Representative body of German Jews celebrates 70th anniversary
Central Council of Jews marks its founding in 1950 in the aftermath of the Holocaust and founding of the state of Israel
The representative body of post-war German Jewry celebrated its 70-year anniversary this week with one eye on an even bigger anniversary next year.
Reflecting on the fact the Central Council of Jews (CCJ) in Germany held its inaugural meeting in Frankfurt on 19 July 1950, establishing what was intended to be a provisional set-up, community leaders said Jewish life in Germany today was once again vibrant.
At its inception, the CCJ’s main task was to support the Jewish families who had managed to survive the Holocaust and to facilitate their emigration, yet CCJ leader Josef Schuster said many families surprisingly wanted to stay in Germany.
Within weeks of the war ending, the ‘Israeli Cultural Community’ was founded in Munich, the first of several steps marking the revival of Jewish communities in Germany, which was divided between East and West during the Cold War.
“For a long time, it was very problematic, also in Jewish circles, to stand up and say that you’ve consciously chosen a life in Germany,” said Schuster, adding that when legendary CCJ leader Werner Nachmann began proudly proclaiming the return of Jewish life in Germany, he faced criticism from Israel.
Next year, Jewish communities in Germany will celebrate a far larger anniversary, marking 1,700 years of Jewish life on what is now German soil. The CCJ said it would seek to strike a tone balanced between past, present and future.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
