Liberal Jews take over former church in Germany

Jan 25, 2009, 15:38 GMT

Hanover, Germany - The Liberal Jewish community in the northern German city of Hanover on Sunday dedicated a new synagogue in a former Lutheran church, and inducted into office their first rabbi.

Thanks to immigration from Russia and other former Soviet lands, Germany's Jewish community has been growing, whereas the Christian churches have been shrinking. Liberal Jews in Hanover broke away from the city's main Jewish community in 1995 and now number 600.

Etz Chaim Synagogue is only the second synagogue in Germany to occupy a former church. All the Christian symbols have been removed.

The president of Germany's Central Council of Jews, Charlotte Knobloch, attended the inauguration, but the president of one of the state-wide federations of Jews in Lower Saxony, Michael Fuerst, was not invited, in an apparent sign of continuing tensions.

Rabbi Gabor Lengyel took office Sunday as the first rabbi of Germany's largest Liberal Jewish community.

State government leaders attended the celebrations. Lower Saxony state and municipal authorities contributed nearly half the 3.3 million euros (4.4 million dollars) needed to convert the building.

Buying a church and making it into a synagogue, as also happened last year in the western city of Bielefeld, can upset sensitivities.

Some Lutheran Christians in Hanover were so upset about the cost-cutting drive which led to the building's sale that they squatted in the building for three months. The sale followed a first approach by church authorities to the Liberal Jewish community.

The new community centre also has space for art shows, concerts, a Jewish library, a kindergarten and an advice office for new immigrants.