jews and jewish education in germany today - The Westbury Group

● But let’s take the problem from the other side, if there are interested people who have a Jewish father, or
a Jewish grandparent.
Yes, ok, then they should convert.
● Sometimes it takes time to win them over.
As I said, this is a difficult question.
● This clientele, don’t you see connecting links?
No, I don’t want to say. Not due to a false sense of political correctness, I don’t want to say because I don’t
have a pat answer to this question. I know just that we should learn from the mistakes made in America,
which they themselves also recognize. History is there to study and learn from, so that you can learn from
mistakes. You need to learn something from it, otherwise it’s meaningless. If people have had this
experience in America, why should we repeat it in Germany? That’s the biggest objection I have to it. As a
matter of principle I also don’t believe we should just give up on these people or reject them. There is an
organization here, for example, for refugees in Frankfurt. There are very many there who aren’t Jewish and
many who are Jewish and together they work for refugees. It was set up 30 years ago and most of the
people there are Russian speakers. I give a lecture there about once every two weeks about the current
political situation. As you see, I don’t reject this completely. The fact is there’s the organization in
Potsdam, here in Frankfurt I think that’s completely ok. I even participate. This is the second prize question
in Germany, how to solve this problem. I will tell you honestly, the first question interests me much more
and I think it’s more relevant and current. I’m dealing with the first problem, with the youth and
connecting young people from the former Soviet Union to Jewish tradition and the relating questions.
● Where do you see things missing in the educational programs of the Jewish Communities?
I miss a consequent offer of programs directed at the needs of people between the ages of 18 and 35. I’ve
got the answer from people from the administration and from the democratic representatives [of the JC
Frankfurt] that they do host events, have readings and so on, but they’re for everyone over 18. However,
you’ve got to take care of this group specifically. You need to offer and develop concepts for them. That
exists, to my mind, in only a small minority of Communities.
● So leadership seminars are missing.
Practically speaking, yes. The first important steps have been taken in some large Communities in
Germany. They have someone specifically to take care of this age group’s needs. Event manager, call it
what you want. Someone who is in charge of taking care of this age group. They organize programs for
them, leadership seminars, movie outings, gatherings.
● If there’s funding for it, then there should be one young adult supervisor in every Community?
Yes, but someone just for this age group 18-35. A person who’s professionally trained, paid accordingly,
with a university degree, who’s competent, who knows what they’re talking about. Then the concept that’s
practically already been implemented, what functions, that’s the first practical step.
● What is your experience with non-Jewish German officials, politicians and groups?
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