On the way to seventh heaven!

Beth Shalom Munich celebrated the official opening of its new rooms in the southwest district of Munich/Sendling with Rabbi Tom Kucera leading a Mincha service to a full house on December 11th. This is the sixth home for the community since the founding of Beth Shalom in 1995. "We haven't reached our goal yet as we are dreaming of seventh heaven - the construction of our synagogue designed by New York architect Daniel Libeskind to be located in the center of the city," explained Jan Mühlstein, President of Beth Shalom to the 150 guests and member attendees. Christiane Strobl, Vice Mayor of the city of Munich, Charlottte Knobloch, President of the orthodox Jewish community in Munich, as well as Leslie Bergman, President of the EUPJ promised their support of this ambitious project.
"Beth Shalom Munich has been an important part of the rebirth of Progressive Judaism in Germany" emphasized Leslie Bergman, whose initial contact with the community was at the first regional meeting of the German-speaking young reform communities in 1995 in Vienna, which he organised with representatives of the WUPJ.
Representatives from the city council, political parties, various civic, church and interreligious organisations from Munich all participated in the opening ceremony of the community's new facility, including Tibor Shalev Schuster, the new General Consul of Israel in Munich.
The rooms on the first floor of this newly reno-vated office complex have been in use by Beth Sha-lom since the High Holidays this year. There is enough space for services, events and religious instruction and there is a good base for further growth of Progressive Judaism in Munich.