Gothenburg initiates network for Jewish literature among UNESCO Cities of Literature

— We want to highlight the Jewish literary cultural heritage in the European cities that once had a large Jewish population and let it interact with our own time, says the association's chairman Anna Grinzweig Jacobsson.

The purpose of the prestudy is to investigate how UNESCO Cities of Literature work with Jewish literature, Jewish cultural heritage, and whether there are opportunities for three of these; Krakow in Poland, Lviv in Ukraine and Prague in the Czech Republic, to collaborate with the Jewish Saloon in Gothenburg to form and develop a Jewish European literary network.

— The Jewish Saloon wants to continue to develop its cultural activities in cooperation with other literary cities. With Gothenburg as the hub, we aim to create transnational collaborations that deepen and revitalize the Jewish cultural heritage in Europe, says Karin Brygger, who is also involved in the project.

The Jewish Saloon arranges open events with a Jewish theme in literature, art, theater, music, film, dance and other cultural areas. They are a non-profit organization, religiously and politically independent, and address everyone who is interested in Jewish culture. They are usually held at the Gothenburg House of Literature.

— For a couple of years now, the Jewish Saloon has been an important member and a fantastic event organizer. They mix prose, poetry, music and drama. Of course the classics, but also newly written material. We have worked on the Swedish Arts Council application together, but they make all the project-related and artistic decisions”, says Olav Fumarola Unsgaard from the Gothenburg House of Literature.

Anna Grinzweig Jacobsson, Karin Brygger and Olav Fumarola Unsgaard (Foto private and Leopard förlag)