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History, Synagogues and Swiss Chocolate:
A Journey Through Jewish Switzerland
Sunday, September 28
USA 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET
UK 8:00 pm / France 9:00 pm / Israel 10:00 pm
The talk will last approximately 90 minutes
About this talk
What does Jewish life in Switzerland look like and what has it looked like across the centuries? This talk explores the long and often overlooked story of Judaism in Switzerland, beginning in the Middle Ages. We will examine periods of exclusion, including the banning of schächten (ritual slaughter) and restrictions on where Jews could live and work. We will then focus on Switzerland's complex role during the Second World War, a country that provided refuge for some Jews while turning others away at the border.
But this is not just a story of persecution. We will also discuss the resilience and renewal of Jewish communities in Switzerland, from sports clubs and student unions to youth movements and schools. Finally, we will reflect on the persistence of antisemitism in today's society alongside the vibrant and diverse Jewish life that continues to grow, from kosher lists to historic synagogues and an Eruv that will soon be completed.
This is a journey through history and modern identity that reveals the challenges and joys of being Jewish in Switzerland, past and present.
About Ari
Ari Hechel is studying to be a secondary school teacher at the Zurich University of Teacher Education. He has been educating Swiss students about Judaism and antisemitism since 2016 through the Dialog project Likrat. He has visited over 80 schools to answer the students' questions about Judaism. He also leads tours for school classes in his community's synagogue. Since 2020 he has been involved in the "Nachkommen erzählen" project, as a holocaust educator. Through this program teachers around Switzerland invite him to talk about how his grandmother had survived the Holocaust.
Ari Hechel has been trained by the Anti-Defamation League to lead their Words to Action seminars, empowering Jewish students to fight antisemitism.
In 2023 he went on an exchange semester to Monash University in Melbourne, to study history, geography, and English, and learn about the education system in Australia. Ari has taught in schools in Switzerland, Mexico and the Seychelles.
RECORDING INFORMATION
This talk will be recorded and shared with registrants the day after.
It will be available for 3 days, and 7 days for members.
Click here to register
You will be asked to select one of these options:
General admission - $18
Supported admission - $9
Sponsor this talk - $36
With your contribution you will also be donating to the Swiss Union of Jewish Students (SUJS)
