- On 11th and 12th December, the JMG took part in the 13th meeting organised by the Greek Branch of ICOM, the purpose of which was to provide information on the theme of Education and Modern Greek Heritage. The focus of this meeting was on museums and how they relate to the adult public. With this in mind, talks concentrated on museum educational activities with this specific target audience and the part museums play in lifelong learning.
- ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF EUROPEAN JEWISH MUSEUMS- Athens, 21-24 November 2009
The Jewish Museum of Greece, permanent member of the Association of European Jewish Museums (AEJM), hosted for the first time in Athens (21-24 November, 2009), the annual meeting of the Association of European Jewish Museums. Fifty-four (54) members and associate members, directors, curators and representatives of thirty-four (34) Jewish museums and organizations attended the four – day conference, from nineteen (19) countries from Europe, U.S. and Israel. At the annual meeting of the AEJM, there were held lectures and discussions on issues related to the museums strategic planning and management, as well as presentations of new exhibitions, research projects, and educational activities organized by the various museums. Participants had the opportunity on the first day, to visit the JMG premises, where they were given a guided tour through the permanent and temporary exhibitions of the museum by the Director of the JMG, Ms. Z. Battinou. The participant’s contact with the treasures of the Greek Jewish history and tradition, gave rise to fruitful discussions the following days, in the form of workshops, relating to issues such as collections management, temporary exhibitions’ design, preventive conservation, educational activities and research projects carried out by the JMG (e.g. the Corpus of Jewish inscriptions of Greece). The JMG, among other events, planned a guided tour of the Jewish sights and monuments in Athens. The tour continued in Chalkis, where the participants visited the exhibition in the Castle of Karambamba – with three of the most important Jewish inscriptions on show – the Jewish cemetery and the synagogue. The visit to Chalkis was completed with lunch, offered by the Jewish Community of Chalkis. The second day ended, with a guided tour at the New Acropolis Museum and a traditional dinner offered at the Cultural Center by the Jewish Community of Athens. On the third day, Ms. Lila de Chavez guided AEJM members and associate members through the permanent exhibition of “The Benaki Museum”, while the evening closed with a reception, offered – in honour of the AEJM participants – by the Central Board of Jewish Communities of Greece. Excursions and meals were, as usual, great opportunities for new contacts, exchange of ideas, collaborations and conversation among members of the AEJM. The annual meeting was completed successfully after four days of work on issues of common interest to the European Jewish Museums.
On 21st to 23rd June the JMG took part in the annual meeting of the International Task Force for Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research in Oslo, Norway, as a member of the Greek Delegation.
