Metadata: Centre Communautaire Laïc Juif (CCLJ) archives
Collection
- Country:
- Belgium
- Holding institution:
- Jewish Museum of Belgium
- Holding institution (official language):
- Musée Juif de Belgique
- Postal address:
- Miniemenstraat 21 / Rue des Minimes 21, 1000 Bruxelles
- Phone number:
- +32 (0)2 512 19 63
- Web address:
- http://www.new.mjb-jmb.org
- Email:
- info@mjb-jmb.org
- Reference number:
- JM-Brussels-CCLJ
- Title:
- Centre Communautaire Laïc Juif (CCLJ) archives
- Title (official language):
- Fonds Centre Communautaire Laïc Juif (CCLJ)
- Creator/accumulator:
- Centre Communautaire Laïc Juif David Susskind
- Date(s):
- 1958/1981
- Extent:
- 2 boxes
- Scope and content:
- This fonds contains correspondence from the CCSJ-CCLJ, bookkeeping documents, leaflets, programs of activities, press releases, and subject files concerning the Jews in Poland (1968-1969), Vietnam (1968), the attack on the El Al flight (1969) and the demonstration on behalf of the Jews of Iraq (1969). (See boxes 198 and 199.)
- Archival history:
- This fonds was transferred by Mrs. Simone Weinberger-Susskind in 1987.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Cercle Culturel et Sportif Juif (CCSJ) was created in Brussels in 1959 by a handful of youths, former members of the Union Sportive des Jeunes Juifs (USJJ), who were not satisfied with a Judaism that was recognised almost exclusively at the religious level. The ambition of the CCSJ was to “work on behalf of the entire Jewish community not to let the Consistory continue to represent all Jews of Belgium”. (Regards, September 30, 1966). The CCSJ launched its periodical Regards in 1965. In 1966 the CCSJ became the Centre Communautaire Laïc Juif (CCLJ)(‘secular Jewish community centre’). CCSJ/CCLJ was actively involved in the struggle for peace in the Middle East. The organisation was at the forefront of all demonstrations organised to support the State of Israel in 1967. Other campaigns were also carried out, such as the campaign in favour of Soviet Jewry in the 1970s and 1976, and against the Auschwitz Carmel in 1984. The leaders of the CCLJ formed the vanguard of the organisation of the First World Conference for the Jews of the Soviet Union. The CCLJ initiated political protests and attempts at reconciliation and dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis, such as “Give Peace a Chance” in 1988. The CCLJ is pluralistic and situated at the centre-left of the political spectrum. David Susskind, one of the founders of the CCSJ/CCLJ, was president of the organisation until 1975 and remained until the dawn of the 21st century one of its principal leaders. Various organisations, including youth movements, were affiliated with the centre since its inception. This was the case for the Colonie Amitié, founded in 1967, and the Jeunesse Juive Laïque (JJL), in 1963. In 1985 the nursery Nitzanim-Rachel Kemp was established. The program l’Année du Judaïsme for Bnei-Mitzva was initiated in 1987. In 1989 the Amis Belges de Shalom Archav joined the CCLJ. The CCLJ is currently the most dynamic and most frequented Jewish community centre in Brussels. The activities it organises are numerous and aimed at all age groups. In 2012, its name was changed to Centre Communautaire Laïc Juif David Susskind, in honour of its long-time president. (A. Lapiower, Libres enfants du ghetto, Bruxelles, Points Critiques – Rue des Usines, 1989, p. 233;http://www.cclj.be.)
- Access, restrictions:
- Access requires the authorisation of the archivist of the Jewish Museum of Belgium.
- Finding aids:
- There are a preliminary inventory of the Jewish Museum of Belgium and a transfer list.
- Yerusha Network member:
- State Archives of Belgium
