Edmund de Waal is creating a major new two-part exhibition to be displayed in the 500-year-old Jewish Ghetto in Venice, coinciding with the opening of the 58th Biennale.
The first part is located in the spaces surrounding the Canton Scuola, the beautiful 16th century synagogue in the Ghetto Nuovo, which is now part of the Jewish Museum.
New installations of porcelain, marble and gold will reflect the literary and musical heritage of this extraordinary place. The intention is to animate spaces that are little known and little understood by visitors to the Biennale and to bring new audiences into the Ghetto.
The second part of the work will be a pavilion based at the Ateneo Veneto, the fifteenth-century building near the Fenice Opera House that has been an historic centre for cultural debate in Venice. Here, de Waal is constructing a small building within the main space that will house 2,000 books by exiled writers, from Ovid to the present day.
The annual European Day (or Days) of Jewish Culture kicks off September 1st.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the event — which takes place in hundreds of locations all over Europe.
JHE Director Ruth Ellen Gruber took part in the meeting in Paris in 1999 that established the EDJC, and she will be writing about it in a post on the web site.
Lots of Jewish cultural events and festivals have been cancelled, but Yiddish Summer Weimar is going ahead with a shortened festival — whose workshops etc will take place outdoors and conform to Coronavirus hygiene measures.
Details are still being worked out — check the web site https://yiddishsummer.eu/
The official kick off date of the annual European Days of Jewish Culture.
However, in several countries events and activities are being planned before and after this date.
This year’s theme is Jewish Journeys.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a mix of on-site and on-line events.
You can find the programs for each country in a drop down menu on the web site.
A range of concerts, performances, lectures, workshops and other events, at venues including the Yeshiva Chachmei Yeshiva and the Grodzka Gate Theatre NN complex. There are also online events.
Click here to see the program in English
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