“Jewish Art and Tradition” Academic Workshop

Belgrade, 1-15 February 2009

The Academic Workshop entitled “Jewish Art and Tradition” was held for the second year in cooperation with and with the support of the Bar Ilan University from Israel, the Faculty of Arts in Belgrade and the Jewish Historical Museum in Belgrade. The workshop deals with specific qualities of the Jewish culture and tradition, and as such it is the only workshop with a specific purpose in the region. In the period between 1 and 15 February 2009, respected professors from the mentioned universities held lectures and made the workshop participants acquainted with certain segments of the Jewish cultural heritage. Aleksandra Buncic, associate for movable heritage, took part in Workshop.

In the period between 1 and 7 February lectures were held on the Jewish-Christian Relations in the Roman and Byzantine Art (Ms. Emma Mayaan-Fanar, PhD.), the Sephardim and the Visual Culture of the Balkans (Mr. Nenad Makulijevic, PhD.) and the Jewish Religious Literature from Bible to Kabbalah (Mr. Eliezer Papo, PhD.). In addition to the lectures concerning the central role of Jerusalem in the Christian and the Jewish thought and the mediaeval art (Ms. Jelena Erdeljan, PhD.), Rabbi Isak Asiel organised an introduction into religion and customs and the attendance of Erev Shabbath service in the synagogue during the afternoon sessions.

A one-day visit to the cities of Subotica and Novi Sad were organised on Sunday, 8 February 2009. Mr. Rudolf Klein, PhD., gave introductory lectures in the synagogue of Subotica, the cemetery and the City Hall, which was followed by his lecture held in the synagogue of Novi Sad.

The second workshop week, from 9 to 15 February, was dedicated to the Art at the Time of the Holocaust (Ms. Mirjam Rajner, PhD.), Philosemitism and Antisemitism in the Renaissance Culture (Mr. Sasa Brajovic), Degenerated Art in Nazi Germany: Antisemitism and Antimodernism (Mr. Milan Ristovic, PhD.), the Jewish Ceremonial Art (Ms. Marija Salom), the Jewish Museology (Mr. Nenad Radic, PhD.) and the Jewish Thought and Movements in the Modern Architecture (Mr. Rudolf Klajn, PhD.).

On 15 February, which was the last workshop day, the participants visited the Jewish Historical Museum, after which the workshop was evaluated and formally closed.