Alsace is a very active region during European Days of Jewish Culture, offering visitors the opportunity to explore a thousand years of rich and diverse Jewish life in many towns and villages. We meet Norbert Schwab, president of EDJC Alsace.
Jguideeurope : What event will kick off JECJ Alsace?
Norbert Schwab : This year, for the first time, the SEJAL (Society for the Study of Judaism in Alsace Lorraine) is in charge of organising the EDJC in Alsace. So this is a year of discovery and fine-tuning for us. In fact, this year we are simply centralising information on the various activities taking place locally so that we can publish and disseminate it as widely as possible.
We hope that from next year onwards we will be more proactive in offering activities to local site managers, or even creating our own activities, including the presentation of the ‘SEJAL Heritage Prize – Marianne Levy Prize’ on this occasion.
Which cities are participating this year? Are there any new ones?
One of the specific features of Alsace, due to its unique history, is the large number of synagogues, cemeteries, mikvaoth, and other sites. As a result, every year, nearly forty sites are open to the public during the EDJC.
The 20th anniversary of the AEPJ was celebrated in Strasbourg. Is the region still as involved in promoting Jewish cultural heritage?
Last year, the Grand Est Region, in collaboration with the Drac, began a comprehensive inventory of Jewish heritage in Alsace (those in Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne have already been completed).
In addition, the European Community of Alsace provides financial support for the organisation of the EDJC in Alsace.
Which place linked to the Jewish cultural heritage of Alsace do you think deserves to be better known?
Many places deserve to be better known, but there is certainly one place that stands out this year: the former synagogue in Rouffach. These are the remains of a 13th-century synagogue, the oldest in France!
It is part of a residential building that has recently been put up for sale. Saving this archaeological treasure is now a priority for us. We would like to carry out a full study and then open it to the public, particularly during the EDJC.