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JEWISH

Vienna University plans chair of Yiddish studies

According to an article in Der Standard newspaper, the University of Vienna plans to set up an interdisciplinary Chair in the Yiddish language and Yiddish studies.

Published: 11 June 2014 15:30 CEST
Vienna University plans chair of Yiddish studies
Hebrew prayer book from 1272 with Yiddish text. Photo: Wikimedia

The university plans to launch the Chair in 2015.  It is currently working to establish an exploratory committee for the solicitation of funds, which will include representatives of Austria's Jewish communities, according to a press release.

On June 17th, the project will be presented in the "Epstein Lecture" at the Palais Epstein, an annex of the Austrian Parliament.

The project is managed by the Institute for Jewish Studies. In addition, according to the university it will include participation of the Institutes for German Studies, Eastern European History and Slavic Studies.
 
As part of the endowment, not only will the Yiddish language be taught, it will also explore the contributions of Yiddish culture to Austrian and European literature, art, music and politics over the centuries.
 
Yiddish is the traditional language of Ashkenazi Jews, and has minority language official status in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and the Ukraine.

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ISRAEL

Germany’s Jews call for protection amid Israel-Palestinian clashes

Germany's Jewish community on Wednesday urged the country to ramp up protection after Israeli flags were burnt in front of synagogues amid escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Published: 12 May 2021 11:59 CEST
Germany's Jews call for protection amid Israel-Palestinian clashes
A police car outside a synagogue in Bonn on Wednesday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Oliver Berg

Police arrested 16 people in two separate incidents at synagogues in the cities of Bonn and Münster, where Israeli flags were set on fire late Tuesday.

Josef Schuster, president of Germany’s Central Council of Jews, blamed Hamas for the escalating conflict in Israel and said tensions were spilling over.

“Israel and Jews as a whole are subjected to hatred and incitement, particularly on social media. The threat to the Jewish community is growing,” he said.

Pointing to the flag-burning incidents, he said “the protection of Jewish institutions must be raised”.

“We expect from the people in Germany solidarity with Israel and the Jewish community,” added Schuster.

READ ALSO: Merkel ‘shamed’ by growing anti-Semitism in Germany

Anti-Semitic crimes have risen steadily in Germany in recent years, with 2,032 offences recorded in 2019, up 13 percent on the previous year, according to government figures.

A German court in December handed down a life sentence to the assailant behind a deadly far-right attack last year that nearly became the country’s worst anti-Semitic atrocity since World War II.

After failing to storm a synagogue, the gunman shot dead a female passer-by and a man at a kebab shop.

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