Esther Benbassa


Esther Benbassa is a French-Turkish-Israeli historian and politician. She is the author of many books of Jewish studies. She serves as a member of the French Senate, where she represents Val-de-Marne.

Early life

Esther Benbassa was born on 27 March 1950 in Istanbul, Turkey. She immigrated to Israel at age 15 and graduated from Tel Aviv University in 1972. She moved to France in 1972 and became a French citizen in 1974. She earned a doctorate from the University of Paris and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She holds Turkish, Israeli and French citizenships.

Career

Benbassa is the author of many books about Jewish history. In 2002, she founded the Centre Alberto-Benveniste; she serves as its director.
Benbassa has served as a member of the French Senate since 2011, where she represents Val-de-Marne. In 2011, she supported a bill to let foreign residents in France vote in French elections.
Benbassa is a Knight of the National Order of Merit. She was awarded the Prix Seligmann from the Fondation Seligmann in 2005 and the Prix Guizot from the Académie française for La Souffrance comme identité in 2008.

Works