Jewish Spaces in the 21st century. An inspiring conference at the University Gothenburg/Sweden, May 3 to 5, 2022

Around 30 participants gathered in the University of Gothenburg to exchange in a friendly, collegial and scholarly atmosphere questions, topics and reflections on Jewish Spaces in the 21st century. Mapping history, reflecting on new virtual spaces for living his or her own Jewishness, storytelling for Jewish spaces that are Post-Shoah and sometimes also post-Jewish, Jewish Heritage and European values, guided tours through contested tourist sites in Vienna where Jewish-Hungarian forced laborers had to live and work after 1944, spaces of nostalgia and Europe as a space of a new Jewish consciousness were among the topics. Two honorable keynote speakers framed the conference: Ruth Ellen Gruber and Diana Pinto. Walks through Jewish Gothenburrg and a trip to the island of Marstrand where in 1779 Jewish immigrants landed, made the conference even more insightful. An excellent organization and generous support by foundations underlined that the question of Jewish Heritage and Jewish spaces and places in Europe are of high interest. 

Susanne Urban