Francis Kalifat was elected Sunday new President of CRIF, the representative umbrella body of 70 French Jewish organisations, for a three-year term.

Kalifat, 63, was the sole candidate to succeed Roger Cukierman who has chaired this body, which is the political representation of the Jewish community of France, for nine years. The election took place during a General Assembly.

A successful businessman, Kalifat was until now Vice-President of CRIF.

He said he wants ‘’a united, pluralist CRIF which is resolutely committed to fight against anti-Semitism and racism, and invested in promoting the living together.’’

Reaffirming the political independence of CRIF, he clearly expressed his rejection of any possible dialogue with the extreme left as well as with the extreme right National Front party.

''My mandate will be that of zero tolerance towards all forms of anti-Jewish hatred, including anti-Zionism spread by the BDS (Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions) movement,'' he said.

''What the Jewish community lives in France requires a constant mobilisation,’’ he added as more than 800 anti-Semitic actions and threats were recorded in 2015, which represents 40% of racist acts committed in France while Jews make up less than 1% of the French population.

Francis Kalifat was born in Oran (Algeria). It is the first time that a Sephardi is elected as head of CRIF. But he doesn’t consider this as a symbol, simply taking note of the ‘’sociological transformation’’ of the Jewish population in France.

CRIF was born in 1944 in Lyon from the General Committee of Jewish defense created during the resistance in France occupied by Nazi Germany.

Its missions are to fight against all forms of anti-Semitism, racism, intolerance and exclusion, to defend human rights. CRIF also aims to affirm its solidarity with Israel and its support for a peaceful solution to the conflict in the Middle East. It finally works to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and struggle against its exploitation.

CRIF maintains relations with all the representatives of political and civil bodies in France and abroad.

The Jewish community in France, with between 500,000 and 600,000 people, is the largest in Western Europe.