André Chouraqui and Jerusalem
André Chouraqui lived in Jerusalem from 1958 until his death in 2007. He was Deputy Mayor under Teddy Kollek from 1965, in charge of culture and interfaith relations, was named Honorary Citizen of Jerusalem in 1996, and a square in the city bears his name since 2021.
Key facts
- 1958: settles in Jerusalem with his wife Annette.
- 1965: becomes Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem under Teddy Kollek, in charge of culture and interfaith relations.
- 1996: Honorary Citizen of Jerusalem (Yakir Yerushalayim).
- 1997: Prix Renaudot essay for Jerusalem, Sanctuary City.
- 2021: inauguration of André Chouraqui Square in Jerusalem.
Chouraqui settled in Jerusalem in 1958 with his wife Annette, first on Rehov Hovevei Sion and from 1964 on Rue Aïn Roguel, where they built their home on what was then the Jordanian border.
In September 1965 he agreed to be second on Teddy Kollek's list for the municipal elections, and on 8 October Kollek won and Chouraqui became Deputy Mayor, specially charged with culture and interfaith and international relations. He represented the city abroad — in 1966 he obtained from Axel Springer one million dollars to build an art library at the Jerusalem Museum — spent the Six-Day War of 1967 on the front line in Jerusalem, and in 1969 made a world tour of 14 countries as Deputy Mayor. He was re-elected to the City Council in 1969 as president of the Culture Commission.
In 1996, in a ceremony presided over by Knesset Speaker Dan Tichon and Mayor Ehud Olmert, he was named Honorary Citizen of Jerusalem. In 1997 he received the Prix Renaudot essay for Jerusalem, Sanctuary City and Jerusalem Revisited. He died in Jerusalem on 9 July 2007 and was buried there the same day. On 21 June 2021, André Chouraqui Square was inaugurated in Jerusalem in the presence of Mayor Moshe Lion.
Based on the biography, chronology and list of awards published on this site.