"Embrace the Light in Berlin's Dark Winter: Hanukkah with Rabbi Borovitz"
"The time for hiding is over," declares the man with a bright orange kippah, standing in Berlin-Neukölln's town hall foyer on a chilly Monday evening. Jeremy Borovitz, a defiant rabbi who has called Neukölln home for five years, is determined to illuminate the shadows cast upon this once vibrant city.
Jeremy Borovitz, a resilient New Yorker, faced adversity with unwavering spirit since his arrival in Neukölln. Despite threats, insults, and sometimes violent encounters, he forever donned his symbol of faith, the kippah. But that fateful October 7th, as the news of the Hamas terror attack spread, a drizzle of dread began to envelop the community. The friend who ran a security company delivered an ominous caution: the streets of Sonnenallee were filled with celebrants, doling out sweets in commemoration of the murders committed by Hamas.
No kippahs on the streets
The nights that followed were filled with chaos and incendiary rhetoric. Anti-Semitism erupted on the streets of Neukölln with an unabashed fervor, a specter long lurking beneath the surface. In a single month, the Rias network recorded almost 1,000 anti-Semitic incidents across Germany, with 282 reported incidents in Berlin alone. The once harmonious neighborhood of Neukölln was now a crucible of fear and apprehension, with Jews from around the world imploring Borovitz to abandon his post.
The weight of fear
"But fear is not a good companion," Borovitz asserts, standing before the proud assembly in the Berlin-Neukölln city hall. "So here I am," he adds, raising his voice for all to hear, declaring his defiance and commitment to the community.
The town hall buzzed with excitement as Martin Hikel, Berlin's district mayor, invited guests to partake in the Hanukkah celebration. Hikel would soon declare: "Togetherness, diversity, and Jewish life in Berlin shall not be suppressed by the malevolent actions of a few."
United in the face of adversity
Despite the increased police presence, the food and festivities ensued. Laughter, joy, and relief echoed through the town hall, reinforcing the community's unwavering spirit and determination to continue celebrating life despite the looming darkness.
Jeremy Borovitz, with hands clasped, a smile beaming, and a thumbs-up, ushered the festive crowd back into the warmth of the town hall, where his speech reached its crescendo. "I am here not only as a rabbi but also as a Jew from Neukölln. I came to Germany with my family five years ago. I now live and raise my own family among the people here. As a New Yorker, I thought I understood multi-cultural life, but as a Jew wearing a kippah, sometimes it is difficult in Neukölln. And the last few months have been particularly trying. Yet, people write from all corners of the world, advising me not to stay in Neukölln. I understand the fear, but we are here today: Neukölln residents, Jews and Jews, Christians and Christians, Muslims and Muslims, Israelis and Israelis, Palestinians and Palestinians. We say: We will not let the world write our history. The darkness is everywhere and can be terrifying. But on Hanukkah, we see the light return. And the light in Neukölln shines ever so brightly. It comes from the organizations that make our neighborhood better, from each of you here. This is the time to pull together, to shine light on the darkness, and to bring a little more light into our neighborhood!"
The power of unity and empathy
Se institutions like the liberal Ibn Rushd Goethe Mosque, and language schools for Arabic like Seyran Ates' and Hutifa Al-Mashhadany's, contributed to a collective effervescence that night. Together, they stood against anti-Semitism, extending a hand of unity and friendship, despite the hatred that filled the air.
From within this gathering, a palpable force of unity became the defining arc of the day, a beacon of hope against the backdrop of growing fear and adversity.
Also read:
- Despite calls to abandon the challenging neighborhood of Neukölln, Rabbi Jeremy Borovitz remained resolute, wearing his kippah with pride even in the face of harassment and hostility.
- The Hanukkah celebration at the Berlin-Neukölln town hall, dampened by fear, brought builders of unity - including Seyran Ates and Hutifa Al-Mashhadany - together to form a formidable front against anti-Semitism.
- Jewish life in Neukölln had been recently threatened by violent incidents and a surge in anti-Semitic rhetoric and hate crimes. But, as the Hanukkah celebration demonstrated, the resilience of its inhabitants showed no signs of wane, with their spirit buoyed by solidarity and the belief in the power of unity.
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