Launched in 1996 in the Bas-Rhin (Alsace/France), under the Open Day formula by the Jewish association B'nai B'rith Hirschler in Strasbourg, in partnership with the Agence de Développement Touristique du Bas-Rhin, each summer many Jewish sites were open to the public. Animations were organised around these sites, like tours, lectures, concerts etc. Volunteers gave explanations. Leaflets or brochures were distributed. It was a great success. Indeed, in Alsace 200 sites have been identified.

During that Day, Jewish site such as synagogues, cemeteries, ritual baths, museums, former Jewish quarters usually closed to the public were opened. Cultural animations centred on Jewish culture were organised in numerous places (concerts, exhibitions, conferences, official ceremonies, etc.)

Contacts where then made with neighbouring regions in Germany and Switzerland. The event was broadened three years later to the whole of France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. In 2000 eleven new countries contributed to the European development of this initiative.

It became a truly trans-national project with the European Day of Jewish Culture 2000.

the Four co-ordinating organisations

The Day is co-ordinated by four organisations: l'Agence de Développement Touristique du Bas-Rhin (ADT), B'nai B'rith Europe, the European Council of Jewish Communities and Red de Juderias de Espana-Caminos de Sefarad.

One can see from the description of these organisations that both Jewish and non-Jewish organisations are involved. The strength of this network can be found in its diversity. The Spanish and French touristic agencies have contributed to the project. Only these are capable of granting a professional dimension to the project, by creating appropriate programmes to the organised tours.

The two European Jewish organisations are active at the European level and use their contacts to mobilise their members so as to organise the Day at the grass-root level. As non-governmental organisations, their experience is valuable.

Numerous other organisations participate at the local level, including various organisations and Jewish communities. This variety testifies of the potential of this project.

The logo of the Council of Europe's campaign entitled "Europe- a common heritage" was granted to the European Day of Jewish Culture.

evaluation of the day

Globally, the Day with the creation of its European status is a great success. It consists in 500 activities organised across 200 European cities thanks to the important mobilisation of Jewish communities, villages/towns, organisations, museums, tourist agencies and especially volunteers. It gathers approximately 150 000 visitors each year who attend these Days to discover or re discover the architectural, artistic, historical and religious heritage. The big majority of the visitors are non Jewish and are mainly local inhabitants.

The European co-ordinators co-ordinate this event, by keeping in touch with all the countries involved. The entire programme of this European Day of Jewish Culture is included on the web-site of Jewish heritage in Europe.

goals of the day

The main goals of the European Day of Jewish Culture are:

To gather and to sensitise Europeans to a common historic and cultural heritage, in a mind of tolerance and dialogue, Facilitate the access of all to culture, Highlight the necessity to preserve this heritage of the destruction and the oblivion, Develop the European tourism around culture. The European Day of Jewish Culture is also the result of the emergence of new dynamics of co-operation between countries and regions which participate at the same time to one same project.

Poster of the day

The European Day of Jewish Culture entails also the use and promotion of the new technology: these exchanges which are mainly done by electronic mail, the CD Roms which permit a multilingual adaptation of posters and programmes, Internet on which will be distributed all activities of the Day...

La Journée Européenne de la Culture Juive, enfin, résulte de l'implication d'un grand nombre de pays engagés dans le processus d'élargissement et de réalisation de l'intégration européenne.

Beyond this extraordinary day devoted to the encounter with the public, the organisers wished to promote and help preserve the Jewish heritage, which is an integral part of Europe's cultural heritage.