The election of the new chief rabbi of France takes place this Sunday.
Three candidates compete for the post.
The campaign made of low blows between three men in relatively close positions who covet this important function in the Judaic world which benefits from the ears of the rulers.
This Sunday is election day today for the Jewish community in France.
About 330 grand electors - a majority of representatives of regional and local communities and about 10% of rabbis - meet in general assembly, at the central Consistory, to appoint the future new chief rabbi of France.
Three candidates are in the running for this coveted position.
The campaign was also particularly eventful behind the scenes as the stakes are so important to them.
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The three previous ones are Haim Korsia, the current chief rabbi, Mikaël Journo, rabbi of the community of Chasseloup-Laubat in Paris and Laurent Berros, rabbi of Sarcelles.
On paper, little differentiates the three men, all respectful of "halakha", Jewish law, and from the same training, the Jewish Seminary.
The outgoing Chief Rabbi well known to communities and the State
Haïm Korsia is known in all communities.
Scholar, this chaplain of the Air Force and Polytechnic, well introduced to personalities and state officials, is very attached to dialogue with republican institutions and with other religions.
Since 2008, he has had the heavy task of watching over the Jewish community scarred by the attacks on the Otzar Hatorah school in Toulouse and the Hyper Hide.
Elected in 2014, during his 7 years of practice, he supervised the function of circumciser, henceforth subject to very strict rules of hygiene and practice of the gesture.
He credits the questioning of university officials on exam dates so that they do not fall on Shabbat days.
He encourages women to take the (administrative) presidency of communities and advocates a reform of rabbinical training.
He also tried to get things done on religious divorce.
A new fact, he speaks of "regularization" and not of conversion for people whose father is Jewish but not the mother.
Two determined competitors
The question is central today for the future of Judaism. Mikaël Journo has also taken as campaign director a converted woman, and also divorced. This chaplain general of hospitals, rabbi of the Chasseloup-Laubat community in Paris, campaigned in France by promising greater proximity on a daily basis. "The Jewish community is sick, it is afraid. It must be rebuilt", to give it a "positive impulse", he said.
Laurent Berros, already a candidate in 2014, is a field rabbi, at the head, in Sarcelles (Val d'Oise), of a large community.
This defender of schooling in Jewish schools, also wants "to instill something strong to recruit young rabbis".
Encouraging vocations is an essential stake because only three to six rabbis leave the Seminary each year.
The future chief rabbi will also have to bring the faithful back to synagogues, at the end of the health crisis.
A weak campaign
The campaign, made of low blows, rumors, anonymous emails, was very discreet but quite violent as the position is coveted.
"It is above all a struggle of men for a prestigious position", comments a voter preferring to remain anonymous.
Several officials described a campaign that was sometimes disappointing.
According to the magazine L'Express, "since the start of the campaign in April, we have heard about the fictitious job and the numerous mistresses of one candidate, the barbecue under curfew organized by another, requiring the intervention of the police and leading to a request for dismissal from his function as rabbi ".
Already in 2013, the campaign was stormy and punctuated by accusations against the outgoing chief rabbi, Gilles Bernheim.
A privileged interlocutor of the State
If the post created by Napoleon arouses so much envy, it is because the Chief Rabbi of France, in addition to being a religious and moral authority, is also the privileged interlocutor of Judaism for the State.
The very long term of office, 7 years, also gives him high visibility in the public space.
The elected Sunday will have to share the power at the head of this institution with its president, who is secular.
Joël Mergui, in this position since 2008, is due to step down in the fall.
The two leaders represent the Israelite cult vis-à-vis the public authorities - we have seen this recently during the discussions on the opening of places of worship during the health crisis, the consultations prior to the bill to fight against "separatism. ", opinions on questions of bioethics, etc.