By Scott Brinton
Rabbi Ronald Brown, spiritual leader of the Reform temple, which takes in residents from Merrick and Bellmore, invited representatives of a German organization called Bridge of Understanding to speak at the temple.
The group brings American Jewish students to Germany to show them that the country is vibrant, culturally diverse and committed to re-establishing a Jewish community within its borders. That is, "new" Germany is not Nazi Germany.
Dr. Dagmar Weiler, director of Bridge of Understanding, and Thorsten Wagner, a historian at the Jewish Museum of Berlin, spoke with a group of two dozen Beth Am teenagers at the temple for roughly a half-hour. The two asked the students to consider coming to Germany as part of a Bridge of Understanding student-exchange program.
Bridge of Understanding, which is funded largely by the German government but is independent, invites American Jewish students on two-week tours of Germany, during which they are exposed to German cultural life, as well as the country's growing Jewish community. In recent years, the German Jewish population has nearly tripled to more than 80,000.
"You probably learned about the Holocaust," Weiler told the Beth Am teenagers. "Before and after the Holocaust, there is still Jewish life" in Germany.
Most important, Weiler said, American Jewish students on Bridge of Understanding tours spend time simply talking with German students. "They ask questions, have a conversation. That's the best way to do it," she said.
At first, the Beth Am students were quiet. Then they had questions of their own. One student wondered whether Wagner celebrated the Jewish holidays. He is not Jewish, but he said has had a long interest in Jewish history, in which he is pursuing a doctorate. "I have quite a few Jewish friends, and I go to synagogue with them," Wagner said.
Another student wondered what he would see in Germany if he took part in an exchange. Weiler said each exchange is tailored to the students who are taking part in it. They might start in Frankfurt in the west, then head south to Munich and finish in Berlin. Along the way, participants would visit museums, restaurants, high schools and professional sporting events. On a recent exchange, students were taken to a basketball game. "It wasn't as fascinating as the Lakers, but hey, it's Germany," Weiler joked.
The Beth Am students promised to consider whether they would take part in the Bridge of Understanding program.
Comments about this story? SBrinton@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000.
