I´ve recently read two books in German featuring Jewish authors and public figures that may show the diversity as well as the particularities of being Jewish in Germany.
München-based author Dana von Suffrin collected 16 stories by Jewish authors who are sharing either their experiences or a literary work inspired by their identity. Among them, Eva Manasse, Maxim Biller, Zelda Biller, Adriana Altaras, Linda Rachel Sabiers or Lena Gorelik. Given the literary representation it largely set the ground for a discussion about Jewish literature in German language, that could be a source of both debate and dissent, but interesting nevertheless.
The other collection, edited by Andrea von Treuenfeld, is essentially aimed at offering a voice to young Jews in Germany, sharing their experience, their encounter with antisemitism and the diversity of their life and identity experiences.
This was by far my favorite book, because it shows the future of Jewish life as well as the topics of actuality that may be generated of the different relationships to identity. The authors do come from different ways of life: were born in Germany or in Israel, or they have Israeli parents or are patrilinear Jews or are second generation of ´contingent´ Jews, discovered religion later in life or are keeping the traditions no matter of their halachic background.
This book is equally interesting for researchers and historians aimed at understanding the Jewish identity in Germany in the 21st century as it offers many new directions of study and analysis.
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