By COLlive reporter
The audacious vision of Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Berlin and Head Shliach of the capital city, to construct Germany’s largest Jewish educational and cultural complex since the Holocaust has become a stunning reality.
With the opening of the Pears Jewish Campus in Berlin’s Wilmersdorf neighborhood on Sunday, Rabbi Teichtal’s mission to transform the perception of Jews in Germany is gaining momentum.
A dream years in the making was officially inaugurated, showing the new Jewish campus, which is spread over 86,000 square feet and cost $43.7 million, paid for by the federal and state governments, private companies, foundations and donations, according to the AP.
The remarkable facility boasts schools, a movie theater, a music studio, a library, a kosher deli, and even a versatile indoor basketball court that can be transformed into a lecture hall or a lavish reception venue.
“We’re changing the narrative about Jews in Germany,” Teichtal told The Associated Press. “Too often, people only think about the Holocaust and antisemitism when it comes to Jews in Germany. Our Jewish campus is about the future, joy, studying and living together.”
Notably, the campus’s transparent fence symbolizes its commitment to openness and inclusivity, a departure from the hidden measures employed by other Jewish institutions.
“We didn’t want this to feel like a ghetto,” said Rabbi Teichtal. “We want this to be a happy place, an open house.”
The opening ceremony was indeed a joyous one. Jewish music star Avraham Fried sang popular Jewish songs, and colorful confetti was showered on the crowd after the red ribbon was cut. A kosher food truck and activities for children were offered following that.
Attending the ceremony were Israel’s Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yossef, Vice-President of the German Bundestag Petra Pau (The Left Party), Chabad Shluchim in Germany and around Europe, and Israel’s Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor. Participating were also his father Rabbi Shlomo Teichtel of Crown Heights and father in law, Rabbi Yochanan Gourarie, Chief Rabbi of Holon in Israel.
“This is a special day for Berlin, a special day for Germany,” declared Governing Mayor of Berlin Kai Wegner, emphasizing their obligation to continue to “support and secure” Jewish life.
Dr. Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said the Chabad campus was “not a place of isolation or hiding.” Instead, he said it was “a symbol for the future of Jewish life and families here.”
Rabbi Teichtal, ever dedicated to his cause, envisions further expansions such as enlarging the synagogue and establishing a nursing home. With unyielding determination and divine assistance, his dreams will surely become reality.
