Culture
An important objective of the SIG is the promotion of knowledge of Jewish culture both inside and outside the community. For this purpose, the SIG keeps records of Jewish life in Switzerland and makes them available to research, and as well preserves the communities' archives and visual records for future generations. The SIG endeavours by a variety of activities to foster public awareness of Jewish culture in Switzerland.Further information
Institute for Jewish Studies, University of Basel
SIG Factsheets on the subject
Overview SIG Factsheets - Jewish Culture*
* All Factsheets are available in French or German. Select your preferred language by clicking the language selection on the top of this site. This will display the content of this page (in either French or German).
Thus, the SIG offers many opportunities to meet Jewish men and women and to understand Judaism.
The Jewish community in Switzerland can be traced back to Roman times. Synagogues dating from the 18th or 19th centuries are a feature of the urban landscapes of several Swiss towns and villages. Jewish communities and associations organise courses and cultural evenings on music, literature, film and theatre as well as panel discussions on contemporary issues. Schools host meetings between young Jews and non-Jews and universities run courses on Jewish Studies.
Further information on community activities
As part of its commitment to culture, the SIG adds input to certain community-based activities, develops synergies between the various initiatives and fosters the build up of links between cultural organisations. At the political level, the SIG acts on behalf of the cultural concerns of its communities.
The SIG uses the following main tools and resources in cultural affairs:
- Publication series: Articles on the History and Culture of the Jews in Switzerland
- Documentation on the subject ‘The Jews in Switzerland’
- The Breslau Library
- Bibliography
- Cultural resource centre: information and advice on Jewish issues
- Co-ordination of and support for community libraries and the community departments in their cultural and educational work
- Contacts with the relevant authorities and organisations
- Financial support for projects and organisations dealing with Jewish issues.