André Chouraqui
Encyclopedia
Nathan André Chouraqui (11 August 1917 – 9 July 2007) was a French lawyer, writer, scholar and politician.
Chouraqui was born in Aïn Témouchent
, Algeria
. His parents, Isaac Chouraqui and Meleha Meyer, both descended from Spanish Jewish families who, as early as the 16th century, contributed to North African Judaism judges, theologists, rabbis and poets as well as scientists.
From 1935 he studied Law and Rabbinical Studies in Paris. He was active in the French Resistance
in the Maquis
of Central France (1942-1945). Lawyer and later judge in the district of the Algiers Court of Appeal (1945-1947), Chouraqui became a Doctor of Law in 1948 (University of Paris).
In 1958, he married Annette Lévy. They have five children : Emmanuel, Elisabeth, Yaël, David and Mikhal, as well as fourteen grandchildren.
From 1947 to 1953, Chouraqui served as Assistant Secretary General of the Alliance Israélite Universelle
, then as Permanent Delegate for the Alliance israélite Universelle (1953-1982), under the presidency of René Cassin
. He traveled extensively throughout the world, lecturing in over 80 countries. From Jerusalem, where he has lived since 1958, he acts as a spokesman for French culture in Israel and as an ambassador for Judaism the world over.
Vice President of the Committee of Non-Governmental Organisations (of UNICEF-UNAC) from 1950-1956, he proposed the project to fight against trachoma
, a project which consequently saved the eyesight of millions of children around the world.
Settled in Jerusalem since 1958, he became advisor to Prime Minister David Ben Gurion (1959-1963) on the integration in Israel of Jews from Muslim countries, and on intercommunity relations.
Elected Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem in 1965 under Mayor Teddy Kollek
, Chouraqui was in charge of cultural affairs, international and interconfessional relations of the City of Jerusalem. From 1969 to 1973 he served as Municipal Counsellor and President of the Commission of Culture and Foreign Relations of the city.
Since 1965, Chouraqui was Director of Sinaï Publication of the Presses Universitaires de France (Paris), which publishes works in French essential to Jewish culture, including Luzzato, Buber, Kaufmann, Halkin, and Maïmonides.
He was a member of the Tribunal of the World Zionist Organization
, founding President of the Alliance Française
of Jerusalem, President of the Israel Interfaith Committee, President of the Israeli Film Institute (Reginald Ford Foundation) and President of the Movement for a Middle East Confederation.
As member of the Executive Committee of the World Congress of Religions for Peace (1974-1983), Chouraqui took an active part in interfaith movements, and was active in the development of cross-cultural friendship, especially for fraternization between Jews, Christians and Muslims, through personal action.
He has written hundreds of articles in the world press, numerous lectures and books concerning the spiritual and political problems raised by the resurrection of the State of Israel. Universal by essence, his writings range from poetry and theatre to legal studies, fiction to philosophical essays, history and sociology, and in particular the translation and exegesis of the Old Testament, New Testament and the Koran.
His books have been translated into twenty-three languages and won numerous literary prizes: the Golden Medal of the French language given by the Académie Française
(1977), two prizes given by the French Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, the Sévigné prize (1970), the prize of the Zadoc Kahn Foundation, the prize Henri Hertz of the University La Sorbonne (Paris, 1991), Doctor Honoris Causa of the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium,1992), and the prize Leopold Lucas of the Evangelic University of Tübingen (Germany, 1993). Prize Méditerranée for "Moïse" (France 1995). Prize Louis Weiss (France 1995). Prize Renaudot Essai for "Jérusalem, ville sanctuaire" (France 1997). Chouraqui has been awarded Commandeur of the "Légion d'Honneur" (1994), and Commandeur of Art and Letters (France, 1996), Officer of the National Order of the Ivory Coast (1970), Fighter against Nazism and National Fighter (two Israeli decorations), Freeman of the city of Jerusalem (1996). Price senator Giovanni Agnelli
, International prize for the interfaith dialogue between the cultural universes (1999).
Chouraqui is known for his translations and commentaries in French of the primary spiritual works of the monotheist religions. His life's path (Algeria, France, Israel) has passed through the meeting points of peoples and their faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam).
Faithful to his Hebraïc roots as well as to his French and Arab sources, André Chouraqui belongs to a category of writers whose thoughts span several worlds.
He died in Jerusalem in 2007.
Chouraqui was born in Aïn Témouchent
Aïn Témouchent
- References :...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. His parents, Isaac Chouraqui and Meleha Meyer, both descended from Spanish Jewish families who, as early as the 16th century, contributed to North African Judaism judges, theologists, rabbis and poets as well as scientists.
From 1935 he studied Law and Rabbinical Studies in Paris. He was active in the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
in the Maquis
Maquis (World War II)
The Maquis were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. Initially they were composed of men who had escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail obligatoire to provide forced labour for Germany...
of Central France (1942-1945). Lawyer and later judge in the district of the Algiers Court of Appeal (1945-1947), Chouraqui became a Doctor of Law in 1948 (University of Paris).
In 1958, he married Annette Lévy. They have five children : Emmanuel, Elisabeth, Yaël, David and Mikhal, as well as fourteen grandchildren.
From 1947 to 1953, Chouraqui served as Assistant Secretary General of the Alliance Israélite Universelle
Alliance Israélite Universelle
The Alliance Israélite Universelle is a Paris-based international Jewish organization founded in 1860 by the French statesman Adolphe Crémieux to safeguard the human rights of Jews around the world...
, then as Permanent Delegate for the Alliance israélite Universelle (1953-1982), under the presidency of René Cassin
René Cassin
René Samuel Cassin was a French jurist, law professor and judge. A soldier in World War I, he later went on to form the Union Fédérale, a leftist, pacifist Veterans organisation...
. He traveled extensively throughout the world, lecturing in over 80 countries. From Jerusalem, where he has lived since 1958, he acts as a spokesman for French culture in Israel and as an ambassador for Judaism the world over.
Vice President of the Committee of Non-Governmental Organisations (of UNICEF-UNAC) from 1950-1956, he proposed the project to fight against trachoma
Trachoma
Trachoma is an infectious disease causing a characteristic roughening of the inner surface of the eyelids. Also called granular conjunctivitis and Egyptian ophthalmia, it is the leading cause of infectious blindness in the world...
, a project which consequently saved the eyesight of millions of children around the world.
Settled in Jerusalem since 1958, he became advisor to Prime Minister David Ben Gurion (1959-1963) on the integration in Israel of Jews from Muslim countries, and on intercommunity relations.
Elected Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem in 1965 under Mayor Teddy Kollek
Teddy Kollek
Theodor "Teddy" Kollek was mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 to 1993, and founder of the Jerusalem Foundation. Kollek was re-elected five times, in 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983 and 1989...
, Chouraqui was in charge of cultural affairs, international and interconfessional relations of the City of Jerusalem. From 1969 to 1973 he served as Municipal Counsellor and President of the Commission of Culture and Foreign Relations of the city.
Since 1965, Chouraqui was Director of Sinaï Publication of the Presses Universitaires de France (Paris), which publishes works in French essential to Jewish culture, including Luzzato, Buber, Kaufmann, Halkin, and Maïmonides.
He was a member of the Tribunal of the World Zionist Organization
World Zionist Organization
The World Zionist Organization , or WZO, was founded as the Zionist Organization , or ZO, in 1897 at the First Zionist Congress, held from August 29 to August 31 in Basel, Switzerland...
, founding President of the Alliance Française
Alliance française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
of Jerusalem, President of the Israel Interfaith Committee, President of the Israeli Film Institute (Reginald Ford Foundation) and President of the Movement for a Middle East Confederation.
As member of the Executive Committee of the World Congress of Religions for Peace (1974-1983), Chouraqui took an active part in interfaith movements, and was active in the development of cross-cultural friendship, especially for fraternization between Jews, Christians and Muslims, through personal action.
He has written hundreds of articles in the world press, numerous lectures and books concerning the spiritual and political problems raised by the resurrection of the State of Israel. Universal by essence, his writings range from poetry and theatre to legal studies, fiction to philosophical essays, history and sociology, and in particular the translation and exegesis of the Old Testament, New Testament and the Koran.
His books have been translated into twenty-three languages and won numerous literary prizes: the Golden Medal of the French language given by the Académie Française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
(1977), two prizes given by the French Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, the Sévigné prize (1970), the prize of the Zadoc Kahn Foundation, the prize Henri Hertz of the University La Sorbonne (Paris, 1991), Doctor Honoris Causa of the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium,1992), and the prize Leopold Lucas of the Evangelic University of Tübingen (Germany, 1993). Prize Méditerranée for "Moïse" (France 1995). Prize Louis Weiss (France 1995). Prize Renaudot Essai for "Jérusalem, ville sanctuaire" (France 1997). Chouraqui has been awarded Commandeur of the "Légion d'Honneur" (1994), and Commandeur of Art and Letters (France, 1996), Officer of the National Order of the Ivory Coast (1970), Fighter against Nazism and National Fighter (two Israeli decorations), Freeman of the city of Jerusalem (1996). Price senator Giovanni Agnelli
Giovanni Agnelli
Giovanni Agnelli was an Italian entrepreneur, who founded Fiat car manufacturing in 1899.-Early life:The son of Edoardo Agnelli and Aniceta Frisetti, he was born in Villar Perosa, a small town near Pinerolo, Piedmont, still the main home and burial place of the Agnelli family...
, International prize for the interfaith dialogue between the cultural universes (1999).
Chouraqui is known for his translations and commentaries in French of the primary spiritual works of the monotheist religions. His life's path (Algeria, France, Israel) has passed through the meeting points of peoples and their faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam).
Faithful to his Hebraïc roots as well as to his French and Arab sources, André Chouraqui belongs to a category of writers whose thoughts span several worlds.
He died in Jerusalem in 2007.