First Liberal synagogue since World War II inaugurated in Germany

On Sunday, the first Reform synagogue since World War II was dedicated in the German town of Hameln. The new temple was constructed on the site where Hameln's previous shul, destroyed by the Nazis, once stood. "Every dedication of a new synagogue is a clear signal that we take our future seriously and that we are ready to lay roots here," said Stephan Kramer, general secretary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. The new Beitenu community center serves a congregation of 200, many of them recent immigrants from former Soviet Union countries.

Twenty years ago, the state of Lower Saxony had a Jewish population of just 600. Today, it has grown to around 9,000. The Beitenu center, which cost around US$ 1.3 million, received two thirds of its funding from state and local government. The remaining third came from private donations and loans.

Kramer reminded attendees at the dedication ceremony that the "demons" of the past continue to live. Last weekend, hundreds of neo-Nazis marched in Dresden and Leipzig, leading to street clashes. "We have to remember that not everyone has drawn the necessary lessons from history," he said.