Centrum Judaicum

Taking up the tradition of the New Synagogue, the Centrum Judaicum Foundation sees itself as a link connecting the past and the future.

Because a synagogue is more than a place of prayer, but also a place to congregate, to teach and to study, the Centrum Judaicum has the aim to assemble and address the history of the Jews in and around Berlin.

With this in mind, it seeks to recall the achievements of the Jewish people and to preserve the memory of the Jews who were murdered. The Centrum Judaicum is a source of information on Jewish life, and by formulating Jewish positions on the concerns of our time, it acts as a bridge between East and West European Jewry.

An permanent exhibition called “Open Ye Gates” displays relevant documents about the history of the building and the life associated with it. If a lot of the objects disappeared when the building was destroyed, there are still some architectural fragments and parts of the interior found during the work. The open space behind the restored building parts are evidence of the vast size of the former main synagogue room. Thus, the scars caused by history remain visible.

The place also hosts temporary exhibitions which serve also to make Jewish history concrete and tangible.