Consistory (Judaism)

A Jewish consistory (or Consistoire in French; see conventional meanings: consistory in Wiktionary) was a body governing the Jewish congregations of a province or of a country; also the district administered by the consistory.

Napoleon Bonaparte established the first central Jewish consistory in France, and ordered regional ones to be set up in turn. The political emancipation of the Jews required the creation of a representative body that could transact official business with a government in the name of the Jews. The Jews in countries under French influence during the Napoleonic period often also established consistories. In addition, in this period, the educated classes desired religious reform and supported the creation of a body vested with authority to render religious decisions.