Berlin witnessed the grand opening of the Pears Jewish Campus on Sunday, marking the largest Jewish center to be established in Germany since World War II. The dedication ceremony was
attended by diplomats and communal leaders from around the world, highlighting the significance of this milestone. Costing $43.7 million and covering an expansive 80,000 square feet, the campus will be managed by Berlin's Chabad-Lubavitch community. By the upcoming school year, all 550 current students from various locations across the city will be relocated to the new facility.
The state-of-the-art campus boasts impressive features, including an indoor basketball court, gymnasium, lecture hall, movie theater, music studio, and a kosher deli. The seven-story building, with its distinctive curved facade and blue glazed brick-work, stands as a prominent symbol of Jewish life in Berlin. Despite the challenges posed by the four-year construction period and the ongoing pandemic, Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, the local Chabad director, expressed his gratitude and excitement for the long-awaited opening, emphasizing the campus's mission to foster awareness, knowledge, and positive engagement with Jewish life.
With approximately 90,000 Jewish congregational members in Germany, along with an additional 100,000 self-identifying Jews, the Pears Jewish Campus serves as a beacon of light and tolerance. Rabbi Teichtal has been instrumental in promoting the resurgence of Jewish life in Berlin, having started the tradition of lighting a large Hanukkah menorah at the iconic Brandenburg Gate two decades ago. He has also been actively involved in raising funds to support new Jewish schools in the capital.
In addition to providing education for children, the campus will offer programs for adults and individuals of all faiths. Its strategic layout includes direct access to a Chabad synagogue and the Szloma Albam House community center through an inner courtyard. The Pears Foundation, based in the United Kingdom, contributed significantly to the campus's funding, alongside support from federal and state governments, private companies, foundations, and other private donations.
The inauguration of the Pears Jewish Campus not only signifies the resurgence of Jewish life in Berlin and Germany but also serves as an inspiring example for Jewish communities across Europe. Rabbi Menachem Margolin, head of the European Jewish Association, commended the campus as a symbol of renaissance and emphasized the importance of approaching Jews in a welcoming manner to foster greater engagement with Judaism.
With its eye-catching protective wall adorned with stylized graffiti, the campus aims to dispel stereotypes and promote inclusivity. Israel's ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, noted that the vibrant graffiti and impressive entrance symbolize the openness and warmth with which visitors will be received. Notable figures, including Israel's Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner, Central Council of Jews in Germany President Josef Schuster, and Berlin Senate member Raed Saleh, were among the esteemed speakers at the dedication ceremony. Saleh, hailing from a Palestinian background, praised the new campus as a resolute statement on freedom in Berlin and Germany. Photo by Chabad Lubavitch, Wikimedia commons.