jews and jewish education in germany today - The Westbury Group

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11. WALTER HOMOLKA May 28 2009, Berlin ● Prof. Homolka, as a leading rabbi in Germany and as the rector of the Abraham Geiger College at Potsdam University, where do you see the greatest difficulties or greatest challenges for Jewry in Germany today? I think the single most difficult issue is will we be able to offer a meaningful explanation to all those who have immigrated to Germany why they should associate with the Jewish Community? The primary initiative was social. People needed help to set up housing and to find a job and maybe also to mingle with other immigrants, but that, of course, cannot continue to be a positive stimulus of identity for the next couple of years. So we are already very late in providing a meaningful framework for the next generation that will lead second generation immigrants to becoming more engaged in Jewish Communities, and not only for social reasons, but also for religious or educational reasons. I think a part of the solution is the rabbinical seminary [Abraham Geiger College, O.G.], because, of course, you need change agents in the congregation, professionals that can develop Jewish identity from the perspective of our tradition and maybe offer a stimulus for such an identity in a contemporary fashion. We have experienced that the cantorial program at the college has been particularly helpful because not many immigrants see themselves immediately as a rabbi, which can also be explained by a certain lack of role models. But many candidates are musically inclined, and therefore we have a real run on the cantorial program. Both rabbinical and cantorial tracks provide professionals that will be able to serve as change agents in Jewish congregations and communities. The third aspect is the ’Ernst-Ludwig-Ehrlich-Studienwerk‘ [scholarship foundation]. We are in the fortunate situation to be able to organize an institution that looks after young secondary school graduates who are likely to become the lay leaders of Jewish Communities in the future. We can provide them with the incentive of a scholarship; in return they will have to attend Jewish programs, e.g. summer academies. They will be challenged by interesting people and projects in which they can evolve. I hope that through this incentive mechanism the scholarship holders will identify more closely with Jewish thought. Our hope is that in time we will be able to say that not only have we done something for Jewish religious leaders, but that we will also have done something to develop Jewish lay leaders. I think that is the single most important issue, involving immigrants in a Jewish Community that is not only a social center. ● How do you define the next generation or the new generation? Would you say they are those who are now student age? Yes. I am regularly assessing candidates for the German National Scholarship Foundation, and in the selection seminars of this institution, I see that there is a large number of high achievers among secondgeneration immigrants. In the first generation we still had such cases of immigrants who had been professors in their home country and were now parking lot attendants in Germany because their credentials are not valid here, or they cannot find a job that suits their academic background. But the next generation is really trying to make it in this country. Therefore, I think we have a high potential, much higher than, for example, Russians of German origin who usually don’t make it that easily here – and we have this large group of achievers. But many of the parents in our immigrants’ families are also receiving social benefits. This makes it very difficult for children who want to pursue academic studies. If, however, we can develop a mechanism that gives these children a scholarship dependent on the income of the parents, I’m pretty sure that we can offer a necessary step that will make sure that these children are actually getting into the qualified jobs that they aspire to. 69 | P a g e
● At least probably for those who are going to run for A-list studies. And not the studies you can get with Bafög [regular national scholarship for German students]. Yes, but you have to repay Bafög, and naturally scholarship holders will not have to repay the scholarship from the Ernst-Ludwig-Ehrlich-Studienwerk. Also, with government loans such as Bafög, students don’t get the ideal support that they receive from us. We also pay book money each month in addition to our basic financial support. Even if you have enough money and your parents have enough money, you still get the summer academies and programs, and you get 80€ to spend on books every month. Now, I’m not saying this is absolutely wonderful and that this alone is sufficient, but what I am saying is that a scholarship program like ours is a valuable incentive. So, I think especially since the scholarships are predominantly financed by the government, it would be foolish not to use them as catalysts to make sure that second generation immigrants find a future for themselves in Germany. What we have to make sure of, however, is that the scholarship holders do not only become good citizens, but that they also define themselves more solidly with the Jewish identity. This is our predominant thought. ● What exactly are you planning to do at the ’Ernst-Ludwig-Ehrlich-Studienwerk‘? We are currently working to establish a Jewish foundation that will give scholarships for highly gifted Jewish students on the BA, MA and PhD level. The primary source of funding comes from the Federal Ministry of Education and we have some precedent organizations like the National German Scholarship Foundation, or for the churches the Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst and the Cusanuswerk. All of these institutions, together with several party foundations, are eligible to distribute scholarships paid for by the German government. The scholarships are awarded to exceptionally gifted students, high achievers in their respective subject areas. We have arranged with the Federal Ministry of Education for 50 scholarships annually for BA and MA students and 20 PhD students in all subjects you can imagine. Eligible are Jewish German citizens that are members of the Jewish Community and study in Germany and have a German “Abitur” (German maturity exam), which is equivalent to U.S. high school diploma or British A levels; or if you are a European Union citizen with the equivalent qualification from your country and come to a German university for your studies. It may even mean that Israelis are eligible because there is an association contract between Israel and the European Union and I would think that this is possible. This means that first you have to apply, and then we will conduct a standardized evaluation seminar. All of this is done by Jewish professors who are on our board of advisors and are tutors and assessors. Applicants can receive a basic scholarship of approximately 660 € per month and an even more support if they are awarded a doctoral scholarship. These scholarships will not have to be paid back and scholarship holders receive financial support for up to five years. However, there is an assessment procedure that looks at your progress during the time that you receive the scholarship. I said that most of this money comes from the government. There’s also an administrative percentage that is given on top of the scholarship money. Here we have a structural problem, because obviously in the preparative year, that is 2009, and in the first year of operation we are hardly giving out any scholarships. So if we receive 14% of, let’s say, a very little sum, you can imagine that the administrative costs in the preparatory year, in the first year are very low. However, in order to advertise the fund and the possibility for these scholarships, in order to set up the program, one already has costs for a person to do execute such tasks, and then one needs brochures, a website, information events, and so on. And we are currently short of 15,000 € in 2009, and 39,000€ in 2010. If we manage to solve that problem, we can establish a mechanism that will annually give approximately 1.5 million € into the Jewish Community not only of Germany, but also of the neighboring countries, and I think it might be particularly interesting for Eastern European students who can study at a German university free 70 | P a g e
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JEWS AND JEWISH EDUCATION IN GERMAN
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Leading figures: The agenda of the
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1. TOBY AXELROD May 13, 2009, Berli
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Yes. Aside from the three-day festi
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2. DMITRI BELKIN Frankfurt, June 8,
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lives, they would say that they are
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● And how much are they percentag
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This has been different from town t
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something that would be different?
Page 19 and 20: oth are led without contact or with
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Page 23 and 24: Germany after the 1990’s is a del
Page 25 and 26: ● It’s probably an unusual situ
Page 27 and 28: 18-30 year olds, yes, and within it
Page 29 and 30: ● Well, Chabad could say they’r
Page 31 and 32: in German politics. This still does
Page 33 and 34: I think the Jüdische Allgemeine Wo
Page 35 and 36: I would say so. The Community reall
Page 37 and 38: think you know them better, I’m t
Page 39 and 40: centers. The state supports them in
Page 41 and 42: 7. GESA EDERBERG May 4, 2009, Berli
Page 43 and 44: these spaces. Places where people m
Page 45 and 46: the respective Community and less o
Page 47 and 48: synagogue to meet the people and th
Page 49 and 50: 8. DAVID GALL May 28, 2009, Munich,
Page 51 and 52: if the people in the Ministry don
Page 53 and 54: presume, the close connection with
Page 55 and 56: The question is how could they thro
Page 57 and 58: ● Is the percentage of young peop
Page 59 and 60: Israel is important. I can’t say
Page 61 and 62: Very poorly. People might be willin
Page 63 and 64: This would only be possible with st
Page 65 and 66: Yes, I see it in the bigger Communi
Page 67 and 68: ● What the perspectives for someb
Page 69: Now we are also in talks with the U
Page 73 and 74: I am sure that one of the next issu
Page 75 and 76: ● There was an overall survey in
Page 77 and 78: 12. KÜF KAUFMANN June 17, 2009, Le
Page 79 and 80: keep the kindergarten afloat financ
Page 81 and 82: meeting the board member responsibl
Page 83 and 84: Probably everything together, we wo
Page 85 and 86: 13. CHARLOTTE KNOBLOCH June 19, 200
Page 87 and 88: 10. Many Jews in Germany seem to ke
Page 89 and 90: 14. MICHAEL KOGAN June 12, 2009, D
Page 91 and 92: ● If you come to the Community be
Page 93 and 94: ● You mean there are good things
Page 95 and 96: 15. SERGEY LAGODINSKY June 11, 2009
Page 97 and 98: ● Would you say that most Russian
Page 99 and 100: to make a big fuss out of not being
Page 101 and 102: 16. ARKADY LITVAN May 27, 2009, Han
Page 103 and 104: can’t speak German well up to tod
Page 105 and 106: ● Another youth center? Our youth
Page 107 and 108: 17. JEWGENIJ SINGER June 8, 2009, F
Page 109 and 110: philosophical concept of Liberal Ju
Page 111 and 112: For the Community board election, f
Page 113 and 114: The social circumstances have impro
Page 115 and 116: Well, from the perspective of the F
Page 117 and 118: understand me in stores or doctors
Page 119 and 120: librarians all over Germany. Now we
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Yes, and in Hebrew. That’s one di
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organize that with the help of othe
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will be some immigrants who are dee
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We started with 17 kids, and I thin
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● What do you think about the gen
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and the question exactly how volunt
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Opening to different movements. Tha
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young people are always treated as
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I think what is really missing is t
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Community]. I don’t see this plur
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● What are the principal Jewish s
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� What would you say about the yo
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throughout Germany]. They come out
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There are some challenges of true a
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Unfortunately, the reporting about
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