Traces of Jewish life in Perleberg, Germany

My travels through Germany often bring me near traces of Jewish life. There are so many places now where Jews are no more since the end of the 1930s, but their memory is preserved and the places of memory are symbolically converted into cultural meeting points. Although there is a lot to talk about this issue too, as for now I will focus on the way in which the Jewish memory is introduced into the bigger narrative of a city without Jews.

My latest discovery was into the city of Perleberg, a former Hansa city with an interesting old town architecture.

Perleberg has the best maintained Jüdenhof in Germany. Situated on Parchimerstrasse 6a (previously Jüdenstrasse), close to the city center but on a side street, its entrance is symbolically marked by a big white arch. The Jewish history is introduced to the visitor on a big billboard in German, right at the entrance.

The Jewish community here, attracted by the opportunities of trade, went through different stages. Its first history dates back from the 14th until the 16th century, troubled times when the Jews were often the victims of unjust anti-Semitic trials and pogroms. 

The second episode of Jewish history in Perleberg starts in 1800, when a new Synagogue is built and the community is flourishing, but again, only for a short time. In 1942, all the local Jews are sent to concentration camp and killed. Nowadays, there are no signs of organised Jewish life here and most probably no Jew is living here.

The space that was used before to keep the Jews isolated from the rest of the city is used nowadays for cultural encounters and as a meeting point where topics which include Jewish history and traditions are introduced to the wider public through conferences or art and photo exhibitions. Most events are hosted in a simple modern looking rectangular building on the place of the former synagogue, neighbouring a traditional timbered house.  

Book review: Trail of Miracles, by Smadar Herzfeld

Told in the slow pace of a Hasidic story, Trail of Miracles is the story of Gittel, born in the lands of Ukraine, daughter of a Torah scholar and daughter-in-law of the famous Maggid of Mezeritch. Written as a first person memoir, the story focuses on Gittel's account of a life in shadow, a pioneer of her own kind, married as a 12-year old who decided to follow the dream of her youth and go all by herself to Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem she discovered is a faint copy of her dreams but it is the last step of her ladder towards self-discovery and the litmus test of her ability to take over her destiny. Always living in the shadows of men, not encouraged to learn enough because not a boy, she is there all on herself, anonymous, her past left far behind but strong enough to start over and over again. Because this is life, swimming through hardship. 

The writing is beautiful, the words creating beautiful images, talking in dreams that you need to take a break from the book to decipher. Gittel is sharing her experience from the bottom of her heart and at a great extent it is not easy to see her account as familiar as it resonates with some opinions regarding the women's role in religious communities. Only the individual example can demonstrate that there is room for balancing roles. 

My only disappointment is that the story finishes too early, exactly when I was in the perfect mood to discover new stories. 

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A Land Without Borders, by Nir Baram

When it comes to the political situation in Israel, particularly in regard with the Palestinian population, most of the books are either black or white, up to the ideological affiliation of the writers. If unsure a book is worth, or not, your time and your money, you only have to Google the author and you can easily figure out which orientation he or she has and the main thesis and assumptions are almost crystal clear. 

It is a pityful pathetic intellectual situation, but this is how things are. After all, it is not bad to take sides, but the ideological sides are very narrow and obstruct the real view, particularly when it comes to Israel. Although I have my own view - narrow also - about the 'situation', I realized that I need more understanding and insights from the 'other side' therefore when offered the chance to get an ARC from Nir Baram book, I decided to take the challenge and offer myself the opportunity of a different lecture.

I think that one of the mistakes done in this case, either you are right or ('wrong') left is that we are tempted to ignore arguments and look only for the over-validation of our points of view. But if you are curious by nature, this is not enough, and things may change as people can change too. 

In the tradition of Amos Oz and David Grossman, Nir Baram is visiting Palestinian villages and inquires about what future stays ahead for the relations between Israel and the Palestinians. Unfortunately he doesn't look necessarily to answer his questions with new questions, but there are interesting facts revealed that may help to do your own further research. Like, for instance, how happened that in Betlehem the percentage of Chrisian Arabs decreased, a fact noticed by the author but not worth the effort of a serious journalistic research. The book is less ideological than expected though therefore, especially if you are curious to gather arguments and even get a sociological overview of the profile of the Palestinian leaders and their background there are some good information to take from it, although parsimoniously.

As for the future, is very unclear after so many chances were missed or peace plans were drawn without taking into consideration the local dynamic. Personally, I keep my assumption that in order to build a state you need elites and if there is any serious research that will show me the potential of a Palestinian elite able to take over the state bureaucracy and lead it to the creation of a modern - not terror-based state - I am more than happy to take the challenge. Otherwise, we are not taking about a dream but a scary nightmare.

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Catch the Jew!

I was familiar with Tuvia Tenenbom from a previous book where he investigated in a very cynical-humorous way the state-of-the arts of the anti-Semitism in Germany, as well as from his public appearances in the German media. His writing is provocative, clowneresque at the limit, but he suceeds to reveal the ridiculous and the many layers hiding the truth.

Catch the Jew - with the German version Allein unter Juden - is taking over the topic of Israel and presents it on a plate with many mezzes, as any well respected Israeli breakfast should be. Tuvia Tenenbom is the follower of the trustworthy and small sect of the journalists that don't give up asking questions, regardless the circumstances. He needs to know and understand and when people are getting angry because of the boldness of the questions it means that he is a real 'tzaddik', because this is how real journalists used to behave. 

Although many of his trips in Israel have to do with the leftist and pro-Palestinian causes, he is also once in a while also visiting some wonder rabbi or paying his comical respects to some out-of-order strange custom. 

If you want to read a different story about Israel, which doesn't necessarily take any side but that of the inquisitive journalist, I recommend this book. Maybe you will not learn too much new things about this region, but at least will raise some questions about honesty, facts vehiculated in the media and the political realm. A very useful challenge to take once in a while.

The Jewish Wedding Now, by Anita Diamant

Since 1985, The Jewish Wedding by Anita Diamant sees a new edition, aimed to include the latest changes and understandings of the Jewish life in the last years, including the acceptance of same sex marriages. 'Jewish weddings are grounded in the past, but they have always been the stuff of the irrepressible present'. 

Written in an accessible way, with many interesting Biblical and tradition-bounded examples, the book offers valuable insights into both the preparation process and the event as such, covering very important elements, such as the content of the ketuba, how to split the costs or dealing with tests for identifying possible genetic diseases. My list is considerably random and reductive but it is up to the reader to find out a lot of other intersting aspects. This is one of the many merits of this book: it is hardly an aspect of the Jewish Wedding left uncovered and I wish there are such valuable resources covering other important moments of the Jewish life circle too. 

It also doesn't matter if you grew up Jewish or not or if you are part of a conservative or more liberal congregation: it creates bridges between different traditions and interpretations of the Jewish law being also a hard work of anthropolotical-like research and inquiry. If you are a person who, regardless of your own background and personal choices, you want to learn, this book will open your mind to a whole range of diverse customs, many of them newly introduced following the new society trends. 

The book is mostly focused on the main checklist, without covering particular traditions and community rules, but such a particular focus would have divert from the main aim which is The Jewish Wedding in general, and not specific Jewish wedding(s).

A book recommended to anyone curious about how the Jewish Wedding are organised or just looking for a complete overview of this important life event. 

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Looking the everyday evil into the eye

Jordana, granddaughter of Shoah survivors, decides to embark on a one-week trip to Germany, to the city of Lüneburg, to be part of the first week of the legal proceedings against the so-called 'accountant of Auschwitz', Oskar Gröning. 

After taking part to the March of the Living and being involved in various projects related to the Shoah, the idea of taking part at the trial of someone who was close to the Nazi killing machine sounds as a natural outcome. Being able to look into the eye of a war criminal, who for so many decades after the end of WWII was able to live a normal life after being part of the murder of at least 300,000 people was a big opportunity to get a better understanding of events hard to understand. Ambitious and decided to overcome all the obstacles, Jordana will make it to Lüneburg, and this book is the account of her experiences not only of the trial, but also of her encounters with Germans and Germany.

During 4 years and a half of operation, 1,300,000 people were deported to Auschwitz and only 200,000 survived. 6,000 members of the SS served as guards, but only 43 of them were brought to trial, and only 9 received life sentences, it is mentioned in the Introduction. An extremely limited number, given the tragedy inflicted to millions of people, and more than one generation of survivors' relatives.

Gröning's job - at the time of the trial 94 years old - was to record the goods and money stolen from people brought into the camp. After a while, he realized what was happening there and he witnessed himself the murder of an innocent child. The innocent portrait of someone who was just part of the machine, without possibility of decision-making, or because there is no other option, shows in fact the 'banality of evil'. There was the bureaucratic account that the people couldn't challenge the system and they were just pieces into the system. Gröning describes in his deposition the situation of food and drinks supplies when he arrives at the camp while people were there starving and living in conditions hardly described as human. 

The system as such couldn't work without the compliance of so many people. On the other hand, it creates the urge to keep fighting for truth, justice and restoring the chance in humanity. Although Gröningen only received 4 years and spent most of his life enjoying freedom, the lesson of his trial is that if there is a will, anyone guilty of crimes can be taken accountable. However, the reality that so many of them died peacefully in their beds without ever being questioned about their involvement in terrible crimes is hard to be at peace with. 

Jordana's inquisitive spirit is contagious and she can be taken as a good example for many youngsters. She wants to understand with her own eyes and the emotional stages she is going through are more than expectable. One of the signs of growing-up is acknowledging nuances and her own experiences and the observation of other people's reactions at the trial - including of forgiving something only G-d can - is part of this process. Meeting people like Thomas Walter, the German lawyer who challenged and extended the area of war crimes prosecution, is an example that individuals can make a difference.

This book can be easily used in schools for history lessons, but its readership extends to anyone curious in Shoah stories and testimonies.

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Exhibition about head - and body covering - at the Jewish Museum Berlin

It starts with shpitzel and ends with burka...

You can approach the issue of women head covering and woman modesty in general in different, more or less controversially. For instance, one can pledge for the way in which women are usually requested to submit to rules mostly elaborated by men or the historical perspective can be chosen, by outlining the religious and traditional reasons that lead to the adoption of a certain custom. 

The newest exhibition at the Jewish Museum Berlin is dedicated to exactly this topic. I had some mixed feelings about going there, particularly after being very disappointed about the simplistic - to say the least - way in which the fascinating topic of Golem was presented last autumn. 

But it seems disappointment can only go further. It a convenient way close to the multi-kulti concept usually associated to the city of Berlin, the Jewish head covering and modesty approaches are presented together with burqa and nun clothes. Indeed, there are approaches to modesty, but I dare to say that there are many different interpretation of the same concept, but the power of the curious mind is to outline and trace the differences, instead of creating simplistic versions.

In fact, I would have been very curious to explore the eventual similarities and synergies in the case of the attitude towards women in Oriental communities. Or a historical evolution about how the rules in the case of Jewish women head covering became stricter and more elaborated in the last decade. Or, I would have even accepted to see a rebelious approach on head covering, including the moment when women can chose not to cover their head, while adherring to the Orthodox religious principles. Or...or...The list is too long, but none of my curious inquieries were answered. Instead, I was offered an undefinite setting aimed at illustrating the topic, but without properly saying anything. More than being confusing, such a stance is disappointing and I have only to regret that (just) another interesting topic was destroyed willingly by a 'fast-food' like approach. Turning any topic into a popular culture (maybe one of the best exhibitions at this museums I enjoyed in the last years was about super heroes and comics so maybe there is an exclusive knowledge potential for such topics) issue doesn't work for any subjects.