Italy and France: Two Success Stories of EDJC 2025
As this year’s European Days of Jewish Culture (EDJC) carry into October, we would like to take a moment highlight the successes garnered by two countries so far.
Firstly, the inauguration of the EDJC in Soncino held special symbolic weight, as the town is renowned as one of Italy’s most important centres of Hebrew printing during the Renaissance. Hosting the opening here highlighted the theme of Jewish heritage as a “people of the book.” The event featured the presence of EDJC manager, Alina Marincean, and of AEPJ General Secretary and President of UCEI, Noemi Di Segni, who emphasized the cultural and historical significance of Soncino’s legacy.
Equally notable was Mantova, home to an impressive Jewish book collection, carefully curated and exhibited by the dedicated staff of the Library of Mantova, further enriching Italy’s celebration of Jewish heritage. “It was such an inspiring moment for me; there were excellent practises that showed the organisers know how to capture the beauty behind this event,” reported Marincean. In all, Italy organized more than 100 events for this year’s EDJC.
On the other hand, our associates in France coordinated the opening of synagogues, cemeteries, and museums to the public, offering guided tours, concerts, lectures, and exhibitions in the context of the EDJC to great public acclaim and attendance.
In Lorraine, the film The Dybbuk, presented by Serge Bromberg, was screened at the Centre Pompidou-Metz in a setting inspired by Hebrew letters, alongside artistic workshops. In Paris, the mahJ celebrated Jewish comics with book signings, talks, and workshops. In Bouxwiller, a concert by Lloica Czackis and Marcel Loeffler intertwined words and music, while in Vauvert, Alexis Nouss explored the question: “Does Jewish literature exist?”. Throughout France, klezmer concerts, Yiddish readings, guided walks through Jewish cemeteries, testimonies of Holocaust survivors and reflections on Jewish spirituality all added to the diversity of the events.
Désirée Mayer, president of JECJ-Lorraine, shared the following enthusiastic message with the AEPJ team: “If we arouse sympathy in our region and are not prey to anti-Semitism, this is largely thanks to the actions initiated by all of us. Your efforts, our efforts, your initiatives, our initiatives are and remain more useful than ever!”
