In the Jewish quarters of Paris, a warm erev Yom Tov
ambience can currently be felt, as long lines are queuing up
in front of the kosher lePesach food stores. Streets
on the Pletzel and in the 19th quarter and the Rue Rishe are
buzzing with shoppers. Stands are overflowing with kosher
food products, from Israeli, French and British
manufacturers. In the suburbs, the large French food chains
have expanded their kosher lePesach stalls as they
have discovered the religious consumer, and they have hired
religious Jews to manage these stalls. In addition, Jewish
chains, such as that of Nehorai, have also developed.
The number of French Jews eating matzos during Pesach
is increasing each year. A survey taken a number of years ago
which determined that 57% of France's Jews eat only
matzos on Pesach is already out-of-date. The demand
for stringent kashrus supervision as well as the
burgeoning sales figures show that not only has the
percentage risen, but so has the demand for quality
kashrus.
This year, the chareidi communities imported handmade
shemura matzos from Israel well in advance of the
holiday, and many more Jews are demanding handmade
matzos. Instead of the Strassbourg machine
matzos of former years, consumers now have a choice
between hand matzos of Shearis Yisroel and hand matzos
of Vishnitz, which are being sold in the Agudas Hakehillos of
HaRav Mordechai Rottenberg.
In the Parisian bnei Torah community of Kahal
Yerei'im, Shearis Yisroel shemura matzos baked in Yad
Binyomin are being distributed. The head kashrus
supervisor of the community, Rabbi Moshe Nevatt, made a
special trip to Eretz Yisroel in order to bake
matzos for his community at Yad Binyomin. These
matzos are also sold in the Mekor Yisroel Yeshiva.
HaRav Mordechai Gross, while on a recent visit to Yeshivas
Yad Mordechai, inspected the supervision on the
shechita, the kitchen and the bakery of Kahal
Yerei'im, and proclaimed it excellent. The influence of the
yeshiva is evident in that the thirst for Torah, and the
aspiration to acquire middos tovos and yiras
Shomayim has greatly increased. Many Jew of the
community, however, are still distant from Torah.
Jews seek ruchniyuson Pesach, along with kosher
lePesach gashmiyus. Sifrei kodesh stores are
bustling with people in search of Haggados in Hebrew
and in French, as well as for books on halocho and
Jewish thought. Even Jews who are not yet observant come to
purchase Haggados. There is much competition among
French publishers in the production of Haggados, books
of Jewish interest and translations of traditional Jewish
sources.
