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French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated Tuesday, October 29 in the evening in Paris the European Center of Judaism. This project takes on a particular dimension in a context of resurgence of anti-Semitism.
In the brand new buildings of the European Judaism Center, 2,000 hand-picked guests were present among ministers, religious, businessmen and artists for the inauguration. The 5,000 square meters now house, among other things, a 600-seat synagogue, exhibition and entertainment halls and the headquarters of the Consistory, the representative body of Judaism in France.
This center, located near the brand new Jerusalem Square, in the 17th arrondissement, will find a breath " at the source of a culture, Judaism, which has flowed in the veins of Europe for more than two millennia and helped to shape our civilization, "said Rabbi Chaim Korsia.
A new impetus
The project of 15 million euros financed 80% by private funds, and for which fights for more than ten years Joel Mergui, the president of the Consistory: " It's good to see so many people present with us, in outside of a period of memory or mourning. These years, gatherings in the community have often been associated with periods of mourning. This is a period of construction, happiness and hope. An impulse that we try to give back to French Judaism, even beyond France ".
As Joel Mergui, the President of the Republic, recalled in the gallery, citing the Merah Affair in 2012, the killing of the Hyper Hide in 2015, or the murders of Ilan and Sarah Halimi or Mireille Knoll, The years that gave rise to this project were marked by the resurgence of anti-Semitism in France: " In this context, many could have given up, succumb to defeatism and so much would have asked, what good to build, what good Continue. Not you .
"The Republic is blocking around them"
Emmanuel Macron salutes in this center the symbol of Judaism open to the city, society, the world. The public will soon be able to come there to follow violin masterclasses of Anne Gravoin, or a theater workshop of Elie Chouraqui. Finally, the president of the Consistory as Macron had words for the wounded of the mosque of Bayonne. " The Republic is blocking around them, as it is block around each of his children, when obscurantism and intolerance reappear, " said the head of state.