Mission

The Center for Judaic Studies of the University of Latvia was established in July 1998 with the financial assistance of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture (USA, New York). The University of Latvia has located the rooms for the Center in the representative part of the University Central Building in the very centre of Riga.

The main goals of the Centre are:

• to preserve the legacy of Latvian Jews and to perceive their contribution to European and worldwide culture;
• to carry out research in the history of Jews in Latvia and Baltic region, including the history of Holocaust;
• to offer the opportunity of achieving academic knowledge in Jewish studies, using an interdisciplinary approach.

The main activities of the Center are aimed at promoting and maintaining the positive development of Latvian–Jewish relations by means of an accurate research work and different educational projects. The Center is not only playing a noticeable role in the educational system and social life, but is also having an impact on the Jewish community life by providing its academic component.