Leo Baeck Institute London

The Leo Baeck Institute London is pleased to present Das Hohelied, a booklet published in 1937 by the Jewish Community of Berlin for Passover. This pamphlet features the original text of the Song of Songs alongside a lyrical translation, with the hope that ‘this biblical jewel might inspire joy and deepen religious meaning among both young and old’. 

Accompanying the text is a report on the community’s work and commitments, together with an appeal for donations, emphasising that no one should have to observe Passover without a Seder meal and matzot.

Meet Leo Baeck Fellow Tamar Aizenberg, part of the 2024-25 cohort, whose research offers fresh perspectives on memory, family, and Holocaust history. 

Can you briefly describe your doctoral research project for a non-specialist audience? What drew you to this particular topic?

Next in LBI’s Meet the Fellows series, we are pleased to highlight Tekle Ekvtimishvili, whose research examines Networks of Protestant mission to the Jews in the 18th century and the roles of Jews and converts in these networks.

About Your Research

Could you briefly describe your doctoral research project in terms that anyone can understand? What attracted you to this subject?

Leopold Zunz (1794–1886) was a pioneering historian and religious scholar who fundamentally changed how Judaism was understood and studied. The Leo Baeck Institute spoke to Dr. Rachel Livne Freudenthal, a historian and expert in Jewish studies. Dr. Livne Freudenthal works at the Leo Baeck Institute in Jerusalem and has published extensively on Jewish history, including works such as The Verein: Pioneers of the Science of Judaism in Germany (in Hebrew) and contributions to Jews in Berlin 1671–1945.

A new article in the EVZ Foundation’s Magazine of the Education Agenda NS-Injustice features reflections by former LBI London Deputy Director Kinga Bloch, along with LBI Jerusalem colleagues Irene Aue-Ben David and Bettina Farack, on the possibilities and limits of Holocaust education in today’s climate.

Welcome to the Meet the Fellows series, where we introduce the researchers in our fellowship programme and hear about their projects, academic paths, and work during their time with us. Today, we speak with Anna Weber from the 2024-25 cohort about her compelling doctoral research, academic journey, and experiences during the fellowship.

Hugo Haase (1863–1919) was a prominent lawyer, Social Democrat, and later co-founder of the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (USPD). The Leo Baeck Institute spoke to Dr. Karsten Krampitz, a historian, journalist, and author with a doctorate in history. Dr. Krampitz has published widely as both editor and writer for radio and stage, and his recent works include the book Pogrom im Scheunenviertel: Antisemitismus in der Weimarer Republik und die Berliner Ausschreitungen 1923. In 2019, he produced a radio feature on Hugo Haase for Deutschlandfunk.

The Leo Baeck Institute London offers internships of varying length to students specialising in German-Jewish studies or a related field. Interns will assist with the daily operations of the institute, support public events, contribute to outreach activities, and undertake research and translation tasks. This internship provides hands-on experience in an academic setting and the chance to build meaningful professional connections in the field of German-Jewish studies.

Everyone knows the story of Anne Frank – but few know about her stepsister, Eva Schloss, or the extraordinary promise she made to her brother, Heinz. In the moving documentary Eva’s Promise, follow Eva’s journey to recover Heinz’s hidden artwork created while in hiding during the Holocaust, and discover the incredible lengths she went to in order to honour his memory.

Join the Leo Baeck Institute London for a free online screening starting 19 September 2025.

An educator’s guide will be available for those interested in exploring these themes further.

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr Edgar Feuchtwanger OBE (1924–2025) at the age of 100.

Born in Munich into a distinguished German-Jewish family, Edgar’s childhood was marked by an extraordinary and perilous proximity to history itself. As a boy he lived directly opposite Adolf Hitler, an experience about which he would later write in his memoir Hitler, My Neighbour. After fleeing to Britain in 1939 with his family, Edgar built a remarkable career as a historian of 19th-century British politics, publishing widely on Gladstone, Disraeli, and Anglo-German relations.