Michel Gurfinkiel

Michel Gurfinkiel, a French author and journalist, is the Editor in Chief of Valeurs Actuelles, a journal published in Paris.

He writes on world affairs, religion and culture. His latest books are:

• La Cuisson du Homard (How to Cook the Lobster), an essay on the present crisis between Israel and the Arab world (Michalon, Paris, 2001).
• Le Retour de la Russie (The Return of Russia), a comprehensive study on Russian history and the post-communist regime (Odile Jacob, Paris, 2001).

Michel Gurfinkiel contributes to The Times (London), The Wall Street Journal (New York and Brussels), Commentary (New York), The Weekly Standard (Washington), The Middle East Quarterly (Philadelphia). He is a member of the Editorial Board of Commentaire(Paris), the review founded by Raymond Aron.

A regular guest on French TV and radio, he serves as a world affairs consultant for LCI, the French news channel.

He is also a consultant for Fondation de la Recherche stratégique (FRS), the French National Foundation for Strategic Research.

An Orthodox Jew, Gurfinkiel was for eight years (1989-1997) a Governor of the Consistoire de Paris and the Consistoire central israélite de France, the central religious organizations of France's Jewry. He is currently the National Chairman of Bnai Akiva, France, a member of the Political Commission of Crif, the Representative Council of French Jewish Organizations, and a member of the Executive Board of the France-Israel Alliance.

Michel Gurfinkiel is married and lives in Paris. He has two daughters.