Community portraits
Community portraits are interviews, which aim to create a virtual community collage. We asked active members of the Jewish community to participate in this series of portraits, people whose voice and thoughts are greatly valuable and should receive higher visibility and publicity in the community. Some of the questions are personal but most of them deal with issues and topics, which, as part of the public discourse, are relevant for all of us. We hope that the diversity of the interviewees and the various different aswers will help in creating a more comprehensive picture and launching a constructive dialog about the emerging topics.
”To overcome these challenges, each individual, the Jewish and the non-Jewish communities have huge roles.”
“A dialogue can be initiated by nongovernmental organizations, and we can see the several results of such initiatives.”
“It would be great if these values, found within the Jewish community, would also radiate / illuminate towards the entire society.”
“For me one of the most important Jewish values is philanthropy, that is why I do a lot of volunteer work.”
“We have to build a community that is sensitive to the problems of the mainstream society.”
“You can only make a difference in baby steps. However, if many small steps are taken in the same direction, it is an avalanche.”
“I look for answers to religious and non-religious questions. Moreover, I try to show an example and give guidance with my way of life to those who turn to me.”
“It has been the same challenge for the Jewish communities for 5000 years, how to lay the foundation for the following generation to survive as Jewish.”
“We cannot shut off hermetically the communities from one another, we live together and our fates are intertwined.”
“The knowledge is present in the community, however we do not talk about the big challenges as we simplify everything to personal, endless debates.”
“As a parent as well as a volunteer, I consider the Jewish education of future generations the most important thing to do.”
“It is not enough that you know something is bad; you have to tell it to those who have no chance to realize that.”
