Union Libérale Israélite de France

Synagogue in Paris, France

48°52′10″N 2°17′20″E / 48.8694°N 2.2888°E / 48.8694; 2.2888ArchitectureArchitect(s)Marcel LemariéStyleArt DecoFounderLouis Germain LévyWebsitehttps://copernic.paris/

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The Union Libérale Israélite de France (ULIF), commonly referred to as the rue Copernic synagogue, is a Liberal Jewish synagogue, located in Paris, France. Inaugurated on the first of December 1907, it is the oldest Reform synagogue in France.

History

The synagogue was founded in 1907 by Rabbi Louis Germain Lévy.

1941 attack

The night of October 2-3, 1941 the synagogue was attacked by the Mouvement Social Revolutionnaire. A bomb caused the partial destruction of the edifice of the building. ^[1]The synagogue was damaged in a fascist riot in 1941, but was repaired after the war.^[2]

1980 attack

On October 3, 1980, on the eve of Simchat Torah, a bombing was directed against the synagogue of the ULIF. A bomb hidden in a motorcycle went off outside the synagogue, killing four pedestrians.^[3]

The bombing was the start of a string of other attacks by terrorists against Jews in Europe. In August 1981, a synagogue in Vienna, Austria, was attacked by Palestinian gunmen, killing two people, and in October 1981, three people were killed when a bomb went off in the center of Antwerp, Belgium.^[4]

On September 23, 2019 it was announced that the Union Libérale Israélite de France and the Mouvement juif libéral de France would merge, creating an association called "Judaïsme en mouvement" (Judaism in Movement).^[5]

The Synagogue

The original building, a painters studio located at 24 rue Copernic, was rented in 1907 and later bought in 1921.^[6] In 1923-1924, having acquired the building, the community began construction on an actual synagogue, preserving the original oratory as a social hall for Kiddush. The new building was built in Art Deco style, a rare choice for the time.

The building was designed by Marcel Lemarié (1864-1941), architect and author of L’Architecture moderne et l’hygiène. Lemarié also designed the Palais de la Danse for the 1900 Paris Exhibition, the building that became the Belleville Pathé cinema, the Post Office at 93 boulevard du Montparnasse, the Luxor Cinema and the Château de Toussus-le-Noble, which is listed as a Monument historique.^[7]

In 1968, the room was enlarged, following the acquisition of the neighboring building at 22 rue Copernic and the building was increased by two floors.

Leadership

Rabbi Louis Germain Levy (1870-1946) trained at the Seminaire Israelite de France served as its first rabbi.^[8]

Rabbi Levy was succeeded by Rabbi Andre Chalom Zaoui (1916-2009) in 1946.^[9]

In 1970, Rabbi Daniel Farhi (1941-2021) was appointed the new senior rabbi and left ULIF in 1977 to create the second Reform synagogue of Paris, Mouvement Juif Liberal de France.^[10] Rabbi Michael Williams assumed the spiritual leadership of the community in 1977.^[11]

Since 2014, Philippe Haddad (ordained by the Seminaire Israelite de France)^[12] and Jonas Jacquelin (ordained by Abraham Geiger Kolleg) are its new rabbinic leaders.^[13]

References

^ Voir, Cécile Desprairies, 2009, p. 95-96.
^ Synagogues of Europe: Architecture, History, Meaning, Carol Herselle Krinsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1985, Dover Publications, 1996, p. 253
^ Jewish Virtual History Tour, France
^ "Jewish Targets: Recent Attacks". The New York Times. September 7, 1985.
^ Chambraud, Cécile (September 23, 2019). "Deux communautés juives libérales se regroupent pour « porter une parole juive moderne »". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
^ Dominique Jarassé, Guide du patrimoine juif parisien, photographies de Sylvain Ageorges, Paris, Parigramme, 2003, 129-131 p.
^ "Monument historique: Château de Toussus-le-Noble" (PDF). Ministry of Culture (France). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
^ "Europe Report: Flourishing in France", by Bernard Edinger, Reform Judaism, Spring 2008 "Reform Judaism Magazine - Europe Report: Flourishing in France". Archived from the original on October 7, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
^ Laura, Hobson Faure. Renaître sous les auspices américains et britanniques: le mouvement libéral juif en France après la Shoah (1944-1970). Vol. 40. p. 82. doi:10.3917/aj.402.0082. ISSN 0003-9837. OCLC 922948459.
^ Staff, Par Times of Israel. "Décès du rabbin Daniel Farhi, fondateur du Mouvement juif libéral de France". fr.timesofisrael.com (in French). Retrieved April 21, 2023.
^ Allouche-Benayoun, Joëlle (2006). "Comment être juif croyant et moderne dans la France d'aujourd'hui ?". Sociétés (in French). 92 (2): 5. doi:10.3917/soc.092.05. ISSN 0765-3697.
^ Staff, Par Times of Israel. "Le rabbin Philippe Haddad, lauréat du prix 2020 de l'Amitié judéo-chrétienne". fr.timesofisrael.com (in French). Retrieved April 21, 2023.
^ "L'ULIF a choisi Philippe Haddad et Jonas Jacquelin comme nouveaux rabbins". Crif - Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France (in French). September 8, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2023.