Metadata: Ministries
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 Ministères 1.2
- Title:
- Ministries
- Title (official language):
- Fonds Ministères
- Creator/accumulator:
- Consistoire central israélite de Belgique; Centraal Israëlitisch Consistorie van België
- Date(s):
- 1928/1965
- Language:
- French
- Dutch; Flemish
- Yiddish
- German
- Extent:
- 6 boxes
- Scope and content:
-
This fonds consists of correspondence exchanged between the Consistory and various ministries.
Regarding the Ministry of Justice, we note material about issues concerning salaries, pensions, nominations of rabbis, chaplains, legal recognition of communities or accorded decorations (1911-1938) [folder 1.2.1.1.I], various correspondence (1874-1904) [folder 1.2.1.1.II], correspondence concerning the granting of subsidies, prison chaplains, the recognition of communities (1870-1925) [folder 1.2.1.1.III], correspondence notably regarding the Communauté israélite orthodoxe de Bruxelles, Chief Rabbi Bloch and the salaries of the ministers of worship shortly after the First World War (1910-1932) [folder 1.2.1.1.IV], a file concerning Jewish prisoners, the disarray of the communities immediately after the Second World War (1945) [folder 1.2.1.1.V], correspondence regarding the stay of foreigners (1931-1939) [folder 1.2.1.2.VI], correspondence concerning the stay of foreigners, ritual slaughter (shehitah) in La Louvière, Jewish prisoners, vacant positions for rabbis (1933-1939) [folder 1.2.1.2.VII], various correspondence exchanged between the CCIB and the Chief Rabbi and different ministries (Justice, Public Education, …) notably concerning the courses of Jewish religion, prisoners, the competition from importers of matzot (unleavened bread), the granting of street vending permits, religious divorce (1931-1940) [folder 1.2.1.2.VIII], correspondence concerning applications for a residence permit (1937-1939) [folder 1.2.1.2.IX]. (See boxes 1.2.1.1 and 1.2.1.2).
Concerning the Ministry of Food Provisioning (Ministère de Ravitaillement), we find material related to: the closing of slaughterhouses, the sale of ritually slaughtered (kosher) meat, provisioning (ravitaillement) of flour and the competition in the production of matzot (unleavened bread) imported from the United States, the holiday regulations of bakers and pâtissiers taking account of the Sabbath (1946-1948) [folder 1.2.2.1].
Regarding the Ministry of Economic Affairs we note material concerning the issue of fuel supplies (for various synagogues, schools and ritual baths (mikveh))(1945-1947) [folder 1.2.2.2].
For the Ministry of Defence, we find files concerning the Jewish military chaplains for the years 1928-1966 (see box 1.2.3.I) and 1946-1997 (see box 1.2.3.II).
The material regarding the Ministry of Public Education concerns the inspection of courses of Jewish religion, the appointment of teachers, and the creation of courses of Jewish religion (1931-1940) [folder 1.2.4].
Concerning the Ministry of Labour we note documents related to applications from the CCIB and the Chief Rabbi, in their capacity as intermediaries between the communities and the central government, in order to obtain work permits to hire singers, teachers, cooks, waiters at non-Belgian restaurants, other employees, etc. to fill positions for which no qualified candidates could be found in Belgium (1936-1940 and 1946-1965) [folders 1.2.5.I, II and III].
For the Ministry of Public Works and Reconstruction we note material related to the question of war damage (1945-1946) [folder 1.2.6].
The fonds also contains correspondence with the Ministry of Justice for the years 1957-1971 [folder 1.2.7.I] and 1972-1983 [folder 1.2.7.II], material concerning requests for work permits for ministers of worship and teachers of Jewish religion addressed to the Ministry of Labour, for the years 1966-1977 [folder 1.2.7.III] and 1977-1981 [folder 1.2.7.IV], and correspondence with the Ministry of Public Health concerning religious assistance to hospitalised patients (1973-1984) (see box 1.2.8).
- 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:
- Belgium
- Brussels
- La Louvière
- Access points: persons/families:
- Bloch
- Subject terms:
- Education
- Education--Schools and universities
- Education--Students
- Financial matters
- Health and medical matters
- Health and medical matters--Hospitals
- Jewish community
- Kashrut
- Marriage and divorce
- Marriage and divorce--Gittin
- Matsah
- Migration
- Migration--Immigration
- Mikveh
- Military
- Orthodox Judaism
- Prisoners
- Rabbis
- Refugees
- Ritual slaughter
- Shabbat
- Synagogues
- World War I
- Access, restrictions:
- Consultation requires the authorisation of the president of the Central Jewish Consistory of Belgium.
- Finding aids:
- There is a summary list, prepared by the CCIB.
- Yerusha Network member:
- State Archives of Belgium
