obituaries
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The scene of the terrorist attack on the kosher market in Paris
Troubling .iistory
U-M historian traces French attitudes toward Jews.
Shari S. Cohen
Special to the Jewish News
T
he recent killings at a kosher
supermarket in Paris, as
well as other violent attacks
against French Jews, have caused many
to be fearful for their physical safety
and uncertain about their future in
France.
On Feb. 26, University of Michigan
history professor Joshua Cole spoke
at the West Bloomfield Jewish
Community Center about the impact
of France's political history, colonial
past and immigration patterns on
French Jews and anti-Semitism.
Cole's talk was one of four recent
presentations by visiting scholars of
the University of Michigan's Frankel
Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies,
each with the theme of "Jews &
Empires!' The lecture series, which
attracted capacity audiences, was
co-presented by Seminars for Adult
Jewish Enrichment (SAJE).
Cole framed the history of French
Jews within the context of the strong
French commitment to "the nation and
national identity, rather than to indi-
vidualism as in the U.S!' As a result,
sub-communities and hyphenated
identities are not appreciated, he said.
The national ideal is that "everyone
is a citizen in the same way" although
Cole pointed out that this goal has not
been fully realized. The French empire
had to manage differences between
different regions and religions; and
contemporary France is struggling
with communication in a multicultural
society, Cole observed.
The French revolution shifted the
prominent role of the Catholic Church
to a society in which religion was con-
sidered a private matter with the belief
that "the public realm should be free
of religion!' explained Cole.
In 1791, 14,000 French Jews among
a total population of 28 million, were
given full citizenship. However, many
66
April 9 • 2015
Catholics opposed the revolution
and their enmity toward French Jews
increased because they gained citizen-
ship under the new republic.
In the next century, the extension
of French citizenship to Algerian Jews
also generated some anti-Semitic
backlash. Jews had lived in Algeria for
centuries — some the descendants of
Jews who fled Spain as well as Berber
Jews from North Africa.
In 1870, Adolphe Cremieux, the
French minister of justice who was
Jewish, was responsible for giving
French citizenship to Algerian Jews.
"This was controversial in the Jewish
community because some Jewish
individuals were polygamous and
French law prohibited polygamy. Most
Jews embraced French citizenship,"
Cole said. However, he added that the
French Christian settlers in Algeria
became a breeding ground for anti-
Semitism.
During the 1930s, Cole said, the
situation for French Jews deteriorated
with attacks from both ends of the
political spectrum. Fascist leagues,
Catholics and monarchists on the right
and left-wing unions attacked Jews
with venomous words and violent acts.
A Jewish prime minister, Leon Blum,
was beaten up by right wing advocates,
Cole said, and another Jewish official
was criticized so heavily that he com-
mitted suicide. During World War II,
the French Vichy regime collaborated
with the Nazis.
After World War II, the Algerians
ousted the French after years of bit-
ter struggle. According to Cole, 90
percent of Algerian Jews then moved
to France with the remainder immi-
grating to Israel. After the 1967 war in
Israel, French Zionism expanded with
an "outpouring of support" for Israel
among French Jews. At the same time,
Cole said French Muslims became
antagonistic and anti-Semitism gained
ground on college campuses.
During the end of the 20th cen-
tury and into the early 21st century,
Obituaries
immigration from French colonies and
former colonies increased significantly
and these immigrants had difficulty
integrating within French society.
"There was a rise in the extreme
right with Jean-Marie Le Pen and the
National Front gaining influence by
creating anxiety about migration,"
Cole said. (The party's slogan is "The
French Come First.")
Le Pen's public language had anti-
Semitic innuendos. While his daugh-
ter, Marine Le Pen, who took over as
party head in 2011, hasn't repudiated
the National Front's anti-Semitism, she
doesn't use the same language in her
speeches, noted Cole. In his view, "The
far right may be the strongest party. It
is one of the top three, and Marine Le
Pen is polling well although the elec-
tion is two years off.
A new kind of anti-Semitism has
developed since 2000. "The first and
second intifadas created differed atti-
tudes. There is definitely cause for
alarm. The violence is intended to
provoke and produce more violence.
There is an uptick in violence against
Muslims, too," Cole said.
He pointed out that French gov-
ernment officials are very aware of
the French history of the 1930s and
have distanced themselves from anti-
Semitism. Top French leaders strongly
expressed support for French Jews
after the recent attacks in Paris.
Cole believes that a majority of
French Muslims accept the republic
and its secular nature, referring to
the 75 percent of Muslims who sup-
ported the French ban on Muslim
head scarves in secondary schools.
"But there is a small number who are
disaffected and frightening. I don't
want to downplay the difficulty of the
moment!' he cautioned.
❑
Professor Joshua Cole's new book, A Riot
in France: Violence and Colonial Reform
in Algeria, 1919-1940, will be an archival
investigation of an episode of anti-Jewish
violence in French Algeria in 1934.
ARNOLD BERG, 88, of Franklin, died
April 4, 2015.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 65
years, Barbara Berg; daughters and sons-
in-law, Linda and Dr. William Solomon
of West Bloomfield, Wendy and Ronald
Gruskin, also of West Bloomfield; grand-
children, Jeffrey (Michelle) Solomon,
Daniel (Lisa) Solomon, Jennifer Zeidman
and Michael Zeidman; great-grandchil-
dren, Zoe and Gabriel; devoted caregivers,
Mary and Patricia; many other loving fam-
ily members and friends.
Interment was held at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery in Birmingham. Contributions
may be made to the National Parkinson
Foundation or to a charity of one's choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel.
DAVID M.
BUEGELEISEN, 89, of
West Bloomfield, died
April 1, 2015.
He was a financial
planner who owned
Triad Capital.
His passion was help-
Buegeleisen
ing those in need, and
he was very active at Yad
Ezra. Mr. Buegeleisen
took four trips to Russia, each time bring-
ing food, cleaning and medical supplies to
assist those in need.
Mr. Buegeleisen is survived by his
wife of 60 years, Divera Buegeleisen;
children, Daniel Buegeleisen, Miriam
"Mimi" Buegeleisen and Matthew Jedla,
and Judith Morris; grandchildren,
Sarah Pearl Buegeleisen Jedla, Emma
Jedla Buegeleisen and Theodore Gary
Buegeleisen; sister, Rachel Jones.
He was the loving father of the late
Theodore Samuel Buegeleisen.
Contributions may be made to Yad Ezra,
2850 W. 11 Mile Road, Berkley, MI 48072,
www.yadezra.org. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
ROSE GELBERMAN,
105, of Plano, Texas, for-
merly of Michigan, died
April 2, 2015.
Mrs. Gelberman is
survived by her daugh-
ter and son-in-law,
Fran and Harvey Gratt
Gelberman
of Plano, Texas; grand-
children, Jason Gratt,
Benjamin and Stephanie
Gratt; great-grandchild,
Melodie.
She was the beloved
wife of the late Joseph
Gelberman.
Contributions may
be made to a Holocaust
memorial center.
Interment was held at Hebrew Memorial
Park. Arrangements by Hebrew Memorial
Chapel.