An event organized by the Department of Jewish History and Culture at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, the Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Basel, the Institute for Jewish Studies at the University of Vienna, the Institute for Jewish History in Austria, the Chair of Jewish Studies at Otto Friedrich University Bamberg, the Sigi Feigel Visiting Professorship for Jewish Studies at the University of Zurich, the Institute for Contemporary History at the University of Innsbruck, the Jewish Studies Program at Central European University in Budapest/Vienna, and the Heidelberg University for Jewish Studies – in cooperation with the Jewish Museum Hohenems.
Jewish experiences and ways of life have always been characterized by mobility. This often brings to mind persecution and forced migration. However, there are also other factors that have prompted Jews to travel, which are the focus of this year’s summer university. Economically, they were primarily confined to trade professions in many regions, and so “traveler” was definitely a profession in its own right, whether as peddlers or merchants. This shaped social experiences as well as the need to find spouses outside one’s own local community and thus maintain family structures even over long distances. Communication about religious traditions and the constant re-establishment of Jewish knowledge required permanent exchange and thus rabbinical travel between the centers of Jewish life in Europe and beyond. The networks of Jewish intellectual life that emerged in this way also expanded through a thirst for research and scientific curiosity. Eventually, the nostalgic search for the feeling of being at home and pilgrimages to the sites of legendary miracle rabbis gave rise to entirely new forms of Jewish tourism.
The 16th European Summer University for Jewish Studies Hohenems will explore the social, economic, religious, cultural, and scientific-historical dimensions of Jewish “travel” from July 12 to 17, 2026, with its usual broad interdisciplinary perspective, from trade routes and marriage networks to a thirst for discovery and nostalgic longing.
The Summer University for Jewish Studies Hohenems 2026 is open to students from all disciplines. Preference will be given to students from the participating universities in Bamberg, Basel, Budapest, Heidelberg, Innsbruck, Munich, Vienna, and Zurich.
Participation fee
for students (including accommodation and breakfast) 280,- € / will be partially subsidized or reimbursed by the universities.
for students (without accommodation) 150,-
for non-students (without accommodation) 250,- €
Information and registration at:
https://www.jgk.geschichte.uni-muenchen.de/sommeruniversitaet/index.html ►
Please register in the period: April 07 to May 31, 2026
The event is supported by
Amt der Vorarlberger Landesregierung, Kultur und Wissenschaft – Amt der Stadt Hohenems – Collini Hohenems– Freundeskreis des Lehrstuhls für Jüdische Geschichte und Kultur, München
