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A pioneering Jewish academy opened in the western German city of Frankfurt on Monday, marking the first institution of its kind in the country. Situated within walking distance of the city’s largest synagogue and historical deportation sites, the facility aims to serve as a hub for education, dialogue, and contemporary Jewish culture.
Historical Roots and Location
Frankfurt was deliberately chosen for the new academy due to its long history as a center of Jewish intellectual life alongside Berlin, Munich, and Düsseldorf. The building stands within sight of the historic festival hall at the Frankfurt Trade Fair grounds, where the Nazis detained Jewish men in 1938 before deporting them to concentration camps. Frankfurt is also the historical site where the Central Council of Jews in Germany was founded in 1950, and hosts the Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany alongside a Jewish museum that opened in 1988.
The academy considers itself part of the legacy of the Jewish Lehrhaus, a prominent house of study founded in 1920 and associated with philosopher Franz Rosenzweig before the Nazis closed it in 1938. The city’s Jewish community previously contributed significantly to establishing Goethe University in 1914.
A Call for Education and Dialogue
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, stated that hatred must be combated through education. Schuster called the institute a milestone demonstrating the community’s resolve to call Germany home, while noting that Jewish life currently faces severe threats.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that antisemitism must be rejected outright and addressed politically. Steinmeier honored the memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and praised Rosenzweig’s intellectual legacy.
Combining a turn-of-the-century villa with a modern four-story structure, the academy bridges tradition and modernity. Institution director Sabena Donath told Deutsche Welle: “We see ourselves as a place where the past, present and future are all explored in equal measure.” Donath and co-director Doron Kiesel intend for the facility to connect academia with the general public.
Diverse Programming and Security Realities
The academy’s program will focus on religion, philosophy, ethics, and contemporary debates, highlighting the heterogeneity of modern Jewish life. Kiesel told Deutsche Welle that the institution wants to demonstrate how Jews live today and counter monolithic views on Jewish thinking. While the academy aims to showcase broader Jewish themes beyond persecution and antisemitism, Kiesel acknowledged that antisemitism will remain on the agenda due to its persistent presence in Germany.
The project originated from an initiative by former Central Council head Dieter Graumann in 2012. A traditional mezuzah is affixed to the entrance, accompanied by heavy security measures. Donath noted that guarding Jewish institutions is a bitter and everyday reality. Total construction costs reached approximately €40 million ($45 million), funded equally by the Central Council and federal and state governments, with expenses rising partly due to necessary security infrastructure.
