The main aim of the research centre is to make the contribution of Judaism to European culture understandable as a historical condition and integrative component of our contemporary society: The centre's research and teaching activities therefore focus on the history of Christian-Jewish relations and interdependence from antiquity to the present day, as well as interreligious and intercultural relations with Islam. The background and effects of latent or manifest anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism are inextricably linked to this perspective. From a cultural studies and humanities perspective, particular attention is paid to the interdependencies between German and European modernity and Jewish culture. In addition, Oldenburg and the north-west prove to be an interesting field of research due to their diverse European and global interdependencies and enable a concrete regional connection from a global perspective.

This year's lecture series "Judaism: Civilisation without Borders" sheds light on Judaism as a living civilisation and the cradle of a diverse culture. It shows how Jewish life has fulfilled the characteristics of a civilisation over thousands of years - whether in the time of Ancient Israel, in the centuries of the diaspora without a state of its own or today, when the Jewish diaspora and the modern state of Israel exist side by side. Despite discrimination, persecution and changing geographical areas, a resilient civilisation emerged that combined religion, law, languages, literature, the arts, agriculture, (semi-)autonomous living spaces and much more. Over the course of two years, the Leo Trepp Lecture Theatre will focus on numerous aspects of Jewish civilisation that transcend epochal, national and cultural boundaries, thus inviting a multi-layered understanding of Judaism.

The complete programme of the lecture series can be found here.