About this talk

Finland is one of the few countries with an Eastern European (Litvak) Jewish community that remained largely untouched by the Holocaust. The local community, centered around two Orthodox congregations in Helsinki and Turku, is also one of the northernmost Jewish communities in the world.

As Finland becomes increasingly multicultural, this diversity is reflected within the Jewish community as well, which now includes a vibrant mix of cultures, languages, and religious perspectives. This presentation will highlight the key aspects of Finnish Jewish history and introduce the main sites of Jewish life in Finland, including synagogues, cemeteries, and other historically significant locations.

About Mercédesz and Dóra

Dr. Mercédesz Czimbalmos and Dr. Dóra Pataricza are researchers at Åbo Akademi University (Turku/Åbo in Finland), in the project "Boundaries of Jewish Identities in Contemporary Finland - Minhag Finland".

Mercédesz (Merci) holds a PhD in Comparative Religion, with her doctoral dissertation titled "Intermarriage and Conversion." Her research focuses on intermarriage and conversion within Finnish Jewry. She is also an active member of the Jewish Community of Helsinki and vice-chairperson of JOY, the Jewish Organization of Young Adults in Finland.

Dóra is a post-doctoral researcher in History and Jewish Studies and currently serves as vice–principal investigator of the project "Antisemitism Undermining Democracy" at Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland, led by Mercédesz Czimbalmos. Dóra is vice president of WIZO Finland, and serves on the board of Limmud Europe.

Both Dóra and Mercédesz are certified tour guides in various languages.