jews and jewish education in germany today - The Westbury Group

I would say so. The Community really must try to get this generation 30+ to keep attending. I don’t have the
magic formula of how this can be done.
Maybe you’ve just got to try to win them over with not genuinely Jewish programs, but in trying to help out
in their everyday lives or in bringing up their children or something like this. To do it a little more subtly than
saying hey, why don’t we sing some Jewish songs? No 30 year-old has time for that. That’s a big problem
that the Community needs to solve. They need to get them to come. This is directly connected to the
Russians, then that’s the second generation of mostly Russian-speakers. They, in my experience, are
incredibly eager to learn, they are very career-oriented and so on and successful. You’ve got to offer them
something to make them stay. They’ve got other things on their minds. They want to be successful in their
career and make good money and spend time with their families. This is the third level, if they didn’t marry
Jewish, which also happens, of course, then they’re lost. You’ve got to offer them something if you want
them to stay. Otherwise the Communities will simply grow old; this is an empirical, demographic factor.
Much more needs to be done. This is a challenge.
● What Russian Jewish leaders complain about is that they’ve been here for 15 years, have competent
people, but still feel excluded from the German Jewish establishment. That’s why people are leaving. It’s also
causing tension. Do you think that all this will be solved in a generation if the younger generation remains?
Yes. I think so. That’s absolutely possible. I think we’re experiencing the beginnings of this now, that things
are starting to change. If my impressions are correct, then it’s starting, in some individual Communities, to
take place what’s been announced for 15 years, namely that the establishment is stepping down. Partially they
have to step down. That means that the Russians have now established themselves to such an extent that
they’re saying exactly what you’re saying, that they’ve been here for 15 years, they’re successful, they’re
good, they’re Jewish, there’s no reason to exclude them. They’re starting to replace the veterans. There’s a
change coming slowly. That’s starting now in my opinion.
● Do you have two - three examples of this?
Yes, in Kassel, for example, and in Erfurt. These are small beginnings; it’s coming on a small basis. I think
that the pressure, the political, demographic pressure will starkly increase over the next few years, and in the
long-term the establishment will either have to do something to remain integrated themselves or the others
will put so much pressure on that there’s no holding them back any longer. The people are good and talented.
There isn’t any reason to keep them out. There will be opportunities as long as they want them. If they are
disinterested in the Jewish Community, and Community life, organized life, then there won’t be. But if the
Communities want them, because they’re saying that’s our future, then they must offer them something. And,
for example, that means they have a right to have their say, and to be able to participate in decision-making.
Their skills are needed because they are the majority. That’s clear. You’re right that there is a wide base, but
there are also not yet enough people who are prepared to take on a leadership position, to take on
responsibility among the Russians. That also is a part of it.
● Except for Sergey Lagodinsky.
Yes, ok. You can just think of one person. That’s not a lot. That’s just a pinprick. There need to be more or
they won’t be able to put pressure on the establishment. This goes back to a point we mentioned before. I
think that in 10 years, this is the time period in which I think something will happen, on the local level there
will be many more Russians in charge. Russians who didn’t somehow come from Kazakhstan when they
were 70, and maybe revived Community X because 5 families moved there, but really those who have grown
within the responsibility and included. They will be increasingly present. I’m convinced of this. This is, of
course, then a different Jewry because they’re from a completely different place than what we’ve known.
That will perhaps be a much more self-confident Jewry. You see, the people often don’t have the Shoah
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