LMU Jewish Studies Internship in Crete, Greece
LMU Jewish Studies is very excited to offer the 2nd year of our internship in Chania on the Island of Crete in Greece. Due date: December 20th
A 1 page letter of interest is required. Include minor and or major, interests and activities that make you suited for this internship. What you think you will add to the internship, what you think you will gain from this internship, and why you are right for this internship. Please send the letter to Dr. Holli Levitsky.
Two candidates will be chosen to intern in the summer of 2024. One student will be from Jewish Studies, and the other will be from Classics or Jewish Studies.
One student will intern for 4 weeks in June, and the other will intern from mid-July through mid-August.
For this internship, the student will travel to and live in Chania, a city on the Greek island of Crete. The intern will help with ongoing efforts to memorialize the Jews of Crete, a community with ancient roots and a proud history of religious and cultural achievements. Working closely with the staff and volunteers of Etz Hayyim synagogue, and the associated historical center, the student will assist in the revival and growth of the Jewish community in diverse ways, including research at archives and area sites, leading tours for visitors, curating social and print media, and more.
During their internship, students are expected to post a weekly blog of their experiences for the LMU Jewish Studies website. Upon their return to campus, students will complete their work and present their project at a program co-sponsored by the Jewish Studies and Classics departments.
About Etz Hayyim Synagogue: Since 2010, Etz Hayyim has been operated by a non-profit organization in cooperation with the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece (KISE). This non-profit organization is registered as a charity in Greece and, because Etz Hayyim does not receive any public funding, it raises funds for the maintenance of the synagogue and for the various religious and cultural events to ensure its long-term preservation. Two decades after its rededication, Etz Hayyim has become a fixture in the religious and socio-cultural life of Hania as a place of prayer, study, recollection and reconciliation. It is an active, non-denominational synagogue used for celebrating various Jewish holidays and non-religious cultural events including lectures, concerts and exhibitions. Its small team of staff and volunteers undertake ongoing research into the history of Cretan Jews at the same time as engaging both local and international school groups and teachers as part of the synagogue’s educational outreach program.