Paideia, the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden

forthcoming

Paideia was established in 2000 through a foundational grant from the Swedish government and the Wallenberg foundation, with the purpose of rebuilding a European Jewish culture that had been decimated by the Holocaust and repressed by decades of communism. Paideia carries out its mandate through education and the support of civil society, empowering individuals and organizations to strengthen, maintain and develop Jewish life and culture in Europe. Today, Paideia is a leading educational institution for Jewish life and culture in Europe, with nearly 1,000 active graduates and over 500 supported projects across Europe. Paideia’s graduates work in education, community leadership, heritage organisations, academia, the arts and in social entrepreneurship. Using education, remembrance, heritage and culture, they work concretely to strengthen Jewish culture in Europe, to keep the memory of 20th-century history alive and to combat antisemitism. Paideia’s activities contain a wide range of international programs that include the intensive studies of Jewish text and hands-on support for organisations and projects working for Jewish culture, as well as research, cultural events, evening courses, networking meetings, conferences, seminars and dissemination activities. In total, over 180 courses and events are realized at Paideia on a yearly basis. Paideia is a pan-European organization where participants in each program come from 10–15 different European countries, with staff from ten countries, and over 100 partner organizations in 20 EU countries. Paideia’s programs are open to everyone regardless of origin, faith, or affiliation. Paideia’s vision of a flourishing European Jewish culture is that it builds upon inclusiveness, critical thinking, and openness to the larger society. Through learning and dissemination, Paideia’s programs help build European identity and active, positive minority citizenship.