Last week the Dnipro Jewish Community was honored to welcome the Mayor of Cologne, Germany, the Honorable Torsten Burmester (Oberbürgermeister der Stadt Köln), on an official visit to the city. The Mayor visited the Menorah Center (the world’s largest Jewish community center) and other sites, and also met with the Chief Rabbi of Dnipro, Shmuel Kaminezki.
Mayor Burmester was interested in learning about the Dnipro Jewish community, one of the largest in Europe. While it has always played an important role in the spiritual, educational, social, and cultural life of the city, over the past several years the Jewish community has been an essential partner in distributing substantial humanitarian aid to sustain thousands of individuals.
The Mayor of Dnipro, Borys Filatov, and the Director of the Dnipro Jewish Community, Zeilig Brez, accompanied Mayor Burmester on a visit to the “Golden Rose” Central Synagogue, where they discussed the history of Jewish life in the city. The Mayor also visited the Jewish Medical Center in Dnipro which serves residents of the entire region.
The Mayor’s visit was especially meaningful because Dnipro has maintained a partnership with Cologne for many years. As part of his visit, Mayor Burmester delivered much needed aid, including ambulances for Dnipro and other communities in the region. He was deeply impressed by what he saw during his visit: “The main thing I will take with me is that we have seen how the people of Dnipro are firmly convinced of their intention to defend their city and make it better,” said Mayor Burmester “And that is something in which we, as Germans, as residents of Cologne, are ready to support and help you.”
The Dnipro Jewish Community was grateful to the Mayor for his support of their community, the city, and the country, and for the long standing positive relationship between Dnipro and Cologne that is based on mutual respect, friendship, and the striving for a better future.
Together we save lives and restore hope.
