Fonds CCIB Miscellaneous - correspondence

Collection description

Collection

Country:: Belgium

Holding institution:: Central Jewish Consistory of Belgium

Holding institution (official language):: Consistoire central israélite de Belgique

Postal address:: Joseph Dupontstraat 2 / Rue Joseph Dupont 2, 1000 Bruxelles

Phone number:: +32 (0)2 512 21 90

Web address:: http://www.jewishcom.be/

Reference number:: CJCons-Brussels-Fonds CCIB Divers – Correspondance

Title:: Fonds CCIB Miscellaneous - correspondence

Title (official language):: Fonds CCIB Divers – Correspondance

Creator/accumulator:: Consistoire central israélite de Belgique; Centraal Israëlitisch Consistorie van België

Date(s):: 1922/2011

Language:: French; Dutch; Flemish; English; Spanish; Castilian

Extent:: 2.5 linear metres

Scope and content:: This fonds primarily contains correspondence of the CCIB, of the president of the CCIB and other staff, concerning various topics. We note incoming as well as copies of outgoing correspondence. We notably point out correspondence regarding the employment of staff and ministres officiants, the accounts, exchanges with the Jewish communities in Belgium, education, Jewish schools in Brussels and Antwerp, the reconstruction of the Jewish community in the immediate post-war years, receptions and events organised by the CCIB, contacts with international Jewish organisations, as well as files related to so-called ‘extra-consistorial matters’ (including various requests for advice, aid, contacts, etc. at Belgian and international level). The fonds furthermore contains many minutes of meetings and reports of meetings of the CCIB. The miscellaneous correspondence should be integrated in this fonds. We find files related to the pensions of the ministers (1937-1939), requests addressed to the Ministry of Justice (1938-1940), and a variety of documents concerning the presence of interns at the rabbinical school, matters of recruitment of the Belgian rabbinical corps (1938-1940), inspections of and visits to the communities (1939), the prison chaplaincy (1938-1940), shehitah (1939), the Jewish German refugees (1939), the recitation of prayers for peace (1939), religious education, refugee centres (1939), anti-Jewish demonstrations (1939), hospitals and visits of religious ministers (1939), the military chaplaincy notably in the camps of Merksplas and Marneffe and during the mobilisation (1939-1940), the Winkler affair (1937-1940), the organisation of the military chaplaincy and reserve chaplains (1937-1940) [green box 5]. We also find correspondence concerning the Fonds Consistorial (1932-1940) and ‘extra-consistorial matters affairs’ (1939-1940) [green box 6].

Administrative/biographical history:: The Consistoire central israélite de Belgique / Centraal Israëlitisch Consistorie van België (Central Jewish Consistory of Belgium)(CCIB) was created in 1832 by Adolphe Oppenheim, Henri Furth, Sigmund Benda, Adolphe Hauman and Henri Schuster. They were inspired by the similar institution established by Napoleon in the early 19th century. The founders tried to acquire the same benefits that had already been granted to the other recognised denominations for the Jewish religion. As the Jewish contact institution to the Belgian authorities, responsible for the management of the Jewish religion, the CCIB represents Belgian Judaism and embodies the spiritual authority of the religious communities. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the institution tried to be the guarantor of the emancipation and modernisation of the Jewish communities in Belgium, along the lines of the Enlightenment philosophy, which led to friction with the most conservative communities. These communities tried to escape the authority of the CCIB in order to enjoy a greater spiritual independence.

The CCIB was also a meeting place for the different conceptions of Judaism. Key figures were, among others, rabbi Élie-Aristide Astruc, rabbi Armand Bloch, rabbi Ernest Ginsburger and rabbi Robert Dreyfus. Among the presidents of the Consistory we note iconic figures such as Louis Lassen, Joseph Oppenheim and Jacques Wiener in the 19th century, Franz and Paul Philippson, Ernest Wiener, Jean Bloch and Georges Schnek in the 20th century.

The range of functions of the CCIB has greatly expanded since the Second World War. It supports cultural, educational and heritage initiatives. The CCIB has supported the Institut d’Études du Judaïsme Martin Buber in Brussels, the Instituut voor Joodse Studies in Antwerp, the Fondation pour la Mémoire Contemporaine, the Joods Museum voor Deportatie en Verzet in Mechelen; it was at the initiative of the creation of the Jewish Museum of Belgium and the Institut de la Mémoire Audiovisuelle juive. The Consistory publishes the quarterly Nouvelles Consistoriales – Consistoriaal Nieuwsblad, and organises radio and television broadcasts. The institution is involved in the Organe de Consultation entre Chrétiens et Juifs en Belgique. It plays a key role in domains such as inter-religious dialogue, Jewish education, preservation of Jewish cultural heritage, the study of the history of Belgian Judaism, remembrance of the Shoah and the dissemination of Jewish culture. Although the CCIB was liberal from 1832 until 1880, it is currently influenced by Orthodox Judaism and refuses to include the liberal community Beth Hillel. The current president of the Consistory is Professor Baron Julien Klener. He remains the moral authority of Belgian Judaism, its representative and the manager of its communities. (J.-P. Schreiber, Politique et religion. Le Consistoire central israélite de Belgique au XIXe siècle, Bruxelles, éd. de l’Université de Bruxelles, 1995; http://www.jewishcom.be/)

Access points: locations:: Antwerp; Belgium; Brussels; Marneffe; Merksplas

Subject terms:: Antisemitism; Correspondence; Education; Education--Schools and universities; Jewish community; Jewish community records; Military; Rabbis; Refugees; Ritual slaughter

System of arrangement:: The files are mostly arranged in chronological order.

Access, restrictions:: Consultation requires the authorisation of the president of the Central Jewish Consistory of Belgium.

Finding aids:: There is a summary list. For the so-called “green boxes”, see the list made by B. Dickschen.

Yerusha Network member:: State Archives of Belgium

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