We are pleased to share this Call for Papers for the international conference: Urban and Rural Jewish Cemeteries in Central and Eastern Europe: History, Research, and Valuation
October 19–22, 2025
Deadline for submission is September 1.
Contributions are invited that explore the strategies developed by Jewish communities, academic researchers, heritage professionals, and governmental institutions to study, preserve, and restore these sites.
The conference builds on the discussions initiated in previous scholarly gatherings (Vilnius 2015, Kraków 2018) and major international projects (e.g., ESJF).
As a follow-up to the first conference in Alba Iulia in October 2024, which dealt mainly with urban Jewish cemeteries and whose proceedings will be published by De Gruyter Brill, the thematic scope has been expanded to include rural Jewish cemeteries.
This conference also aims to emphasize the practical dimension of research, conservation, and community engagement with Jewish cemeteries.
Papers addressing, but not limited to, the following themes are welcome:
- The fate of Jewish cemeteries in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries;
- Jewish cemeteries and the topography of the urban and rural spaces;
- From Jewish communities’ internal work and grassroots initiatives to governmental strategies: heritagization and preservation of Jewish cemeteries;
- Advanced technologies and archaeological methodologies in the study of Jewish cemeteries: ethical and practical considerations;
- Style, text and visual representation on Jewish gravestones and their relation to the identity of the deceased;
- The influence of non-Jewish architecture, art, and culture on the evolution of Jewish cemeteries;
- Recontextualization of Jewish cemeteries: From conservation to restoration and landscape redevelopment.
Abstracts of approximately 300 words, along with short bios, should be submitted by September 1, 2025 to [email protected]. Notification of accepted proposals will be sent by September 15, 2025.
The conference will take place in Alba Iulia in a hybrid format (in-person and online), depending on each participant’s preference. Accommodation and meals for in-person participants will be covered by the organizers.
Click her for the Registration/submission form