Many Israelis Consider the City of Hamelin Only a Legend

Dewezet
October 16, 2003

A journalist visited the Jewish community / the goal is to build their own synagogue.

Hamelin: A Jewish community in Hamelin?  Before the beginning of his weeklong trip to Germany, this was completely unbeknownst to Noah Klieger of Tel Aviv.  The Israeli journalist had received an invitation from the Federal Government, and he now had the opportunity to get to know the Jewish community of Hamelin.

The Jewish community of Hamelin has ambitious goals.  Their synagogue is supposed to be completed in three years.  In the photo, Journalist Noah Klieger (far right) actively interviews members; to his right chairperson Rachel Dohme, beside her Dr. Boina Deneri of the Goethe-Institute.

“We wish to establish living, modern, liberal Jewish life in Hameln once again”, explained Rachel Dohme, the chairperson of the Hamelin Jewish community, and it is the goal of the Hameliners as well.  In the presence of numerous members she also presented the history of the re-establishment in 1997 of the Hameln Jewish community.

From the Middle Ages up to the Third Reich there had been a Jewish community in Hamelin.  One of the main objectives of the community today is it to rebuild a synagogue, as Christa Bruns, of the working group “A synagogue for Hamelin”, also stresses.  But this project is difficult to implement, particularly from a financial viewpoint.  Dohme’s hope is that in three years the synagogue will be established.  “The people here want to experience their Judaism consciously“, she described.  Therefore, with 200 community members, services will be held and festivals and holidays will be celebrated.

Klieger got his information about the Hamelin community only from the Goethe-Institut/Inter Nationes and their arranged travel program experience.  His original reason to come to Hamelin was to research the Pied Piper legend.  “In Israel, the Pied Piper and the city of Hamelin is a legend," explained Klieger.  In his report Klieger intends to set the record straight about the actual existence of the city and its legend.  His German tour also includes Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Worms, and Trier, which will be subjects of his report as well.

Vivien Moeksis is responsible in the ministry of the Interior of Lower Saxony for the Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union.  In order to be able to perform her work, the government office advisor recently visited various Jewish communities in the surrounding areas to get a feel for the problems of the communities.  “I would like to find out how the people feel here, what is being done for them, and above all, the status of the personnel and facilities in the communities”, Mrs. Moeksis explained during her visit to Hamelin.