Visiting Germany….

Truthfully, it creeps me out. Although I do acknowledge all the time how the German government is the first to respond against anti-Semitism, and how they stepped up to the plate telling Turkey to accept the UN’s report about. I can feel the shame sometimes when some of their people talk about the past and yet I just can’t even contemplate ever going to Germany or Austria or even taking a German airline or stop over. I just don’t feel safe and secure doing that. Please note: My mom a”h and her sisters were Auschwitz survivors.

You can find active Jewish communities in every German city. Germany’s Jewish population is currently at around 119,000, mostly

due to the large immigration of Jews from the former soviet union.

It’s also a shock to see how many flights are there every day from various German cities (Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Dusseldorf, and Cologne) to Tel Aviv each day. Looking at flightstats.com today – shows two Lufthansa and an El Al flight from Frankfurt, and from Munich, 4 flights, operated by Lufthansa, El Al, Air Berlin, and TUIfly.

There is an yeshiva in Berlin, and many of their students go on to

learn in mainstream yeshivas in Israel, e.g. Mir, as well as a seminary for girls.

A few years ago, there were twice weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Memmingen, Germany (an airport near Munich) operated by TUIfly, and I was on the very first flight from Tel Aviv. At arrival in Germany, we were greeted by a German marching band, and a large group of Germans holding Israeli flags, and giving a rose to every disembarking passenger.

godaven.com shows 31 minyan listings for Germany.

In my frequent travels in Germany, I can agree that many Germans do show regret. I had many times that they come over to me to personally apologize, (not that it changes anything). I was once looking at a map, and a car parked next to me, and the occupants went out only to help with directions. In my tens of times in Germany, I never saw or felt any anti-semitism. (I cannot say the same thing about any other country in Europe). And in Eastern Europe, e.g. Poland, neo-nazis are out in the open, and scream Juden Raus even in crowded streets.

Frankfort is a major European hub. My only trip through Frankfort gave me an opportunity to say something I’ve always wanted to say. I was supposed to connect in Frankfort to a flight to an African country but I couldn’t board the flight because I was missing a consular document. I returned to the Lufthansa ticket counter to book a flight to Zurich where I could get straightened out. I explained to the girl behind the counter that I could not board the flight to Africa because, “my papers were not in order’.

Not to mention El Al’s respect for religious Jews.

I flew El Al from Europe to Tel Aviv last ta’anis esther, at boarding, the security took me to a room downstairs, (where I saw

all the suitcases being opened and checked). I was searched for over an hour, as well as my luggage, etc. At the end, they double- wrapped my ipod, phone, and laptop, and placed it back in my suitcase, and said I can board, but without any carry-on. I asked them to at least be allowed to take my tefillin, but that was also denied.

So, I would say El Al gives me the creeps, and I would rather fly through Germany with Lufthansa every time.

Nope, that was El Al security in Europe. In Europe at the boarding

gate, they check and briefly interview every passenger, but me dressed

in a black suit and borsalino hat, they took me down stairs, where there was a room with all the suitcases destined to go on the plane. I saw a group of Israeli workers opening up every suitcase. I was taken to a room, and was screamed at repeatedly “What do you have to hide?”. They went through my suitcase, and carry-on, and had to strip to my underwear, and they took all my clothing, including my kapel, and woolen talis koton to scan under their machines.

Germany is a sophisticated country and the frum community is growig there after the influx of Jews from the former Soviet Union. I was sent by company to work there while ago, everyone was very polite and charming to , BUT a couple of times people didn’t realise i was Jewish and then spoke about Jews, Israel and so on in very different tones. I think it a shame when the world is so big and beautiful that we end up rebuilding communities there. We seem to have very short memories. The pro-Palestinian lobby is very strong in Germany, and of course whilst Germans are publically apologetic about their history in public, we should remember it is a public offence to deny the holocaust or appear openly pro Nazi. Remember post World War 2 US dollars rebuilt Germany and people learn quickly how to behave.

Not to mention El Al’s respect for religious Jews.

El Al is the worst.

I was once flying, and I was seated in the exit row. Across from the exit, is the folding bench where the flight attendants can sit down.

Well, for the first few hours, multiple passengers came and stood there for a few minutes at a time to stretch their legs. The flight attendants didn’t mind.

Until I got up for shmone esrei. This was what they had been waiting for. The guy pounce on me before I was finished with the second bracha (I daven fast), and starts making a fuss that he needs to sit down and I’m in his way.

I finished davening right there with him going beserk.