Kurt and Ursula Schubert Center for Jewish Studies Faculty of Arts Palacky University Olomouc Korespondenční adresa: Křížkovského 10 771 80 OLOMOUC Lokalita: Tř. V roce 2004 vznikl v Olomouci Kabinet judaistiky, který byl akreditován jako interdisciplinární obor zabývající se židovskými studii v rámci FF Univerzity Palackého. Kabinet judaistiky byl v říjnu 2008 přejmenován na Centrum judaistických studií Kurta a Ursuly Schubertových (CJS), který se profiluje v intencích "Jewish Studies" tak, jak jsou vyučovány na evropských univerzitách, a snaží se o větší míru mezinárodní spolupráce zejména účastí zahraničních odborníků (Vídeň, Budapešť). Profesor Kurt Schubert (1923-2007), jeden ze zakladatelů vídeňských judaistických studií po 2. světové válce, podporoval vznik Kabinetu judaistiky a úzce s ním spolupracoval. Jeho žena, Ursula Schubertová (1925-1999), kunsthistorička vídeňské univerzity, se zabývala především uměleckými památkami raného křesťanství a helénského judaismu. English version:
The Kurt and Ursula Schubert Centre of Jewish Studies was established as a Centre of Jewish Studies at the Philosophical Faculty of Palacký University, Olomouc in the year 2004. The MA-program was accredited by the Czech Ministry of Education in October 2005. The first MA-students enrolled in the academic year 2006/07. In fall 2008, the Centre was converted into an Institute and named after Kurt Schubert (1923-2007) the doyen of Jewish Studies in Austria, who helped establishing the Centre, and his wife Ursula. The Institute is devoted to researching and teaching the culture and history of Jews, with a special emphasis on Moravian Jewry. Presently, the courses are delivered in Czech, English and German, which emphasizes the international character of the institution. Additionally, the Centre offers weekly lectures on Jewish culture and history (Cyklus) geared towards a larger interested public. Since 2007, the institute also hosts a Judaica library named after Nina & Beno Melchet that comprises approx. 3,000 volumes, including some rare and valuable pieces, as well as the private Judaica library of Prof. Kurt Schubert that was donated to the institute by the latter’s daughters. The Kurt and Ursula Schubert Centre of Jewish Studies is the first secular institution that offers a full-fledged graduate program in Jewish Studies in the Czech Republic. The establishment of the new institute is also crucial for academic research. The supreme aim is to revitalize the study of the history, culture and tradition of Czech Jewry that has been interrupted by the Holocaust and neglected during the years of communism by providing access to international research results and hosting renowned foreign scholars. The aim of the study program is to offer Jewish topics in a broad context, as for instance, history, sociology, political science, theology, philology, art history etc. The study program of Jewish Studies is designed as an interdisciplinary program of cultural studies. The program is compatible with Jewish Studies-programs at foreign universities. The international fakulty staff promotes multidisciplinary research and the teaching of Czech and Central European Jewish history and heritage. Therefore, high-level language proficiency in German, English and Hebrew is emphasized.
