SchUM-Kulturtage Speyer

SchUM — the three Rhineland Jewish communities

„SchUM“ is the acronym from the Hebrew initial letters of the cities Speyer (Schpira), Worms (Warmaisa), and Mainz (Magenza). In the 11th and 12th centuries, these three communities formed the center of Ashkenazi Jewry in Europe — the cradle of Jewish scholarship and religious practice. The synagogues, mikvahs, and cemeteries of these cities have been part of the UNESCO World Heritage site „SchUM Sites Speyer, Worms, and Mainz“ since July 2021.

Cultural Days as an annual format

The SchUM-Kulturtage are an annual event that takes place in the three cities at staggered times or in parallel. They bring Jewish cultural history closer to a broad audience — through concerts, readings, lectures, guided tours, and exhibitions. The Speyer Cultural Days 2026 will take place on Sunday, October 18.

Diverse cultural program

The program typically includes several components: Special guided tours through the Judenhof with its synagogue remains and the best-preserved medieval mikvah in Central Europe. Lectures in the SchPIRA Museum (the small Jewish museum at the Judenhof) on the Jewish history of Speyer. Musical contributions — choral singing, Klezmer, synagogue music. Readings from Jewish literature and translations from Hebrew and Yiddish. Some contributions are specifically aimed at families and children.

Sponsoring network

The SchUM-Kulturtage are organized by a network of sponsors — the City of Speyer, the Jewish Religious Community of Rhineland-Palatinate, the Speyer Tourism Association, the Historical Museum of the Palatinate, the SchPIRA Museum, and other partners. The overarching coordination is handled by SchUM-Städte gGmbH, which jointly manages the World Heritage sites.

UNESCO World Heritage

The SchUM World Heritage site in Speyer includes the Judenhof with the remains of the synagogue and the mikvah, as well as the Jewish cemetery. The Cultural Days are an important instrument for bringing this World Heritage status to life and permanently anchoring Jewish heritage in the public consciousness of the three cities.