After Hamas attack: Jewish museum in demand as a place of learning

Education - After Hamas attack: Jewish museum in demand as a place of learning

Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Jewish Museum in Rendsburg has received an increasing number of inquiries from schools wanting to find out more about Judaism and anti-Semitism. On the one hand, the normal offers are simply booked very, very often, said the director of the museum, Jonas Kuhn, to the German Press Agency. There is a need for the museum to offer something "not only in the area of the Middle East conflict, but also anti-Semitism and racism", said Kuhn. Many teachers said in conversations that they were unsure how to deal with the topic.

In addition, there are currently more requests for long-term cooperation than ever before. For example, a vocational training center that trains civil engineers, road builders and canal builders, among others, wants to sponsor the stumbling blocks in Schleswig-Holstein, Kuhn said. Each class would then come to the museum for workshops where they would deal with the past, present and anti-Semitism. In principle, the stumbling stone maintenance would then be the practical part, in order to link this to their professional field. There have also been requests for cooperation and exchange from a soccer club, for example.

This is also linked to the reopening with a newly designed permanent exhibition, which is appreciated. "But it also has to do with the fact that the schools themselves are very much aware of the need."

Kuhn reported on a conversation with the head of the reporting office for anti-Semitic incidents in Schleswig-Holstein (Lida SH). He said that they are currently receiving six times more reports of incidents every day. The representatives of the regional associations also complained that they were experiencing more hostility in everyday life, "especially if they are recognizable as Jewish". One lady reported that she had been shouted at because she had raised the issue of the increase in anti-Semitism and the lack of empathy from the majority population. In Schleswig-Holstein, it was more cases like this and graffiti.

People's entire sense of security has been destroyed by what is happening in Germany and in Israel anyway, said Kuhn, referring to the statements made by members of the community. "But I think this lack of solidarity on the part of the German population is almost even more of a problem. That is really problematic."

The Jewish Museum in Rendsburg claims to be one of the first Jewish museums to be founded in Germany after the Second World War. It is housed in the only originally preserved synagogue in Schleswig-Holstein.

Jewish Museum Rendsburg

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1. The German Press Agency reported that following the Hamas attack on Israel, the Jewish Museum in Rendsburg, located in Schleswig-Holstein, has seen an increase in schools seeking information about Judaism and anti-Semitism, with directors expressing a need to address not just the Middle East conflict but also anti-Semitism and racism.
2. Kuhn, the museum director, mentioned that there have been more requests than ever before for long-term cooperation, such as a vocational training center sponsoring the placement of stumbling blocks in Schleswig-Holstein and organizing workshops to learn about the past, present, and anti-Semitism.
3. In addition to the increased demand for visits, Hamas' actions have led to a surge in reports of anti-Semitic incidents in Schleswig-Holstein, according to the head of the reporting office for anti-Semitic incidents, Lida SH.
4. Kuhn highlighted that people feel their sense of security being undermined both in Germany and in Israel due to the rising anti-Semitism, stressing that the lack of solidarity from the German population is as much of a problem as the incidents themselves.
5. Established in 1988, the Jewish Museum Rendsburg is not only one of the first Jewish museums in Germany after World War II but also resides in the only original preserved synagogue in Schleswig-Holstein, fostering an essential learning location for understanding religion, history, and social issues.

Source: www.stern.de