Since their recent dispersion from the former Soviet Union, Russian-speaking Jews (RSJ) have become the vast majority of Germany s longstanding Jewry. An entity marked by permeable boundaries, they show a solidarity and commitment to world Jewry, including Israel, but feeble identification with their hosts. The identification with the larger Jewish community leads to a wide consensus concerning the importance of offering Jewish education to the young. The study presented here explores the influence of the RSJ community, their relationship with German speaking Jews, and the ways in which the RSJ identification with world Jewry influences Jewish education opportunities for the young. Utilizing surveys of the largest Jewish communities in Germany, interviews of leading public figures, and a comprehensive overview of the Jewish educational framework available in Germany, this book seeks to present a description and analysis of the Jewish population in Germany including its attitudes, activities, expectations, and identify formulations.

Eliezer Ben-Rafael, Ph.D. (1974) in Sociology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was Weinberg Professor and was President of the International Institute of Sociology. He is now Professor Emeritus at Tel Aviv University. His recent works include Jewish Identities (2001) and Is Israel One? (2005). His edited works include Identity, Culture and Globalization (2001), Sociology and Ideology (2003), Comparing Modernities (2005), New Elites in Israel (2007, in Hebrew), Transnationalism (2009) and World Religions and Multiculturalism (2010).
Olaf Glöckner, Ph.D (2010) in Jewish History, University of Potsdam. He teaches various courses on Jewish subjects at the University of Potsdam and Humboldt University of Berlin. One of his main interests focuses on the insertion of Russian-speaking Jewish scientists in Germany and Israel. Among his recent works, he has co-authored Building a Diaspora: Russian-speaking Jews in Israel, Germany and the USA (2006).
Yitzhak Sternberg, Ph.D. (2004) in Sociology, Tel Aviv University. He teaches sociology at the Open University and Beit Berl College, Israel. One of his main research interests is Nativism in immigrant societies. His edited works include Identity, Culture and Globalization (2001), Comparing Modernities (2005), New Elites in Israel (2007, in Hebrew), Transnationalism (2009) and World Religions and Multiculturalism (2010).