Judaica Europeana
Jewish collections online
Number 2, 2011
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Judaica Europeana opens access to Jewish heritage
The Judaica Europeana network The network of Jewish museums, libraries and archives which have joined Judaica Europeana has more than doubled since the launch of this project. Twenty-three institutions in 17 cities have joined forces to provide an integrated online access to Jewish collections under the single digital roof of Europeana. We can confidently predict that the network will continue to expand as the project develops and more Jewish content is digitized. |
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Spotlight on partners’ collections
Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam
The Jewish Historical Museum Foundation was set up in 1930 for ‘the collection and presentation of everything that illustrates Jewish life in general and Dutch Jewish life in particular’ and ‘the useful employment of every means to encourage Jewish art and studies’. In 1937, the museum’s collection consisted of over 600 objects. During the Second World War, the museum was forced to close and much of the collection was confiscated. Only a small percentage was recovered after the war. Today, this award-winning museum holds around 30,000 objects, documents and photos. The collection guidelines have remained the same as when they were first drawn up. In recent decades, however, additional emphasis has been placed on the arts, everyday life and personal history. |
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Frankfurt University Library
The books in the Judaica Collection of the University Library at the Goethe University in Frankfurt on Main form one of the most important collections of its kind in the world. They tell fascinating stories about the life of Frankfurt Jews and their commitment to their home city. Merchant, bankers and rabbis and later politicians, intellectuals and artists played an important role in shaping the character of Frankfurt society. One of the eminent women who left an indelible imprint in this city’s history was Bertha Pappenheim, who became famous as the patient Anna O. in Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis. … |
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Virtual exhibitions
Online thematic exhibitions are a very effective way of presenting the contents of Judaica Europeana partners’ collections. Two such exhibits are showcased: postcards from the Hungarian Jewish Archives in Budapest and 20th century photographs from the Jewish Museum of Greece in Athens. Both are currently being digitized in the framework of the Judaica Europeana project. |
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Conferences and seminars
Twenty events were held over the last 12 months in various European cities and in Israel to raise awareness of Judaica Europeana among its target audiences. A few highlights: Jewish urban studies at the EAJS Congress At Judaica Europeana’s instigation, a session on Jewish urban studies was held in July in Ravenna at the IX Congress of the European Association of Jewish Studies. This was the first time urban studies were given special attention at the EAJS Congress. Judaica partners presented papers based on documents in their collections. |
