Union Libérale Israélite de France
Encyclopedia
The Union Libérale Israélite de France (ULIF), sometimes called the rue Copernic synagogue, is a Reform
Jewish
synagogue, located in Paris
, France
. Founded in 1907 by Rabbi Louis-Germain Levy, it is the oldest Reform synagogue in France. It has been led by Rabbi
Michael Williams since 1978. It is a bit "peculiar" as "liberal" because the women cannot read the Torah, and the young girls are only allowed once in their whole life to read the haftara, on the day of their Bat Mitzvah. The official site of the community says, alone in the whole liberal movement in France and abroad, that no woman should be a rabbi or hazan or wear a kippa or a talith. The women cannot climb on the Teva. They are only allowed to sit with men in the assembly instead of staying apart like in orthodox movement.
took place on October 3, 1980, on the eve of Simchat Torah
, when the synagogue
of ULIF, located in the rue Copernic, was bombed. A bomb hidden in a motorcycle
went off outside the synagogue, killing four pedestrians.
The bombing was the start of a string of other attacks by Arab terrorists against Jews in Europe
; in August 1981, a synagogue in Vienna
, Austria
, was attacked by Palestinian gunmen, killing two people; in October 1981, three people were killed when a bomb went off
in the center of Antwerp, Belgium
.
Liberal Judaism
Liberal Judaism , is one of the two forms of Progressive Judaism found in the United Kingdom, the other being Reform Judaism. Liberal Judaism, which developed at the beginning of the twentieth century is less conservative than UK Reform Judaism...
Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
synagogue, located in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Founded in 1907 by Rabbi Louis-Germain Levy, it is the oldest Reform synagogue in France. It has been led by Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Michael Williams since 1978. It is a bit "peculiar" as "liberal" because the women cannot read the Torah, and the young girls are only allowed once in their whole life to read the haftara, on the day of their Bat Mitzvah. The official site of the community says, alone in the whole liberal movement in France and abroad, that no woman should be a rabbi or hazan or wear a kippa or a talith. The women cannot climb on the Teva. They are only allowed to sit with men in the assembly instead of staying apart like in orthodox movement.
1980 attack
The 1980 Paris synagogue bombing1980 Paris synagogue bombing
On October 3, 1980, the eve of Simchat Torah, a bomb went off outside the Union Libérale Israélite de France synagogue on Rue Copernic, Paris. Four people were killed and more than forty injured. The bomb, consisting of about of Semtex explosives, had been hidden in the saddlebags of a motorcycle...
took place on October 3, 1980, on the eve of Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle...
, when the synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
of ULIF, located in the rue Copernic, was bombed. A bomb hidden in a motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
went off outside the synagogue, killing four pedestrians.
The bombing was the start of a string of other attacks by Arab terrorists against Jews in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
; in August 1981, a synagogue in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, was attacked by Palestinian gunmen, killing two people; in October 1981, three people were killed when a bomb went off
1981 Antwerp bombing
On October 20, 1981, a truck bomb exploded outside a Portuguese Jewish synagogue in the centre of Antwerp, Belgium. Three people were killed and 106 wounded....
in the center of Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.