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presentation on a panel at the conference: Contemporary Jewish life in a global modernity: Comparative European perspectives on a changing diaspora
The conference takes place 11 December: 2 – 6:30 pm; 12 December: 9:30 am – 1:30 pm
The fall of the Iron Curtain has opened possibilities for a Jewish revival across Europe. In the past twenty-five years, parallel trends of secularization, grass roots movements, religious pluralization and new discourses on the definition of Jewish identities have emerged. The conference brings together international scholars to explore the different forms of Jewish life in contemporary Europe and the challenges and possibilities these present for the future.
Where: Old Building, second level, Great Hall
Free entrance
Registration required: www.jmberlin.de/contemporary-jewish-life
Full program at http://www.jmberlin.de/main/EN/02-Events/Events_2014/2014_12_11_conference.php?b=kal
Lecture by Ruth Ellen Gruber at the Parkes Institute, Southampton University, to mark 15 years since the publication of “Virtually Jewish: Reinventing Jewish Culture in Europe.”
Click here to see full details
Ruth documents the Jewish cemetery in Szydlowiec, Poland, in 1994
Ruth gives a David Patterson lecture for the Oxford Center for Hebrew and Jewish Studies on her more than a quarter century of following Jewish heritage and Jewish heritage travel developments
I give a talk about Jewish heritage sites and travel, as part of the Smithsonian Associates program.
Click here for full details and tickets
Visitors in the Kupa synagogue, Krakow
I give a talk looking back at the evolution of Jewish heritage travel since the publication of my book “Jewish Heritage Travel”, as the closing event of the “Jewish days at the Ratusha” program.
Ruth is conversation with Shaul Bassi, marking 25 years since Jewish Heritage Travel and 15 years since Virtually Jewish were published.
The even takes place during the conference on Jewish Heritage Tourism in the Digital Age.
Talk at the IAJGS conference
Over the past 3 decades, I’ve helped pioneer the (re)discovery and documentation of Jewish heritage sites in East-Central Europe and championed them as travel destinations. My talk will reflect on the changes I’ve witnessed since the first edition of my book “Jewish Heritage Travel: A Guide to Eastern Europe” came out in 1992. Back then, almost all Jewish heritage sites in the region were places of “dark tourism.” Often ruined, dilapidated, and abandoned. Very few people even knew “what was there.” Since then, there’s been a revolution. Ruins still abound, but hundreds of sites have been restored/rediscovered and many are now full-fledged tourist attractions. I will examine these changes, focusing on certain places and certain specific facets, such as restored synagogues and cemeteries, and new Jewish heritage routes, but also reflecting on issues such as the commodification of Jewish culture and growth of a commercial Jewish heritage tourism industry.
A talk at the IAJGS conference:
Since we went online in 2012, www.jewish-heritage-europe.eu has become a key web portal to Jewish heritage news, info, resources and insights. We’ve added many new features such as a dedicated section on Jewish cemeteries, personal op-eds, a section on memorials to Jewish soldiers killed in WW1, and more. As of early 2018, we have a brand new web site design that incorporates new search possibilities and highlights our unique JHE news feed: a searchable database of more than 1,200 news items on Jewish heritage issues that is growing almost daily. As JHE director, I’m responsible for all content on the site. In my talk, I’ll discuss the new design and new. and planned new, features, including interactive use. I’ll also be looking for feedback to aid in the continuing development of the site.
I’m one of eight people who will present about heritage projects in Europe during this session — I will give a (very) brief introduction to JHE
