A Jewish family living in the northern suburbs of Paris has received a formal notice from their building’s property management company instructing them to remove the mezuzah affixed to the exterior doorframe of their apartment, under threat of legal action.
In an official letter, the management company explains that the exterior doorframe is considered a common area of the building. As such, any modification that could alter its appearance requires prior authorization from the condominium association. According to the property manager, the mezuzah — a small case containing a handwritten Hebrew parchment traditionally placed at the entrance of Jewish homes — was installed without prior request or approval, constituting what they describe as “private use of a common area.”
The letter cites Article 9 of the July 10, 1965, law governing co-ownership in France, which allows use of common areas provided it does not infringe upon the rights of other residents or the building’s aesthetics. The family has been given fifteen days to remove the object and restore the doorframe to its original condition. Failing that, the property manager reserves the right to initiate “any necessary action,” including legal proceedings, and to carry out the removal at the occupants’ expense.
The letter emphasizes that the request is made “without any link to personal or religious considerations” and is solely based on the enforcement of condominium regulations and applicable law.
The case has prompted reactions within the local community, against the backdrop of ongoing debates in France over religious expression in shared or public spaces and the rights of minority groups.
