This is one of the finest houses in Berlin, the "New Synagogue", the jewish version of God`s house. "New", that means twice: This synagogue was called "new" from its construction in the 19. century, and it is a marking point for a new begin. The synagogue was constructed by the architect Eduard Knoblauch and finished by his collegue Friedrich August Stueler in 1866. There was room enough for 1800 men and 1200 women in the main hall and the 1st floor (both sexes are separeted during the ritual) 1938, when all synagogues in Germany were burned down by Nazi gangs and Goebbels organized a progrom against jews, this house was set on fire, too. But a brave policeman, the leader of the next policestation, drove them back and argued, that this house was a buildings monument.... The synagogue were destroyed at last by bombing in 1943 and was a ruin for 50 years. The new construction began exactly 50 years after that bomb. This house is not a synagogue in these days; only the front was rebuild. Inside are a museum, a memory place, changing exhibitions, the "Centrum Judaicum", a scientific organization and nearby a restaurant with kosher cooking. The jewish community of Berlin has again more then 50 000 members, most of them from Eastern Europe. Before WW II lived more then 165 000 jews in Berlin. I end my jewish story here with some positive aspects, I hope. This pic was taken in summer 2007 with my old coolpix, as ever. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for comments and critics; for my older pics, too. My best wishes to you all out there from Berlin.