With cheerful joy and serious reminders that Judaism celebrates in Berlin, new rabbis and cantors. A special day, nearly 80 years after the pogrom night.
“Thirty years ago I had a dream,” said Ronald Lauder, the President of the world Jewish Congress, begins his speech. It is a speech full of emotion. For the first time after the Shoah in Berlin Orthodox Jewish Rabbi will be introduced to the office. In the heart of Berlin Mitte, since 2009, the Hildesheimer’s rabbinical Seminary. 150 years ago it was a prestigious house of learning, today, it is gradually again. Who lives in the area, encountered in the everyday life of the Jews and experienced Restaurants with Jewish or Israeli cuisine.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (left) with Ronald Lauder, the President of the world Jewish Congress
The today 74-Year-old Lauder recalls how he thought in 1988 about a new Jewish-Orthodox life in Central and Eastern Europe. “At that time, it held no one.” It is Lauder, the put his own Foundation certainly tens of millions of euros in Jewish communities, educational institutions, teachers and rabbis-financed building built. Also, the Beth Zion synagogue with the new rabbinical Seminary was co-funded by the Ronald Lauder Foundation and until today. “Many said at the time: It is impossible – we all see that it went.” And Lauder, the non-calls his Foundation, thanks to the Federal government.
Synagogue, Kindergarten, Supermarket
A good 15 years ago, the former synagogue was still an unused color loose construction in a neglected backyard. To decipher a Hebrew inscription. But for almost ten years, it serves again to the many Orthodox, who study the Torah, as the house of God, reborn as a self-conscious construction. Next door is a Jewish Kindergarten, behind the middle road intersection a kosher supermarket. And the synagogue is guarded day and night, 365 days of the year, Berlin police officers and private security guards of the Jewish community. Also, at this size, of this day, Berlin in 2018.
A festive, cheerful frame
It is a day of serene Confidence and happiness is to be desired. But it is also a day of serious warnings. Each of the official speaker on the new hatred of Jews, Attacks and boycott calls. “These anti-Semitic prejudices are still deep in the minds and spread in a frightening speed,” says Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of the Jews. He calls for vigilance and commitment to fight this Jew-hatred: “I see primarily as a task of the non-Jewish majority society,” he says. Freedom meant for the Jews, “to staring move with visible signs of Judaism, without to be harassed, or even beaten.”
“The Nazi salute and slogans of hate”
Take foreign Minister Heiko Maas, of the comments since taking office, always against hatred of Jews, Berlin’s governing mayor Michael Müller. “Our responsibility is to protect Jewish life that never ends,” stressed Maas. It shudder at him, “when I see that Nazi salute and slogans of hate can make on our roads wide. And spiritual arsonists, people of other origin, or of other faiths to deny their human dignity.” And Müller warns that the fight against anti-Semitism, “if he’s going to sustainably, and on many levels.” He wanted to show a Berlin, “in the Jews to their Faith self-aware”.
The words of politicians seriously and decisively. But the more impressive performances of several rabbis. Also, you mention hostility to the Jews. But you call this trust in God, the joy of Faith, the “incurable optimism” of the Jews.
He saw the Torah scrolls are burning
In November 1938, burned down Jewish synagogues and shops, Jews died
The rector of the Seminary, Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu, is still a witness of the between, the in a month to 80. Times years. In 1932, in Frankfurt am Main she was born on his family in 1939 to escape to England. In his speech, from his English Yiddish English English, Yiddish, and English again. From the ashes of the Shoah and the pogroms, burning Torah scrolls, which he remembers till today.
For him, he says, have met with the Ordination of the young men in Berlin is a dream, the realisation of which he for many years have worked. Thus, Ehrentreu, the questions of Europe was long the most important authority of Jewish law presented, three new rabbis in the Soviet Union, the Ukraine, grew up in the once Communist East of Berlin solemnly the certificates for Ordination. And asks for blessings “for these rabbis and their work in the future”.
“Not with a Kippa is open to on-the-go”
Rabbi Schlomo Sajatz
One of the three, with 30 years, the Youngest, is Shlomo Sajatz. He is the only one that acts as a Rabbi in East Germany, in Magdeburg. In the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt, a municipality with around 500 members. If he has more fear? “There is,” he says of the German wave, “no difference between Magdeburg and Berlin. “Of course, are also in Magdeburg, Germany there are some streets where you should not go visible with a kippah or prayer shawl on the road.” But the worrying not him. Germany in 2018.