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"The jewess"?? When did this happen? I haven't heard that type of terminology in eons, and they were usually books or old movies about WWII. It must be hard for your sister. Being Jewish and American is not good when you are a tourist in Europe.

I remember wanting to visit Ireland. I gave that up after 9/11. Even if I had the money, no way would I go to a foreign country.

Believe it or not, this happened in 1999. My sister tells me she found anti-semitism not uncommon among older French people who live in small towns (this was outside of Maignon--not sure how to spell it; my sister's father in law was the Mayor of Maignon); but it was her first time experiencing this kind of prejudice, because she and I are blonde and blue-eyed, and do not resemble our mother, whose appearance is characteristic of the Ashkenazi Jew.

While we found this incident annoying and hurtful for Mom, it certainly did not carry with it the physical threat of the virulent anti-semitism of the muslims in France.

I don't blame you for not being eager to travel after 9/11; I feel the same way. Europe is not safe for Americans anymore, and Europe is probably safer than Asia, etc. It's a shame, because as children we traveled all over the world, but I must deny that experience to my own daughter, lest she end up like poor Ilian Hashimi. She can have plenty of interesting travel experiences right here in the USA. And I don't care if that sounds jingoistic! Cheers, Ari