John Arne Moen: The festival opens Trondheim to the world
As chairman of the Jewish Community of Trondheim, John Arne Moen sees the Jewish Cultural Festival as a unique meeting place. For him, the festival is about opening windows between minority and majority – and making the city richer.
photo and text: Martin Farstad Borg
An anniversary to celebrate
In 2025, the festival could look back on 15 years as a carrier of Jewish culture in Trondheim. Moen emphasizes how much this means for a small congregation.
“It’s not bad for such a small group of people to have endured for 15 years with such a festival. That in itself is an expression of strength.”
The anniversary not only marks a long work, but also a foundation for looking forward – and to remind us of why the festival was started.
The Minority Window
He describes the festival as a window from the minority towards the larger society – a channel that makes culture visible.
"When we started the festival 15 years ago, it was precisely to convey something of Jewish culture and history to the city. It was a window that opened – a minority's window onto the larger society."
For Moen, this window was a first step towards more openness, a work that would continue in collaboration with the museum and the synagogue.
From closed to open
Moen reflects on how Jewish communities have traditionally been more reserved, but that the festival helped to turn this around.
"We were first in Norway when we started the museum. Then came the festival, and together they have grown in parallel. Today they are central to showcasing Jewish culture to the rest of society."
Thus, the festival became a place where history and tradition could meet curiosity from the outside world – a development that has changed the dynamic between minority and majority.
Minority and majority
He points out how these meetings are important for creating mutual understanding.
"For us who represent a minority, it goes without saying that we need to know the expressions of the majority. But representatives of the majority often only know their own world. That is why it is important that they can meet us in our arena."
He reminds us that the festival is not just about cultural expression, but about building bridges – which sets the framework for what the festival means for the entire city.
A festival that embraces the city
Moen believes the festival has a community-building function, making Trondheim richer both culturally and socially.
"I am sure that the festival has opened both ears and eyes of the people of Trondheim. The fact that the halls were full even in the anniversary year shows that it has a broad impact. The festival embraces the entire city, and makes us all richer."
For him, this is the clearest proof that the festival is successful: It gives the minority a voice, the majority a door to enter through – and the city a community to gather in.
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