“Jewish history knows many tragedies in which culture often remained a supporting element of strength and hope.” Judith Epstein says so. And that’s what she’s counting on as the organizer of the Jewish Cultural Days in Munich, which begins on Monday, November 13th. To counteract “the situation in the Middle East”, which has reached a “new brutal dimension of violence and cruelty” with “the massacres and hostage-taking by Hamas”: “Jewish life lived with diversity, democracy and freedom” . With your own series you want to strengthen the community of values with education, encounters and exchange.
The program of the Jewish Cultural Days was “adjusted” as a result of the atrocities on October 7th, explains Epstein. Instead of happy traditional Hora circle dances, there will now be solemn religious songs at the central ceremony on November 29th. The rest of the program, in its original conception, “fits bitterly into the current context” and, as in previous years, is linked to the present. The following also applies to the 37th edition of the series: “Jewish culture is not just Klezmer, but was and is an integrative part of the overall culture.”
The message for culture, dialogue and reflection remains, the context has changed this year, said Epstein. And it reminds many people that democracy, peace and security have to be fought for. “Dialogue in hardened times is a double challenge.” Culture can soothe and build bridges these days; society will and must come together again on this foundation.
When it comes to the security precautions at the individual events that take place throughout the city, the chairwoman of the Society for the Promotion of Jewish Culture and Tradition refers to sad experiences: “We are not naive in good and bad times.” The reality of Jewish life in Germany is characterized by high security precautions, even between all the wars. But standing together in a circle of friends is comforting, especially now; many people don’t want to miss the personal encounter.
The chairwoman of the Society for the Promotion of Jewish Culture and Tradition, Judith Epstein.
(Photo: Sabine Grudda)
The start of the festival is expected to be a moving encounter: from November 13th to 16th, Manfred Bockelmann will show portraits of children who were murdered by the henchmen of the Nazi regime – drawn with brittle charcoal on man-sized black and white canvases Title “Drawing against forgetting”https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/.”Nobody cried for these children and it would be wonderful if we could do that now,” says the renowned artist. In addition to his series of works, Bärbel Jack’s film about the art project can be seen at the Jewish Center on St.-Jakobs-Platz.
The exhibition “Operation Finale: The Capture and Trial of Adolf Eichmann” will be shown for the first time in Germany in the State Egyptian Museum in Munich at Gabelsberger Straße 35 from November 25th. The show offers insights into the secret history that led to the capture of the “Architect of the Shoah.”
An eventful family story from post-war Germany and Austria with tragicomic humor will be told on December 5th in the Luitpoldblock, Brienner Straße 1. The actor and cabaret artist Heinz Marecek reads from the book “I am a zebra: a Jewish odyssey” by the Austrian entrepreneur and publicist Erwin Javor.
“The language of culture connects” is the motto at the official ceremony of the 37th Jewish Cultural Days in Gasteig HP8 on November 29th, 7:30 p.m. The orchestra Noya with Refael Mirila musically wanders through the world of Jewish melodies. The piano twins Franziska and Melanie Überreiter then take over with Jewish sounds from Broadway. The finale will be on December 11th, 7:30 p.m., in Hall X of the Gasteig HP8 Klezmer Angels with pianist Inna Surzhenko and singers Svea Zhidetskaya and Margarita Haye with klezmer songs. The 5th Hanukkah candle will then be lit together and Channuka specialties will be served to introduce this Jewish holiday to Munich society.
37th Jewish Cultural Days Munich, November 13th to December 11th: Information and registration at www.juedischekulturmuenchen.de.