Central Consistory
The Israelite Central Consistory of France (French: Consistoire central israélite de France) is the institution set up by Napoleon I by means of the Imperial Decree of 17 March 1808 to administer Jewish worship and congregations in France. Regional Israelite Consistories, subordinate to the Central Consistory, were established all over France. The consistories were then ranked as établissements publics du culte (public-law corporations of cult).
Following the separation of religion and state in 1905, the Israelite consistories lost their public-law status. Jewish congregations of France formed themselves into Jewish liturgical associations under an umbrella organisation called the Union of Jewish Congregations of France (Union des Communautés juives de France), which kept the name Central Consistory for its executive body.
References
- David Feuerwerker. L'Emancipation Des Juifs En France. De L'Ancien Régime A La Fin Du Second Empire. Albin Michel: Paris, 1976. ISBN 2-226-00316-9