Motivation
As a Chinese scholar, I have had no direct connection with Jewish cultural heritage. However, due to my university being situated in a Jewish-oriented community, I have come across Jewish cultural elements on occasion.
The first time I encountered Jewish heritage was during an academic conference in Portugal. Dr. Melanie Smith presented a captivating case study focusing on Budapest. Although initially, it was the old black and white photos that caught my attention, I had yet to fully delve into the history behind them. A year later, I attended another conference in New York and discovered the Jewish community in the Brooklyn area. Luckily, I rented a bike, which allowed me to embark on an ethnographic exploration of the neighbourhood. Suddenly, I found myself in an entirely different world, filled with Hasidic individuals adorned in fascinating shtreimels and rekels, women with three to five children, and the unique aspects of their language (Yiddish), cuisine (bakery), and religious objects like the hanukkiah. All of these were distinct from my Chinese background and living experiences in the UK. It was during this trip that I realized Jewish cultural heritage could be an incredibly interesting yet often hidden topic, worthy of further exploration.
Holocaust Studies
Until 2019 I started my new research paper in war tourism, I became aware of the significant role played by Jewish history in the study of the Holocaust. In 2022, the Imperial War Museum officially opened its permanent “The Holocaust Galleries”, which mainly focused on personal stories from over six million Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust. Through the use of photographs, films and archives, a very powerful narrative of the Holocaust past is retold. Due to Adolf Hitler’s hatred of Jews in WWII, many Jewish communities have maintained a lower profile, even to this day. This is why it is still common to see security guards positioned to protect schools and communities in the Hendon and Barnet areas.
After visiting the Imperial War Museum in London, my team and I realized that the hidden Jewish cultural heritage should be incorporated into our project. I am grateful to my team for their contributions during the preparation and brainstorming stages. We have consistently challenged each other with a few crucial questions: Do Jewish communities genuinely desire to be identified and consumed by tourism? Do they wish to share and retell their culture and history? And if so, in what ways can this be done respectfully and meaningfully?
Digital Engagement
Jewish Museum London, located in Camden Town, may have the answers to our questions. While it may not be as popular among the younger generation seeking pop culture experiences, this heritage museum provides an excellent presentation and informative interpretation of Jewish history. Their “digital engagement” handout is particularly impressive, showcasing their commitment to incorporating technology in their exhibits. Unlike the Holocaust Galleries, the focus of the Jewish Museum London lies in portraying the everyday life and traditions of the Jewish community. One particularly powerful aspect is their storytelling, especially the story of Leon Greenman and the interpretation of “I was now a number, nothing more.”
Another less-known aspect of the museum is the exhibition titled “Through a Queer Lens: Portraits of LGBTQ Jews.” This exhibition holds the potential to inspire other scholars in the field of gender studies and offers insights into the intersection of LGBTQ experiences and Jewish cultural heritage.
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