Last update - 00:00 10/07/2007
Andre Chouraqui, French-Israeli author and politician, dies at 89
By The Associated Press
French-Israeli writer Andre Chouraqui, one-time advisor to Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, former deputy mayor of Jerusalem and known for his French-language translation of the Bible, died Monday at Jerusalem home one month short of his 90th birthday, his family said.
A poet, Chouraqui was best known for translating religious texts, including La Bible hebraique et le Nouveau Testament (The Hebrew Bible and New Testament), published in 26 volumes between 1974 and 1977.
Born in Algeria in 1917, Chouraqui studied law in Paris. During World War II, he joined the French Resistance and hid out in the Haute-Loire region of central France.
After moving to Israel in 1958, he became an adviser to prime minister David Ben-Gurion from 1959 to 1963. He also served as deputy mayor of Jerusalem from 1965-1973.
Chouraqui succumbed to a variety of illnesses. Claude Amsallem, his son-in-law, said Chouraqui had had a stroke, kidney failure and other ailments, but he was fairly well until he began deteriorating a few months ago.
"He died peacefully at home with his family. It was what he wanted," said Amsallem, "to die happily surrounded by loved ones."
The funeral took place yesterday. Chouraqui is survived by his wife, five children and 14 grandchildren.