Titled 'Jewish Rēzekne' and available in both Latvian and English, it contains a series of academically rigorous but accessible essays on various aspects of Rēzekne's Jewish history, culture and economy.
At a launch event in Riga April 12 (with another in Rēzekne itself April 13), editor Uldis Neiburgs said:
"I took on the job without really knowing what to expect. It was very interesting and we discovered a lot that was new. I believe this is not just a book for academics but can be read and enjoyed by the general reader too."
That view was backed up by Ineta Zelca Simansone, who has led a project covering several years that has included not just the publication of the book but a groundbreaking conference (you can read LSM's report HERE) and the award-winning restoration of Rēzekne's beautiful Green Synagogue.
"We did as much as we could to make the academic texts accessible to the general reader," she said, before reflecting on other aspects of the publication (see sound file above).
Providing financial supporting for the project was Germany's Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, a fund that backs projects concerned with social democracy, history and reconciliation.
Dr. Tobias Mörschel, the fund's co-ordinator in the Baltic states explained why the decision had been taken to support the Jewish Rezekne project which he described as "a milestone for the Jewish history of Latvia."
