Alexander Raev
University Student and Member of the German Israeli Society
Age 25
Non-Jewish
Born in Germany
How would you define your cultural identity?
“Berliner and European”
What does it mean to be Jewish in Berlin today?
“There are so many different definitions of Jewish in Berlin like religion or ethnic so it’s really different... Jews from Russia see themselves differently than someone who has always been living in Germany, so there is not one definition of what it means to be Jewish. Jewish can be very German, it can be Russian, or it can be something completely different.”
Anna Perlina
PhD Student, Max Planck Institut
Age 27
Jewish
Born in Ukraine
Moved to Germany at age 11, and to Berlin in 2008
How would you define your cultural identity?
“Cosmopolitan”
What does it mean to be Jewish in Berlin today?
"My Jewish identity is for me more just some cultural belonging and some values like education for example... I moved here not because I’m Jewish, but just because I like the city."
Dervis Hizarci
Member of the German Israeli Society
Age 26
Non-Jewish
Born in Germany
How would you define your cultural identity?
“Muslim”
What does it mean to be Jewish in Berlin today?
"I think today Berlin is pretty nice; a wonderful city, an interesting city, where people from different countries and cultures and religions can live very well together. So I think it is also nice for a Jew to live in Berlin."
Kerstin von der Krone
PhD Student, Jewish Studies, and Member of the German Israeli Society
Age 31
Non-Jewish
Born in Germany
How would you define your cultural identity?
“German and European”
What does it mean to be Jewish in Berlin today?
"I guess there is still a complicated situation because you have all this history: the history of the community of Berlin which is within Jewish history one of the most important communities, as well as the German-Jewish history of the Holocaust. But I guess it is better because people are not as questioned anymore as they were, like as Jews who live in Germany. Today it's more the story of the success of a flourishing community."
Caspar Schwalbe
University Student and Member of the German Israeli Society
Age 22
Jewish background on father's side of family
Born in Germany
How would you define your cultural identity?
“European”
What does it mean to be Jewish in Berlin today?
"The history pretty much shapes the entire politics of today. If you look at a speech of the chancellor or any open speech of any high representative the history is always a very important part. Even if [Angela Merkel] doesn't speak about it, the way she is pronouncing words or putting words together is all a product [of history]... Germany has realized how good it is to step up to the responsibility and to openly show that we can move on, that it is better to face it and accept it and realize the full commitment than to hide it... ... It can make you more proud than any nationalistic or patriotic pride can give you in Germany. If they put up these flags and so on it's not giving you the same pride as if you realize there is a genuine approach to it.
"My generation is the last that actually has some link. My grandparents are the last people who were actively involved in the war... they have this extreme last link that we will be the last to witness. And what is after us? How will our children or the youngsters today grow up with it? What will they take from it?"
