Jacob Kaplan

Rabbi Jacob Kaplan (November 28, 1895 – December 5, 1994) was a French rabbi who served as the Chief Rabbi of Paris from 1950 to 1980 and as the Chief Rabbi of France from 1955 to 1980. He is well known for his efforts in reconstructing Jewish infrastructure following the devastation of the Holocaust.



Early life and education
Jacob Kaplan was born in Paris, France, to a Jewish family with deep rabbinical roots. His father, Abraham Eliyahu Kaplan, was a rabbi. He served with distinction in World War One. Kaplan pursued his religious studies at the Séminaire Israélite de France, where he was ordained as a rabbi in 1921. He also studied at the Sorbonne, earning degrees in philosophy and literature.

Early positions
Kaplan began his rabbinical career in Mulhouse, Alsace, where he served from 1922 to 1928. He then moved to the synagogue in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a suburb of Paris.

Acting Chief Rabbi of France
Kaplan briefly served as the Acting Chief Rabbi of France in 1944, during the Holocaust. During this time, he worked closely with resistance groups.

Chief Rabbi of Paris
In 1950, Jacob Kaplan was elected Chief Rabbi of Paris. During his tenure, he focused on rebuilding the Jewish community after the Holocaust. He worked on reconstructing Jewish institutions and fostering unity among the survivors and their families.

Chief Rabbi of France
Kaplan was appointed to the post of Chief Rabbi of France in 1955. He served in this role until his retirement at the end of 1980, at which point he was appointed honorary Chief Rabbi. Kaplan's tenure was marked by his unwavering support for the State of Israel, particularly during the Six-Day War and afterwards, when French official policy was hostile to Israel. He openly proclaimed French Jewry's solidarity with Israel.

Advocacy and education
Kaplan was an advocate for Jewish education. He established numerous schools and educational programs across France, emphasizing the combination of Jewish and secular studies. His efforts in education were instrumental in the post-war revitalization of the French Jewish community, ensuring that young Jews could receive comprehensive education aligned with their cultural and religious heritage.

One notable institution is the École Yabné (Paris), founded in 1948 by Kaplan, Rabbi Élie Munk, and Chief Rabbi Henri Schilli. This school became a cornerstone for Jewish education in France, providing a robust curriculum that integrated Jewish traditions with contemporary secular knowledge.

He served as a lecturer at Instituts d'études politiques and was a member of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques in Paris, beginning in 1967. His published works reflect his commitment to Jewish thought and social justice, with notable titles including "Le Judaïsme et la justice sociale" (1937), "Racisme et Judaïsme" (1940), "French Jewry under the Occupation" (1945–46), "Le Judaïsme dans la société contemporaine" (1948), "Témoignages sur Israël" (1949), "Les Temps d'Epreuve" (1952), and "Notice sur la vie et les travaux de Georges Duhamel" (1968).

Interfaith dialogue
Kaplan engaged in interfaith dialogue in France, promoting mutual understanding and cooperation with leaders of other religious communities. He was instrumental in establishing regular meetings and discussions with Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim leaders, fostering an environment of mutual respect and collaboration. Kaplan's efforts included participating in joint prayer services, educational programs, and public forums aimed at addressing common social issues and dispelling religious prejudices. His work was particularly significant in the post-Holocaust era, as he sought to rebuild relationships between Jews and Christians, which had been severely damaged during the war.

Kaplan's efforts were widely recognized, and he received several honors, including the Légion d'honneur, France's highest civilian decoration, for his contributions to interfaith harmony and social cohesion. He was also awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, highlighting his role in promoting reconciliation and understanding between Jews and Germans.

The Finaly Affair
One of the notable events during Kaplan's tenure was the Finaly Affair, a complex custody battle over two Jewish children, Robert and Gérald Finaly, who were hidden during the Holocaust.

In 1944, their parents, Fritz and Anni Finaly, were deported to Auschwitz, where they were murdered. The children were left in the care of Antoinette Brun, the director of a Catholic nursery in Grenoble, France. Brun baptized the boys and placed them in a Catholic institution. After the war, the children's surviving relatives, led by their aunt Hedwig Rosner, sought to reclaim them and bring them back to their Jewish heritage. However, Brun and the Catholic Church resisted these efforts, leading to a prolonged legal and religious struggle.

Kaplan, along with other Jewish leaders, became involved in the case. He supported the legal efforts to return the children to their Jewish family, emphasizing the importance of preserving their Jewish identity. The case attracted significant international attention, with Jewish and Catholic leaders, as well as the French judiciary, weighing in on the matter.

In 1953, after years of legal battles and a dramatic kidnapping where the children were hidden by nuns to prevent their return to their relatives, the French courts finally ruled in favor of the children's Jewish relatives. Robert and Gérald Finaly were returned to their family and later immigrated to Israel, where they were raised in their Jewish faith.

Later life and legacy
Kaplan retired in 1980 but remained active in the Jewish community. He continued to write, lecture, and participate in communal activities. Kaplan passed away on December 5, 1994, at the age of 99.