jews and jewish education in germany today - The Westbury Group

14. MICHAEL KOGAN
June 12, 2009, Düsseldorf
● Rabbi Kogan, let me begin by asking a few questions about your personal background; when and where
were you born? What’s your educational background? How long have you been in Düsseldorf?
I was born in 1950, in a small town called Bendery in Moldavia. My parents only spoke Yiddish or
Romanian; they learned Russian, but only very badly. There was a synagogue in our town, but it was closed
around 1960. Therefore I didn’t receive a lot of information about religion at home. I knew that I was Jewish,
of course, but didn’t connect it to a religion. I grew up in a non-religious world, an atheist, so to speak.
After graduating from school I went to Leningrad, now called St. Petersburg, and attended a technical
university. I got my degree and was supposed to work as an engineer in a factory for three years. Then I
changed my mind about what I wanted to do. I went to Moscow and attended and graduated from a theatrical
college as a theater director. Afterwards, I worked in Krasnoyarsk, in Siberia. Then I returned and worked as
a director in several smaller towns with different theater troupes. My encounter with Judaism happened
suddenly. I was working as a director in Kazan and took a vacation in Moscow right when a Jewish cultural
center was being opened. It was a center from Rabbi Steinsaltz, and I was curious and went there.
● When was this?
It was in 1989. I really liked it and started going to classes there all the time. I spent practically my entire
vacation there and met many people and was able to hear everything that was being discussed there. During
this time I put on a yarmulke for the first time in my life. When I returned to my family in Kazan (I was
already married and had a daughter); I told them if I want to live as a Jew, then we should all immigrate to
Israel. About two years later, we left for Israel. I’ve been living in Israel since 1991. There I took courses
about different movements in Judaism and became more involved in religion. I didn’t have so many
possibilities to work as a director in Israel. Then I tried out various things new immigrants could do in Israel.
I worked as a security guard in a museum in Tel Aviv, then in the opera as a director and then I employed my
engineering skills as a stage designer. I became qualified as a foreign language tour guide. I took many tour
groups throughout Israel and Tel Aviv. While I was in Jerusalem and other places that were so close, I found
myself turning into an Israeli. My immigration became an alliyah. I had become another person. Before this I
had met a Rabbi Roberto Arviv, an Italian Rabbi. He had studied philosophy and religion in Jerusalem. He
then remained in Jerusalem, and I studied with him. He nudged me a bit in this direction and told me that if I
really wanted to choose this direction, then I would have to study and told me where, the Schechter Institute
in Jerusalem.
● The Masorti Rabbinical Seminary?
Yes, Masorti. I studied there for five years. Then I received my Smicha and completely by accident I met
someone from Germany, from Düsseldorf who was looking for a Rabbi, but with one condition, it must be a
Rabbi who could speak Russian. That was Herr Strauss. Then I suggested that I come with him to Germany
and see how I liked it, if that could be something for me, if that would be possible for me and my family.
Since January, 2005 I’ve been working here.
● And your family is also here?
No. My family lives in Israel. My daughter will graduate from the art institute this year in Jerusalem. She’s
22. My wife works in Israel, but when she has vacation time, she comes here to Düsseldorf. I also go there.
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