hiver Memorial Site

Marking one of the most tragic and shameful moments in Parisian history, this memorial site commemorates the some 13,000 French Jews—including women and children—who were arrested by local police in July 1942 and temporarily held at the Velodrome d'Hiver sports stadium.

Detained by police acting under orders of occupying German authorities, these innocent Parisians were later deported directly eastward to the Nazi extermination camp at Auschwitz, or imprisoned at the Drancy camp outside Paris before being sent to the death camps. At the Velodrome d'Hiver, they would first endure the terror of being held in inhumane conditions inside the stadium, mostly ignorant of what was to come.

A memorial plaque was placed at the site following World War II. Still, the French government only began to genuinely acknowledge the French state's collaboration in Nazi terror in the mid-1990s, unveiling a full memorial at the site of the (since-destroyed) Velodrome in July 1994. A ceremony remembering the victims of the "rafle du Vel d'Hiv" (the Velodrome d'Hiver roundup) is held at the monument each July. The French President and other officials generally attend.

Théatre de la Ville (formerly Théatre Sarah Bernhardt)

Wikimedia Commons

This theatre in the smack-center of the city at Place du Chatelet is forever tied to legendary actress and theatre producer Sarah Bernhardt. Widely considered to be one of the 19th century's most celebrated performers in France, Bernhardt was a French Jewish citizen whose bold performances and immense talent for self-promotion appears very much ahead of its time.

Her memorable, bold roles in plays from "La Tosca" to "Hamlet" (she played the title role in Shakespeare's play) earned her a permanent place in France's pantheon of stars.

After Bernhardt took over the theatre as a producer in the late 19th century, the theater—first opened in 1860—was renamed in her honor. Following her death in 1923, her son Maurice continued to operate it. However, when Nazi Germany occupied France during World War II, anti-semitic officials changed the theatre's name owing to Bernhardt's Jewish heritage.

Today, a restaurant located right at the corner of the square, Le Sarah Bernhardt, continues to pay homage to the performer.

Deportation Memorial (Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation)

This memorial site is situated in close reach of Notre Dame Cathedral on the Seine-River "island" known as the Ile de la Cité. It honors the more than 200,000 people deported to Nazi concentration camps by collaborationist Vichy France during World War II, including thousands of Jewish men, women, and children.

Inaugurated in 1962 by then-President Charles de Gaulle (who had led the French Resistance from exile in London), the memorial was built on the site of a former underground morgue. Its modernist design is the work of architect Georges-Henri Pingusson; the walls feature quotes from notable French writers, some of whom were deported to camps during the war.

Shaped like the prow of a ship, the memorial crypt can be accessed via two stairways. The crypt itself leads to two chapels containing the remains of victims from European concentration camps. The design is intentionally claustrophobic and is meant to represent the terror and imprisonment of deportees.

While many have critiqued the memorial for not explicitly addressing the deportation and murder of French Jews by Nazi Germany and the French collaborationist government, it remains an important site in the capital. Entrance is free for all.

Marc Chagall's Fresco at the Palais Opera Garnier

 Courtesy of the Opera de Paris

Built starting in 1861, the stunning Palais Garnier (also known as the Opera Garnier) is considered a triumph of Beaux-Arts architecture from the mid-19th century. But unless you take a tour of the interiors or manage to snag coveted tickets for a performance from the National Ballet there, you'll miss one of the building's stunning details: a ceiling painting from Marc Chagall.

Chagall, a Franco-Russian artist of Jewish faith , was commissioned to create the fresco in 1960, replacing an older decorative painting that had fallen out of fashion.

Considered avant-garde for its time, the painting features 12 panels that depict master composers throughout the ages, rendered in brilliant, prismatic colors. It was unveiled in 1964 and has since become a treasured feature of the Opera Garnier, even though it came much later than the original building. Chagall signed and dated the painting, but refused to accept payment for the work.

Shoah Memorial in Drancy

While this important memorial site is situated outside of the Paris city limits, a trip here is highly recommended if you want to fully appreciate the persecution of France's Jewish communities during the Shoah.

A sculpture in three parts stands on a raised platform. The central sculpture depicts agonizing figures curled around one another, while the two panels surrounding symbolize the doors of death. Behind it, a symbolic railway leads to a cattle car—the exact French model used to transport thousands of Jews from the Parisian region to Nazi death camps at Auschwitz and elsewhere.

The rousing memorial was inaugurated in 1976. Why is it located here to begin with? Just beyond lies a nondescript series of buildings that continues to be used for housing residents of Drancy. But between 1941 and 1944, nearly 63,000 Jews of over 50 nationalities were detained here before being deported eastward to death camps. The site was once surrounded by double rows of barbed wire and guarded by collaborationist French police.

The memorial site and documentation center across the street together tell the story of the prisoners held at the Drancy detainment center, including hundreds of children. Letters, photos, videos, panels of graffiti extracted from the walls of the detainment center, and other multimedia artifacts allow visitors to grasp the fear and suffering experienced by victims—the vast majority of whom remained unaware of the horrors to come.

To get to the memorial, take Metro line 5 to Bobigny-Pablo Picasso, then local bus 251 to the Place du 19 mars 1962 stop. Walk two blocks to the memorial and the museum across the street (look for a glass facade with tall windows).

Alternatively, the Mémorial de la Shoah offers free shuttle buses from the main site in central Paris to Drancy, most Sundays in the month. Shuttles depart at 2 p.m. and return to Paris at 5 p.m. The visit includes a free guided tour of the Drancy memorial site.

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The Jewish Marais

The mahJ is located in the core of an old Jewish district of Paris. Today, Rue des Rosiers in the Marais district, with its Israeli streetfood, New York-style diners and fashion boutiques is still the symbol and focal point of Jewish life in Paris.  

Le marais juif

Walking tour of the Jewish Marais - a Jewish district of Paris

As the mahJ is located in the core of an old Jewish district of Paris, a guided visit " Walking tour of the Jewish Marais " can be scheduled and is also available for groups in English, Hebrew, and Spanish . You can also book at the day of your choice an one-hour Online Discovery of the Jewish Marais .

The Jewish Marais in the mahJ permanent collection

>  See the photographs taken by the Magnum agency photographer Alécio de Andrade in rue des Rosiers in 1974 and 1975 . The mahJ devoted an exhibition to them in 2013.

> See the eleven photographs on glass dating from the 1920s donated to the mahJ by Jean Levantal in 2007.

Tips to discover this old Jewish district of Paris by yourselves

There was a Jewish presence in the Marais quarter -in center Paris- from the 13 th century until the Jews were expelled from France a century later.

After the Emancipation in 1791, a community re-established itself with arrivals of Alsatian Jews at the beginning of the 19 th century then, from the 1880s onwards, Eastern European Jews fleeing misery and persecutions.

Arriving in successive waves, thousands of Jews settled in the Marais until the 1930s.

Around Rue des Rosiers and Place Saint-Paul, called the  Pletzl  (Yiddish for “little square), these newcomers built synagogues and opened shops and businesses, filling the district’s narrow streets with the atmosphere of Yiddishland until, during the Second World War the Jewish Marais was decimated by the Shoah.

More than half of its Jewish inhabitants were murdered in the camps. The community recovered in the 1960s and 1970s with the massive influx of Jews from North Africa. The tours of the Marais organised by the mahJ take you on a journey through its streets, facades, gardens, synagogues, Jewish schools and former hammam, all steeped in the district’s customs, rituals and traditions.

Today, Rue des Rosiers, with its Israeli streetfood, New York-style diners and fashion boutiques is still the symbol and focal point of Jewish life in the French capital. 

A leaflet "The Jewish Marais" is available free of charge at the museum desk and just below.

Jewish Tours in Paris

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Jewish Tours in Paris - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

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Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

7 Places To Experience Jewish History In Paris

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Paris has been home to Jewish communities since the Middle Ages. The story of Jews in Paris swings from building a thriving community to expulsion and back again to joyful living and crushing persecution. It is a complicated and living history.

For the visitor to Paris, weaving together the story of Jews in Paris through their faith, culture, and the enormous setbacks endured can be better understood by visiting these seven places.

My visit to The Museum of Art and History of Judaism and the tour were hosted, but all opinions expressed are my own.

1. Finding Jewish Paris: The Pletzl Or Little Place

There has been a Jewish community in the Marais since the 13th century. Despite expulsions, Jews have continually been drawn to Paris and settling in the Marais where they could find neighbors who practiced the same religion.

The center of the Jewish community was along Rue des Rosiers, Rue des Ecouffes, and Rue Ferdinand-Duval (which was called Jewish Street until 1900). Here they made their Pletzl which in Yiddish means “little place.” The neighborhood is still a vibrant area where Jewish synagogues, bakeries, delis, restaurants, and bookstores line the narrow cobbled streets. 

World War II was devastating for the Jewish community in Paris. More than half of the Jewish residents of the Marais were exterminated in the Holocaust. Keep your eyes open for poignant plaques on buildings in the Marais, and the rest of Paris, honoring victims of the Holocaust, many of them children. 

Don’t be surprised to see Israeli street food in the Pletzl with long lineups for delectable pita sandwiches filled with falafels. 

Although Jews live in many districts in Paris, Rue des Rosiers and the Pletzl continue to represent the heart of Paris’s Jewish community. 

• Métro: Saint-Paul

2. Jardin Des Rosiers Joseph Migneret

It’s easy to walk right by the entrance of this tranquil garden, the Garden of Roses Joseph-Mignaret. Look for the green gate because it is completely worth stopping by. Joseph Mignaret was a teacher and principal of the nearby Jewish school. After 165 of his students were deported, he went into full resistance mode, harboring students in his home and providing papers to families so that they could escape. Stop for a minute at the memorial to children, younger than five years old, who never returned home.

Pro Tip: The garden is quiet with many benches. Grab a falafel along Rue des Rosiers and enjoy it in the park. 

• Address: 10 Rue des Rosiers, 75004
• Métro: Saint-Paul 

3. The Museum Of Art And History Of Judaism

The Museum of Art and History Of Judaism (Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme, commonly referred to as mahJ) is situated in a stunning 17th-century mansion called the Hôtel de Saint-Aignan in the Marais district.

The Museum Of Art and History Of Judaism’s permanent collection displays Jewish religious and cultural objects inviting the viewer into the rich world of Jewish history from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The wide-ranging artifacts come from France, Europe, and Northern Africa. 

Ancient handwritten Torah scrolls, a stunning three-dimensional paper maché golden “Relief of Jerusalem” made in Odessa in 1892, elegant Hanukkah lamps, a prayer book from 1512, intricate jewelry, and tombstones found in Paris dating from 1281 are just a few of the intriguing artifacts found at The Museum of Art and History Of Judaism. 

The mahJ also has temporary exhibitions, a 200-seat auditorium, hosts concerts, film screenings, and provides tours. On every other Sunday from May to August, the mahJ offers tours in English of the Jewish Marais in Paris. I recently took a tour and walked away enlightened by historical facts, plaques, and sites in the Marais all telling the story of Jews in Paris. Highly recommended. 

Watch here for upcoming tour dates.

• Address: 71 Rue du Temple, 75003, Paris
• Open weekends 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Closed Mondays
• Admission: $10 including temporary exhibition, $14 the price of the tour, including admission to the museum. The museum has free entrance to the permanent collection on the first Saturday of every month from October to June.
• Métro: Rambuteau

Pro Tip: The beautiful courtyard and main floor of the museum are free of charge. Sit a while in the lovely courtyard, explore the bookshop, and don’t miss the art installation honoring the community of people that lived in apartments in the mansion before WWII. A mix of ethnic backgrounds and religions, they lived harmoniously side by side. Some disappeared in the infamous roundups of 1942. The installation was created by Christian Boltanksi.

4. Finding Jewish Paris: Synagogues 

The grand synagogue of paris or the grande synagogue de la victoire .

This is the seat of the Grand Rabbi of Paris, the largest synagogue in Paris and the second largest in Europe. Built between 1867 and 1874, the Grand Synagogue of Paris features a rose window and large arches.

Tournelles Synagogue 

The original synagogue in this exact location was burned down by the Paris Commune in 1871. The Tournelles synagogue you see today was built around the same time and in the same Roman-Byzantine style as the synagogue on Rue de la Victoire. The façade features a lovely rose window and displays both the Tablets of the Law and the Paris city coat of arms. Deemed a historical monument, the inside of the Tournelles Synagogue is a unique gem. The green metallic framework and arches, reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower, were constructed in the workshop of Gustave Eiffel.

Agoudas Hakehilos Synagogue, The Guimard Synagogue, Or The Pavée Synagogue

The Agoudas Hakehilos Synagogue, an orthodox synagogue, was designed by the master of Art Nouveau architecture, Hector Guimard in 1913. The narrow façade with its undulating design portrays the Star of David over the main entrance and as your eyes drift skyward, Hebrew inscriptions. The interior benches and light fixtures were also designed by Guimard with flowing vegetal designs in true Art Nouveau style. 

Pro Tip: Hector Guimard is responsible for the beautiful Art Nouveau Métro entrances found in Paris. Many of his Art Nouveau buildings can be found in the 16th arrondissement. 

5. The Shoah Memorial (Paris Holocaust Museum)

Shoah is the Hebrew word for “catastrophe.” 

What a catastrophe it was. Nearly six million European Jews were exterminated by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during WWII.

To enter the memorial, one must first walk through the exhibit called, “Wall of Names.” 76,000 French Jewish names are inscribed on the walls organized in alphabetical order and including the year of deportation. Walk down the corridors between the walls absorbing the overwhelming number of names. Each name a person. Each name part of a family. Each name a life, a story.

Inside, find the huge Star of David with a single candle burning. A symbolic tomb under which lies the ashes of victims collected in the camps. The Shoah Memorial displays photographs, personal stories, artifacts, films, and documents to recount the Holocaust.

• Address: 17 Rue Geoffroy l’Asnier, 75004 Paris
• Thursday: Open until 10 p.m.
• Closed Saturday
• Free guided tours in English are every second Sunday of the month.

6. The Memorial To The Martyrs Of The Deportation

At the eastern tip of Ile de La Cité just behind Notre Dame Cathedral is the Memorial To The Martyrs Of The Deportation. The Memorial To The Martyrs Of The Deportation was inaugurated by General de Gaulle in April 1962 and honors the 200,000 French people deported from Vichy France to the concentration camps.

The memorial is stark with narrow concrete passageways and small spaces intended to evoke the feeling of being imprisoned. The exhibits are particularly moving. One displaying small black triangles each naming a concentration camp and filled with earth and ashes from victims in each location. The long narrow Hall of Remembrance is lined with 160,000 stones. Each stone represents a person who perished. Each stone evokes the Jewish tradition of placing a stone on the grave of a loved one. Pause and ponder these words: “They descended into the mouth of the earth and they did not return,” carved into a circular ground display around a single light. 

Poetry, real documents, and photographs all make this a sobering and valuable visit. It invites reflection and leaves the visitor with the words, “Forgive, but never forget.”

• April 1 to September 30: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• October 1 to March 31: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission: Free
• Métro: Cité, Pont Marie

7. The Memorial Garden For The Children Of The Velodrome D’Hiver

This July in 2022,  it was 80 years ago. 80 years ago on July 16 and 17 that French police rounded up 13,152 Jews in Paris and the suburbs. Held in horrendous conditions in the Velodrome d’Hiver (Vel d’hiv), a large indoor sports arena not far from the Eiffel Tower, these Parisians were sent directly to Auschwitz or the Drancy camp situated just outside of Paris. From Drancy, they were then sent on to their deaths. 

This garden honors the memory of 4,115 children rounded up and separated from their parents, deported, and exterminated. Stand before the wall and read the names and ages of these children.

• Address: 7 Rue Nélaton, 75015 Paris
• Hours: Open daily
• Métro: Bir-Hakeim

Pro Tip: A plaque commemorating the victims is found facing the Bir-Hakeim Metro station where the Velodrome d’Hiver once stood.

For more information on traveling to Paris, France, check out these articles:

• 7 Historic French Brasseries You Must Visit In Paris
• 7 Charming Parisian Restaurants Known Only To Locals
• 6 Places To Experience Roman History In Paris

Alison Browne, a modern-day nomad, landed in Paris after exploring the world as a solo traveler. She shares her travel stories and best tips at Dreamer at Heart . Six years ago, she wrapped up her career as an elementary school teacher and set out to explore new destinations and connect with people of different cultures. Her curious spirit has led her to travel throughout Europe, Asia, South East Asia, and Central and South America. France kept calling her back and she listened. Now based in Paris, Alison spends her time exploring the City of Light and writing about her adventures. La vie est belle! Find her on Instagram!

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Virtual Tour of Jewish Paris

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Join My Jewish Learning and Jewish Telegraphic Agency for an exciting virtual tour of Jewish Paris.  With our guide, we will learn more about the bustling Jewish neighborhood of Le Marais and get a unique view of the historic and modern French Synagogues. We will get a sense of French-Jewish culture and learn about the storied history of Jews in France.

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Breaking news, jewish new yorkers join oct. 7 hostage families for israel day parade march amid cloud of antisemitism.

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The annual Israel Day Parade hit midtown Sunday with a massive show of support for the Jewish state amid heavy NYPD security — as marchers repeatedly called for Hamas terrorists to release Israeli hostages.

“I wake up every morning and think we lost all people of my family,” said Sharon Sharabi, whose brothers are among the hostages held by Hamas.

“We are feeling that the people of America sympathize with us and the NYPD [are] here with us,” Sharabi said. “It’s a really good feeling, that it’s very safe here.”

Sunday’s Big Apple celebration of Israel went off despite a tense climate of antisemitism looming over the five boroughs in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on the Jewish state by Hamas.

“I came out to support my dear and beloved country and to show that we’re never going to back down,” said Jacob, a 21-year-old student at the Staten Island Hebrew Academy, who braved the heightened police security to cheer on the marchers.

“It’s horrific,” he said of antisemitism in the city. “You gotta look over your shoulder and live in fear.”

Brooklyn resident Rita Malikima said the mood in the city scares her, but she felt compelled to show up for the parade to support fellow Jews.

“If we don’t speak up we can come back to the holocaust in Germany in the 1940s,” Malikima, 52, told The Post. “I think the more we support and the more we speak out the more people will understand that Israel has the right to exist and the right to defend themselves.”

Anti-Israeli turmoil has marred the city since the Oct. 7 sneak a attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, which sparked a massive offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed thousands of Palestinians.

The war has riled up anti-Israeli sentiment and has led to massive — and often violent — protests and pro-Palestinian encampments on college campuses in the Big Apple and throughout the nation.

The  NYPD heightened security for the parade , ordering police officers to arrest anyone who got past security perimeters for trespassing — while avoiding any busts that went against free speech rights.

Prior to the march, US Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) held a presser with other officials calling for Hamas to release Israeli prisoners who remained held by terrorists since the Oct. 7 attack.

“Put the pressure on Hamas where it belongs to bring these American citizens home,” he said.

With the congressman was the family of  Sgt. Itay Chen, a member of the Israeli Defense Forces , and 22-year-old Omer Neutra, who were both captured and held by Hamas on Oct. 7.

“As New Yorkers we stand together,” Itay’s father, Ruby Chen, told reporters. “And what we need now from our fellow New Yorkers is to stand by us and stand with us and support all that’s been said here.

“We need this to end. We’re just family folks, we just want our kids back. And on October 7th this was also an attack on the United States,” the elder Chen said. 

Other relatives of Hamas hostages echoed the pleas for their release.

“For eight months my little brothers, my two little brothers, have been held hostage by Hamas,” said Liran Berman. “Now it’s been more than 150 days with no new information about them. 

“But we know in our hears that they are okay and that they will be okay.” 

Noam Safir said his grandfather, Shlomo Mantzur, is the oldest hostage.

“The past four months have been exhausting,” he told The Post. “We’ve tried to get any piece of information we can get and we still have nothing.”

But Safir, like others at the parade, have a message for those being held.

“Stay hopeful,” he said. “We’ll get you back and you’ll be home soon.”

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