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Liberal Jewish Community – Hamburg

History

The community was founded by Dr Eduard Kley in 1817 as the Neuer Israelitischer Tempelverein zu Hamburg (in Hebrew: Kahal Beit Chadash). From 1868, the community was officially referred to as the Israelitischer Tempelverband and was the legal equal of the second traditional Orthodox Israelitischer Synagogenverband zu Hamburg (Bornplatz synagogue). In 1938, the corporation status of the community was illegally revoked and the synagogues were defiled and confiscated.  Many of its members were killed in the Shoah or were able to flee.

The community was finally able to resume its work in 2004, with a particular focus on maintaining the architectural and cultural heritage of the community. One of its main aims is that Hamburg should once again have its own progressive temple (synagogue). In 2021, the community asked the Hamburg State Senate to confirm the continued corporation status of the community and requested cultural, financial and social equality with the Orthodox Jüdische Gemeinde Hamburg. Until now, this restitution has not been made but would be warmly welcomed, if not for anything more than ethical reasons.

Courses & Activities

  • Our dancing group “Klezmerlech”
  • Adult education
  • Religious education for children
  • Activities for children and young people
    • Our children’s group “Keshet/Rainbow”
    • Our youth group “Beit Katan”
  • Services for young adults (18 to 35 years)
  • Our LGBTQ group
  • German lessons
  • IT courses
  • Sports in partnership with TuS Makkabi Hamburg
  • One-to-one lessons (Hebrew, German, Russian)
  • Support and help with family events
  • Upholding the memory of the dead

Social & migration advice

An important part of the work as a community is advising, supporting and guiding members of the community and of the Circle of Friends in various situations in life. This involves, for example, carrying out ritual family celebrations, the blessing of newborn girls, the circumcision of newborn boys, marking bar and bat mitzvahs as the transition from childhood to being an ethically responsible adult, weddings and funerals.
 
The community supports them throughout the entire Jewish life cycle and on Jewish holidays. It is important to actively integrate all members into community life. They enjoy celebrating, eating, singing, laughing and dancing together – and not just at Passover, Purim or in the sukkah.
 
The social care and communication of progressive Jewish values, as well as many shared activities, all aim to promote the integration of members who have immigrated from elsewhere – not only into the Jewish community but also into wider German society.  The community offers help if you have any questions about caring for relatives, as well as with regard to working with other agencies and authorities. It offers one-off assistance, the ongoing provision of guidance and options for migrants to participate in the economic, social and cultural aspects of German society. It also advises victims of Antisemitism and people suffering from trauma in the second and third generation as a result of the
Shoah.

The community takes problems seriously and helps members when filling in applications,
for example, or visiting the authorities.

Choir & Dance

There are choir rehearsals and Israeli dances every week.