FRANCE: JEWISH COMMUNITIES OF THE NORTH (#1)

“HISTORY OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITIES OF THE NORTH AND PICARDY” 

  (author, Frederick Viey)

After the annexation of Alsace and Metz in 1871, the Chief Rabbi of Metz, Benjamin Lipman, transferred his rabbinical office to the community of Lille in 1872. A new consistory was formed which included the following districts and their representatives:

Somme, Pas-de-Calais, Oise, Aisne, the Marne, Ardennes, Chalons.

Pas-de-Calais to Boulogne-sur-Mer---Mr. Ber, trader, President of the community

Northern Valenciennes—Mr. Dreyfus, “huissier” (?usher?)

Roubaix—Isidore Weill, merchant, Chairman of the community

Lille—MM Bernard, merchant; Troller, merchant; Kaufmann, rentier (person of independent means); Rabbi Lipmann

(Aisne) Saint-Quentin—Ad. May, merchant

Reims—Mr. Weimann, trader, President of the community

Vitry-le-Francois—G. May, merchant, President of the community

Epernay—Mr. Mommenheim, trader, President of the community

Ardennes—Sedan, M. Pintus, manufacturer, Chairman of the community

Others:

MM. Oury Cahen, merchant

Wahl-See, banker, from Mulhouse

Salomon See, manufacturer, from Alsace

Mr. Masse—appointed as representative of the new Central Consistory, former President of the Strasbourg Bar counsel (attorneys)

RABBIS OF LILLE

Benjamin Lippman, Emile Cahen, born in Toul (1839)

Edgar Seches—born in Bordeaux (1864)

Samuel Poliakoff—born in Mir (Russia)

Leo Berman—born in Paris (1892), son of Hassid rabbi, Reb Chaim, died during deportation

Branriss—born in Poland (1910)—rabbi in  Lille and also Silver Spring, MD (US)

Edouard Gourvitch—born in Aubervilliers (1921)

Emmanuel Chouchena—born in Constantine (1928)

Moise Dayan—born in Cairo (1931)

Jean Levy—born in Ingwiller, Alsace (1947)

Elie Dahan—member of the Lubavitch movement

PRESIDENTS OF THE LILLE COMMUNITY

1872            M. Bernard, merchant           

1875            M. Heymann

1880            Dr. Wertheimer

1888            Moise Gros

1891            Frederic Bere

1897            M. Michel

19..            Alfred Bernheim

1930            Alex Heymann

After 1945: Jacques Malamet-Beer, Jean Pierre Gerschel, Dr. Charles Sulman, Dr. Jean Claude Komar