David Feuerwerker

David Feuerwerker , born the October 2nd 1912 with Geneva and deceased the June 20th 1980 with Montreal, was a Rabbin and professor of French Jewish history.

Biography

It was born in Geneva in a many Jewish family (it is the seventh of a family of eleven children, whose parents are Jacob Feuerwerker and Regina Neufeld). In 1925, it finishes its studies in Talmud Torah of the street Vauquelin, in Paris. After a baccalaureat of sciences, letters and philosophy in Paris, it enters in 1932 to the Rabbinical School of France, where it becomes Rabbin on October 1st 1937. It is also graduate old Semitic Languages (Semitic Langue) with the Sorbonne.

Of October 15th 1937 at September 1st 1939, it spends two years under the flags in Alsace. With the declaration of the war Second world war, it is not demobilized. He is chief of the transmissions of a group of artillery of the 12th R.A.D. and Chaplain of 87e D.I.A. He receives the Military Cross (1939-1945) with Bronze Star. The quotation with the Order of the Brigade is read as follows: " As chief of the artillery transmissions took part of September 1939 in February 1940 in engagements in Alsace in the area of Bitche. With fact proof of energy, of courage and competence by ensuring under fire the operation of the telephone links and radio." " Was again distinguished during the engagements from June 1940 on the Wing, the Aisne and the the Seine, as chaplain Jew of his Division. With contributed to maintain the spirit combative around him and to support moral units engagées." It is demobilized with Chateauroux on July 25th 1940. A second quotation for the Military Cross (1939-1945), is with the Order of the Army, with palm.

In 1940, it is named rabbi for the departments of the Corrèze, of the Creuse and the Lot, and based with Brive-the-Strapping woman. It remains Villa of Mont Blanc, which occurred Turgot, with Brive. It creates its first circle of studies. With Edmond Michelet it takes an active part in Resistance in the movement Combat (resistance) against the occupation Nazi. Its name in Resistance is Jacques Portal.

Cross of the Combatant Volunteer 1939-1945, Medal Commemorative of the War 1939-45 with bar " France" , it is made knight of the Légion of honor on a purely military basis. Here what its quotation in the National order of the Legion of honor says: " In spite of the exceptional risks which stuck to its ministry, took part in an active way, permanent and satisfied with the organization of resistance in all the area. Did not hesitate, with the danger of its freedom and without any doubt of its life to being for the Movement " Combat" a particularly serious auxiliary. It is with him that several hundreds of resistant owed the false paper which enabled them to escape research from Gestapo." His wife, Antoinette Feuerwerker (born Gluck), which had made its studies with the Faculty of Law, with the Université of Strasbourg before the war, and that he had married in November 1939, took part in her sides with Resistance. Voluntary combatant of Resistance, with equal with her husband, it was decorated with the Medal of Released France (1944), for his participation in the release of France .

He takes part in the release of Lyon as a Captain-Chaplain of the French Forces of the interior (F.F.I.) in Lyon in 1944. He becomes the Chief rabbi of Lyon to the Release. He is also Captain-Chaplain of the Place of Lyon and Alpine Division (27e brigade of infantry of mountain). He publishes in Lyon the first Jewish weekly magazine since the war, called “ the Unit ”. In 1946, it is elected rabbi with Neuilly-sur-Seine. There it creates, with 12 rue Ancelle, a circle of studies. The money intended for the famous boat Exodus (Exodus 1947) is hidden, without its knowledge, by his wife, under her bed, because nobody has suddenly suspected it.

In 1948 he becomes rabbi of the large Parisian synagog, the Synagog of the street of the Small towers. With the circle of studies which it animates with the 14 Place of the Vosges, among the participants we find: Raymond Aron, Robert Aron, Henri Baruk, the Father Marie-Benoit, Jean Cassou, Georges Duhamel, Marcel Dunan, Edmond Fleg, Henri Hertz, the admiral Louis Kahn, Joseph Kessel, Jacques Madaule, Arnold Mandel, Szolem Mandelbrojt, François Mauriac, Edmond Michelet, Pierre Morhange, François Perroux, the Father Michel Riquet, Pierre-Maxime Schul, Andre Spire, Jean Wahl, and well of others. The Jewish community of France pays to him homage, on December 23rd 1956, at the time of its twentieth year of rabbinate and of both hundred fiftieth meeting of the Circle of Studies of the Marsh, for like it specifies it, to honor the guide and the Master whose activity is fertile and efficient for the Jewish community of France . He was director of the religious instruction (Paris) (1952), and vice-president of the Council for Education and the Jewish Culture in France (1953). The Town of Paris, and on its behalf, the Office of the Municipal council, in his meeting of December 14th 1957, decreed to him the Medal of Vermeil of the Town of Paris.

In parallel with its activities of rabbi, it obtains a license of Letters and a doctorate of history of the Sorbonne. It integrates the Life section of the Practical École of the High Studies (EPHE) of 1962 into 1965. Among its many communications, let us note those given to the Company of the History of Paris, or to the Napoleon Institute of Paris. It publishes articles, in particular in the " Re-examined Annals " , " Evidences" , " Bulletin of our communautés" , and the " Newspaper of the communautés". It creates the function of General Chaplain in the National marine (France). He was also chaplain of prisons (Prisons of the Rocket |The Small Rocket), of colleges (College Henri-Iv, College Fénelon) and of hospital (the Hospital of Paris). In 1963, the Général de Gaulle appoints it officer of the Légion of honor for its work within the National marine (France). It introduces the Hebrew like foreign language with the baccalaureat, in 1954, and is the inspector for the town of Paris.

It was close to Pierre Mendès-France, old the French Prime Minister. He officiated with funerals of his two parents. Among the many Jewish personalities that it met, two made a strong impression on him, the Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz (1878-1953), Chazon Ish, of Bnei Brak, Israel, and the Master Hassidique de Belz, the Rabbi Aharon Rokeach (1877-1957), known like Reb Arele, so alive in Israel.

After the war of the Sinai and the Crisis of Suez Canal (in 1956), it represents the Jewish community has a ceremony under the Triumphal arch of Star at the time of the visit of Moshe Dayan in France. It bound friendship and par excellence gave refuge to Aimé Pallière (1868-1949), considered as Noahide (Lois noahides). He became the Rabbi of the Synagog of 15 rue Chasseloup-Laubat (Synagog Chasseloup-Laubat), in Paris XVe.

In 1966, it emigrates with its family (six children: Atara, Natania, Elie, Hillel, Emmanuel, and Benjamine) with Montreal, the Canada. It remains with 5583 Avenue Woodbury with Montreal, with some steps of the Université of Montreal. He becomes judge at the rabbinical Court of the city (Beth DIN) and member of Vaad Haïr (Jewish Community council of Montreal). He becomes professor of sociology to the Université of Montreal, of 1966 with 1968, and he creates in this university the department of the Jewish studies.

For its book on l" emancipation of the Jews in France, Emancipation of the Jews in France. Old Mode at the end of the Second Empire (Albin Michel Paris, 1976), become traditional, and which continues year after year to be quoted, it receives the Broquette-Gonin Price of history of the French Academy. In its publication, a report appears on first page of the newspaper Le Monde .

It took part in many radio programs and of television in France and in Canada, was consulted as expert, and gave many conferences.

He is deceased in Montreal on June 20th 1980 and was buried in Sanhedria, with Jerusalem, Israel.

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