Until 30 September 2024 at the Jewish Museum Prague
In this year marking 100 years since the death of Franz Kafka, the museum is devoting an exhibition to Israeli artist and typographer Oded Ezer. The exhibition features a parody of a documentary based on Kafka’s character, Gregor Samsa. It plays between ambitions and realities, the lost texts of the fictional author and the preserved texts of the author behind the character…
Exhibition: Oded Ezer: The Samsa Enigma | Židovské muzeum v Praze (jewishmuseum.cz)
Until 16 September 2024 at the Polin Museum
Proof that an artistic calling, a hidden or repressed vocation, can emerge late in life, Helena Berlewi began painting in 1952, at the age of 79. And she didn’t stop until her death at the age of 103. This Polish-Jewish survivor of the Shoah took the artist’s name of Hel Enri. Sitting at home, watching the snow fall and wondering what to do, the sight of yellow mimosas in the vase on her table gave her the idea to pick up some paintbrushes. The flowers became part of her work, going beyond their form and tending towards abstraction. Her work has been shown in some thirty exhibitions around the world.
“Bio-faktura.” The Paintings of Hel Enri | Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN w Warszawie
An English photographer, Chris Schwarz is best known in Krakow as the founder and first director of the Galicia Jewish Museum. In the early 1990s, he travelled to Poland in search of traces of Polish Jewish cultural heritage and captured them in images. These works, which retrace the contemporary and tragic history of Polish Jews, became the core of the permanent exhibition at the museum. The photos in this special exhibition illustrate the work he carried out a decade earlier, when he was covering the political upheavals.
From 1 October to 1 November 2024 at the Rembrandt Museum
Rembrandt’s tradition was to surround himself with pupils, sharing the creative process with them, sometimes as many as four or five at a time. Nearly 400 years later, the Rembrandtian tradition is perpetuated by the museum, which welcomes two artists who move in with their brushes to create works inspired by the master.
Rembrandt Open Studio 2024 – Rembrandthuis
The Jewish year is marked by a number of events that celebrate or commemorate religious and historical moments. They help us to better understand the contours of Jewish identity. This exhibition presents the different festivals and their particular character. It uses sounds, images, objects and stories.
The Jewish Year (jodiskmuseumoslo.no)
At the National Museum of Resistance and Human Rights
Inaugurated in 1956, the museum was built by the architects Schmitt and Schmitt-Noesen. This building, along with its monument, the Justice of the Peace building and the Labour Office, shape the image of the town of Esch. Following renovations carried out between 2018 and 2023, the museum has tripled in size.
This exhibition presents a little-known period of the painter’s life, in particular his sojourns in the two cities of Rome and Paris that were so inspiring and welcoming to artists. Samuel Bak, who lived in Boston, bequeathed a large number of his works, a third of which were painted in these two cities. 159 of his works were received earlier this year, adding significantly to the collection. Blending past and present, Samuel Bak developed his art in Paris and Rome while continuing to paint the Vilnius of its heyday as well as its darker hours.
A new exhibition by Samuel Bak is opened – Vilna Gaon Museum of Jewish History (jmuseum.lt)
Until 30 August 2024 at the Thessaloniki Jewish Museum
Legend has it that the Golem, the monster created to protect Jews from anti-Semitism, rests in a geniza in Prague. While waiting to find it there, another geniza in Cairo, at the end of the 19th century, uncovered numerous documents, biblical and literary texts as is customary, but also all sorts of historical and artistic documents and objects, recounting the history of many centuries of the Mediterranean basin, all the way to Andalusia. It is this land where the monotheisms meet, and its heritage, that are celebrated in this exhibition.
« L’âge d’or des Juifs d’Alantalou » (jmth.gr)
22 August 2024
This tour, organised by the Danish Jewish Museum, allows visitors to discover this historic site where Jews have been buried for over 300 years. The guide will talk about the personalities who have left their mark on Danish history and who are buried in this cemetery. These include Moritz Levy and Harriet Salomonsen. This tour is also available in September.
Until 31 December 2024 at the Dossin Barracks
One of Antwerp’s culinary specialities, the hand-shaped biscuits, symbol of the city, are very popular with tourists. They were invented 90 years ago by baker Jos Hakker. This son of Dutch Jewish immigrants paid tribute to his host city. Less well known is his personal story: arrested in 1942, taken to the Dossin barracks and deported to Auschwitz. From there he escaped to join the Liège Resistance and became involved in politics after the war. This exhibition presents all these aspects of this astonishing personality.
Exposition temporaire : Jos Hakker | Kazerne Dossin
Until 27 October 2024 at the Jewish Museum Vienna and the Wien Museum
During the Nazi persecution that led to the extermination of Viennese Jews during the Shoah, they were methodically deprived of all their rights and property before being deported. This exhibition traces the history of these thousands of looted homes. Organised in conjunction with the Vienna City Museum, it presents the stages from theft to incorporation of these properties, followed by the slow and belated restitution of a minor part of them.
Exhibition Detail | Jüdisches Museum Wien (jmw.at)
5 October 2024, 6pm to 11.30pm at the Jewish Museum in Hohenems
An evening where the arts come together as day turns to night, with a host of activities based around the exhibitions and other cultural events, such as ‘Yalla Habibi’ on Jewish-Arab relations, presented at the museum. It’s all part of a family-friendly atmosphere, culminating in a musical DJ night.
Lange Nacht der Museen 2024 | Jüdisches Museum Hohenems (jm-hohenems.at)
12 August 2024, 7.30pm at JW3
Director Archie Baron’s film, produced by the BBC and broadcast in 1990, explores the events leading up to the decision to expel the Jews from England 700 years earlier, in 1290, in particular the false anti-Semitic accusations of ritual murder, which inspired other such decisions on the European continent. The director will be present at the screening and will take part in a discussion with Rabbi Jonathan Romain.
20 November 2024, 7pm at JW3
Following Khomeini’s seizure of power in Iran in 1979, the Jewish Iranian population fell drastically from 100,000 to 8,000. This evening, in partnership with the Jewish Music Institute, will honour the words of these refugees, with one of them present to tell his story to the audience. There will also be Danielle and Galeet Dardashti, two sisters who have produced an audio documentary, The Nightingale of Iran.
Until 24 November 2024 at the Frankfurt Jewish Museum
On ‘Kristallnacht’, from 9 to 10 November 1938, Nazi troops and their supporters carried out a mass destruction of Jewish sites in Germany. These included the beautiful synagogue of the Israelite Religious Society, inaugurated in 1907. The city of Frankfurt built a bunker in its place in 1942. The Frankfurt Jewish Museum has set up this memorial exhibition at this very location.
East End – Looking into a Jewish Quarter – Jüdisches Museum Frankfurt (juedischesmuseum.de)
Until 13 October 2024 at the Augsburg Jewish Museum
This workshop is the fruit of work carried out by Elias Holl schoolchildren around the feast of Pesach, enabling them to develop a personal approach. In particular, they asked questions about the biblical events evoked during the exit from Egypt and the highlights of the Seder. The results of this work are displayed alongside the objects and documents in the museum throughout the year.
Pessach – Matzah and more – Jüdisches Museum Augsburg Schwaben (jmaugsburg.de)
September 1, 10am at the Institut Maïmonide
As part of these European days, there will be a visit to the medieval Mikveh in Montpellier (10am), followed by a tour of the medieval Jewish Quarter, including the 12th-13th century synagogal building. Finally, there will be a lecture on the theme of ‘Tibbonides, Kimhi… the contribution of Jewish families of Andalusian origin to the Occitan sciences’.
IUMAT – Institut Universitaire Maïmonide – Averroès – Thomas d’Aquin (maimonide-institut.com)
28 July 2024, 1.30 pm to 8 pm
This meeting (in English) of Hebrew liturgical poetry is organised in partnership with the IEMJ. Activities will include a study of piyutim from the Spanish and Portuguese traditions with hazan Daniel Halfon. There will also be a discussion with hazan Jalda Rebling on the sound of piyutim at the time of their creation, and another with Moriah Ferrus on the innovation of piyutim in contemporary times.
29 September 2024 at the Shoah Memorial
This meeting with author Pierre Assouline, actor Vincent Elbaz and cellist Laura Meilland is devoted to Alfred Nakache. This great swimmer, born in Constantine in 1915, rose through the ranks, becoming French and then European champion and beating a world record. He was even selected to represent France at the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936. Denounced by a rival to the Gestapo, he was arrested and deported to Auschwitz in 1944 with his wife Paule and their daughter Annie. The only survivor, he tried to rebuild his life and even took part in the London Olympics in 1948, strengthened by his Jewish resilience.
Mémorial de la Shoah | Boutique en ligne (memorialdelashoah.org)
Until 11 August at the Shoah Memorial in Drancy
Presented as part of the Paris Olympics this summer, this exhibition highlights the issues of prejudice and discrimination, past and present. How gestures of friendship and support between athletes have left their mark on history just as much as current discriminatory policies. In particular, the victories of Jesse Owens, the black American runner, over Hitler’s use of the Olympics were a global symbol of the destruction of racial prejudice.
Mémorial de la Shoah | Boutique en ligne (memorialdelashoah.org)
19 September 2024, 7.30pm at the House of Yiddish Culture
To celebrate the publication by Bibliothèque Medem of An-ski’s play The Dybbuk, translated by Batia Baum, the Maison de la culture yiddish is organising an evening with three highlights. Firstly, Clarisse Brossard will talk about the author’s ethnographic expeditions to Volhynia and Podolia between 1911 and 1914. Then Arnaud Bikard presents the new translation by Batia Baum. And last but not least, an extract from the play directed and performed in Yiddish by Amélie Moser, Annick Margules and Shahar Fineberg.
Dibouk : soirée exceptionnelle (en présentiel) – programme.yiddish.paris
Until 22 September 2024 at the mahJ
Every four years, the Olympics have inspired many artists to seize the opportunity to capture the ultimate efforts of athletes, crossing bars and ribbons, touching the edges of pools and gymnasiums to surpass themselves in the quest for gold. André Steiner, a Hungarian-born photographer, decathlon champion and swimming coach at the Jewish sports club Hakoah Vienna, did the same in 1930s Paris, capturing athletic bodies in motion for magazines and developing a style.
From 12 September 2024 to 12 June 2025 at JEM Beaugrenelle
Those singing sessions welcomes all singing enthusiasts to take part in its activities without an admission test. A very varied repertoire is offered throughout the year. The repertoire includes traditional songs, musicals, Israeli songs, songs in Ladino and Yiddish. All in the company of Marlène Samoun, the choirmaster.
Voci Copernic à Beaugrenelle – Judaïsme En Mouvement (judaismeenmouvement.org)
12 September 2024 at 8.30pm at JEM Copernic
This JEM evening of reflection welcomes the lawyer and human rights specialist and LCP journalist Myriam Encaoua as moderator. It is part of a series of conferences bringing together expert speakers on current political issues in Israel. François Zimeray will talk in particular about the legal action taken against Hamas and on behalf of the families of hostages.
Conférence JEM Israël avec François Zimeray – Judaïsme En Mouvement (judaismeenmouvement.org)
Registration for courses and workshops on 5 and 8 September 2024
Teachers and facilitators will be on hand to welcome prospective students and introduce them to the Yiddish, Hebrew, Judeo-Spanish and Judeo-Arabic courses offered at Medem. There are also dance, poetry, genealogy, drama and choir workshops to get every day off to a great start!
Journées portes ouvertes du Centre Medem-les 5 et 8 septembre – Centre Medem (centre-medem.org)
22 September 2024, 10.30am at the Musée départemental de la Résistance et de la Déportation
This documentary by Lluch de Mons and Ismaël Girard is being screened as part of the Heritage Days. It features footage shot between 22 August and 12 September 1944, looking back at the battles leading up to the liberation of Toulouse, the ceremonies for fallen soldiers and the FFI parade. The film allows viewers to immerse themselves in a fictional reconstruction of a maquis.
Le Musée départemental de la Résistance & de la Déportation | Haute-Garonne
29 August 2024, 8pm at the Musée départemental de la Résistance et de la Déportation
This play by Cyril Gély and directed by Giselle Grange, with Bernard Meyer and Alain Courmont, tells the story of what might have happened at dawn on 25 August 1944 in Paris between German General von Choltitz and Swedish Consul General Raoul Nording. The arrival of Allied troops to liberate Paris sparked debate about the future of the city, threatened with destruction by the occupiers.
Le Musée départemental de la Résistance & de la Déportation | Haute-Garonne
At the Angoulême Comics Museum
90 international artists present 170 original works, some dating back to the 1950s, at the dawn of the mythical publishing house. From generation to generation, the superheroes created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, two children of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, have been shared between comic books and films, tackling social issues and the difficulties of teenage life in the face of a world full of threats and hopes.
Until 22 September 2024 at the Albert Kahn Gardens
This photographic festival brings together eleven artists around the theme of ‘the visual inventory of the world and its variations in the museum’s collections’. Contemporary and historical works are brought together to magnify reality in all its facets. Representations of fears and the world of possible ways out.
Festival Mondes en commun – Musée Albert Kahn (hauts-de-seine.fr)
31 August 2024, from 2pm to midnight in the 11 museums of the Isère département
During this festive day, the Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation de l’Isère (Isère Resistance and Deportation Museum) will be offering a range of historical events and creative workshops from 2pm to 5.30pm. From 6pm, there will be an evening of dancing, with a children’s ball, a guinguette and a swing ball. Dress code: blue, white and/or red…