Wikipedia

Esther Benbassa

Esther Benbassa(born 27 March 1950) is a French-Turkish-Israeli historian and politician. She specializes in thehistory of Jewsand other minorities. Since 2011, Benbassa has served as aFrench senator,representingParisfrom 2017 onwards andVal-de-Marnefrom 2011 to 2017.

Esther Benbassa
Esther Benbassa in 2020
Benbassa in 2020
SenatorfromParis
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 October 2017
SenatorfromVal-de-Marne
In office
1 October 2011 – 30 September 2017
Personal details
Born(1950-03-27)27 March 1950(age 74)
Istanbul,Turkey
NationalityFrench
Political partyIndependent
Europe Ecology - The Greens(until 2021)
Alma materTel Aviv University(B.A)
University Paris-VIII(PhD)
University Paris-III(PhD)
INALCO
ProfessionHistorian

Benbassa is anindependent.She was previously a member ofEurope Ecology – The Greens,but was expelled from its parliamentary group in September 2021 following allegations of psychologicalworkplace bullyingby her former parliamentary assistants. This prompted her to leave the party altogether shortly after.

Early life and education

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Esther Benbassa was born on 27 March 1950 inIstanbul,Turkey.[1][2]She is the descendant of a family ofJewsexpelled from Spainin 1492, emigrating to theOttoman Empire.[3][4]After attending primary school at the Isik School and the Sainte-Pulcherielycéein Istanbul, Benbassa and her family emigrated toIsraelwhen she was 15. There, she studied at the French-language Saint-Joseph school inJaffaand received abaccalauréatfrom the French embassy.[4]

Benbassa graduated fromTel Aviv Universitywith aBachelor of Artsin 1972, supporting her education by working in the tourism industry.[4][5]She moved to France with a scholarship later that year and obtained a master's degree in modern literature fromParis 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denisin 1973. In 1974, Benbassa became a French citizen by marriage, making her a triple citizen of France, Israel and Turkey.[5]She received herCertificate of Aptitude for Secondary School Teachers(CAPES) in 1975 and taught in alycéefrom 1975 to 1988.[6]This qualification was followed by a diploma inTurkishfrom theNational Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations(INALCO) in 1982 and a doctorate in literature and the human and social sciences from Paris 8 in 1987.[7][8]Benbassa achieved the latter by completing adissertationtitled "Haim Nahum Efendi,Last Great Rabbi of the Ottoman Empire (1908–1920) "withLouis Bazinas her doctoral adviser.[7][8]She had previously drafted a dissertation about theParis Commune.[4]

Benbassa conducted herpostdoctoral studiesin the department of Jewish history at theHebrew University of Jerusalemfrom 1988 to 1989.[5]

Academic career

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Jewish history research

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Benbassa served as director of research at theFrench National Centre for Scientific Research(CNRS) from 1989 to 2000, in which year she became the director of studies inreligious studiesat thePractical School of High Studies(EPHE).[5][9]

Benbassa studied the relationship between Jews and the State of Israel in her booksImaginary Israel(1998) andDo the Jews have a Future(2001), writing that Israel is the realization of the fundamentally secular project known asZionismand thus, "forbidding oneself, in the name of an imaginary solidarity, from criticizing the policies of the [Israeli] government is to do a disservice to Israel."[10]She additionally founded the Alberto Beneviste Centre forSephardiand Socio-cultural Studies in 2002.[5][9]Benbassa was also a researcher at the Roland Mousnier Centre, a joint venture of the CNRS, EPHE andSorbonne University.[5]

Promotion of Islamic-Jewish dialogue

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Along with her husbandJean-Christophe Attias,Benbassa is the co-founder ofLe Pari(s) du Vivre-Ensemble,an organization opposing discrimination and promoting diversity.[11]She supports Islamic-Jewish dialogue, writing an essay titled "The Republic Facing its Minorities. The Jews Yesterday, the Muslims Today" during widespread political debate surrounding the Law on Religious Symbols in French Public Schools in 2004. Benbassa participated in a conference where she, according to journalistCaroline Fourest,criticized the law by "explaining to the Muslims that had come seeTariq Ramadannext to her that France was treating it as it had treated the Jews in the past. "[12]She published an anthology titledJews and Muslims: A Shared History, A Dialogue to Constructin 2006.[13]

Following theCharlie HebdoshootingandHypercacher kosher supermarket siegein January 2015, Benbassa organized a day of debate on the topic in March of that year. In October, she released a new anthology namedJews and Muslims: Let's Renew Our Links.[14]

Political career

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Benbassa during a public meeting hosted by then-Member of the European ParliamentEva Joly,2012

Senator from Val-de-Marne and Paris

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Benbassa was elected to representVal-de-Marnein theSenateon 25 September 2011 as a member ofEurope Ecology – The Greens(EELV). As a senator, she was the vice-president of the commission on constitutional law, legislation, universal suffrage, regulations and general administration; member of the strategic committee of the Civil Service Agency; vice-president of the Franco-Turkish friendship group; secretary of the Franco-Israeli friendship group; member of the Franco-Palestinian friendship group; member of theInter-Parliamentary Unionand member of the jury of the Senate Thesis Prize.[15]

In 2012, Benbassa began to advocate for theright of French expatriates to vote in French elections.[4][16][17]

Benbassa was the rapporteur for a bill extending the statute of limitations for discriminatory remarks of ahomophobic,sexistorableistcharacter and thereby align it with laws surrounding racial, ethnic or religious discrimination. The bill was unanimously passed into law by the Senate on 30 January 2013.[18]On 28 March 2013, the Senate also passed a law aiming to end public solicitation of sex workers, which Benbassa had introduced in the autumn of 2012.[19]

At Benbassa's urging, the Senate laws committee created a fact-finding mission on racial, ethnic and religious discrimination in the autumn of 2012. She served alongsideJean-René Lecerfof theUnion for a Popular Movement(UMP) as the mission's co-rapporteur. Their final report, presented in November 2014, was titled "The Fight Against Discrimination: From Incantation to Action." It included twelve proposals, among them the introduction of a census question on the birth country of one's ancestors and respondents' previous nationalities "in order to obtain measurable findings on the extent of discrimination and its occurrences." Malika Sorel, former member of the High Council for Integration, criticized the proposals as "dangerous" and conducive to the "exacerbation of tensions in our nation."[20]

In October 2013, in response to theDibrani caseinvolving the arrest of an illegal immigrant child during a field trip and their immediate deportation, Benbassa commented: "I, who thought France had not forgotten its sombre history, was far from imagining that in 2013, as an official elected by the people, would be the witness to apolice roundup.Because yes, it must be made clear that this was a roundup. "[21]Benbassa's comments were criticized by philosopherAlain Finkielkraut,who argued that "the constant reference to theShoah—and I choose my words carefully here—is ignoble. "[22]Journalist Benoît Rayski argued that her statement summarized "all the most common talking points of supposedly anti-racist indignation."[23]

In February 2014, Benbassa was named vice-president of a Senate special committee examining a bill that would empower efforts to endsex work.[24][3]It was in this position that she repeatedly expressed her opposition to the proposed punishment of the clients of sex workers.[25][3]

Benbassa authored the first ever French bill for thelegalization of cannabisand introduced it in the Senate in January 2014.[26]The legislation was debated until April 2015, when it was rejected. In response, Benbassa organized a Senate conference in October 2016 with theNational Conservatory of Arts and Crafts's chair of addiction studies, titled "Legalization of Cannabis: Is Europe Condemned to an Impasse?"[27]

Benbassa joined several other senators in introducing a resolution urging other branches of the French government to recognize theState of Palestine,passing in December 2014.[28]She also drafted a resolution for the protection ofenvironmental migrants,which the Senate passed in October 2015.[29]

In March 2016, Benbassa led the laws committee in establishing a fact-finding mission onderadicalization,for which she served as co-rapporteur along withCatherine TroendléofThe Republicans(LR).[30]They then published a report on the topic.

In April 2016, Benbassa again sparked controversy after writing an editorial inLibérationtitled "Theveilis not more alienating than theminiskirt".[31]

During the2017 French Senate elections,Benbassa headed the EELV list in Paris and was elected for a second term on 24 September 2017.[32]On 3 October, she joined theCommunist, Republican, Citizen and Environmentalist group.[33]Since then, Benbasssa has sat on the constitutional law, legislation, universal suffrage, regulations and general administration committee and has served as the vice-president of the senatorial delegation toOverseas France.[34]

During her second term, Benbassa has spoken on various issues: she joined theyellow vest protesters;advocated for migrants; denounced living conditions in French prisons, particularly for minors; lobbied againstgender-basedandsexual violence,especially in the political world and planned to introduce legislation onanimal welfare.[35]

Benbassa in a protest, 2019

In November 2019, Benbassa took part in a protest againstIslamophobiaorganized by several parties and civil society organizations. Controversy arose once more after she published a photograph of herself at the demonstrations accompanied by participants (among them a young girl) wearing a yellow, five-pointed star and a crescent moon of the same colour, all labelled with the English word "Muslim."[36]This provoked a wave of allegations of diminishing theHolocaust's importance by comparing it to Islamophobia, noting the star's resemblance to theyellow badge.[37][38]The magazineMariannecriticized Benbassa for taking advantage of a child for political purposes, arguing that "inIslamistprocessions, as in the protest, children are forced into the propaganda of adults and wear slogans that they cannot understand. This is a violation of the charter on the rights of the child. "[39]On 18 November,HuffPostpublished an editorial supporting Benbassa titled "Esther Benbassa Honours the Republic" and signed by over 150 political figures including academics, activists and left-wing political officials.[40]

In October 2020, Benbassa became the secretary of the Senate and vice-president of theEELV group.She was expelled from the group on 15 September 2021 following allegations ofworkplace bullyingand consequently became a member of theadministrative group of senators not appearing on the list of any group(RASNAG).[41]

During the2022 French presidential election,Benbassa gave her sponsorship toHélène Thouy.[42]

Workplace bullying allegations

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In July 2021, online newspaperMediapartpublished an investigation detailing allegations of coercion and humiliation from Benbassa's parliamentary staff and former students. The accusations included the senator pressuring an assistant to delay a surgical operation by several months, repeatedly threatening her staff and harshly attacking their actions and competence. All accusers described an atmosphere of "terror" Benbassa had created among her subordinates.Mediapartalso reported highturnoverin her office, with over 18 parliamentary assistants having been employed over two terms.[43][44]

Benbassa disputed the version of events published by the newspaper, but nonetheless acknowledged her "mood swings" and apologized to "those that [she had] hurt."[43][45]

In September 2021, Benbassa was expelled from the Senate EELV group, with the latter explaining that "Mrs. Benbassa has not disputed some of the witnesses' accounts and has not, to this day, attempted to sue the accusers fordefamation."[46]The senator responded in a press release denouncing the "sham of internal procedures" that made a "farce of due process."[46]She then left EELV that December.[47]

Personal life

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Benbassa is married toJean-Christophe Attias,who serves as the director of studies at thePractical School of High Studiesand won the 2015Goncourt Prize in Biography.[48]Attias is also her occasional co-author.

Benbassa identifies as anatheist.[49]

Awards and honours

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Works

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In English

  • Haim Nahum. A Sephardic Rabbi in Politics, 1892-1923,Tuscaloosa, The University of Alabama Press, 1995.ISBN978-0-8173-0729-5
  • A Sephardi Life in Southeastern Europe. The Autobiography and Journal of Gabriel Arié, 1863-1939,Seattle & London, University of Washington Press, 1998 (withAron Rodrigue).ISBN978-0-295-97674-7
  • History of Sephardic Jewry, XIVth-XXth Centuries,Berkeley, University of California Press, 2000 (with A. Rodrigue).
  • The Jews of France. A History from Antiquity to the Present,Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1999, 2nd ed. (softcover), 2001.
  • Israël, the Impossible Land,Stanford, Stanford University Press, 2003 (withJean-Christophe Attias).
  • The Jews and their Future. A Conversation on Jewish Identities,London, Zed Books, 2004 (with J.-C. Attias).
  • The Jew and the Other,Ithaca, Cornell University Press, 2004 (with J.-C. Attias).
  • Suffering as Identity,London – New-York, Verso, 2010.

In French

  • Un grand rabbin sépharade en politique, 1892-1923,Paris, Presses du CNRS, 1990.
  • Une diaspora sépharade en transition (Istanbul,xixe – xxesiècles),Paris, Cerf, 1993.
  • Histoire des Juifs de France,Paris, Seuil, coll. Points Histoire, 2nd revised edition, 2000.
  • La République face à ses minorités. Les Juifs hier, les musulmans aujourd'hui,Paris, Mille et une nuits/Fayard, 2004.
  • La Souffrance comme identité,Paris, Fayard, 2007. 2nd edition, Hachette, coll. Pluriel, 2010.
  • Être juif après Gaza,Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2009.
  • De l'impossibilité de devenir français. Nos nouvelles mythologies nationales,Paris, Les Liens qui Libèrent, 2012.
  • Égarements d'une cosmopolite,Paris, Bourin Éditeur, 2012.
  • Istanbul la sépharade,Paris, CNRS éditions, 2015.
  • Vendredi noir et nuits blanches,Paris, Lattès, 2016.

With Aron Rodrigue

  • Une vie judéo-espagnole à l'Est: Gabriel Arié,Paris, Cerf, 1992.
  • Histoire des Juifs sépharades. De Tolède à Salonique,Paris, Seuil, 2002.

With Jean-Christophe Attias

  • Dictionnaire de civilisation juive,Paris, Larousse-Bordas, 1997. 2nd edition, 1998.
  • Israël, la terre et le sacré,Paris, Flammarion, 1998. 2nd edition., 2001.
  • Les Juifs ont-ils un avenir?,2nd edition., Paris, Hachette, 2002.
  • Le Juif et l'Autre,Gordes, Le Relié, 2001.
  • Petite Histoire du judaïsme,Paris, Librio, 2007.
  • Dictionnaire des mondes juifs,Paris, Larousse, 2008.

Editor

  • Mémoires juives d'Espagne et du Portugal,Paris, Publisud, 1996.
  • Transmission et passages en monde juif,Paris, Publisud, 1997.
  • La haine de soi. Difficiles identités,Bruxelles, Complexe, 2000 (with Jean-Christophe Attias).
  • L'Europe et les Juifs,Genève, Labor et Fides, 2002 (with Pierre Gisel).
  • Les Sépharades en littérature. Un parcours millénaire,Paris, Presses de l'Université Paris-Sorbonne, 2005.
  • Itinéraires sépharades. Complexité et diversité des identités,Paris, Presses de l’Université Paris-Sorbonne, 2010.
  • Dictionnaire des racismes, de l’exclusion et des discriminations,Paris, Larousse, 2010.
  • Israël-Palestine. Les enjeux d’un conflit,Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2010.
  • La France en situation postcoloniale?,Mouvements(septembre 2011).
  • Minorités visibles en politique,Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2011.
  • Encyclopédie des religions,Paris, Fayard/Pluriel, 2012 (with Jean-Christophe Attias)
  • Salonique, ville juive, ville ottomane, ville grecque,Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2014.
  • Dans les quartiers, l’égalité c’est maintenant! Livre blanc,Paris, Le Pari(s) du Vivre-Ensemble, 2014 (with Jean-Christophe Attias).
  • Juifs et musulmans. Retissons les liens!,Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2015 (with Jean-Christophe Attias).
  • Les Sépharades. Histoire et culture du Moyen Âge à nos jours,Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2016.
  • Nouvelles relégations territoriales,Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2017 (with Jean-Christophe Attias).
  • Violences sexistes et sexuelles en politique,Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2018.
  • Nous et les animaux,Paris, Les Petits Matins, 2020.

References

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  1. ^"Mme Esther Benbassa".French Senate.RetrievedFebruary 11,2017.
  2. ^"Benbassa:" j'ai été une étrangère "".Le Figaro.December 8, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 11,2017.
  3. ^abcd"Esther Benbassa - Biographie - Le Parisien".pratique.leparisien.fr.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  4. ^abcdeEkerbicer, Pinar K."A Turkish Jew in the French Senate: Esther Benbassa".Şalom Gazetesi.Archived fromthe originalon 2022-03-06.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  5. ^abcdefghi"Esther Benbassa".centrealbertobenveniste.org.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  6. ^"LesBiographies".lesbiographies.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  7. ^ab"Le jeu et la loi dans les ouvrages de Roger Vailland: Drôle de jeu, Beau masque, La loi, La truite / Benbassat-Dudonney Esther; sous la direction de Monsieur le Professeur Jean Levaillant - Sudoc".sudoc.fr.1973.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  8. ^abBenbassa, Esther (1987-01-01).Haim nahum efendi, dernier grand rabbin de l'empire ottoman (1908-1920): son role politique et diplomatique(These de doctorat thesis). Paris 3.
  9. ^ab"Esther BE NBA SSA | École Pratique des Hautes Études".ephe.psl.eu.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  10. ^Gounin, Yves (2002)."Esther Benbassa et Jean-Christophe Attias. Les Juifs ont-ils un avenir?".Politique étrangère.67(3): 820–821.
  11. ^"Le Pari(s) du Vivre-Ensemble – Esther Benbassa"(in French). 29 October 2011.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  12. ^Fourest, Caroline (21 November 2019). "Concours indécent d'étoiles jaunes".Marianne.p. 58.
  13. ^Boussois, Sébastien (2006-06-01)."Juifs et musulmans. Une histoire partagée, un dialogue à construire".Le Monde diplomatique(in French).Retrieved2022-08-30.
  14. ^Benbassa, Esther; Attias, Jean-Christophe (2015).Juifs et musulmans(in French). CNRS.ISBN978-2-271-08923-6.
  15. ^"Biographie – Esther Benbassa"(in French).Retrieved2022-08-30.
  16. ^Benbassa, Esther; Mamère, Noël; Rugy, François de; FLAUTRE, Hélène; Placé, Jean-Vincent; Pompili, Barbara."Le droit de vote aux étrangers, c'est maintenant!".Libération(in French).Retrieved2022-08-30.
  17. ^Benbassa, Esther; Coronado, Sergio."Cinquante personnalités pour le droit de vote des étrangers".Libération(in French).Retrieved2022-08-30.
  18. ^"proposition de loi visant à porter de trois mois à un an le délai de prescription des propos injurieux ou diffamatoires à caractère homophobe".senat.fr.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  19. ^"proposition de loi visant à l'abrogation du délit de racolage public".senat.fr.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  20. ^"Marianne - Actualités et débats".marianne.net(in French).Retrieved2022-08-30.
  21. ^"Leonarda:" il faut arrêter ces rafles "(Benbassa, écologiste)".L'Obs(in French). 2013-10-17.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  22. ^"La référence constante à la Shoah, je pèse mes mots, est ignoble. C’est une honte absolue. Ces références à la Shoah sont innommables. La gauche n’est pas obligée d’être bête et de s’enthousiasmer de voir les jeunes devenir les gardes rouges de l’idiotie compassionnelle,"BFM TV.
  23. ^Rayski, Benoît (18 October 2013)."Esther Benbassa témoin d'une rafle… Ces élus du peuple qui mériteraient vraiment d'être arrêtés".Atlantico.Archived fromthe originalon 20 April 2016.Retrieved30 August2022.
  24. ^"Composition de la commission spéciale chargée d'examiner la proposition de loi renforçant la lutte contre le système prostitutionnel".Sénat.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  25. ^"Vu du Sénat #44:" Elles veulent éradiquer la prostitution, mais elles rêvent "".Le HuffPost(in French). 2013-11-04.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  26. ^"Cannabis - Sénat".senat.fr.28 January 2014.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  27. ^"Légalisation du cannabis: une idée qui germe chez les Français".Public Senat(in French). 2016-10-07.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  28. ^"proposition de résolution présentée en application de l'article 34-1 de la constitution, sur la reconnaissance de l'État de Palestine".senat.fr.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  29. ^"Déplacés environnementaux - Sénat".senat.fr.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  30. ^de Ravinel, Sophie (24 February 2018). "Pour Benbassa," l'essentiel reste la réinsertion "".Le Figaro.p. 8.
  31. ^Rosencher, Anne (6 April 2016)."Benbassa renvoie le voile à la minijupe?" Certaines féministes ont largué le droit des femmes "".Marianne.Archived fromthe originalon 24 March 2019.Retrieved30 August2022.
  32. ^"Sénatoriales 2017".senatoriales2017.senat.fr.Retrieved2022-08-31.
  33. ^"Sénat: composition finale des groupes politiques".Public Senat(in French). 2017-10-03.Retrieved2022-08-31.
  34. ^"Mme Esther Benbassa, sénatrice de Paris (Ile-de-France) - Sénat".senat.fr.Retrieved2022-08-31.
  35. ^"Esther Benbassa – Membre de la Commission des Lois"(in French).Retrieved2022-08-31.
  36. ^Pecnard, Jules (11 November 2019).""Étoiles Jaunes" À La Marche Contre L'islamophobie: EELV Regrette "Le Tintamarre" Causé Par La Photo De Benbassa ".BFM TV.Retrieved30 August2022.
  37. ^"Esther Benbassa" a perdu la tête ": Nathalie Loiseau" choquée "par les étoiles jaunes dans la manifestation contre l'islamophobie".Franceinfo(in French). 2019-11-11.Retrieved2022-08-31.
  38. ^Tésorière, Ronan (2019-11-11)."Étoile jaune portée à la marche contre l'islamophobie: une polémique en questions".leparisien.fr(in French).Retrieved2022-08-31.
  39. ^"Abus d'enfants".Marianne.21 November 2019. p. 34.
  40. ^"BLOG - Esther Benbassa fait honneur à la République".Le HuffPost(in French). 2019-11-18.Retrieved2022-08-31.
  41. ^"Les Sénateurs – RASNAG"(in French).Retrieved2022-08-31.
  42. ^"Présidentielle: quels candidats ont eu le plus de parrainages à Paris?".actu.fr(in French). 7 March 2022.Retrieved2022-08-31.
  43. ^abPerrotin, David (8 July 2021)."Esther Benbassa, la sénatrice EELV qui piétine la santé de ses assistants".Mediapart(in French).Retrieved2022-08-31.
  44. ^"La sénatrice Esther Benbassa accusée de harcèlement par des collaborateurs".Le Monde.fr(in French). 2021-07-08.Retrieved2022-08-31.
  45. ^à 21h59, Par Le Parisien Le 8 juillet 2021; À 23h55, Modifié Le 8 Juillet 2021 (2021-07-08)."Accusée de harcèlement, la sénatrice Esther Benbassa se" met en retrait "du groupe écologiste".leparisien.fr(in French).Retrieved2022-08-31.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  46. ^ab"Accusée de harcèlement, la sénatrice Esther Benbassa est exclue du groupe écologiste".Marianne.14 September 2021.Retrieved31 August2022.
  47. ^"Accusations de harcèlement: Esther Benbassa annonce son départ d'EELV".BFMTV(in French).Retrieved2022-08-31.
  48. ^"Périphéries - Esther Benbassa, historienne du judaïsme".peripheries.net.Retrieved2022-08-30.
  49. ^Voice, Villa (2014-12-02)."Esther Benbassa:" Je suis une juive du monde "".Rue89Lyon(in French).Retrieved2022-08-30.
  50. ^"Esther Benbassa: une historienne sénatrice de l'année".lhistoire.fr(in French).Retrieved2022-08-31.
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