Official French Jewish Group Elects New Head

In France yesterday, a cardiologist supported by the Ashkenazi community was elected president of CIRF, the umbrella organization that represents the Jews of France in dealings with the French government. CIRF, set up after World War II, is comprised of 165 voting members representing various Jewish organizations in France. Haaretz, reporting on the election, says that France's 500,000 Jews are now largely of North African descent, and CIRF has been criticized for not reflecting that demography. Two candidates of North African descent came in third and fourth in the election.