Friday, April 1 -- Our Journey begins! Our group of 21 arrived in Berlin, tired but excited from our travels and ready for our first day of touring here. After dropping our bags at our hotel, we met our Berlin tour guide, Alexander, who brought us to the old Jewish neighborhood in East Berlin and gave us an overview and walking tour of this historic and important city. Here, a once thriving Jewish community witnessed the birth of the Third Reich. A city almost complete demolished by the Allied powers bombing during WWII has been remarkably reborn, and thrives today. Our afternoon concluded with a visit to the powerful Jewish Museum. After a much needed rest, we welcomed Shabbat at the Sukat Shalom synagogue, the only Reform Synagogue in Berlin. A warm and lovely Shabbat evening service, led by Rabbiner (Rabbi) Dr. Andreas Nachama and Kantorin (Cantor) Esther Hirsch ushered in the much needed rest of a good night's Shabbat sleep! Though much of the music was unfamiliar, and the German translations of the prayers and a sermon delivered in German lost its meaning on us, the warmth of this thriving congregation and their welcoming spirit made us feel happy to be with them. An inspiring hour of socializing over a light dinner followed the service, and we left knowing that Reform Judaism is thriving once again here in Berlin. It was sobering to realize that the Jews now rebuilding Jewish life in Germany are not those who once lived here before this community was decimated, but it was equally compelling to understand that the more than 20,000 Jews, from the former Soviet Union, from Israel and from around the globe who now call Berlin their home are seeking to also bring new meaning into Jewish life here.
Throughout the next two weeks, as we complete our time here in Berlin, and then move on to Terezin, Prague, Budapest, Kraków, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Warsaw, we hope to share our reflections and thoughts on this amazing journey and its impact upon each of us. We invite you to join us on this adventure....to see what unfolds through our
Rabbi Bennett with Rabbi Nachama
Alan Spector with Rabbi Nachama
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