The 13th Jewish Week will be officially opened at Ariowitsch-Haus on 23 June 2019 by mayor Burkhard Jung, the President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Dr. Joseph Schuster and the Head of the Israeli religious community in Leipzig, Küf Kaufmann, combined with a ceremonial act for the 10th anniversary of the Ariowitsch-Haus.
Afterwards, citizens of Leipzig are invited to the first event at the memorial (at the site of the Leipzig Synagogue) on Gottschedstraße from 5pm. There will be speeches by mayor Burkhard Jung and the head of the Association of Former Leipzig Residents in Israel, Channa Gildoni. The Leipzig Synagogue Choir is providing the music for the event as in previous years.
Programme
With concerts, readings, films, speeches, witness accounts, city walks, theatre and dance, guests attending this special week are able to immerse themselves in Jewish everyday life and celebrations, religion and art. The focus is on in-depth conversations and the theme of different generations coming together.
For example, East and West meeting at the "Shalomaleikum" with the ensemble "Klänge der Hoffnung" at UT Connewitz. At the concert "Yael Deckelbaum & The Mothers" at Werk 2, you can listen to the sound of modern Jewish music. Svetlana Lavochkina reads from "Ein kleiner Türkis wird gefunden" at the German Central Library for the Blind. Visually stunning exhibitions and impressive films invite visitors to take a closer look.
Sports fans can get their money's worth at "Fußballauswahlspiel für Demokratie und Toleranz" at the Stadion der Freundschaft and for children there are exciting events on the programme with the motto "Wir feiern, singen, tanzen!".
At the brilliant closing concert on 30 June, one of the greatest Jewish works for choirs and orchestras will ring out, the "Avodath Hakodesh" by Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) in front of the impressive backdrop of Leipzig Main Station (eastern hall). Leipzig Synagogue Choir, the Gewandhaus Children's Choir, the Leipzig Vokalkollektiv, the Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Moran Choir from Israel are among the performers to be heard. Their participation serves as an important symbol of solidarity and friendship.
Programmes are available from all participating venues, at the New Town Hall, in the Resident Services Offices and at the tourist information centre.
Former Leipzig residents join the festivities
The City of Leipzig has been inviting Jewish former residents of Leipzig to visit the city since 1992. It is expected that more than 70 guests from Israel, the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Australia and New Zealand will join the events. Some of them will be giving witness accounts of their childhood experiences and memories of their parents and grandparents.
Leipzig looks back on a long tradition of Jewish culture which stretches back to the 13th century. From the 19th century until the Nazis coming into power, Jewish personalities had shaped science and culture in the city. As a result of the antisemitic politics of National Socialism, the community was almost wiped out. Today, there is once more a large Jewish community in Leipzig with more than 1,300 members who have again established the roots of Jewish life and Jewish culture in the city.
The Culture and Community Centre Ariowitsch-Haus is once again the centre of numerous meetings, exhibitions, concerts and tours and shows that the Jewish community in Leipzig is currently present and full of life.
Time and Place
from 23 to 30 June 2019
different locations