| Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät, SPF Religion. Gesellschaft. Weltbeziehung., Forschung, Veranstaltungen

Cloister Talks: "Food for thought: Jewish voices in a plural society"

The Catholic Forum in the State of Thuringia and the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Erfurt invite to their joint Cloister Talks again in 2021. This year's motto is "Food for thought: Jewish voices in a plural society" and will take place online due to the pandemic.

In spring 2021, the traditional event period of the Cloister Talks, two anniversaries overlap: Nationwide, the year 2021 has the theme "1700 Years of Jewish Life in Germany". Since 1 October 2020, the Free State of Thuringia has been celebrating "Nine Centuries of Jewish Life in Thuringia". This year's Cloister Talks tie in with these theme years - not as a reminder, but with exemplary questions of lasting relevance:

  • Secular Judaism makes us ask how one understands oneself as religionless within a religion.
  • How do Jews respond to questions of medical ethics?
  • What thoughts and impressions do the so-called "hygiene demonstrations" trigger?

The first event will take place on Wednesday, 21 April, at 7.30 pm. Prof. Dr. Frederek Musall (Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Intellectual History in Heidelberg) will speak about "Religionless in Religion? The programme continues on 28 April at 7.30 pm with Alexander Nachama, the regional rabbi of the Jewish Community of Thuringia, and his lecture on the "Problem area of medical ethics. Questions and answers from a Jewish perspective". And the third lecture on 5 May, also at 7.30 pm, is about "Fellow travellers in the past and today". The pedagogue and publicist Juna Grossmann will speak.

The Webex service will be used for the digital event. You will receive an access link after registering the day before the event - by email at kath.forum@bistum-erfurt.de or phone: 0361 6572-370.

Further information/Contact:
Katholisches Forum im Land Thüringen
Akademie des Bistums Erfurt
Farbengasse 2
99084 Erfurt
Tel.:  0361 6572-370
E-Mail: kath.forum@bistum-erfurt.de

Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät der Universität Erfurt
Domstr. 10
99084 Erfurt
Telefon:  0361 737-2500
E-Mail: dekanat.kthfak@uni-erfurt.de

About the speakers:

Frederek Musall, born 1973; studied Jewish Studies as well as Islamic Studies/Arabic Studies and Semitic Studies in Heidelberg and Jerusalem; 2005 PhD in Jewish Philosophy and Intellectual History in Heidelberg; 2009-2015 Assistant Professor, since 2015 Full Professor for Jewish Philosophy and Intellectual History at the Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies; since 2017 Deputy Rector.

Alexander Nachama, born 1983 in Frankfurt/Main; studied Jewish Studies in Berlin and Potsdam; 1998-2011 honorary prayer leader and later cantor in the Jewish Community of Berlin (Hüttenweg and Herbartstraße synagogues); 2012-2018 community rabbi of the Jewish Community of Dresden; since 2018 regional rabbi of the Jewish Community of Thuringia.

Juna Grossmann, born 1976 in Berlin; studied special education; worked in various museums, memorials and galleries; since 2008 operator of the blog irgendwiejuedisch.com; 2018 publication "Schonzeit vorbei. Über das Leben mit dem täglichen Antisemitismus".