Strengthening the Jewish community in Germany

type: News , Topic: Community & integration , Date: 06 July 2018

More government support for the Central Council of Jews in Germany

The Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community, Horst Seehofer, and the president and vice presidents of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Dr Josef Schuster, Abraham Lehrer and Mark Dainow, today signed a treaty which will increase Federal Government funding for the Central Council from €10 million to €13 million annually. In this way, the Federal Government is providing significant support for preserving and maintaining German-Jewish cultural heritage and for continuing to build up the Jewish community in Germany. This funding also supports the Central Council’s activities in the fields of integration and social welfare. The Central Council is open to all currents of Judaism.

This increase in annual government funding will enable the Central Council to play a greater role in integration, in combating antisemitism and in reorienting its efforts concerning remembrance and commemoration.

Federal Minister Seehofer said, "The Central Council of Jews is facing growing challenges. I am also concerned about rising antisemitism in our society. Our Jewish citizens should feel safe and welcome in Germany. Whoever threatens our Jewish fellow citizens threatens all of us. That is another reason I believe increasing government funding for the Central Council is important."

The President of the Central Council, Dr Schuster, said, "This is a good day for the Jewish community in Germany. Thanks to the increased funding, we can carry out important projects to support Jewish life in Germany. We want to counter growing antisemitism above all through education. Expanding the educational and cultural work of the Central Council will be a major part of this effort."

Since 2003, the Federal Government has provided annual funding for the Central Council of Jews in an amount defined in a treaty. With the signing of today’s treaty, this funding has been increased for the third time. The treaty will enter into force when it is ratified by means of a federal law.