The modernization of French Jewry

by Phyllis Cohen Albert

A social and institutional study of nineteenth-century French Jewry during the neglected period between Napoleon and Dreyfus, this is also the first comprehensive account of the Jewish consistory- the largest and most important institution of the French Jewish community. The author first details the demographic and economic position of the Jews, official an unofficial institutions, competing ideologies, internal politics, and social development. She then discusses the interplay between rabbinic and lay power in the community and analyzes the social status and educational and economic background of recruits both to the rabbinate and to the lay leadership. The consistory's method of operation, its achievements, and its ideological stance on controversial issues are examined. The book utilizes material hitherto untapped, to produce a comprehensive account of a major aspect of Jewish social history.