CONTEXT For millennia, European Jewish culture has represented “the other” for Europe, necessary for Europe’s self-definition. At the same time, however, in the narrower sense of Judaism, and in the broader dimension of Jewish culture, Jews were at the birth and development of the European cultural sphere as we know it today. This phenomenon of the dual position of the Jewish minority in relation to the majority, which is not entirely unusual for Jewish Diaspora communities, manifested itself most distinctly on the European continent. The basic intention of the proposal is to encourage debate and reflection on the relevance of the European Jewish experience for contemporary Europe. OBJECTIVES The main objective of the proposed project is to map the European Jewish heritage and thinking from an interdisciplinary point of view and to create a theoretical approach attempting to respond to current European challenges of social inclusion, non-discrimination and equality issues. These objectives will be achieved during two subsequent phases. The initial one involves research, i.e. a data collection and analysis. In the second phase, as a follow-up, a collective monograph under the working title: 'United in Diversity' - An Interdisciplinary Study of Contemporary European Jewry and Its Reflection will be published. PARTICIPANTS There are nine participants from five different universities (CUNI, TAU, MMZ/UP, LMU, CU) who will carry out the project. Prof. Jiří Holý and Dr. Marcela Zoufalá from CUNI, Prof. Dina Porat and Dr. Haim Fireberg from TAU, Prof. Dr. Julius H. Schoeps and Dr. Olaf Glöckner from MMZ/UP, Prof. Dr. Michael Brenner and Dr. Julie Grimmeisen from LMU, Prof. Dr. Eduard Nižňanský from CU. ACTIVITIES Exploration of the given subject, which will be presented in various aspects under this project, aspires to achieve a deeper understanding of European identity through its reflection in Judaism. Specific activities are a Data collection / analysis; Learning / teaching material – an Academic publication; a Website; a Transnational project meetings and a conference. PROJECT METHODOLOGY The project is divided into three main topics that three research groups are dedicated to. The first group will work under the name “Representation of Jews and Judaism in Central European Cultures and Literatures”. The second work group will be “Contemporary Prospects for European Jews: Between Assimilation, Integration, ‘Jewish Renaissance’ and New Anti-Semitism”. The third work group will be “The New Jewish/Israeli Diaspora in Europe – Roots, Reasons, Ethnic Identity and Patterns of Integration”. The research will greatly benefit from the approach of multidisciplinary synergies and cross-fertilization which will be applied not only during the data collection but also in the final stage of results interpretation and analysis. RESULTS There are two different types of results achieved by this project: outputs and outcomes. The most significant intellectual output is the above mentioned (1) collective monograph. This result is based on extensive research fieldwork, i.e. (2) data collection and analysis in several different European countries, which represents the second output. The third meaningful output will be a newly established virtual platform, (3) a website which will be called “The European Jewish Experience”. Among the results of the project will be also listed the intangible ones. – The outcomes, include increased knowledge and improved abilities in the given field due to mutual learning and sharing of each other’s views and experiences. A raised socio-cultural awareness, which is simultaneously one of the main priorities of the project, might also certainly be concidered as an added value. These outcomes will be specially developed during the planned Transnational project meetings and a Multiplier event – a conference. IMPACT The proposed project has a very wide and complex effect on all local, national and even international – mainly European – levels. There are four target groups identified that will be reached and involved by different approaches. (1)university students, PhDs and post-docs (2) faculty members and researchers (3) press and general public (4) public actors, civil society representatives, and the European Commission Interested academic and non-academic groups and individuals from all over the world will have free access and will be invited to share and discuss the results of the proposed innovative study. The intellectual outputs described above will be available through the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform. LONGER TERM BENEFITS The submitted project emphasizes the importance of the diverse and shared European cultural heritage by numerous means. It will directly reinforce the economic sector by supporting new working positions and simultaneously strengthen the tolerance, and respect for diversity. The authentic idea of peaceful co-existence will be fastened.
CONTEXT For millennia, European Jewish culture has represented “the Other” for Europe, necessary for Europe’s self-definition. At the same time, however, in the narrower sense of Judaism and in the broader dimension of Jewish culture, Jews were at the birth and development of the European cultural sphere as we know it today. This phenomenon of the dual position of the Jewish minority in relation to the majority, which is not entirely unusual for Jewish Diaspora communities, manifested itself most distinctly on the European continent. The basic intention of the proposal was to encourage debate and reflection on the relevance of the European Jewish experience for contemporary Europe. OBJECTIVES The project's main objective was to map the European Jewish heritage and thinking from an interdisciplinary point of view and to create a theoretical approach attempting to respond to current European challenges of social inclusion, non-discrimination and equality issues. These objectives were achieved during two subsequent phases: the initial one involved research, i.e., data collection and analysis. In the second phase, as a follow-up, a collective monograph under the working title: 'United in Diversity' - An Interdisciplinary Study of Contemporary European Jewry and Its Reflection was written and prepared for publishing. PARTICIPANTS Nine participants from four different universities Charles University (CUNI), Tel Aviv University (TAU), The Moses Mendelssohn Center for European Jewish Studies, University of Potsdam (MMZ/UP), Comenius University (CU) carried out the project. Prof. Jiří Holý and Dr. Marcela Menachem Zoufalá from CUNI, Prof. Dina Porat, Dr. Haim Fireberg, and Prof. Lilach Lev-Ari from TAU, Prof. Dr. Julius H. Schoeps and Dr. Olaf Glöckner from MMZ/UP, and Prof. Dr. Eduard Nižňanský and Katarína Bohová from CU. ACTIVITIES Exploration of the given subject, presented in various aspects under this project, aspired to achieve a deeper understanding of European identity through its reflection in Judaism. Specific activities were a Data collection/analysis; Learning/teaching material – an Academic publication, establishing of the Website; Transnational project meetings, and a conference - Multiplier event. RESULTS There are two different types of results achieved by this project: outputs and outcomes. The most significant intellectual output is the preparation of the above-mentioned collective monograph. This result is based on extensive research fieldwork, i.e., data collection and analysis in several European countries, representing the second output. The third meaningful output is a virtual platform, a website called “United in Diversity.” Among the results of the project are also listed the intangible ones. – The outcomes include increased knowledge and improved abilities in the given field due to mutual learning and sharing each other’s views and experiences. A raised socio-cultural awareness, which was simultaneously one of the project's main priorities, might also certainly be considered an added value. IMPACT The proposed project has a wide and complex effect on all local, national, and even international – mainly European – levels. There are four target groups identified that were reached and involved by dissemination activities: (1)university students, PhDs, and post-docs (2) faculty members and researchers (3) press and general public (4) public actors, civil society representatives, and the EU and national decision-makers Interested academics, non-academic groups, and individuals worldwide can benefit from the project's results and additional achievements. Thank Open Access, virtual platform, and recorded conferences (organized without exception free of charge), everyone is invited to share and discuss the results of the acquired scholarship. The project's intellectual outputs are also naturally available through the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform. LONGER-TERM BENEFITS The completed project emphasized the importance of the diverse and shared European cultural heritage by numerous means. In the long run, it is our ambition to directly reinforce the socio-economic sector by supporting new working positions and simultaneously strengthening tolerance and respect for diversity. The authentic idea of peaceful co-existence will be fastened.