An official opening ceremony was held at Berlin’s first Jewish student house earlier this week. The house, which is partly run by students, will provide Torah activities and serve as a venue for pro-Israel lectures and events in response to the anti-Israel tendencies commonly found on Berlin’s campuses.

Rabbi Yehuda Tiechtal, who is behind the opening of the new student house and serves as a Jewish community Rabbi in Berlin, stated during the ceremony that, “In recent years, as Berlin has become a magnet for Jewish students from throughout the world, it’s time to have a regular home for Jewish students in the city.” Rabbi Tiechtel thanked the Jewish students who have come together to manage the place and the many activities that will be held there.

Around 150 members of the local Jewish community attended the ceremony, along with senior German government officials. Among them were Jewish philosopher Professor Micha Brumlik, the vice president of the German Bundestag, Petra Pau, and other members of the Bundestag.

The Jewish Student House, which is located on Schlegelstrasse, includes three stories that will be used for bringing Yiddishkheit to the students through cultural activities, lectures, and other projects. It is hoped that these activities will also bring Jewish students together, combating the current rate of intermarriage among German Jews, which is over 50%.

In his speech, Professor Brumlik, who is a specialist in education, emphasized the historic connection of this new institution with its predecessors from before the Holocaust. Brumlik added that, “our job is to build a bridge between the past and the future through this Jewish student house, showing everyone that there is a future for Jews in Germany.”

The new house will be run by two organizations. One is Chabad on Campus, an international organization with more than 170 centers around the world. Chabad on Campus will be responsible for social and educational activities held at the house, which will be run by Rabbi Tzvi and Chaya Greenberg. At the same time, the KSpace organization, run by students, and led by Mike Delberg and Michael Groys, will be responsible for pro-Israel projects, and social and leisure events. These two organizations will essentially complement each other, creating the ideal place for Jewish students in Berlin.

Today, more than 5,000 Jewish students attend Berlin’s three universities and dozens of other academic institutions scattered around the city. The Jewish student house is the first project of its kind in Germany.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photos: Judischen Studentenzentrums Berlin)