Author Topic: Germany Master Thread  (Read 30094 times)

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #100 on: July 31, 2022, 04:01:04 PM »
I have 2-3 days to spend in Europe on a return trip from TLV. I want to explore a city that a) I haven't been to before, and b) that I can reasonably cover in that time frame.
Berlin seems to be a good choice but I've never been to Germany before (other than short stopovers) and I'm worried that the generational trauma will be hard on such a short trip where I won't have time to "acclimate" (if that's ever a possibility). I've been uncomfortable before on a trip where I had to spend a few days with a German couple as part of a tour group, although they were equally uncomfortable with me and not very friendly which might have been the cause.

For those of you who have visited Germany for a few days, and are grandchildren of survivors, how was the experience from that perspective?

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #101 on: August 01, 2022, 09:26:55 AM »
I have 2-3 days to spend in Europe on a return trip from TLV. I want to explore a city that a) I haven't been to before, and b) that I can reasonably cover in that time frame.
Berlin seems to be a good choice but I've never been to Germany before (other than short stopovers) and I'm worried that the generational trauma will be hard on such a short trip where I won't have time to "acclimate" (if that's ever a possibility). I've been uncomfortable before on a trip where I had to spend a few days with a German couple as part of a tour group, although they were equally uncomfortable with me and not very friendly which might have been the cause.

For those of you who have visited Germany for a few days, and are grandchildren of survivors, how was the experience from that perspective?
'worried that I won't have time to acclimate' ? My Grandfather went through hell at the hands of the germans....acclimate ?!? no comment...

Offline Saulius

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #102 on: August 01, 2022, 09:33:07 AM »
I have 2-3 days to spend in Europe on a return trip from TLV. I want to explore a city that a) I haven't been to before, and b) that I can reasonably cover in that time frame.
Berlin seems to be a good choice but I've never been to Germany before (other than short stopovers) and I'm worried that the generational trauma will be hard on such a short trip where I won't have time to "acclimate" (if that's ever a possibility). I've been uncomfortable before on a trip where I had to spend a few days with a German couple as part of a tour group, although they were equally uncomfortable with me and not very friendly which might have been the cause.

For those of you who have visited Germany for a few days, and are grandchildren of survivors, how was the experience from that perspective?

I used to live in Berlin, and I felt at home there. There is a significant Jewish community there, lots of Jews who immigrated from other Eastern European countries, starting from the early 1990s, and Berlin has yeshivas where Jewish students from over Germany and eastern European countries board and study. Majority of us are grandchildren of holocaust survivors. There is https://lauderyeshurun.de/ , https://rabbinerseminar.de/ , https://www.chabadberlin.de/ -  many Jewish institutions and organisations.

Now, your experience with the one German couple cannot quantitify for the rest. Although Germans might seem unfriendly, as for them to be friendly is to leave other people alone. German culture, if a person looks totally lost, one would not offer assistance unless explicitly asked - else it would make it look as one is incompetent. There are lots of other cultural differences, and you have to understand that the world is very different for somebody who grew up in metropolitan New York, than somebody who might have grown up in Bavaria, Germany or other region - they live in more homogenous societies and do not experience other cultures and nationalities, except when they travel.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2022, 09:46:27 AM by Saulius »

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #103 on: August 01, 2022, 10:52:12 AM »
I used to live in Berlin, and I felt at home there. There is a significant Jewish community there, lots of Jews who immigrated from other Eastern European countries, starting from the early 1990s, and Berlin has yeshivas where Jewish students from over Germany and eastern European countries board and study. Majority of us are grandchildren of holocaust survivors. There is https://lauderyeshurun.de/ , https://rabbinerseminar.de/ , https://www.chabadberlin.de/ -  many Jewish institutions and organisations.

Now, your experience with the one German couple cannot quantitify for the rest. Although Germans might seem unfriendly, as for them to be friendly is to leave other people alone. German culture, if a person looks totally lost, one would not offer assistance unless explicitly asked - else it would make it look as one is incompetent. There are lots of other cultural differences, and you have to understand that the world is very different for somebody who grew up in metropolitan New York, than somebody who might have grown up in Bavaria, Germany or other region - they live in more homogenous societies and do not experience other cultures and nationalities, except when they travel.
Thanks for the insight!

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #104 on: August 01, 2022, 10:57:44 AM »
I used to live in Berlin, and I felt at home there. There is a significant Jewish community there, lots of Jews who immigrated from other Eastern European countries, starting from the early 1990s, and Berlin has yeshivas where Jewish students from over Germany and eastern European countries board and study. Majority of us are grandchildren of holocaust survivors. There is https://lauderyeshurun.de/ , https://rabbinerseminar.de/ , https://www.chabadberlin.de/ -  many Jewish institutions and organisations.

Now, your experience with the one German couple cannot quantitify for the rest. Although Germans might seem unfriendly, as for them to be friendly is to leave other people alone. German culture, if a person looks totally lost, one would not offer assistance unless explicitly asked - else it would make it look as one is incompetent. There are lots of other cultural differences, and you have to understand that the world is very different for somebody who grew up in metropolitan New York, than somebody who might have grown up in Bavaria, Germany or other region - they live in more homogenous societies and do not experience other cultures and nationalities, except when they travel.
I recall that asking for help finding the FRA FCT back in 2010 was beyond uncomfortable. Not friendly at all and had to figure it out on my own.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #105 on: August 02, 2022, 10:37:51 PM »
I recently spent a few weeks in a small German city.
My grandparents had escaped so they didn't spend as much time at their hands.
I've read and heard plenty of firsthand accounts.
 Ultimately, when your grandparents have went through it all, and you have heard about it dorectly, and it developed your feelings strongly, it can hit home much stronger.
Personally, there was always the knowledge of what went on here not too long ago in the back of my head.
I wasn't looking for it, and I didn't find antisemitism. The shliach there said he never experienced blatant antisemitism from the locals. Keep in mind that this is one of the only countries where denying the Holocaust is a crime.
People there are generally colder and more uptight, nothing to do with who they are talking to.

That's my .2, feel free to ask me to explain

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #106 on: August 03, 2022, 08:40:46 AM »
I recently spent a few weeks in a small German city.
My grandparents had escaped so they didn't spend as much time at their hands.
I've read and heard plenty of firsthand accounts.
 Ultimately, when your grandparents have went through it all, and you have heard about it dorectly, and it developed your feelings strongly, it can hit home much stronger.
Personally, there was always the knowledge of what went on here not too long ago in the back of my head.
I wasn't looking for it, and I didn't find antisemitism. The shliach there said he never experienced blatant antisemitism from the locals. Keep in mind that this is one of the only countries where denying the Holocaust is a crime.
People there are generally colder and more uptight, nothing to do with who they are talking to.

That's my .2, feel free to ask me to explain

In contrast to Switzerland, I feel that there, anti-semitism is much more rampant. For years saw swastikas in Zürich in various places, either carved on sidewalk or grafitti in central Jewish areas -- and it remained for years. Saw a swastika drawn on the sukkah wall. The Jews there know that they are living in golus and it's never a matter of discussion. One experiences verbal comments from time to time, and people just ignore and go on living.  To share, was in St. Moritz, a bunch of Swiss ladies started complaining loudly among themselves in Swiss German that the Jews should go to the beach in Tel Aviv instead of coming here on holiday.

Now Germany, I never saw any of that -- I never had an issue, and I even had Germans coming over to me to express their apologizes for what happened in WWII.  Although things have changed in the last years, especially since 2015 with the major influx of refugees from Syria, etc, they have been giving the most problems to the Jews, and the police have failed to surpress the Muslim anti-semitism and their holocaust denial (especially during their mass protests).

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #107 on: August 03, 2022, 11:00:52 AM »
Thank you all for your input. I've decided to spend 3 days in Berlin.

Besides Chabad, are there any acceptable Hechsheirim? There seem to be a few kosher places but I'm not sure as to the standards.

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #108 on: September 12, 2022, 02:42:28 AM »
New restaurant in Berlin by Chabad.



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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #110 on: September 18, 2023, 04:24:28 PM »
Greetings - has anyone eaten a Shabbos meal in the Central Synagogue in Berlin recently? https://www.berlinsynagoge.com/kosher-food-in-berlin/shabbat-kiddush-dinner/

Wondering what it was like....many thanks in advance

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #111 on: January 28, 2024, 06:08:13 AM »
Im looking into flights with an overnight stopover in either Frankfurt or Munich. I would like to stay in an airport hotel. Which airport is more recommended? Is one safer or less anti-semitic than the other? Also any hotel recommendations for either airport would be appreciated.

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Re: Germany Master Thread
« Reply #112 on: February 08, 2024, 03:01:07 PM »
I've stayed in Frankfurt Sheraton Airport Hotel a couple of times and recommend it. It's literally in the airport - no shuttle needed.