Eisenstadt participates this year in the European Days of Jewish Culture with a very interesting lecture. Here’s our encounter with Dr. Esther Heiss about the Österreichisches Jüdisches Museum’s activities during that day and the rising participation of the public.
Are you participating in the European Days of Jewish Culture?
Dr. Esther Heiss: Yes, we are participating in the European Days of Jewish Culture. On the 7th of September 2025, there will be a lecture on the Jewish quarter in Eisenstadt around 1800 at the Austrian Jewish Museum. The speaker will be Dr. Felix Tobler, one of the most renowned historians in Burgenland.
Has the museum received new objects or documents?
Last year we received a solid brass mortar from the Koryphäen of Neusiedl am See. The inscription on the mortar consists of 2 letters – Alef and Schin – which is an abbreviation (Asch) for Eisenstadt and indicates that the object was originally used in the Jewish quarter in Eisenstadt. It was probably used as a kitchen utensil for crushing spices, herbs, nuts, seeds, etc., which was frequently used in Jewish cooking and was often passed down as a family heirloom; or, due to its size and weight, from the possession of a doctor or pharmacist [https://www.litvaksig.org/information-and-tools/online-journal/jewish-household-heirlooms]. The mortar may date to the 18th/19th century.
Do you feel the interest in Jewish cultural events has evolved since 2023?
We can’t complain. We offer our visitors many cultural events throughout the year, and most of these events are really well attended. Sometimes there are more visitors, sometimes less, depending on the programme and the time at which the event starts.
Can you share an emotional encounter with a visitor or participant at an event?
Once an elderly woman came into our museum shop and bought a lot of things. I was astonished and asked her where her interest in Judaism came from. She replied that her grandmother was Jewish and her grandfather, sensing that something bad was coming, went to church and bought baptism certificates for the family. Her son was brought up as a Christian. But his daughter, now the older woman, always had the feeling that something was wrong. She was brought up as a Christian too, but she always had the feeling that something was missing. It wasn’t until she was almost 50 that she found out that her family was originally Jewish, so she started researching the subject and now collects anything that can help her learn more about Judaism. She told this story with tears in her eyes and was grateful that she had found our museum by chance.