Landau, Philippe-Efraïm <br/><br/>
Converting in Paris during the 19th Century 

 -  2002.<br/>							 
<br/><br/> 31 
<br/><br/> Based on a detailed search among the archives of religious institutions in Paris, this paper first calculates the correct number of Jews in Paris who from 1807 to 1914, forswore their faith and converted to Catholicism, as well as the number of Christians who converted to Judaism during the same period. This research shows that while 1,000 Jews became Catholics, nearly 500 Catholics turned to the Jewish religion. Clearly, Judaism suffered no dramatic drain as a result of conversions, which constituted a minor factor in the losses suffered by Judaism. This accurate analysis of the ebb and flow of conversions by period, sex, age, and social class goes hand in hand with a study of motivations, which shows that marriage comes well ahead as a factor in conversions to Judaism.