In the heart of autumn, the city of Leipzig is preparing to experience an exceptional musical and memorial moment. From November 14 to 21, 2026, the Europäische Notenspuren (European Musical Footprints) festival is presenting its edition themed “Schma Leipzig – Listen, Leipzig!”, dedicated to Jewish musical heritage. This major event coincides with the inauguration of the Leipziger Notenbogen (the Musical Arch), the European Days of Jewish Culture, and TACHELES 2026 – the Year of Jewish Culture in Saxony.
A Cultural and Musical Bridge Between Alsace and Saxony
This gathering is an opportunity to celebrate a magnificent Franco-German collaboration rooted in the values of the AEPJ (Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage in Europe). Two prominent members of this European Route of Jewish Heritage are joining forces to revive forgotten traditions:
- The Routes of Rhenish Judaism, through the famous Strasbourg synagogue choir Le Chant Sacré, founded in 1951.
- The Leipziger Notenbogen, a brand-new 7-kilometer trail marked by 13 initial stations winding through Leipzig’s musical history.
Le Chant Sacré of Strasbourg: The Living Memory of Alsatian Liturgy
A major actor and committed member of the Routes of Rhenish Judaism (RJR) association, the Le Chant Sacré choir embodies the continuity and richness of the Jewish musical heritage of Alsace. Founded in 1951, this men’s choir of around twenty five passionate singers works daily to safeguard the 19th-century Ashkenazi liturgy while exploring Eastern European, Hasidic, and contemporary melodies. As one of the last synagogue choirs in Europe, it sets the rhythm for spiritual and cultural life by animating Shabbat and holiday services at the Grand Synagogue de la Paix in Strasbourg as well as major ceremonies. Its involvement within the RJR network testifies to a constant desire to make this living heritage shine far beyond Alsatian borders.
The Event Concert: A Dialogue of Liturgical Traditions
The highlight of this cross-border encounter will take place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 7:30 PM at the Brody Synagogue in Leipzig.
Under the direction of the Grand Rabbi of the State of Saxony, Zsolt Balla, the Le Chant Sacré choir will join forces with the Institute for Traditional Jewish Liturgy (ITJL) in Leipzig, the only training center for officiants (Ba’alei Tefillah) and cantors (Hazzanim) in Germany. Together, they will breathe new life into the noussakh—the centuries-old style of musical interpretation specific to prayer services—during an exceptional dialogue-concert connecting the liturgical traditions of Western and Eastern Europe.
Contact : Françoise Elkouby, francoise.elkouby3@gmail.com
