Religion: New synagogue in Magdeburg ceremonially opened

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religion
New synagogue in Magdeburg ceremoniously opened

Participants in the Torah transfer a few days ago in Magdeburg. photo

© Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa

In 1938, the National Socialists destroyed the synagogue in Magdeburg. Citizens have been committed to a new building for decades. The new synagogue is now in place and is intended to be a symbol of peaceful coexistence.

Downtown A new synagogue has opened in Magdeburg – 85 years after the destruction of the old Jewish place of worship. “The new synagogue building stands for peaceful coexistence and pluralism,” said Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) at a ceremony on Sunday. Jewish life will become much more visible and tangible again. “As a state government, we will continue to make Jewish life in Saxony-Anhalt visible, promote and protect it.” The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, emphasized that it was a day of joy and pride.

The building, which ultimately cost 7.6 million euros, is the result of decades of commitment from Magdeburg citizens who collected donations for the new building. A support association contributed 500,000 euros, the synagogue community 300,000 euros, and the city of Magdeburg made the property available. The state of Saxony-Anhalt bore most of the construction costs.

The old Magdeburg synagogue was destroyed by the city’s citizens during the November pogroms in 1938 – a short distance from today’s new building. The “New Synagogue Magdeburg” support association was founded in 1999 and has been committed to the construction ever since. This is the second new building in Saxony-Anhalt – a new synagogue was opened in Dessau-Roßlau on October 22nd.

dpa

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