Local History Tour Around the Jewish Biatorbágy
Between 1888 and 1944, the Jewish community played an active role in the life of Biatorbágy. Their presence is still reflected in local heritage through former Jewish residences, the prayer house, and the cemetery. Building on the tradition of thematic city tours, this event will offer a guided walk following the traces of Biatorbágy’s Jewish population, reviving their memory and highlighting their contribution to the town’s growth and culture.
Participants will learn about the history of key buildings and the families who once lived there, including a pharmacist, a vinegar manufacturer, a farmer, and a merchant. The walk will be led by two experts: sociologist and community researcher Bihari Zoltán and architect Judit Tótpál DLA.
All attendees will receive a free foldable booklet featuring a map of the route, photos, and descriptions of the Jewish heritage sites.
The tour is designed for residents of Biatorbágy, as well as visitors from neighboring towns, descendants of former Jewish families, and members of Jewish organizations.
The tour is organized by the Biatorbágy Város Önkormányzata (Municipality of Biatorbágy) in partnership with :
Biatorbágy Heritage Committee, Biatorbágy Landscape Protection Circle, Juhász Ferenc Cultural Center, Karikó János Library, B-Közép Architecture Group, Zsámbék Heritage Committee, Páty Heritage Committee, Hungarian Jewish Cultural Association (MAZSIKE).
The event is part of the Cities Embracing Jewish Heritage initiative, supported by the Combat Antisemitism Movement and the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage
Local History Tour Around the Jewish Biatorbágy
Between 1888 and 1944, the Jewish community played an active role in the life of Biatorbágy. Their presence is still reflected in local heritage through former Jewish residences, the prayer house, and the cemetery. Building on the tradition of thematic city tours, this event will offer a guided walk following the traces of Biatorbágy’s Jewish population, reviving their memory and highlighting their contribution to the town’s growth and culture.
Participants will learn about the history of key buildings and the families who once lived there, including a pharmacist, a vinegar manufacturer, a farmer, and a merchant. The walk will be led by two experts: sociologist and community researcher Bihari Zoltán and architect Judit Tótpál DLA.
Tour: By the Jewish Literature Traces in Lviv Region
Organizer: Regional Development Agency of Lviv Region
A one-day guided bus tour through three historic towns of the Lviv region — Zhovkva, Drohobych, and Belz — each with a rich Jewish past and a unique literary heritage.
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Zhovkva (Zholkew): Center of Jewish book printing from the 17th to 19th centuries
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Drohobych: A hub of Jewish secular writing and home to prominent authors of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Bruno Schulz
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Belz: Birthplace of Hasidic philosophical thought in Galicia
The tour offers participants a journey into the “Jewish literature world of the Lviv region: People of the Book,” exploring how Jewish thought and creativity shaped culture and intellectual life in Eastern Galicia.
Immanuel Romano. Poeta ebreo della Fermo medioevale
Organizer: Municipality of Fermo
For several years, the association R&V Territorio o.d.v. has been carrying out in-depth research on the Jewish community of Fermo, which played a particularly important role in the early Middle Ages. Among its most remarkable figures was Immanuel Romano (Immanu’el ben Šelomoh ha-Romi), an eminent Jewish poet of the 13th–14th centuries. Both a witness to and a protagonist of his time, he contributed to one of the most creative periods in cultural history: the birth of the Italian literary language.
This event will explore Romano’s life and works through lectures, performances, and guided tours, bringing to light the Jewish contribution to the development of Italian and European identity.
Program
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Book presentation: Immanuel Romano: Jewish Poet in Medieval Fermo (edited by Stefano Degli Esposti, Claudia Colletta, and Eleonora Paniconi, published by R&V Territorio o.d.v.)
European Days of Jewish Culture in Ljubljana & First Jewish Culture Festival in Ljubljana
We are delighted to welcome you to the first Jewish Culture Festival in Ljubljana, a three-day celebration of Jewish heritage, history, and creativity at the heart of the city. From concerts and lectures to guided walks, storytelling, and delicious food, the festival offers something for everyone – bringing Jewish culture closer to all generations.
Friday, September 5
The festival opens at 8:00 PM with a concert by the exceptional Ladino singer Nanni Vazzana, whose evocative voice transports audiences into the world of Sephardic poetry and melodies.
Saturday, September 6
The day is dedicated to learning and exploring:
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Morning and afternoon lectures on the history of Jews in Ljubljana and Slovenia
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Guided walks along the Stolpersteine (stumbling stones), brass plaques commemorating victims of Nazism
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A visit to the Jewish Museum of Ljubljana
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An evening klezmer concert at 8:00 PM with Kontra Quartet, delivering an explosive and moving interpretation of traditional klezmer music
Sunday, September 7
The morning program is dedicated to children and storytelling lovers:
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Puppet show “The Little Vampire Goes to School” – a playful tale of difference and acceptance
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Stories of Ljubljana’s Jewish families and Holocaust survivors, shared through intimate puppet and storytelling performances
The festival closes on Sunday evening with the theater performance “Tales from Odessa / The Story of My Pigeon Loft” – a touching and humorous reflection on life, identity, and memory.
HaMakom and St. James' Anglican Church will do an interfaith service highlighting our two choirs and Jewish texts. This will tie in nicely with the EDJC them of "People of the Book". HaMakom's two cantors and Father Colin will each interpret Jewish texts to each unique faiths. Our joint choir will perform in several language; English, Portuguese, Hebrew and Ladino. There will be several blow up boards displayed explaining Jewish rituals and texts.
A highlight will be reading from HaMakom's one year old Torah which we acquired from the Memorial Scrolls Trust in London in 2024. There will be refreshments preceding the service to make connections with the aim of doing a future community service event or activity.
The event will be advertised in various expat and local social media outlets.
Educational Workshops for Children – European Days of Jewish Culture in Płońsk
As part of this year’s European Days of Jewish Culture (EDJC), held under the inspiring theme “People of the Book”, the Płońsk Memorial House will host a series of creative and educational workshops for children aged 6–10 from local kindergartens and schools.
At the Memorial House – a museum dedicated to the history of the town’s Jewish community, a total of 8 workshop meetings will be held in September. Through engaging activities, storytelling, and art, children will discover the richness of Jewish culture and heritage connected to their town.
The workshops include:
“In the Synagogue of Płońsk”
Children will step into the world of the former Płońsk synagogue, learning about its history, the Torah, the Aron Ha-Kodesh, the Bimah, and the role of a rabbi.
Culinary Workshop: “Breads of Being Present”
As part of the European Days of Jewish Culture, the City Hall of Łęczna, together with the Municipal Public Library named after Zbigniew Herbert in Łęczna, invites you to a special culinary workshop dedicated to Jewish cuisine.
The event takes place in the unique setting of the Great Synagogue in Łęczna, a landmark of the region’s cultural heritage. The workshop is led by Hanna Kossowska, artist, cultural promoter, and passionate expert in traditional Jewish cooking.
Participants discover the flavors, history, and symbolism of Jewish dishes while celebrating the rich multicultural heritage of the town. The workshops are integrative, educational, and hands-on: they not only teach how to prepare traditional recipes but also create space for intergenerational dialogue and shared cultural discovery.
Exhibition: Traces of Mezuzot – Windows into the Polish-Jewish World
From the end of August through September and November, the Ludwik Zamenhof Center hosts a unique exhibition dedicated to mezuzah traces and Polish-Jewish history.
Unlike synagogues or cemeteries, which are protected by law as symbols of Jewish communities, mezuzah traces are personal – silent marks left on doorposts that testify to the lives of individual families. These traces open symbolic “keyholes” into the world of Polish Jews, allowing us to reconstruct stories and memories that might otherwise remain hidden.
The exhibition presents 100 mezuzah traces found in 93 towns and cities in Poland and beyond, offering a moving journey into the everyday lives of Jewish families.
Alongside the exhibition, we host a Hebrew calligraphy workshop with Helena Czernek and a lecture and discussion with its authors – Aleksander Prugar and Helena Czernek – who explore questions such as: What is a mezuzah trace?
Days of Jewish Culture in Kragujevac
This year, Kragujevac proudly hosts the Days of Jewish Culture, a vibrant program that highlights the richness of Jewish tradition and its lasting influence on the city’s cultural, social, and historical development. The event brings together citizens, cultural institutions, the Jewish community, and visitors from across the region in a spirit of dialogue, learning, and celebration.
Program Highlights
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Ceremonial Opening & Lecture
The official opening gathers representatives of the local government, cultural institutions, and the public to mark the beginning of the event. The introductory lecture, “The Influence of Jewish Culture on the Development of the City”, explores the contributions of the Jewish community to Kragujevac’s cultural, social, and economic life, with a special focus on the city’s multicultural identity.