Brexit was not on the agenda at Jewish Agency board of governors meeting in Paris this week, but it was still a hot topic - and the UK came in for some heavy criticism.

"Who cares about them? These Brits have an island mentality. They've been bothering us for years, trying to dictate their own rules. Good riddance! We can reunite with our true partners: the Germans," said notary Louis-Marc Jacquin.

"The vote is not surprising, they were never really European and you'll see they'll change their mind," said Maggi Klug, whose husband is a French Keren Hayessod volunteer.

"Those English are anti-Israeli. They boycott Israeli universities," said Mrs Klug's husband, Alain. "Their politicians lied to them when they said the EU costs them money. Europe was the one giving money. A lot of it."

"I don't care about them leaving. The English have always had that attitude. They always try to get the best of everything," said banker Claude Guedj. "They said that the UK's departure from the EU is bad for Israel, but I don't think so. The Brexit breaks the bloc and it will be easier for Israel to defend itself."

Two big dreams, Oslo and the EU, are dead

Some said that Brexit reinforced populism and xenophobia.

"The British are not, of course, antisemitic, but it's never good for Jews to see populism gaining ground", said David de Rothschild, descendant of the Rothschild banking family.

"I come from an old European family," added Mr Rothschild, who heads the Shoah Memorial Foundation. "In the 1800s my ancestors settled in various European capitals: Frankfurt, London, Paris. So I obviously don't want to see Europe being destroyed. It's not about the economy: Europe can survive without the UK and the UK can survive without the EU. It's an emotional shock. The UK is a great country and it has played a major role in the EU and now it's isolating itself."

One of France's few female rabbis, Delphine Horvilleur, said that the Brexit vote crushed her European dream.

"I'm not reacting as a rabbi here but someone from my generation, born in the '70s, who grew up with two dreams: the Oslo Agreements and the European Union. Those two dreams are at a dead end," said Rabbi Horvilleur.

"When you see your dreams are crushed and you're a parent, it's difficult to think about your children's own dreams."

To some, Brexit may help Europeans understand Zionism.

"One French Jew about to make aliyah told us that patriotism was a lost value in Europe. People don't understand why Jews want to have their own country. The fact British voters want sovereignty and borders may help people understand and have a better image of Zionism," said American Alan Silberstein.