Dance of the Veil: French Jewish Feminist Enters the Académie française
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Benjamin Ivry March 19, 2010
Back in 2008, the Forward celebrated when French Jewish feminist Simone Veil, an Auschwitz survivor, was elected to the prestigious Académie française.
On Thursday March 18, Veil was formally inducted into the Academy, welcomed with a speech by the veteran author Jean d’Ormesson, who is so stuffy and stately that in France, The Jean D’Ormesson Disco Suicide (a “Southern Rock/Blues/Garage band”) was named in his honor.
d’Ormesson reminded Veil that she now occupies the Academy seat once held by the 17th century playwright Racine, but in her reply, 82-year-old Veil explained that her thoughts are with her mother, “two thirds of a century after her death in the hell of Bergen-Belsen,” and her father, who was “deported and died in the Baltic countries.” Too bad that longtime Academy member Claude Lévi-Strauss, who died last year at age 100, was not there to applaud Veil’s arrival.
I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
