This year was a special one for Timisoara and for its Jewish Community. On September 1, 2019, the city hosted the first edition of the Jewish Festival "Shalom Jerusalem" Timisoara. The event was organized by the Jewish Community of Timisoara, with its 70 volunteers, the Federation of the Jewish Communities in Romania and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), with the support of the Timis County Council through the Association for the Promotion and Development of Tourism in Timis (ADPT); the Municipality of Timisoara, and other partners. A special partnership was with the bikers’ group Timişoara Bikers 2007, who helped before, during and after the festival, with dedication and friendship.

The festival’s great success with the public is a confirmation of Timisoara’s identity as an open, multicultural and multiethnic city. The success of the festival is even more remarkable when we take into account the fact that it was the first event of this scale organized by Jewish Community, it was planned and implemented in a very short period of time, and it was held on the same day as 3 other major events open to the public. For the the Municipality of Timisoara and its Associated Partner, the Jewish Community, the festival also served as a very useful test for the similar events that we plan in the following years. The locals’ interest in Jewish culture, as seen from the great number of participants to the festival, is very encouraging. 

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