Who Is Delphine Horvilleur? The French Jewish Rabbi Who Claims Israel Has No Future Without Palestine | Gita Blog Sport
Gitablogsport.com - Delphine Horvilleur, a prominent Jewish rabbi based in Paris, France, and a leading figure in the Reform Jewish movement, has received death threats after publicly criticizing Israel's right-wing government for justifying the humanitarian blockade on Gaza.
1. Warns That Israel Has No Future Without a Future for the Palestinian People
In an article published last week in the quarterly journal Tenou’a, Horvilleur wrote, “Without a future for the Palestinian people, there will be no future for the Israeli people either.”
According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, following the publication, Horvilleur has been subjected to a “wave of online abuse,” including death threats.
“There’s a petition against me, and 90 percent of the messages I receive are misogynistic,” she told Haaretz.
“They focus on my appearance and claim that women should not speak publicly or hold religious authority.”
2. Leader of the Liberal Jewish Movement in France
Delphine Horvilleur has played a pivotal role in transforming the traditional Jewish landscape in France through her leadership in the Liberal Jewish Movement of France.
As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Horvilleur grew up with a deep connection to Jewish heritage and customs.
She studied journalism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem before moving to New York, where she undertook intensive Jewish studies at the Drisha Institute.
She later enrolled at the Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion.
After her ordination in 2008, she returned to France and became one of the three senior rabbis of the Liberal Jewish Movement of France, a progressive community affiliated with the World Union for Progressive Judaism and rabbi of one of its two synagogues in Paris.
3. Integrating French Cultural Values Into Jewish Life
In her mission to promote a more inclusive and forward-thinking Jewish community, Horvilleur often draws upon secular French cultural values and the historical context that has shaped Judaism’s evolution in France.
Her deep understanding of Jewish history and theology has influenced her published works, including two notable books: “Eve’s Costume: Feminism, Modesty, and Judaism” (2013), and “How the Rabbis Make Children: Sex, Transmission, and Identity in Judaism” (2015).