Academic CentreThe Center has been organizing a broad range of activities and events, aimed at promoting knowledge and improving the interest in Jewish history and culture in Latvia. Some of the highlights of these activities are below.
In 2019, the Center in cooperation with the Jews in Latvia museum (Riga), the International Centre for Litvak Photography (Kaunas), Paideia – The European Institute for Jewish Studies (Stockholm), the Maceva Litvak Cemetery Catalogue project (Vilnius) and the Šeduva Jewish Memorial Fund (Vilnius/Šeduva) designed an innovative cross-sectoral and cross-curricular learning platform in the field of Jewish heritage which was introduced to and literally road tested on a group of young professionals, educators and opinion makers from Latvia and Lithuania during a six-day travelling pilot seminar.
The travelling summer school’s programme consisted of impressive series of diverse lectures, workshops, visits and cultural events, held in six Latvian and Lithuanian towns and cities. It was aimed at giving participants the opportunity of seeing how Jewish history has influenced local culture and vice versa, to explore Jewish life and culture today and to immerse themselves in Jewish heritage and history.
In 2019, the Center in cooperation with the Jews in Latvia museum (Riga), the International Centre for Litvak Photography (Kaunas), Paideia – The European Institute for Jewish Studies (Stockholm), the Maceva Litvak Cemetery Catalogue project (Vilnius) and the Šeduva Jewish Memorial Fund (Vilnius/Šeduva) designed an innovative cross-sectoral and cross-curricular learning platform in the field of Jewish heritage which was introduced to and literally road tested on a group of young professionals, educators and opinion makers from Latvia and Lithuania during a six-day travelling pilot seminar.
The travelling summer school’s programme consisted of impressive series of diverse lectures, workshops, visits and cultural events, held in six Latvian and Lithuanian towns and cities. It was aimed at giving participants the opportunity of seeing how Jewish history has influenced local culture and vice versa, to explore Jewish life and culture today and to immerse themselves in Jewish heritage and history.
The programme was co-organized by the Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Latvia, Museum "Jews in Latvia" and Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The programme was co-organized by the Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Latvia, Museum "Jews in Latvia" and Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
In 2017, with the financial support of the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia and the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund the workshop series "Between Tradition and Stereotypes: Jewish Cultural Heritage in Latvia" were developed and held. They were aimed at introducing young people to Jewish studies through four subjects: religion, literature, folklore and tangible cultural heritage:
- 25.04.2017 – "Fundamental Review of "Ten Commandments" Concept. The Basis of Jewish Law and Tradition" by rabbi Kalev Krelin at the Žanis Lipke Museum
- 31.05.2017 – "Neighbors or Strangers? An Image of the Jew in Latvian Literature" by Elina Vasiljeva at the Latvian National Library
- 05.10.2017 – "The Mysterious Neighbor: an Image of the Jew in the Oral Folklore" by Svetlana Pogodina at the University of Latvia
- 08.11.2017 – "Jewish Cultural Space in Latvia" by Karīna Barkane and Olga Miheloviča at the Latvian Academy of Culture
In 2017, with the financial support of the State Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia and the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund the workshop series "Between Tradition and Stereotypes: Jewish Cultural Heritage in Latvia" were developed and held. They were aimed at introducing young people to Jewish studies through four subjects: religion, literature, folklore and tangible cultural heritage:
- 25.04.2017 – "Fundamental Review of "Ten Commandments" Concept. The Basis of Jewish Law and Tradition" by rabbi Kalev Krelin at the Žanis Lipke Museum
- 31.05.2017 – "Neighbors or Strangers? An Image of the Jew in Latvian Literature" by Elina Vasiljeva at the Latvian National Library
- 05.10.2017 – "The Mysterious Neighbor: an Image of the Jew in the Oral Folklore" by Svetlana Pogodina at the University of Latvia
- 08.11.2017 – "Jewish Cultural Space in Latvia" by Karīna Barkane and Olga Miheloviča at the Latvian Academy of Culture
In 2014, with the financial support of Baltic-German University Liaison Office* and The Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund two workshops "On the Bridge: Germany, Baltic and Jews in Modern times" were held. Among the project partners there were Museum "Jews in Latvia", Tuebingen University (Germany), Vilnius University (Lithuania), University of Potsdam (Germany), Tallinn University (Estonia) and Moscow State University (Russia).
The overall aim of the workshops was to expand the view and understanding of Latvian students and researchers in the field of Jewish studies and specifically on the Baltic region’s mutual relations between different ethnic groups during the modern times, as well as to give an insight in the contemporary concept of Jewish history and culture in context of Europe’s history. First workshop was dedicated to religious aspects of Jewish and other nations relations, whereas the second workshop was dedicated to Yiddish and linguistic aspect of Jewish and other Baltic nations relations.
* The project of the Baltic-German University Liaison Office is supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic Germany.
In 2014, with the financial support of Baltic-German University Liaison Office* and The Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund two workshops "On the Bridge: Germany, Baltic and Jews in Modern times" were held. Among the project partners there were Museum "Jews in Latvia", Tuebingen University (Germany), Vilnius University (Lithuania), University of Potsdam (Germany), Tallinn University (Estonia) and Moscow State University (Russia).
The overall aim of the workshops was to expand the view and understanding of Latvian students and researchers in the field of Jewish studies and specifically on the Baltic region’s mutual relations between different ethnic groups during the modern times, as well as to give an insight in the contemporary concept of Jewish history and culture in context of Europe’s history. First workshop was dedicated to religious aspects of Jewish and other nations relations, whereas the second workshop was dedicated to Yiddish and linguistic aspect of Jewish and other Baltic nations relations.
* The project of the Baltic-German University Liaison Office is supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic Germany.
The seminar was held in Riga in 2014. Its focus was the memorial aspect of the Holocaust. The seminar sessions addressed such topics as Holocaust education experience in Baltic states; Commemoration of Holocaust during the Soviet times; The reflection of the Holocaust commemoration issue nowadays; Remembrance and Responsibility. The seminar demonstrated the ways and the value of the Holocaust memorialisation and was an opportunity to share culture of remembrance between the Baltic States, whereas a cross-curricular approach was aimed at enriching participants' understanding of the importance of Holocaust remembrance.
The seminar was held in Riga in 2014. Its focus was the memorial aspect of the Holocaust. The seminar sessions addressed such topics as Holocaust education experience in Baltic states; Commemoration of Holocaust during the Soviet times; The reflection of the Holocaust commemoration issue nowadays; Remembrance and Responsibility. The seminar demonstrated the ways and the value of the Holocaust memorialisation and was an opportunity to share culture of remembrance between the Baltic States, whereas a cross-curricular approach was aimed at enriching participants' understanding of the importance of Holocaust remembrance.