EJC Chair of the Council and former CRIF President Francis Kalifat was awarded the French Legion of Honour during a ceremony at the Élysée Palace in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron conferred upon him the insignia of Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, recognising Kalifat’s extensive work within France’s Jewish community and his efforts in combating antisemitism and hatred.
EJC Executive Vice-President Raya Kalenova was invited to attend the ceremony alongside prominent French and European figures from the worlds of politics, arts, and community leadership.
President Macron praised Kalifat’s ongoing commitment, stating, “In 2022, you passed the torch to Yonathan Arfi, but this in no way marked the end of your dedication. You continue to work with the same determination, serving as treasurer of the Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah and presiding over the board of the European Jewish Congress. You persist in the fight for memory and the defense of the values you hold dear.”
Macron continued: “You have consistently been outspoken as a human being, a French person, and a Jew in the face of all forms of discrimination and injustice. Your humanism and defense of universal values are at the core of CRIF’s mission, which you carry out with deep conviction.”
He also emphasised Kalifat’s “dignity in leading all these battles with a genuine commitment to republican universalism,” linking the fight against antisemitism with the essence of preserving these values.
Referring to recent events, Macron added, “Today, the resurgence of acts committed against Jews, the horror of October 7th, reminds us of this daily struggle, and it is before you that I once again declare here the total commitment of the Republic at your side, to fight every day, in every place, against any form of antisemitism.”
The National Order of the Legion of Honour, the highest French merit, has been awarded for over two centuries to recognise the most deserving citizens in both civil and military sectors.
Kalifat has dedicated almost fifty years to the Jewish community, including 38 years of activism within CRIF, the representative body of French Jewish communities. Joining during Théo Klein’s presidency in 1984, Kalifat quickly ascended to the steering committee and executive board. Elected treasurer in 2002, he was pivotal in strengthening CRIF’s financial and strategic position. In 2016, he became the 11th President of CRIF, serving two terms. In 2022, he was appointed Chair of the Council of the European Jewish Congress.
