Judentum: Merz: Schutz jüdischen Lebens bleibt eine Pflicht

The 20th anniversary of Munich's Ohel Jakob Synagogue was celebrated, amidst a backdrop of antisemitism, a desire for normality, and hope. Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (CDU) remarked on the heightened security around Jewish institutions, stating that a normal, open, visible Jewish life in Germany remained an impossibility. Ilse Aigner (CSU), Bayern's Landtagspräsidentin, attended the event, just hours after her resignation as a Union candidate for the Federal President's office.

Merz labeled antisemitism as ubiquitous, sometimes disguised in the language of anticolonial "Freedom Struggle" or "Israel Criticism." Aigner lamented the renewed sense of insecurity felt by Jews living in Germany, stating that such an atmosphere of fear is a disgrace for their country. Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, the world has witnessed an emboldened Jewish hatred, surpassing the worst fears.

This hatred comes from both right and left, seeping into the center and reflecting alarming integration deficiencies in certain Muslim communities. Merz emphasized that the synagogue symbolizes both hope and joy, noting that German Jews returned to this country and Munich after the Holocaust in 2006. He expressed immense gratitude to German Jews for rebuilding their lives here.

Bayern's Ministerpräsident Markus Söder vowed that the state would not allow history to repeat itself, emphasizing the need for the state to demonstrate resilience. He pointed out the spread of harmful content on social media, urging protection of the youth and prevention of the spread of poison across generations. Merz pledged that the federal government would do everything in its power to protect Jewish life in Germany and worldwide, reaffirming support for Israel's safety both externally and internally, following the 2023 Hamas terrorist attack.

Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde München und Oberbayern, called the synagogue a home and a sanctuary, acknowledging the sad reality that the world feels less like a home for Jewish people with each passing day. Despite past assaults, accusations, vandalism, and hatred, Knobloch expressed optimism, celebrating the completion of a long-sought dream: a synagogue with a Jewish community center, prominently situated in the city.

"Abertausende von Besuchern aus München, aus Deutschland, aus aller Welt haben mit eigenen Augen gesehen, dass das Judentum ein Teil dieses Landes ist" (Over 10,000 visitors from Munich, Germany, and around the world have seen firsthand that Judaism is part of this country), she stated.