French Jewry and the Church-State Dilemma

<p>As this book demonstrates the organized French Jewish community strategically charted the political waters by steering clear of extremist political positions and by adopting a soft clerical approach to Church-State issues. This centrist approach subjected French Jews to criticism from both anticlerical and clerical forces but nonetheless the rabbinate consistorial officials and the Jewish press believed that French Judaism and French Jewry would thrive most in a climate of moderation.</p>