A video of a mouth-opening encounter that took place between a kippah-wearing professor and TV panelists on French TV is going viral in France. Prof. Cyrille Cohen, who is originally from France but lives in Israel and is the head of Immunology at Bar Ilan University, was interviewed on a French TV channel about COVID and was met with an astounding question by the head panelist. “I’m going to ask you a question because many people are asking it,” he said. ” It doesn’t have any connection to medical issues but there are many people asking why the professor is wearing a religious symbol in the studio.” Taken by surprise, Prof. Cohen responded: “Why? Because I wear it every day.” A female TV panelist then interjected: “I also commented to him about it at the coffee corner.” “Full disclosure, I wear it every day,” Prof. Cohen said. “I didn’t put it on especially for your program.” Female TV panelist: “You understand, no? For us, secularism is discretion. It’s not a matter of being anti-religious but you keep your religion to yourself.” At that point, Prof. Cohen lost his equanimity for a moment and said forcefully. “My name is Cohen! Why do you want me to keep my religion to myself? I’m from Israel!” Even his obvious agitation didn’t shut up the TV panelist, who responded: ” But there are those whose name is Cohen who don’t wear a kippah, so that’s not it. Do you understand that in France…?” Prof. Cohen then interjected: “And if a priest would come here, or the Pope, would you ask him to remove his cross or head covering? The first TV panelist then interjected, saying jokingly: “The truth is that if the Pope would come to my morning program, I think something would happen here.” Prof. Cohen then concluded by saying: “But it is by no means meant to offend any of the viewers.” Once again, so-called “liberal” and “civilized” people display their complete intolerance to those with different views, with a shocking lack of respect and civility. It should be noted that the TV panelists obviously neglected to do the most basic research about their guest since anyone taking a quick glance at Prof. Cohen’s Twitter account or YouTube interviews would see immediately that he regularly wears a kippah. Chareidi journalist Sivan Rahav-Meir spoke with Prof. Cohen, who said: “Many French Jews told me that the clip davka caused them to feel proud of their Jewishness. This is what happens when secularism becomes a religion. I left France 30 years ago and made aliyah and I’m so happy about that.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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