A Is for Jewish
Journeys through Now in 22 Letters
A is for Jewish
Music and youth culture, commemoration and traditions, languages and homeland – 22 impressions depict the everyday life of secular and religious, long-established and newly arrived Jews in Germany.
Using the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the exhibition explores keywords, concepts, and what is “Jewish” in Germany today. In the process, light is shed on very different aspects of the German-Jewish present and perceptions of norms are critically examined.
Sample a Few Stations from the Exhibition
א
For the first letter, “Aleph” the exhibition is dedicated to the “aleph-bet” itself, for example, with Victoria Hanna’s video art Twenty Two Letters, Israel, 2015; copyright: Victoria Hanna.
א
For the first letter, “Aleph” the exhibition is dedicated to the “aleph-bet” itself, for example, with Victoria Hanna’s video art Twenty Two Letters, Israel, 2015; copyright: Victoria Hanna.
ב
In the exhibition, “Bet” stands for bat mitzvah. The photo shows Mussi Bistritzky during her bat mitzvah speech. Her father, Shlomo Bistritzky (an orthodox Landesrabbiner of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, as well as leader of the Hamburg Chabad Center), is adjusting the microphone; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Gesche M. Cordes.
ב
In the exhibition, “Bet” stands for bat mitzvah. The photo shows Mussi Bistritzky during her bat mitzvah speech. Her father, Shlomo Bistritzky (an orthodox Landesrabbiner of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, as well as leader of the Hamburg Chabad Center), is adjusting the microphone; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Gesche M. Cordes.
ד
The letter “Daled” stands for “disintegration” and describes a provocative movement of a new generation of Jewish artists who no longer want to be considered victims by German remembrance culture. Postcard from the festival “Disintegration: A Congress for Contemporary Jewish Positions” at Studio Я of the Maxim Gorki Theater in Mai 2016; conception Max Czollek, Sasha Marianna; design: Deniz Keskin
ד
The letter “Daled” stands for “disintegration” and describes a provocative movement of a new generation of Jewish artists who no longer want to be considered victims by German remembrance culture. Postcard from the festival “Disintegration: A Congress for Contemporary Jewish Positions” at Studio Я of the Maxim Gorki Theater in Mai 2016; conception Max Czollek, Sasha Marianna; design: Deniz Keskin
נ
Who knows the “Jewrovision?” – for the keyword “Youth,” the exhibition presents the largest Jewish song and dance competition for children and young people, at which around 1,200 participants presented their interpretation of the Jewish Circle of Life at the beginning of 2018. Kippot memorabilia Jewrovision 2018; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Roman März.
נ
Who knows the “Jewrovision?” – for the keyword “Youth,” the exhibition presents the largest Jewish song and dance competition for children and young people, at which around 1,200 participants presented their interpretation of the Jewish Circle of Life at the beginning of 2018. Kippot memorabilia Jewrovision 2018; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Roman März.
ק
For the letter “Kuph,” the exhibition explores the topic of weddings. It also playfully reinterprets the museological concept of the “contact zone”: the Jewish Museum as a place where visitors can encounter the love of life—as the musician Daniel Kahn and his wife Ewa Lapsker did; they also held their wedding here at the museum. The kippah containing seeds (pictured) is from the wedding of Katarina and Rachel; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Roman März.
ק
For the letter “Kuph,” the exhibition explores the topic of weddings. It also playfully reinterprets the museological concept of the “contact zone”: the Jewish Museum as a place where visitors can encounter the love of life—as the musician Daniel Kahn and his wife Ewa Lapsker did; they also held their wedding here at the museum. The kippah containing seeds (pictured) is from the wedding of Katarina and Rachel; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Roman März.
ר
Along with new ideas brought by Russian-speaking immigrants, Jews who have long been based here are also part of the exhibition. This photo by the famous photographer Leonard Freed from our photography collection (more at our website) belongs to the letter “Resh” because the couple’s last name is “Rubinstein.” Leonard Freed, A Young Jewish Couple from Düsseldorf. From the series “German Jews Today,” Düsseldorf 1961; Jewish Museum Berlin
ר
Along with new ideas brought by Russian-speaking immigrants, Jews who have long been based here are also part of the exhibition. This photo by the famous photographer Leonard Freed from our photography collection (more at our website) belongs to the letter “Resh” because the couple’s last name is “Rubinstein.” Leonard Freed, A Young Jewish Couple from Düsseldorf. From the series “German Jews Today,” Düsseldorf 1961; Jewish Museum Berlin
ת
For the last letter of the “aleph-bet,” “Tav,” the exhibition engages with the Torah, for example, with the installation bios [torah] by the artist collective robotlab, in which a robot wrote a Torah here in the museum in 2014/2015 (read more on the installation); photo: robotlab.
ת
For the last letter of the “aleph-bet,” “Tav,” the exhibition engages with the Torah, for example, with the installation bios [torah] by the artist collective robotlab, in which a robot wrote a Torah here in the museum in 2014/2015 (read more on the installation); photo: robotlab.
As this view of the exhibition A Is for Jewish shows, there are many more informative and entertaining stations waiting for you. In the letter כ (“Kaph”) for “kosher,” for example, you will find a vending machine with kosher gummi bears (for the meaning of the term “kosher,” see the topic “Kashrut” on our website); Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Yves Suckdorff.
As this view of the exhibition A Is for Jewish shows, there are many more informative and entertaining stations waiting for you. In the letter כ (“Kaph”) for “kosher,” for example, you will find a vending machine with kosher gummi bears (for the meaning of the term “kosher,” see the topic “Kashrut” on our website); Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Yves Suckdorff.
The post of a young Israeli who justified his move to Berlin with the cheap chocolate pudding prices at a German discounter made it from Facebook to the museum – and thereby triggered a debate in Israel. And where to find Berlin’s best hummus definitely belongs in a show on the German-Jewish present.
Anyone who is interested in contemporary Jewish culture in Germany of course comes across the new and interesting ideas that the new generation of Russian-speaking Jews bring to the Jewish community.
Russian-Speaking Jews in Germany
The founders of the band ROTFRONT; photo: Stephan Pramme
The founders of the band ROTFRONT; photo: Stephan Pramme
The author and journalist Dmitrij Kapitelmann; photo: Stephan Pramme
The author and journalist Dmitrij Kapitelmann; photo: Stephan Pramme
Student Julia Kildeeva; photo: Stephan Pramme
Student Julia Kildeeva; photo: Stephan Pramme
The film director Tatjana Moutchnik; photo: Stephan Pramme
The film director Tatjana Moutchnik; photo: Stephan Pramme
The photographer Valentin Lutset; photo: Stephan Pramme
The photographer Valentin Lutset; photo: Stephan Pramme
Student Greta Zelener; photo: Stephan Pramme
Student Greta Zelener; photo: Stephan Pramme
The exhibition was developed with Berlin school students, whose work is on show. At the special request of the students, there is also a “Chill Corner” with four bean-bag chairs and a Jewish pop playlist, as well as six interviews with musicians.
View of the exhibition; Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Yves Suckdorff
Some Videos of our Jewish Music Playlist
Song: Berlin - Tel Aviv [feat. Sophie Hunger]
Artist: Max Herre
Composer: Roberto Di Gioia
Album: MTV Unplugged Kahedi Radio Show (Deluxe Version)
2013
Genre: Rap & Hip-Hop
Song: Berlin - Tel Aviv [feat. Sophie Hunger]
Artist: Max Herre
Composer: Roberto Di Gioia
Album: MTV Unplugged Kahedi Radio Show (Deluxe Version)
2013
Genre: Rap & Hip-Hop
Song: Beltz, Mayn Shtetele
Artist: Jewdyssee
Composer: Alexander Olschanetzky
Album: 5773
2012
Genre: International
Song: Beltz, Mayn Shtetele
Artist: Jewdyssee
Composer: Alexander Olschanetzky
Album: 5773
2012
Genre: International
Song: Berlin
Künstler: Shmemel
Komponist: Shmemel
Album: 2011–2014
2014
Genre: Pop
Song: Berlin
Künstler: Shmemel
Komponist: Shmemel
Album: 2011–2014
2014
Genre: Pop
Song: Es gibt nur einen
Artist: Ben Salomo
Composer: Ismail-Hakki Koray
Album: Es gibt nur einen
2013
Genre: Rap & Hip-Hop
Song: Es gibt nur einen
Artist: Ben Salomo
Composer: Ismail-Hakki Koray
Album: Es gibt nur einen
2013
Genre: Rap & Hip-Hop
Song: Oy Vey
Artist: The Disorientalists
Composer: Yuriy Gurzhy
Text: Yuriy Gurzhy / Daniel Kahn
Album: Who Was Essad Bey?
2016
Genre: Folk
Song: Oy Vey
Artist: The Disorientalists
Composer: Yuriy Gurzhy
Text: Yuriy Gurzhy / Daniel Kahn
Album: Who Was Essad Bey?
2016
Genre: Folk
Presentation video for Jewrovision 2018 from the children and youth center LevEchad, Osnabrück
Presentation video for Jewrovision 2018 from the children and youth center LevEchad, Osnabrück
Song: Butterfly Effect
Artist: Sharon Suliman
Composer: Dario Allerga, Sharon Suliman
Published on: YouTube
2017
Genre: Rap & Hip-Hop
Song: Butterfly Effect
Artist: Sharon Suliman
Composer: Dario Allerga, Sharon Suliman
Published on: YouTube
2017
Genre: Rap & Hip-Hop
Song: Haleluye
Artist (& Yiddish translation): Daniel Kahn
Composer: Leonhard Cohen
Published on: YouTube
2016
Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Song: Haleluye
Artist (& Yiddish translation): Daniel Kahn
Composer: Leonhard Cohen
Published on: YouTube
2016
Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Funded by the Friends of the Jewish Museum Berlin.
Exhibition Information at a Glance
- When
26 November 2018 to 5 January 2020
- Entry fee
Included in admission (8 €, 3 € reduced)
- Where
Libeskind Building, ground level, Eric F. Ross Gallery
Lindenstraße 9-14, 10969 BerlinSee Location on Map - Hashtag
