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Germany to ordain 'first' rabbis Germany ordains 'first' rabbis
(30 minutes later)
A group of rabbis is being ordained in Germany for the first time since World War II and the destruction by the Nazis of its Jewish seminaries. A group of rabbis has been ordained in Germany for the first time since World War II and the destruction by the Nazis of the country's Jewish seminaries.
More than 100,000 Jews now live in Germany but there is a dearth of rabbis - there are only around 25 of them serving 100 congregations. Three Jewish graduates from the Abraham Geiger College in Potsdam were ordained in the eastern city of Dresden.
For years the country has had to rely on rabbis imported from abroad. More than 100,000 Jews live in Germany but there is a dearth of rabbis - there are only about 25 of them serving 100 congregations, a BBC reporter says.
Three Jewish graduates from the Abraham Geiger College in Potsdam are to be ordained in Dresden. For years Germany has had to rely on rabbis imported from abroad.
The ordination is taking place in Dresden's new synagogue which was rebuilt after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It's a triumph of the good in humanity over the evil of [the Nazi] period Malcolm MatitianiFuture rabbi href="/1/hi/world/europe/5344814.stm" class="">Ordinations highlight tensions
The last seminary, the Berlin-based College of Jewish Studies, was destroyed by the Nazis in 1942. The ordination took place in Dresden's new synagogue which was rebuilt after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
It's a triumph of the good in humanity over the evil of [the Nazi] period Malcolm MatitianiFuture rabbi href="/1/hi/world/europe/5344814.stm" class="">Ordinations highlight tensions One of the future rabbis, Malcolm Matitiani, has been studying in Germany for the last five years. Daniel Alter of Germany was the first of the three men to be confirmed as rabbi.
He was soon joined by Tomas Kucera of the Czech Republic and South Africa's Malcolm Matitiani.
Mr Matitiani has been studying in Germany for the last five years.
After his ordination he is planning to go back to his synagogue in Cape Town.After his ordination he is planning to go back to his synagogue in Cape Town.
He said he hoped the ordinations would help reintroduce Judaism to Europe and revive Jewish life.He said he hoped the ordinations would help reintroduce Judaism to Europe and revive Jewish life.
"It's a triumph of the good in humanity over the evil of [the Nazi] period," he said."It's a triumph of the good in humanity over the evil of [the Nazi] period," he said.
The Jewish community in Germany had some 600,000 registered members before the Holocaust and the war. Growing Jewish population
Thanks to an influx of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Germany has the fastest-growing Jewish population in Europe. The last seminary, the Berlin-based College of Jewish Studies, was destroyed by the Nazis in 1942.
The Jewish community in Germany had some 600,000 registered members before the Holocaust and the war, the BBC's Tristana Moore in Berlin says.
Thanks to an influx of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Germany has the fastest-growing Jewish population in Europe, our correspondent says.
Community leaders are hoping that the ordinations in Dresden will pave the way for more home-grown rabbis.Community leaders are hoping that the ordinations in Dresden will pave the way for more home-grown rabbis.