On January 27, 2025, Rachida Dati announced a significant state support of 6.5 million euros for the expansion and renovation of the Museum of Art and History of Judaism (MAHJ) in Paris, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the discovery of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp.

The Île-de-France region further contributed an additional 3 million euros, raising the total public funding for the MAHJ project to 18.5 million euros, against a total projected cost of 22 million euros.

In a show of commitment to the project, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced an exceptional contribution of 9 million euros just four days later, along with the allocation of an old school building for the museum's offices and library.

This support for the MAHJ project comes at a time when antisemitism is on the rise in France, with 1,570 antisemitic acts recorded in 2024 and incidents in schools having doubled within a year.

Paul Salmona, the director of MAHJ, attributes this alarming rise in antisemitism to a troubling convergence of anti-capitalist criticism, racial antisemitism, and anti-Judaism from the Arab-Muslim world, highlighting the historical neglect of Jewish history in France.

The article also discusses the broader challenges faced by Jewish cultural institutions in Europe, particularly in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attack, which has resulted in decreased attendance and financial difficulties.