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July 2001 Issue

The New, the Young, the Jewish Berlin: A GenJ Guide

By Aviya Kushner

Berlin is a huge, wildly energetic city, and since the fall of the Wall, both the Jewish community and the artist community have experienced a revival. Today, 12,000 Jews live in Berlin, and there's both a twenty-something scene and a young-Israeli scene. Both groups are friendly, and both are full of English and Hebrew speakers who are eager to talk with visitors.

Be sure to look up--often--while you're here, since Berlin has some of the world's most interesting architecture. And of course, this city's horrible history under the Nazis is hard to forget, but if you do there are many memorials to remind you of it.

Last time I was in Berlin, I was a guest of the German government, which sponsors month-long fellowships for American students called "Bridge of Understanding." I watched Germans walk to the subway while passing lists of concentration camps, and I was amazed at how this city lives with its history, both obsessing over it and ignoring it. Some people can't stop reading about Jewish subjects, while others protest memorials anywhere near their backyards.

This time, my travel-writing gig took me to Berlin for a weeklong stay--and I was wowed and moved by the size and strength of Jewish life here. As the International Jerusalem Post's travel writer, I see lots of Jewish communities. But Germany's community is different. Its very existence here is controversial in the world Jewish community. And like it or not, Germany is the only community in Europe that's actually growing--from 20,000 a decade ago to around 100,000 today.

The major tourist sites in Berlin--Unter der Linden, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Reichstag--are definitely worth seeing. But if you have more than a day to spend and want to catch a glimpse of the young Berliners who are rekindling Jewish life here, try these five hot spots:

1. Fasanenstrasse 79-80. Jewish Community Center.

This was where one of Berlin's grandest synagogues once stood, smack in the middle of the toniest part of the city. Destroyed by the Nazis, like almost all of the city's shuls, this spot once again houses the Jewish community. This time, community means everyone from transient Israelis, young Berliners, and hordes of immigrants from the FSU, to various Europeans who are living in Germany for all kinds of reasons. After you pass through the metal detectors and the scrutiny of German and Israeli security, you'll find a terrific library complete with a little Internet café. Get a cheap cappuccino or hot chocolate and check email. Hulking guards watch everyone, so if you're not familiar, you can expect stares from security personnel. Every shul and Jewish site in Germany has numerous police officers and security outside and inside. In the library you'll see both young Jews and the numerous non-Jews who come to read up on all things Jewish. Conversations are definitely possible. Upstairs is the city's only totally kosher restaurant, and it is fantastic. Tuesday night all you can eat for 35 DM (about 15 dollars). Don't miss it. It's luxurious, complete with chocolate mousse in goblets. Starts at 6:30 p.m. (U-Bahn 2 or 9 to Zoologischer Garten. Administration offices telephone: 880-280.)

2. Joachimstaler Strasse 13. Synagogue and Jewish Community Center.

A B'nai B'rith lodge before the war, today it's an Orthodox shul and a good place to find twenty-somethings. There's a very active young group, with space on the second floor. Rimon, who speaks perfect English, is the head of the group. Come and read the signs to see what's going on, but they usually meet Mondays at 6:00 p.m. The sense of humor here is palpable, and when I visited, I saw a display on what today's various kippot styles really mean. (Many people here speak either English or Hebrew or both, so you should be able to share a laugh.) Again, before you walk in, be prepared for a security check, which is true for all spots of Jewish interest in Berlin. Next door is the Literaturhandlung, a quirky Jewish bookstore, with lots of material on Germany and the Jewish community in Berlin. (U-Bahn U9 or U15 to Kurfurstendamm.)

3. East Berlin café scene.

You'll know you're in East Berlin when you see the graffiti. A stroll around the area will reveal places called "Judische Cafe", where you'll see hipsters eating rugelach. These places aren't kosher, and the people you're seeing are almost certainly not Jewish. When you see matzah ball soup on a menu, just assume it's treif. Suddenly it's "cool" to be interested in Jewish culture. Do be careful, here, though. The East is considered more problematic than the West, so don't walk around in a kippah. Still, the people-watching is fabulous, with dyed hair, piercings, and shocking color combinations. In the summer, all over these streets, people sip coffee outside in cafes set up amid the rubble and graffiti. You'll also see Israeli places like Rimon (Oranienburger Strasse 26, Tel. 28384032, U-Bahn U6 to Oranienburger Tor or SBahn S1 or S2 to Oranienburger Strasse; Open 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.) It's vegetarian but not kosher, and has old-European Jewish and Israeli specialties.

4. Neue Synagogue, or New Synagogue, 28 Oranienburger Strasse.

This Berlin landmark was once the pride of the community. It's huge and unforgettable, and worth seeing. It was saved during Kristallnacht by the local police commissioner, who waved the Nazis away with his pistol. Today, you'll find an exhibit, and down the street, Tachlis, a center for various young Jewish activities. Massive art shows also tend to be housed in the area, so look around for billboards. (See directions above.)

5. Berlin Film Festival--every June.

Held in Filmhaus au Potsdamer Platz on Potsdamer Strasse 2 (Tel.: 269 55 100) it's a must-see if you'll be in Berlin in June. This year, from June 10-21, the films were in English, French, and of course, German. They included Emma Goldman: The Anarchist Guest, Women of the Wall, and Waiting for the Messiah, by Argentinian Daniel Burman. The French film "Man is Woman" was another entry.

For further reading, I strongly recommend The Goldapple Guide to Jewish Berlin, a fabulous help that gives both current and historical info. You can contact the company at goldapple@compuserve.com. If you read German, the best guide is Judisches Berlin, the monthly mag of the community. Both of these are available at the Fasanenstrasse library, open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Aviya Kushner is the Contributing Editor in Poetry for BarnesandNoble.com. A poet and journalist, her writing on art and literature appears worldwide. She can be reached at AviyaK@aol.com.

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