What is the Belgian rabbinates status vis-a-vis government authorities?
Rabbi Kornfeld: In order to understand the rabbinate’s status vis-a-vis the authorities, let me begin with a short introduction. Napoleon, who ruled over France and Belgium, had a special relationship with the Jews, to the point where he even wanted to set up a Sanhedrin headed by HaRav Dovid Zitzheim, author of Yad Dovid. Toward this end, he set up a special organization and body called the Consistoire, a liaison between the government and religious bodies. This organization serves as an umbrella organization for all of the communities, and all religious needs are arranged through it. The government does not deal with every Jewish town and village, and with every city and province; instead everything is channeled through this official organization, which is under the Belgian Ministry of Justice and Religions. This body stands between the citizen and the authorities and, through it, all of his needs are taken care of. It has a chairman and four deputies from various communities and I,
