Ohel Hachidusch, the Jewish congregation we attend in Berlin, is a very small congregation that meets in a pleasant church in our neighborhood. After choosing a bar mitzvah date for our son Avery we were surprised to discover that the church would not be available on that day. This planning malfunction turned out to be a true blessing in disguise when Cantor Jalda Rebling (Avery’s bar mitzvah teacher) suggested we have the bar mitzvah at the Juedisches Waisenhaus Berlin (former Jewish Orphanage of Berlin).
I cannot imagine a more auspicious venue for a bar mitzvah than a historic building devoted to the welfare of Jewish children. Built in 1912/13, the orphanage operated until 1940. After Kristallnacht many of the children were brought to safety via Kindertransport. The Nazis closed the building in 1942 and deported all remaining occupants to concentration camps. As far as I can tell from what I have read in German, the building languished for years, but was eventually restored and finally reopened in 2001.
The Juedisches Waisenhaus today has a library and an elementary school in addition to the beautifully restored prayer hall. Avery’s bar mitzvah in October will be the first to take place in the Waisenhaus since it reopened.
Donna Swarthout 
Donna – that sounds like a lovely place for Avery’s bar mitzvah! I got goosebumps reading that his would be the first since it re-opened. Wish him all the best from me as he prepares for his coming-of-age.
Donna, this a perfect venue! I will try to be there, for sure.
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beautiful story!
I am looking to having my son’s BM in Berlin. Is there a good source of info on doing this? Who would I contact at the former orphanage. Thanks
I suggest that you visit the orphanage and speak to the man who is in charge of the prayer hall. There is a small fee to rent the space and you need to sign a contract. We had a caterer come in and provide everything for the luncheon…..they are not set up for food service so you need to arrange all of that separately.
Does the orphanage have a Rabbi or did you arrange for one from a local synagogue? Most Jewish
facilities in Berlin have noticable security. Is there similiar security at the orphanage? Do you have
a contact at the orphanage.
The orphanage is primarily a secular space, home to both a library and school. The prayer hall is not connected with any rabbi or synagogue but is available to the community. Our congregation, Ohel Hachidusch, does not have a synagogue which is why we held the bar mitzvah in the beautiful sanctuary at the orphanage. There is no security outside the building. Our cantor handled the contract for us so I do not recall the name of the person we worked with, but you should be able to identify a contact on the Waisenhaus web site (see link on my blog).
Best wishes,
Donna
Donna, I have tried to make contact through the Waisenhaus web site but no reply. My grandmother volunteered at the orphanage before WWII and my aunt was involved in the Kindertransport so the building has some family ties. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
I am going to email you some suggestions.