EDJC Organisers & Coordinators Meeting 2026
6th and 7th of May 2026
Join us for the EDJC 2026 Online Organisers & Coordinators Meeting! – 6 & 7 May 2026 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM (CET). Two afternoons of inspiration, resources, and connection for EDJC coordinators across Europe: Workshop session with the ANU – Museum of the Jewish People Resources session with the National Library of Israel Keynote address on “Is Love a Jewish Idea?” with Alexis Nouss; Meet your fellow coordinators from across Europe and discover their good practices; Q&A session with the AEPJ team. We look forward to seeing you here!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89135018864?pwd=ydxk5UZUscZJdn82OUFzsOoVsmGw6V.1
This meeting marks a vital moment on the path toward the European Days of Jewish Culture, an annual festival that begins on the first Sunday of September and unfolds across Europe through a rich mosaic of cultural and educational activities celebrating Jewish heritage. With each gathering, each exchange, and each shared act of remembrance and discovery, the EDJC nurtures inclusion, encourages dialogue, and stands firmly against antisemitism, helping to shape a society that is more cohesive, more open, and more deeply understanding.
This year, the festival will be guided by the theme LOVE — a reflection on the central role of love in Jewish tradition and on its profound ties to interfaith dialogue, cultural and social exchange. Under this theme, communities are invited to journey more deeply into its meaning, exploring how love can become a language of encounter, a bridge between traditions, and a force that draws people closer across differences, histories, and horizons.
Programme
15:00-15:30
WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS
Claude Bloch – Honorary President AEPJ
Naomi DiSegni – Secretary AEPJ
MEETING THE EDJC COMMITTEE – Alfred Lang, Chair of the EDJC Committee
PRESENTATION OF THE 2026 EDJC THEME AND VISUAL ELEMENTS – Alina Marincean,
Manager of the EDJC
CALL FOR CITIES EMBRACING JEWISH HERITAGE – The role of municipalities in the EDJC
2026 – Sonja Viličić, Manager of the Cities Embracing Jewish heritage
15:30-16:30
WORKSHOP SESSION ON THE FIVE LANGUAGES OF LOVE IN JUDAISM
ANU – MUSEUM OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE
Interactive session for coordinators focused on translating the theme “Love and Judaism”
into local programming in the five languages of Love in Judaism. Networking and
inspirational session.
Our guests:
Lindsay Shapiro – Senior Coordinator of English Education, The Koret International School
for Jewish Peoplehood, ANU – Museum of the Jewish People
Liron Biran – Head of the Department of Research and Educational Development, ANU –
Museum of the Jewish People
Rachel Drash – Director of Global Education, ANU – Museum of the Jewish People
10 minutes break
16:40-17:20
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
ALEXIS NOUSS on “IS LOVE A JEWISH IDEA?”
Alexis Nuselovici (Nouss) is Professor Emeritus of General and Comparative Literature at Aix-
Marseille University, with previous positions at Cardiff University and the University of
Montreal. He has lectured internationally and founded key research initiatives such as
POEXIL and the Cardiff Research Group on the Politics of Translating, and is currently
affiliated with CIELAM in Aix-Marseille.
17:30-18:00
BREAKOUT ROOMS NETWORKING AND CONSULTATIONS SESSION WITH AEPJ TEAM
15:00 – 15:20
INTRODUCING NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ISRAEL. NEW RESOURCES CONCEPT FOR EDJC 2026
Our guests:
Caron Sethill – Programme Manager-Europe, The National Library of Israel
Naomi Bloom Wurtman – Project Coordinator-Gesher L’Europa, The National Library of
Israel
15:20 – 16:20
COORDINATORS’ VOICES FROM THE OPERATIONAL FIELD
NATIONAL COORDINATION AND NETWORK STRUCTURES WITH THE EDJC
Speakers:
Dominique Friedman – President of the European Days of Jewish Culture and Heritage,
France
France – A well-established national coordination model
Rafaella Di Castro and Michelle Sembira – National Coordinators European Day of Jewish
Culture. UCEI – Union of Italian Jewish Communities
Italy – Managing a large national network of good practices
Alfred Lang – Chairman. Research Society Burgenland, Austria
Austria – Small organization with significant Impact
10 minutes break
16:30 – 17:15
Nives Beissman – National coordinator, Croatia
Croatia – A Community engagement perspective
Nataliya Tolok – Head of NGO WUC “Hillel”. Executive director NGO “Lemberik”, Ukraine
Expanding the network. Ukraine – challenging context and its Jewish cultural landscape
Marc Fracesch – Manager of the European Routes of Jewish heritage, AEPJ
EDJC and the European Routes of Jewish heritage on the spotlight
17:15-18:00
BREAKOUT ROOMS SESSIONS WITH AEPJ STAFF. Open exchange and discussion among
coordinators and speakers.
Concluding plenary session, gathering final reflections and outlining next steps.
Who can organise a EDJC activity?
Anyone! Whether you represent a Jewish community, a cultural association, a municipality or public institution, a museum or even an individual, you can organise an EDJC activity. To do so, we invite you to contact your local, regional or national coordinator to be included in their programme. Click here to see the list of coordinators. The AEPJ offers training, resources and support to any organisation, institution or individual who wishes to organise an activity that allows Jewish culture to be shared with the whole of society. See below for resources for the current issue.
What is an EDJC Coordinator?
The AEPJ has coordinated this event at European level since its beginnings in 1999, giving cohesion, visibility and relevance to the activities organised. But as the European territory is very large and the particularities and needs of each country may differ from the rest, there is the figure of the National, Regional or Local Coordinator who acts as a multiplier and ensures the implementation of the activities in the corresponding territory and through an extensive network of institutions and organisations.
If you want to become a coordinator, please contact us.