New synagogue in Magdeburg completed
The new synagogue in Magdeburg's city center is largely complete and awaits its grand opening on December 10. "This is the new home of the synagogue community," said Helmut Seibert, board member of the "Neue Synagoge Magdeburg" association and administrative director of the synagogue community on Monday. The new building was approved last Friday.
The synagogue is very discreet and restrained, explained architect Wolfgang Sattler. "This is certainly also due to the building process in a special, not easy time, but on the other hand it is also the wish of the community to be restrained with symbolic ornamentation."
According to Sattler, one challenge was to create a feeling of lightness, openness and light in the new building despite the necessary safety measures, and to make the rooms sacred, noble and venerable despite the limited budget. "It wasn't about a grand self-portrayal and splendor of the parish," said Waltraut Zachhuber, Chairwoman of the Friends' Association.
The total cost of the building is 7.6 million euros, said Seibert, a member of the association. Of this, 2.8 million euros alone had been invested in security technology, which was borne by the federal government. The land was donated to the Jewish community by the city of Magdeburg. The synagogue community contributed 300,000 euros and the association 500,000 euros. The rest of the costs were covered by the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The fact that the construction costs turned out to be higher than initially planned is due to the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, for example.
Magdeburg's old synagogue was destroyed during the November pogroms in 1938 - not far from the new building that has now been constructed. The "New Magdeburg Synagogue" support association was founded in 1999 and has been campaigning for the construction ever since. The ground-breaking ceremony took place in May 2022 and the foundation stone was laid around four months later. In addition to the synagogue room with Torah shrine and lectern, the new building includes a foyer with an area for ritual hand washing, offices for the congregation, a kiddush room for eating and celebrating, and the mikvah, a ritual immersion pool.
On the outer façade of the new building is the saying in Hebrew: "For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples". According to Seibert, the synagogue is also open to non-Jewish people. Anyone who is interested can come to the service. For security reasons, however, it is necessary to register in advance.
Seibert went on to emphasize that the new building would only become a synagogue once the Torah scroll had been installed. On December 8, the community is inviting the citizens of the city to accompany the festive procession of the Holy Scriptures from the memorial of the old synagogue to the new building. Around 100 guests are expected to attend the opening on December 10, including State Parliament President Gunnar Schellenberger (CDU), Minister President Reiner Haseloff (CDU), Mayor Simone Borris (non-party) and the President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster. The new synagogue in Dessau had been opened around two months earlier.
The new synagogue in Magdeburg's construction process was influenced by the community's wish for restraint and the sensitive timing, reflecting the values of Judaism. The synagogue's opening ceremony is planned to have the presence of not just the Jewish community, but also representatives from various political parties and faiths, showcasing its inclusivity towards different religions.
Source: www.dpa.com
