jews and jewish education in germany today - The Westbury Group

● Your work as a Rabbi here in Düsseldorf isn’t temporary?
I signed a two-year contract in 2005. Right now, I’m on my third contract.
● You’re working here as a Conservative Masorti Rabbi in the United Community which is actually
Orthodox, is this right?
I haven’t closed myself off to the movement here; I am doing everything that’s going on here. More like the
Liberal Orthodox. I haven’t had any problems with how things are here.
● Where are the greatest challenges, difficulties or problems in the Communities in Germany which need to
be overcome?
If we’re talking about German Communities, even though we call them German, the majority of those
coming are new immigrants from the former Soviet Union. These people who attend the Community, have
very different cultural needs. I would say the problems are in human relations. If I’m talking about the board
or the Community leadership, those are the people who were either born here, or came here after the war, or
many years ago. But the people who come, who belong to the Community are new immigrants. Regardless of
the fact that everyone’s Jewish, whether Russian or German, but they have absolutely different mentalities.
● You would say that both groups are under a single roof of the Community, but they coexist?
Parallel to one another.
● And that’s in every age group? Even with the young people?
I hope that in the meantime the situation is a little different for the young people. In our youth center or
student unions, that’s another mentality. But these relations take place outside the Community. I mean that
the young people who come here, they use this Community as a building, as a space or event location. They
come here to put on things and aren’t Community members in this sense. They don’t live a Jewish life every
day. This is a meeting place for them. They come here to events, but don’t live as Community members to
change anything.
● That means that it will also be a problem to tie young people to the Community in the long run, so that they
will be able to take on responsibilities in the Community?
In Düsseldorf, as well, probably not only.
● What can be done about it? Do you have any idea?
First, I think that the Community leadership and board should realize that this is a real problem and a serious
problem; that the young people are not committed to the Community. The Community board is made up of
people who have been voted in, you probably need to search among the young people for those with
ambition, regardless out of which motivation, but those who want to have these positions in the future. There
should be younger board members to speak with young people, students, not necessarily the same age, but
younger. They want this location, not to use the Community, but to call it their own. It doesn’t have to be in
this religious direction. I think that the young people should also find a connection to Israel as well and
should participate and establish themselves in these different events; cultural, sports, other things, and should
find something there for themselves. Religious, as well, but that’s not the main thing.
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