The anniversary year “250 Years of Jewish Life in Sweden” kicks off in Malmö with speeches by Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, Chair of Malmö City Council; Anniversary Coordinator Rebecka Glaser; Anniversary Project Manager Sara Glaser; Ann Katina, Chair of the Jewish Community of Malmö; and City Archivist Suzanne Sandberg. The event includes a storytelling tour by Jan Mark and a concert by Sandra Marielle.

The Malmö launch of the anniversary year also marks the finissage of the exhibition Life as Fabric. Hear the story behind the anniversary and learn about upcoming activities. Join the final tour of Lenke Rothman’s works and stay to hear Sandra Marielle sing in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish).

In 1775, King Gustav III granted the Jewish immigrant Aaron Isaac the right to settle in Stockholm without converting and allowed him to establish Sweden’s first Jewish congregation. This also included permission to create a Jewish cemetery on Kungsholmen. The main goal of the anniversary year is to highlight Jewish life in Sweden and increase public awareness of Jewish cultural identity.

13:00 Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, Chair of Malmö City Council, delivers the welcome address.

13:05 Opening speeches by Anniversary Coordinator Rebecka Glaser, Anniversary Project Manager Sara Glaser and Chair of the Jewish Community of Malmö, Ann Katina.

13:20 Jewish Life in Malmö: A talk by City Archivist Suzanne Sandberg.

14:00 Storytelling tour based on works by Lenke Rothman with Jan Mark and Malmö Konsthalls guide Nilas Hultman.

15:00 Music: Sandra Marielle (vocals in Ladino) accompanied by guitar. Ladino, also known as Judeo-Spanish, is an Ibero-Romance language originating from the various forms of Spanish spoken by the Jewish population expelled from Spain in 1492.

The event is organized in collaboration with the Jewish Community of Malmö and the Jewish Central Council.

To celebrate 250 years of Jewish life in Sweden, 2025 will be a year full of activities across the country. Schools, theaters, museums, libraries, cultural centers, county administrative boards, universities, study associations, publishers, organizations, and many more have already started planning. The Jewish Central Council coordinates the anniversary year and will continuously share updates on activities. Learn more at www.judisktliv.se.

Participants

Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh is the Chair of Malmö City Council.

Rebecka Glaser is the Anniversary Coordinator for the celebration of 250 years of Jewish life in Sweden in 2025. Rebecka has a background in project management and EU funding consultancy and has also worked as a cultural producer.

Sara Glaser is the Anniversary Project Manager for the celebration of 250 years of Jewish Life in Sweden. Sara is an actor, musician, and director, and she has also recently graduated as a political scientist from Lund University.

Ann Katina is the Chair of the Jewish Community of Malmö.

Suzanne Sandberg is the City Archivist at Malmö City Archives.

Jan Mark is a dramaturge, translator, and author. He is a member of the Storytelling Group of Holocaust Survivors’ Descendants in Malmö, which visits schools and other institutions to share witnesses’ experiences.

Sandra Marielle has a genuine interest in various music genres and languages. In addition to performing in Sweden, she has appeared in Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. She is currently releasing new music in the Scanian dialect.