Rita Abrahamsen: How the festival started
When the Jewish Cultural Festival Trondheim turned 15, Rita Abrahamsen looked back on the moment where it all began – a visit to Krakow in 2010. It was the starting point for a festival that has left a lasting mark on the city.
photo and text: Martin Farstad Borg
The anniversary year
2025 marked a special year for the festival. For Abrahamsen, it was an opportunity to look back on the journey that had lasted fifteen years.
Outstanding journey
"Yes, this year the Jewish Cultural Festival Trondheim is 15 years old. Absolutely unique. Of course, I had hoped that it would last forever."
She admits that she didn't think about the time horizon when the festival started – just about creating a meeting place for culture.
A festival is coming up
The inspiration came from abroad.
"It was in 2010 when I was in Krakow at the big Jewish cultural festival there, that I thought: If Krakow can have a big festival, yes, but then Trondheim must be able to have a slightly smaller one. And that's how it turned out."
Making the culture known
The motivation was to highlight a culture that had long been little known in Norway.
"What was important to me? That Jewish culture became known in Norway, and not least, of course, in Trondheim."
Gratitude
Abrahamsen emphasizes that she looks back on the journey with gratitude. The festival, which started as an idea in Krakow, has grown to become a permanent institution in Trondheim. The fact that the audience once again filled the synagogue during the anniversary year shows how strongly this idea is still alive – and how important it has become for the city.
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