jews and jewish education in germany today - The Westbury Group

● How problematic would you consider the integration of non-Halachic Jews from the FSU into Jewish
organizations in Germany?
It’s a very serious problem, especially for the children from mixed marriages. Let’s take an example. Say you
were a former Soviet citizen with the name Goldfarb. You spent your whole life in Russia and were
considered to be Jewish by everyone. Now you’re not recognized as Jewish anymore because your mother
isn’t Jewish, just your father. Your mother was Ivanova and your father Goldfarb. This is very painful for
many immigrants to understand. The Liberal Jewish Communities are taking steps for these people. They
aren’t being tossed aside. In the United Communities they aren’t considered Jewish anymore. They just want
to work with “pure” Jews. That’s why the new pluralism helps lots of people who feel Jewish anyway. That’s
important. Back to Goldfarb, if he feels Jewish, his kids can marry Jews and that’s why his grandchildren can
be Jewish. But if a line is drawn after him already, saying he’s not Jewish anymore then the next generations
are lost, too. In my opinion, to be a Jew, you’ve got to feel Jewish. That’s the beginning. That’s why it’s a big
mistake that these people are being cut off from the very beginning.
● How far is Israel central to Jewish life in Germany?
Israel, for every Jew, is a home. Home. Regardless of where you’re living. When we were in Russia, Israel
was still our second home, or our main home.
● Emotionally?
Yes, exactly. And that’s the same in Germany. The problems in Israel are our problems, regardless of where
we live, but I’ve heard many times in Israel at least, that it’s a mistake for Jews to not live in Israel.
● You personally heard that as an accusation?
Yes. And that Jews should live in Israel and it’s a betrayal when they don’t. As you know I run a large portal
and there’s a forum and a guest book. I read and hear thousands of opinions. Personally I’ve also heard this,
but this is, in my opinion, not correct. You don’t have to act like G’d yourself. You’ve got to get your things
together, and not the global things that are for G’d to do. If the Diaspora exists, that means that it’s necessary
for Him. I think that the Diaspora is also serving Israel and Israel could probably not exist without the
Diaspora. At least at present. Aid from America and from other Jewish places in the world is essential. And
everyone has to decide for themselves where they need to live. It would be important to optimize oneself, or
to better oneself. Israel is still always in our hearts, you can’t stop it regardless of where you live; in Canada,
in America or in Germany.
● Sometimes there seem to be something like a family conflict between Israel and the Diaspora, but this is
also a process of normalization.
Yes, I think so, too. I mean thank G’d Israel needs less and less help from outside. It’s getting stronger and
can probably help others. The donors don’t have to choose between Israel or the Diaspora, they can be simply
for Judaism. There were times when Israel needed the donations the most and now other times have come.
Now we need to think about Judaism, and the weaker side now is the Diaspora. The new Jewish experiment
in Germany, however, was interrupted before the critical mass was reached. Right now we have an
experiment that hasn’t been fully carried out and you can’t say for sure how it will turn out at the end.
Probably Judaism will be able to stay and become stronger, but there is still a strong possibility that there are
not enough Jews, not enough people. If, for example, someone plants a flower, it needs to be taken care of for
a certain time and not just forgotten. If you forget about it too soon, then the flower will die. Judaism in
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