Calendar

Lecture by Michael Miller, of CEU

Budapest is sometimes called the “Paris of the East,” but in the 1890s, it acquired a new, less flattering nickname: “Judapest.” Karl Lueger, the antisemitic mayor of Vienna – who hated Hungarians more than he hated Jews – is often credited with coining this derogatory nickname for a city that he thought had become more “Jewish” than “Hungarian.”  Budapest was Europe’s fastest-growing city at the time, with a flurry of cultural and commercial activity that fascinated — and sometimes appalled — contemporary residents and visitors. This talk will examine the image of Budapest in the decades before and after the First World War, exploring the ways in which Hungary’s capital city was imagined by Jews and non-Jews alike as a quintessentially Jewish metropolis.

The evening will be chaired by Professor Mark E. Smith, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton. It will be hosted by Professor Mark Cornwall (University of Southampton, Parkes Institute)

The event will be held on Zoom. Please register by Monday 19th April 16:00 here:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/parkes/news/events/2021/04/20-parkes-lecture-2021.page

Speaker biography: Michael L. Miller is Associate Professor in the Nationalism Studies Program at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary, and co-founder of the university’s Jewish Studies program. He received his PhD in History from Columbia University, where he specialized in Jewish and Central European History. Michael’s research focuses on the impact of nationality conflicts on the religious, cultural, and political development of Central European Jewry in the long nineteenth century. His articles have appeared in Slavic Review, Austrian History Yearbook, Simon Dubnow Institute Yearbook, Múlt és Jövő , The Jewish Quarterly Review and AJS Review. Miller’s book, Rabbis and Revolution: The Jews of Moravia in the Age of Emancipation, was published by Stanford University Press in 2011. It appeared in Czech translation as Moravští Židé v době emancipace (Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2015). He is currently working on a history of Hungarian Jewry, titled Manovill: A Tale of Two Hungarys.

Willesden Jewish Cemetery: 150 years of Heritage 1873 – 2023 Guided Walk

As part of the year long celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the Willesden Jewish Cemetery, this guided walk will tell the story of the establishment of the cemetery, highlighting the early years of the United Synagogue, the people who made it happen and their role in the community.

The Willesden Jewish cemetery celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. 

This will be one of the main events.  The cemetery says:

View our new exhibition of archives in the Heritage Centre

• Have a look at the display in the historic grade II listed portico, highlighting some key stories of those buried here

• Enjoy the permanent exhibition and introductory film in the Heritage Centre

• Take a stroll in our transformed historic gardens with a new emphasis on biodiversity!

• Join us on a new free guided walk at 2.30 pm when we will reveal the early history of this unique Cemetery and the people behind its creation

This is a special occasion for our community to celebrate this important milestone. Throughout the afternoon our volunteers will be on hand to share their knowledge of Willesden Jewish Cemetery, Jewish traditions and culture.

Barnet Libraries presents: The History and Residents of Willesden Jewish Cemetery.

The cemetery is a designated Heritage Site and celebrated its 150th anniversary in June this year.

Many of the people who are buried there were prominent in the fields of industry, commerce, science and the arts.

It is hoped that this talk will be a catalyst to people visiting the grounds and seeing the work delivered by the cemetery’s small team and dedicated volunteers.

Open Day to share plans for Welsh Jewish Heritage Centre in Merthyr Tydfil.

The public is invited to explore Merthyr Tydfil’s historic synagogue and help shape plans to create a Welsh Jewish Heritage Centre.

There will be tours of the synagogue throughout the day, along with music from a Welsh klezmer band and a talk on the history of Merthyr’s once-thriving
Jewish community.

The project team will be on hand to find out what local people think of the plans for the future of the building, and record their memories of its past life.

Merthyr Tydfil Synagogue was built in the 1870s and is the oldest purpose-built synagogue surviving in Wales. After the congregation left in 1983, its condition deteriorated. The Foundation for Jewish Heritage purchased it in 2019 and the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, visited in 2021. The following year, the Foundation secured funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Welsh government and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council to develop the plans.

Since 2007, forensic archaeological investigations have revealed new evidence of the crimes undertaken at the notorious Treblinka Extermination Camp in Poland.

The Tayar Foundation for Jewish Heritage in Malta is hosting An Evening of Jewish History in Malta on October 22, 2024, at the Aula Prima Hall, University of Malta, Valletta Campus. The event is moderated by Mr. John Mallia, Broadcaster and TV Producer, and features two talks, one by Prof. William Zammit on his book “Slavery, Treason and Blood,” which details the 1749 plot by Muslim slaves to assassinate Grandmaster Manuel Pinto de Fonseca, foiled by the Jewish proselyte Joseph Cohen.

The second one, by Prof. Conrad Thake, will explore the history of Malta’s three Jewish cemeteries: the Kalkara cemetery for Jewish slaves, Ta’ Braxia Cemetery, and the modern Marsa cemetery. He will discuss the cemeteries’ origins, burial practices, and their artistic and architectural significance. The event starts at 6 PM, followed by a light reception. Attendance is by invitation only, which can be requested by filling out the form available here.