A Wery Jewish Day (get it, "wery" because I'm in Germany???)

So instead of Buchenwald (I bought ther ticket, but I'm a little scared that I accidently validated it, so I won't be able to use it tomorrow...we'll see. I figure I'll play "dumb American", which I guess in this case is pretty accurate...), I decided I would take out the map Michael bought me and go (or at least try to go) to every "jewish star" on the thing.

First, I hit up the Berlin Jewish Museum. (see the pic)

It's a museum dedicated to Judaism is Germany starting in its first traces, around 300 C.E. It follows Jewish history here (never really a very comfortable thing) through the Holocaust and into today (though I would have liked to have seen more on today's Jewish-German community....there are 100,000 Jews here, and it is the fastest growing Jewish community in the world). The museum itself is very nice, though in the end it is a museum like any-other. What is amazing is the architecture (i don't think that is how most people spell that word...)

I'm not someone who notices things like this normally, but the design was astonishing. The whole thing is based around "broken jewish stars", and it shows. In the insides there are sharp turns and corners that lead no-where at all.

But the two most remarkable features are the "garden of exile" and the "holocaust tower"

The Garden of Exile (see the pic) has all of these stones in lines (it is meant to evoke the memorial to the jews of europe that is in the center of berlin...i'm going there tomorrow, i think) Anyhow, everything is in straight lines...with itself...but slightly off of everything else (including the ground). it gives the most intense feeling of vertigo and unease...which is what it was designed to do.

But far and away the most powerful 'place' i have ever been was the Holocaust Tower. I cant' describe it very well, but essentially it is a triangular tower with concreate walls that goes up 100-200 ft. it is small and almost silent inside. It is freezing (i'm pretty sure it is actually cooled-down on purpose). being inside of it is more intense than anything else....it is the most moving holcaust memorial that I have ever felt, and yet there are no words/signs/etc...

I saw two Israeli girls there, and half-followed them around for a while (probably creaped them out...). Just had this overwhelming desire to be near other Jews... Which makes me worry about Buchenwald tomorrow (or thursday).

After the Jewish Museam, I hit up a few other stars, including a Random Jewish Cafe that I found (guarded at all times by police, as are ALL jewish locations in Germany) and the "new" shule (beautiful on the outside...a pretty lame museum on the inside)

Lastly, I ended up in downtown berlin, tracking down another star, and ended up at the headquarters of the German Jewish Association (or whatever it's called). They didn't let me in, but the guy there told me some other places to go. On my way back I found a little Judaics store with "Happy Hanukah" on the outside (I took a picture, but it didn't turn out).

The only other real event of the day was that while i was taking the U-bahn back (the underground), I turned on my ipod and put on U2's Achtung Baby (recorded in Berlin...figured it would provide an interesting soundtrack). The first song comes on, and I go to get on my train--I pick it up (the U2) line at Zoo-Station (also the name of the first track). Was just an odd moment...could literally see where they got the track idea from.

Anyhow, all is well now...waiting for Michael to get back from school so we can go get dinner....


Daniel