Barcelona, May 29, 2024 – The AEPJ has successfully launched the Mi Dor Le Dor Europe (MDLDE), project funded by the European Union under the Citizenship, Equality, Rights and Values – Remembrance (CERV-2023-CITIZENS-REM) programme with a two-day kick-off meeting in Barcelona. This project, inspired by the successful Mi Dor Le Dor Poland and Mi Dor Le Dor Italy initiatives, aims to expand and adapt the innovative methodologies for Jewish heritage and culture education created by Taube Center for Jewish Life and Learning across various European countries, enriching the understanding and preservation of Jewish heritage. MDLDE seeks to engage participants from France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Ukraine, fostering a European awareness of Jewish contribution to the society, history, and culture, training Jewish heritage educators on methodologies and resources to display a better connection between the Jewish heritage mediation and the European Routes of Jewish Heritage, in line with the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.

Barcelona, Spain – The first partner meeting of the NOA 2 (Networks Overcoming Antisemitism) project marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing fight against antisemitism in Europe. Held over two days at Casa Adret, AEPJ’s headquarters in Barcelona, the meeting brought together consortium partners to strategize and plan the project’s next phase.

Led by CEJI, a Jewish contribution to an inclusive Europe, and joined by World Jewish Congress, the European Union of Jewish Students, and AEPJ, the consortium aims to ensure the future sustainability of the project. In this second part of the project, focus will be on developing two new National Report Cards, on developing pedagogical online resources, and deeply engaging in project dissemination and its objectives.

📌 Breda, the Netherlands – 𝑵𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝑹𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕

Last Tuesday, May 7^th, took place in Breda, the Netherlands, the second transnational meeting of the NEXT Routes project, led by  La Rotta dei Fenici – Itinerario Culturale del Consiglio d’Europa, in cooperation with ATRIUM – Architecture of the Totalitarian regimes of the XX Century in Europe’s Urban Memory route, The Routes of the Olive Tree, Mozart Ways, and the Iron Age Danube Route, the Breda University of Applied Sciences and Mobile Idea. With the Breda University of Applied Sciences as hosts, the route managers of the routes certified by the Council of Europe who participated in the working session presented the results of the working groups developed within our networks, for the codefinition of the training methodology for increasing the digital skills of the members of the cultural routes.

In 2024 Agudath Israel in Moldova is implementing two innovative projects “The Last of Us” and “Surviving in Art, Learning to Live”.

As part of the established in the frames of the projects partnership with the Institutul National pentru Studierea Holocaustului din Romania Elie Wiesel, Petre Matei, PhD in History, came to Chisinau with a presentation “Mass Massacres of 1941 and Deportations to Transnistria”.

Another very important and useful presentation for project participants about the history and activities of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany was presented by Claims RED department employee and projects curator Lisa Dorfman.

The topics aroused great interest, many questions were asked by the participants.

During the visit, the guests also met with the dean of the faculty of the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts of Moldova, Svetlana Platsinda.

In a momentous ceremony held on March 22, 2024, Madame Claude Bloch, the esteemed founder of the AEPJ, was adorned with the prestigious medal of the French Ministry of Tourism. This esteemed accolade serves as a testament to Madame Bloch’s unwavering dedication and pioneering efforts in preserving and promoting Jewish heritage across Europe.

The distinguished medal was bestowed upon Madame Bloch by none other than Frédéric Bierry, the President of the European Community of Alsace, and Nathalie Kaltenbach, President of Alsace Destination Tourisme. Their joint presentation underscored the significance of Madame Bloch’s contributions in elevating awareness and appreciation of Jewish heritage, initially in Alsace and subsequently across the European landscape.

This moment of recognition not only honours Madame Bloch’s individual achievements but also symbolizes a broader acknowledgment of the collaborative endeavours that have fuelled the expansion and diversification of cultural routes across Europe.

Girona, Spain – Last Tuesday, January 30th, Girona City Hall hosted a poignant observance of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, featuring active engagement from the AEPJ. Girona City Council, holding the Vice-presidency of the network, hosted and organized this significant event.

The event, held in the Girona City Council’s plenary hall, featured speakers including Marta Marín Dòmine, a renowned writer and expert in memory studies, and Victor Sorenssen, Director of the AEPJ. Lluc Salellas Vilar, Mayor of Girona and President of the Patronat Call de Girona, provided the concluding remarks. The speeches underscored the crucial role of memory, educational efforts, and the potential of such events to drive initiatives and projects related to Holocaust education.

In a significant stride towards inclusive education and heritage preservation, the kick-off meeting and conference of the European Pathways to Minority Religious Heritage (MIRETAGE) project commenced on Monday at the Centre for Religion Studies of the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. AEPJ proudly participates as an associate partner, actively contributing to the project’s mission and exploring collaborative avenues within the framework of the development of Jewish heritage routes.

The MIRETAGE project aims to foster inclusive education and heritage by developing innovative methods for adult education in heritage labs and heritage trails. Heritage labs bring together diverse communities of learners with cultural heritage associations engaged in public education. Collaboratively, these groups co-create heritage trails that interlink the memories, sites, and histories of minority communities with other heritage spaces.