Conference of European Rabbis
Encyclopedia
The Conference of European Rabbis is the primary Orthodox rabbinical alliance in Europe. It was founded in 1956 on the initiative of British Chief Rabbi Sir Israel Brodie
, and its current executive director is Aba Dunner
. All the then chief Rabbis from around Europe joined the organization, and attended its first conference in Amsterdam
.
It is run by a standing committee of 25 members which meets twice a year. There is a convention of the entire organisation once every two years to which all Chief Rabbis and congregational Rabbis in Europe are invited.
The conference is designed to facilitate communities with problems concerning Kashrut
, conversion
, divorce
, recruitment of Rabbis and other issues. The CER has also recently established a department that deals with the building of mikvehs.
The current president is Chief Rabbi of France
, Joseph Sitruk
, and the associate president is British Chief Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks
. Other senior officials include Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt
, the Rabbi of Moscow.
Israel Brodie
Sir Israel Brodie KBE was the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth 1948–1965.He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford. He served as a Rabbi of Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Australia from 1923-1937, was evacuated from Dunkirk, and finished the War as Senior Jewish Chaplain...
, and its current executive director is Aba Dunner
Aba Dunner
Rabbi Aba Dunner was a social and religious activist, who represented and worked for the interests of European Jewry, first as the personal assistant to Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schonfeld, then as Secretary to the British office of Agudat Israel, and in his latter years as Executive Director of the...
. All the then chief Rabbis from around Europe joined the organization, and attended its first conference in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
It is run by a standing committee of 25 members which meets twice a year. There is a convention of the entire organisation once every two years to which all Chief Rabbis and congregational Rabbis in Europe are invited.
The conference is designed to facilitate communities with problems concerning Kashrut
Kashrut
Kashrut is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha is termed kosher in English, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kashér , meaning "fit" Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus) is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha (Jewish law) is termed...
, conversion
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
, divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, recruitment of Rabbis and other issues. The CER has also recently established a department that deals with the building of mikvehs.
The current president is Chief Rabbi of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Joseph Sitruk
Joseph Sitruk
Rabbi Joseph Haïm Sitruk is a former Chief Rabbi of France, a position he held from June 1987 to June 22, 2008. Born Joseph Sitruk in Tunis, after suffering a stroke in 2001 and recovering he added the name "Haim" to his name in line with Jewish tradition....
, and the associate president is British Chief Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks
Jonathan Sacks
Jonathan Henry Sacks, Baron Sacks, Kt is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. His Hebrew name is Yaakov Zvi...
. Other senior officials include Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt
Pinchas Goldschmidt
Pinchas Goldschmidt is the Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Russia since 1993Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt is the spiritual leader of the Moscow Choral Synagogue, the head of the rabbinnical court of the CIS, and is an officer of the Russian Jewish Congress .Goldschmidt represents the Russian Jewish community...
, the Rabbi of Moscow.