The arts are very prominent among Jewish youth in Berlin. Among other activities, Jewish teens at the Youth Center Olam gather to practice dances and songs about being Jewish, one of which they recently performed at two different Jewish song contests. In February, they placed first at Jewrovision, a contest that took place in Cologne, Germany, and then, in May, they placed third at Jeurovision, a European Jewish song contest that was held in Sweden where teams from ten countries were represented. The Jewish teens also spent one freezing winter day in Berlin creating a music video about being Jewish for which they took the song "Single Ladies" by Beyonce and changed the lyrics. The message they wanted to convey to viewers is that it doesn't matter who you are or what you look like--you should be proud of being Jewish.
Links to videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXZl5fdHeRU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLjaU6cGiWo
At the Jewish High School in Berlin (Jüdische Oberschule), art classes are a requirement. When asked what they thought Jewish art was, students at the youth center had various responses. One teen said that a person can be "Jewish, but it [might] not be shown in the pictures [or paintings]." Another said it depends on if the artists "want to think of it as Jewish art." One student said that she liked to express her own identity in her art. "Art is an important part of any education [not only a Jewish one]." Another student said that art is important in relating to Judaism because it can educate people about the Holocaust. Art is supported and encouraged throughout Berlin and
the Jewish community.
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