David Ashkenazi (1897–1983) served as chief rabbi of the department of Oran from 1930 to 1960, when he was appointed chief rabbi of Algerian Jewry. He remained in this office until Algeria became independent in 1962. He was the only Sephardi incumbent of the Algerian chief rabbinate during the entire period of French rule.

As chief rabbi of Oran, Ashkenazi founded and presided over the Association for Learning and Culture centers. He was greatly concerned with the application of Jewish law in the realms of the family, conversion, mixed marriage, and the invol…