AVIVA-BERLIN.de im April 2024 - Beitrag vom 09.05.2005


Jewish Berlin
Sarah Ross

Bill Rebiger provides compact information about the Jewish religion, culture and daily life in Berlin. A well-strucutred overview helps to get an overall impression of Berlin Jewish sites.

For some people, visiting Berlin means also visiting the Jewish places in Berlin, a city which was always influenced by Jewish life - yesterday and today. In his new little city guide, the author and Jewish Studies scholar, Bill Rebiger, provides the interested reader with precise information about the history, tradition and culture of Jews in Berlin, and also with addresses of important Jewish institutions.

In the last few years, the Jewish life has begun to flourish again, and also the interest in Judaism is currently undergoing a revival. While the loss of the Jewish presence, as a result of the Holocaust, is still painfully felt today, the number of Jewish community members has doubled to 12.000 in ten years. Especially Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union are forming the todays Jewish image of Berlin.
Regardless how much one might be interested in Judaism, there is no way to explore the history and culture of Berlin without mentioning important Jewish persons who had an imense influence on it. Everyone visiting Berlin will come across numerous traces of Jewish life, and everyone will inevitably have to confront the Shoah that began here. That´s why "this guidebook presents the sites of Jewish history in Berlin and the most important Jewish figures of the city, and it elucidates the historical and cultural context".

The book contains: A detailed chronological table on the history of the Jews in Berlin, short articles and addresses about synagogues and community centers, educational, social and cultural institutions and events, as well as an overview on Jewish restaurants and shops. Short, but precise articles about Jewish cemetries, the Shoah and Holocaust Memorials and Monuments round the book off.

AVIVA-Tipp: Next to the architectural and historical relevance of Berlin´s Jewish places, the author also deals with the self-image of Berlin Jews today and how they live in the city. No matter what the reader wants to know - interesting historical sites or good places to eat some kosher food - this book provides a compact information on Jewish Berlin.

About the Author: Bill Rebiger studied Jewish Studies in Berlin and Jerusalem. He received his doctorate in 2004 from the Insititute for Jewish Studies at the Freie Universität of Berlin with a dissertation in the magic use of psalms in Judaism. He is currently part of the scholarly staff working on the Jerusalem Talmud research project. He offers tours on Jewish life in Berlin for the association "StattReisen Berlin e. V."

Bill Rebiger
Jewish Berlin. Culture, Religion, Daily Life Yesterday and Today
Jaron Verlag: April 2005
(Reihe: Berlin Kompakt)
ISBN 3-89773-099-5
10,00 Euro
120 Seiten, Paperback200773549975"