Judaism has left a number of important traces in most aspects of culture throughout generations across Europe. For decades this heritage has passed unnoticed and some of it has fallen apart. After the second World War and the Shoah, priority was given to the re-establishment of Jewish communities and the healing of the terrible wounds.
In 1996, the association B’nai B’rith Hirschler in Strasbourg, led by Mrs. Claude Bloch, decided that it was worthwhile saving the rich and mostly rural heritage of Alsace, in Eastern France. It developped an Open Day formula, in partnership with the Agence de Développement Touristique du Bas-Rhin, the regional tourist agency, Animations were organised around these sites, like tours, lectures, concerts etc. Explanations were given by volunteers. Leaflets or brochures were distributed.
What kind of Jewish heritage could be seen? Well, every element of Jewish heritage has a particular symbolic significance. The synagogue is primarily a place of prayer. It is also however a place of sacred text survey. Its name in Hebrew, 'beit knesseth' means indeed a place of gathering. Cemeteries have always been a place of particular holiness for the Jews. Several names have been given to cemeteries in Hebrew: bet chaim - house of life, bet hakvarot - house of the tombs, bet haolam – eternal house. Other Jewish sites include museums, Jewish quarters, Jewish monuments etc.
After such a success, contacts where then made with neighbouring regions in Germany and Switzerland. The event was broadened three years later to the whole of France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain.
It became a truly trans-national project with the European Day of Jewish Culture, organised for the first time in the year 2000. The event was co-organised at the European level by B’nai B’rith Europe, the Tourist Agency of Bas-Rhin (ADT-Alsace), the European Council of Jewish Communities and the Spanish Route of Judaism (Red de Juderias de Espana). Since then, the European Day of Jewish Culture has expanded regularly to all corners of Europe, involving 25 countries. In some countries the Day has even taken place under the ‘patronage’ of the head of State.
Articles appeared in major newspapers, including even the New York Times. 120.000 visitors or more visit each year the various Jewish sites, which make it an unavoidable event and highlight of the year, for which B’nai B’rith Europe has contributed a lot.
Beyond this extraordinary day devoted to the encounter with the public, the organisers also wish to promote and help preserving the Jewish heritage of all kind. Therefore, the idea came up to link all the major Jewish sites, first virtually, through a website, then, on a map, in order to facilitate the visits and the promotion of these sites.
Thus it was decided to create the European Route of Jewish Heritage, which consists in the highlighting of the traces left by Judaism throughout generations across Europe.
The European Route of Jewish Heritage was officially launched during a seminar, which took place on the 18th-20th of June 2004 in Luxembourg (Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg) and which gathered the national coordinators of the European Day of Jewish Culture and top specialists in Jewish Art and Heritage, with the help of the Government.
In 2004, this Route has been recognized by the Council of Europe as an official European route, marking its importance for Europe. A cooperation process has successfully taken place for several years with the European Institute of Cultural Routes, based also in Luxembourg.
Together with its partners, the European Council of Jewish Communities and the Red de Juderias de Espana, B’nai B’rith Europe will continue to work for the preservation and the valorisation of Jewish heritage across Europe. B’nai B’rith Europe’s Commission on Jewish Heritage has taken upon itself to develop further these projects, under the leadership of Mrs. Claude Bloch, together with François Moyse, Laure Amoyel and many other volunteers.
For we owe it to our ancestors and to History to preserve the sites, which have been a testimony of the integration of Jews into European society. The task is overwhelming: it is, however, a most exciting one!
For more information, please consult the website:
http://www.jewisheritage.org
