Our visit to the Ohel Jacob Synagogue in Munich is proof that a strong and vibrant
Jewish community very much exists today in Germany. An architectural masterpiece,
this synagogue (shul in Yiddish), is once again the center for Jewish life.
Destroyed by the Nazis in June, 1938… five months BEFORE the November Pogrom or
massacre known as Kristallnacht, today the structure of Ohel Jacob has been rebuilt
and stands as a testament to the resilience of the Jewish Community of Munich.
We were honored to be greeted by the temple Rabbi, where he explained more about
the texture of the community today. Seventeen thousand Jews live in Munich with an
astounding number of eleven thousand of them active members of the temple , area
Jewish school, and community center. As one might find in any active large synagogue
in the United States, this center for Jewish life in Germany is no different. They host all
phases of one’s lifecycle from weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs , to weekly shabbat
dinners where they invite non-Jewish residents to enjoy shabbat dinner. A kosher
restraint can be found in the shul, as well as a mikvah where would take a ritual bath.
We learned that close to 60 Holocaust survivors who live in Munich, visit weekly to
socialize with one another.
Profound is the combination of tradition and modernity we witnessed. The Jewish
community of Munich is alive and well.
