JMB Journal 18: Light

The world began with light. And light plays a prominent role in Judaism: it symbolizes the distinction between the sacred and the profane, between knowledge and error. The lighting of a flame is an elementary component of many Jewish rituals.
Light is also the element of two installations that you can currently experience at Jewish Museum Berlin: Both the work res·o·nant by Mischa Kuball in the axes of the Libeskind Building and the walk-in installation Ganzfeld "Aural" by internationally renowned light artist James Turrell. It is no coincidence that we have dedicated our new JMB Journal to the topic of light.

Read about the light in the history of creation, in religion and science, in art and architecture; find out how Jewish rituals can be challenging when it comes to purchasing candles - or when one isn’t allowed to ignite light at all.
In this issue, for our photo series “Night Shift”, we have portrayed those people who work when it gets dark: the guards and the police who protect the museum at night. In addition, we present the large-scale project Object Days, in which Jews from all over Germany tell their migration stories with the help of souvenirs they have brought with them.

With texts by Peter Schäfer, Michal Friedlander, Léontine Meijer-van Mensch, Thomas de Padova, Hans Wilderotter, Julia Voss, Detlev Weitz, Urs Schreiner and Lenka Reinerová and with photos by Stephan Pramme.

You can also read the journal online on issuu.com.

Take a look at our photo gallery!

(12 items)

“My favorite place at the museum is the main entrance. There you meet visitors from all over the world, since the museum is truly a meeting place.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

“My favorite place at the museum is the main entrance. There you meet visitors from all over the world, since the museum is truly a meeting place. The first tour buses start arriving early in the morning. I tell the visitors they have to be patient until the museum opens, and I answer their questions. At night, the only people who come by are people out for a lonely stroll, or tired partygoers.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
“‘What’s the best way to Baden-Württemberg?’ People ask us the strangest things. If someone comes by at night we observe them.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

“‘What’s the best way to Baden-Württemberg?’ People ask us the strangest things. If someone comes by at night we observe them.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
"Our main job? Watching, watching, watching."
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

"Our main job? Watching, watching, watching."
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
"After my first night shift I'm dead tired. At home I take my dog for a walk. Outside the city, that's where I can relax."
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

"After my first night shift I'm dead tired. At home I take my dog for a walk. Outside the city, that's where I can relax."
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
“At night the only visitor is the fox. He does his shift, just like we do. Precisely at 3:30 am. he always slinks through the garden.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

“At night the only visitor is the fox. He does his shift, just like we do. Precisely at 3:30 am. he always slinks through the garden.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
“Two teenagers tried to sneak into the Garden of Exile one night. They must have thought we wouldn’t see them.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

“Two teenagers tried to sneak into the Garden of Exile one night. They must have thought we wouldn’t see them. Then they apologized. We left it at that, or else they would have had a criminal record.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
"Actually, one cannot get lost within the Libeskind building. Nonetheless in the beginning it's tricky to find your way around!"
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

"Actually, one cannot get lost within the Libeskind building. Nonetheless in the beginning it's tricky to find your way around!"
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
“When you start to get tired? Coffee helps, or fresh air, or talking with colleagues.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

“When you start to get tired? Coffee helps, or fresh air, or talking with colleagues.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
“We do the inspection rounds alone. Some of us have been known to come back looking pretty pale! At night your senses are particularly keen. In some rooms you have to be careful about what goes on in your head.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

“We do the inspection rounds alone. Some of us have been known to come back looking pretty pale! At night your senses are particularly keen. In some rooms you have to be careful about what goes on in your head.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
"Lighting is centrally controlled in the exhibition rooms. We have no influence at night, it stays dark. But we have flashlights and radio."
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

"Lighting is centrally controlled in the exhibition rooms. We have no influence at night, it stays dark. But we have flashlights and radio."
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
“At night we check all the rooms. The technology rooms, heating rooms, computer server rooms, the storage depots, and the exhibition space.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

“At night we check all the rooms. The technology rooms, heating rooms, computer server rooms, the storage depots, and the exhibition space. If water dripped anywhere, for example, and collections got wet, that would be a disaster.”
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme
"There are motion detectors in the basement, the light goes on automatically."
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme

"There are motion detectors in the basement, the light goes on automatically."
Jewish Museum Berlin, photo: Stephan Pramme