Through this nomination Tarbut wants to recognise and thank publicly the work of those friends of Judaism, in general, and of our institution, in particular. Our first Ambassadors are Matilde Rufach (in Unesco Lleida and UnescoCat), Amor Ayala (in Berlín), Miquel Segura (in the Balear Islands) and Prim Bertran (in Rome).

With this nomination we want to make our friendship grow. Nominating these people as our Ambassadors has the intention to work in mutual cooperation helping each other in the diffusion of our tasks. In the case of Tarbut, making Hebrew culture better known for the general public.
Our Ambassadors will give us support in the areas where they work and live, as well as in the grounds where they develop their usual tasks. They will help us in the diffusion of our institution with our plans and activities. On the other hand, we offer our means to help divulge their activities and projects. We start this tradition with four Ambassadors, people who have been most relevant for us in raising interest both for our institution and the Hebrew culture in the very short time of our existence. They have always encouraged and supported us in our tasks. 

¿How can high culture be compatible with moral wickedness? This is the question Rosa Sala poses in her book “The mysterious German case. An attempt to understand Germany through its literature” she presented in this Fair of the Hebrew Book.

”Dissociation between culture and Nazism is false”, stated researcher Rosa Sala Rose. “Recognising that Nazism never loathed culture and that not everything was propaganda and opportunism is an unease fact for us”. These statements were just a foretaste of the exposition of the lecture scheduled as part of the program of the Hebrew Book Fair under the title “Cultural roots of German anti Judaism”. In contrast with the rich bibliography that tries to explain Nazi anti Judaism from a racial point of view, Sala faces such a complex challenge from a cultural view. Rosa Sala spoke about cultural anti-Semitism as a result of a process developed from late 18th century, along a century, which in consequence is previous to racial anti-Semitism. Although it is not possible to state a cause-effect relation, it can be assured that cultural anti-Semitism prepared the ground for the arguments of racial anti-Semitism which so deeply penetrated German society. Rosa Sala Rose’s lecture was followed with great interest by the audience, which filled the Library Conference Hall, and took an active part at the time of any other questions.

From last Wednesday May 16th to Thursday May 31st, the First Fair of Hebrew Books can be visited in the Public Library of Lleida. The Fair includes the exhibition and sale of books on the most various Hebrew subjects by the most various Jewish authors. Together with this interesting offer there is a wide program of cultural activities, among which the outstanding cycle of conferences “Judaism, a source of thoughts”.

In their speeches, the authorities put the emphasis in the fact that society in general should enrich their knowledge on Hebrew culture, which has had such a big influence in the universal culture.
The First Fair of Hebrew Books in Catalonia will be held in Lleida from May 16th to May 31st.

A large number of local representatives, as well as many friends of Tarbut were present in the official opening of the Fair, which took place in the magnificent cloister of the Public Library. The act was presided by Ferran Rella (director of Territorial Services of the Department of Culture and Mass Media of Generalitat de Catalunya), Miquel Padilla (vice-president the First of Diputació de Lleida), Xavier Aluja (regidor of the Town Hall, Department of Civil Rights, Cooperation and Immigration) and Carme Ariche (director of the Library); all of them institutions that supported and financed this event. With them, Silvia Schnessel, president of Tarbut.

The local history researcher Santi Torres Torradeflot analyzed, from a historical point of view, the presence of the Jewish community in Lleida, their importance and the trace left by them along centuries  of coexistence in the town. 

It was the first conference from the cycle scheduled in the program of the First Book Fair of the Hebrew Book in Catalonia. The lecture was on: "Lleida and Judaism: The Sepharadic East". The topic arises great interest, as we could see according to the high attendance gathered in the Conference Hall of the Public Library on May 3rd.  As a result of this, the journalist Diego Aránega interviewed Santi Torres for the local paper La Mañana published on Saturday May 19th. It is at your disposal in Spanish in the following link.

Link to La Mañana, interview with Santi Torres Torradeflot.

Over 300 titles of Jewish thematic and/or authors will be shown in the book exhibition and market to be held in the Public Library of Lleida, from May 16th to 31st. The Fair of Books will be enriched with a cycle of interesting conferences, a photographic exhibition and a music recital. The fair is born with the purpose to divulge and promote the Hebrew culture in Lleida and its districts.

From May 16th to May 31st, the first fair of Jewish books can be visited in the Public Library of Lleida, where a wide range of books specialised in Jewish topics and /or authors will be exhibited and put to sale. TARBUT- Lleidatan Friends of the Jewish Culture organizes this event as part of its cultural offer. The event is addressed to the general public of readers who will find in it all kind of books, whether novels, poetry, cinema and cooking books or tour guides, and books on thinking, language or history for the more specialised readers. The purpose being to promote and divulge the Hebrew culture among our districts.
Apart from the book, that will no doubt be the protagonist, the Fair will offer an interesting program of cultural activities. Seven conferences, a photographic exhibition and a music recital will enable an approach to Hebrew culture and the Jewish people form another point of view: their philosophy and history, images from their land and people, and their music.