David Bensoussan

David Bensoussan (born 1960) is an author and educator who has worked in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the École de technologie supérieure of the Université du Québec since 1980.^[1] Bensoussan is best known for his histories of the Jewish community of Morocco and for his leadership roles in the Sephardi Jewish community.^[2][3][4][5] He has served as President of the Communauté Sépharade Unifiée du Québec (United Sefardic Community of Quebec).^[6][7]

Biography

He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from McGill University.

Bensoussan was born in Mogador, and lived there until the family moved to a larger city when he was 8-years old.^[1] His family left Morocco to move to Israel in 1965 when he was a teenager.^[6] Bensoussan earned his first degree in Israel, and moved from Israel to Canada in 1976.^[1]

In addition to his work as a professor and occasional employment in the tech sector, Bensoussan is author of a self-published, 3 volume study of the Bible, La Bible Prise au Berceau, prefaced by biblical scholar André Chouraqui, in which he claims to have integrated historical, archaeological, and ethical analysis of the text.^[1]

Civic involvement

Until 2012, Bensoussan served as a sitting member of the Paul Martin and Stephen Harper government's Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security. Established in 2005, the panel brought together prominent members from a number of Canada's cultural communities and government officials in order to discuss policy and program issues, and to promote dialogue and strengthen understanding between the national authorities and its electorate.^[8][9]

Bensoussan actively supported Irwin Cotler when he stood for Parliament.^[10] He has served as vice president of the Canadian Jewish Congress.^[11]

Writing

Bensoussan won the Prix Haïm Zafrani, a literary prize, in 2012 for his 2010 book, Il était une fois le Maroc.^[12][13] A second edition of the book was published, with more lavish illustrations.^[12]

Bensoussan's books about and knowledge of the Jews of Morocco are referred to by the growing number of scholars and other groups interested in the history and ethnography of the Moroccan Jewish community.^[14][15][16] He has testified on the subject at Parliamentary inquires in Canada.^[17]

Bensoussan frequently publishes essays in La Presse.^[18][19][20]

Bensoussan has published two novels (La rosace du roi Salomon and L'énigme du roi Salomon), a memoir (Le fils de Mogador), two historical essays (L'Espagne des trois religions : grandeur et décadence de la convivencia and Il était une fois le Maroc), and, with Asher Knafo, an art book about illuminated Jewish marriage contracts (Mariage juif à Mogador).^[14][21]

Books

• La Bible prise au berceau, Éditions Du Lys, Montréal, 2002 ISBN 2-922505-01-4, 388p. Ouvrage en trois volumes préfacé par André Chouraqui.
• Témoignages - Souvenirs et réflexions de oeuvre de l'Alliance Israélite Universelle, in collaboration with Edmond Elbaz, Éditions Du Lys, Montréal, 2002, ISBN 2-922505-16-2
• L'Espagne des trois religions : grandeur et décadence de la convivencia, L'Harmattan, Paris, 2007 ISBN 9782296041349^[22]
• Mariage juif à Mogador Éditions Du Lys, Montréal, 2004 ISBN 978-2-922505-15-3^[21][23][24]
• Le fils de Mogador, Éditions Du Lys, Montréal, 2002, ISBN 9782922505214
• Il était une fois le Maroc - Témoignages du passé judéo-marocain, Éditions Du Lys, Montréal, 2010, ISBN 978-2-922505-21-4, Editions iuniverse 2012, ISBN 978-1-4759-2608-8
• La rosace du roi Salomon, Les Éditions Du Lys, 2011, ISBN 978-2-922505-23-8^[21]
• L'énigme du roi Salomon, iuniverse, 2012, ISBN 978-1-469764-36-8
• Antologie des écrivains sépharades du Québec, Éditions Du Marais, Montréal, 2010, ISBN 978-2-923721-13-2
• Isaie - Lecture commentée, Éditions Du Lys, Montréal, 2014, ISBN 978-2-922505-24-5, Éditions Du Marais, Montréal, 2014, ISBN 978-2-923721-52-1

References

1. Shepherd, Harvey (10 April 1999). "Work on Bible a labour of love: Three-volume study, written to fill sleepless nights, combines lessons of archeology, morality". The Gazette (Montreal). Retrieved 5 May 2015.
2. Lash, Rochelle (1 May 2000). "Celebrating their roots: Sephardic festival focuses on community's history and culture". The Gazette (Montreal). Retrieved 5 May 2015.
3. Lash, Rochelle (26 June 2000). "Sephardic splendour". The Gazette (Montreal). Retrieved 5 May 2015.
4. Harvey, Bob (15 November 2004). "Concert launches week of Sephardic celebration". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
5. Lash, Rochelle (20 February 1998). "Montrealers help celebrate Israel's 50th: Wide variety of events range from spectacular gala at Palais des Congres to chamber music concert". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
6. Weiner, Robert (15 June 2009). "Among Morocco’s sights, signs of a tolerant past". New Jersey Jewish News. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
7. Kokol, Sam (17 November 2013). "Canadian parliamentary c'tee calls to recognize Jewish refugees of 1948". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
8. "Harper Government Reaches Out to Canadian Communities". Public Safety Canada. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
9. "Harper Government Reaches Out to Canadian Communities". Public Safety Canada. Proquest Newspapers. 11 June 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
10. Block, Irwin (3 May 2011). "Cotler holds on against Zajdel". The Gazette (Montreal). Retrieved 5 May 2015.
11. Chonchol, Daniel (16 July 1986). "Jewish groups try to ease old tensions". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
12. Levy, Elias (23 October 2012). "David Bensoussan lauréat d’un réputé Prix littéraire". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
13. "Le Prix Haïm Zafrani". Institut Universitaire Elie Wiesel. Institut Universitaire Elie Wiesel. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
14. "Le judaïsme marocain est "bien vivant"". Atlas. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
15. Schroeter, Daniel J. (2008). "The Shifting Boundaries of Moroccan Jewish Identities". Jewish Social Studies 15 (1).
16. Shefa, Sheri (28 May 2012). "Festival to celebrate Jewish life in Morocco". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
17. "Hearings on the situation of Jewish refugees from Middle Eastern nations". parl.gc.ca. Parliament of Canada; Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
18. Bensoussan, David (27 January 2015). "Pour une relecture des Écritures". La Presse. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
19. Bensoussan, David (23 October 2014). "Une intervention dans une réalité moyen-orientale complexe". La Presse. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
20. Bensoussan, David (21 August 2014). "Clichés médiatiques sur le Proche-Orient". La Presse. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
21. ""La Rosace du Roi Salomon", nouveau roman de David Bensoussan". Le Mag. 14 November 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
22. von Kemnitz, Eva-Maria (2008). "Reviewed Work: L'Espagne des trois religions. Grandeur et décadence de la convivencia by David Bensoussan". Archives de sciences sociales des religions 144: 176. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
23. "The Ketubot of Mogador-Lecture and Presentation on the Tradition of Moroccan Marriage Contracts". cjh.org. Center for Jewish History. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
24. Tagger, Mathilde. "Index of (Names Found in) A Jewish Wedding in Mogador (Morocco)" (PDF). sephardicstudies.org. Foundation for the Advancement of Sephardic Studies and Culture. Retrieved 6 May 2015.