Israeli Defense Firms Recruit French-Jewish Tech Talent Amid Paris Fair
Israeli defense industries, facing anti-Israel policies in France, are recruiting French-Jewish engineers and IT experts at a Paris job fair organized by official agencies.
Amidst a sharp anti-Israel stance by French President Emmanuel Macron and continuous harassment of Israeli defense industries, local defense firms are countering by recruiting French-Jewish talent to work in Israel.
Job Fair in Paris Draws Hundreds of Professionals
Hundreds of participants attended a job fair initiated by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jewish Agency, and Ofek Yisraeli. Elbit Systems' booth drew intense interest from engineers, AI and IT experts, and professionals with defense industry experience.
This marks the second fair in Paris in which Elbit has participated, following an initial event held in April. Elbit Systems, the first defense company to join the initiative, is already conducting advanced recruitment processes with candidates from the previous round, and company officials estimate significant potential for expansion.
Direct Contribution to National Security
Pre-fair publicity focused heavily on engineering professions, and the Elbit Systems team met professionals specializing in artificial intelligence, information technology, and diverse engineering fields. Some candidates possess practical experience within French defense industries. Following the fair, the company conducted personal interviews.
"Participation in the fair was emotional and hopeful," said Shelly Gordon, Vice President of Human Resources at Elbit. "We met excellent candidates with relevant professional experience and a genuine desire to make Aliyah and contribute to the country's security."
Many participants noted that the opportunity to integrate into an Israeli defense company is particularly compelling, viewing it as a direct way to contribute to national security while building their professional futures in Israel.
