JEWS IN BERLIN? / JUDEN IN BERLIN?

Historical Background

The presence of Jews in Berlin was first mentioned in an official document of the City Council in the year 1295. During the Middle Ages they were persecuted and expelled several times.

The present Jewish Community dates back to the year 1671 when several Jewish families arrived after being expelled from Vienna. After the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) the country was in ruins and the Emperor Frederick William of Prussia allowed different groups to enter the country and build it up. Before the Nazis came to power, the Berlin Jewish community had 160.000 members (1/3 of all Jews in the German Reich). Today Berlin`s Jewish community is the fastest growing in the world due to Russian Jewish immigration (according to the AJC). Jewish Community, an umbrella organisation which provides for 6 synagogues, 2 mikvot, schools, adult education programmes and social services ... has 12000 members (Nov. 1998), but many Jews - several thousand say the estimates - living in Berlin are not affiliated. The small orthodox community Adass Yisroel has 1000 members. This site wants to show you SITES, EVENTS, HISTORY and IMPORTANT ADDRESSES

• Synagogues and Services
• Kosher in Berlin
• Jewish Groups in Berlin
• Jewish Women's Activities
• Searching for Your Berlin Roots?
• Overview Events 1999
• Interview mit Rabbiner Rothschild
• The Jewish Museum of Berlin
• Map of Berlin