Synagogues in Berlin
Berlin has several synagogues, listed below. They are usually named after the streets where they are located.
Our synagogues operate in a different way than those you might have visited before in other European cities (such as Prague, Rome or Budapest). Our contemporary, active synagogues do not function as touristic attractions. This means, on the one hand, that you don’t need to pay anything to go into the synagogues. But on the other hand, it means that most of them, specifically the historical synagogues you’d be interested in, are only open for services.
Most of our synagogues don't offer services on weekdays and are therefore closed, so your chance for a visit in those cases would be on Shabbat, either Friday evening or Saturday morning (and on Jewish holidays as well). Only (some of) the orthodox synagogues have services every day.
We hope you'll find this list useful. Please note however, that unlike American congregations, our local synagogues in Berlin do not really excel at keeping their websites updated (or active, for that matter).
From a tourist point of view, we find two of them to be more interesting than the others, especially for architectural and historical reasons. Considering the fact that you'll probably spend just one Shabbat in Berlin, the following two are our recommendations. None of them is orthodox, so there might be religious-denominational aspects for you to consider, but since our various guests are differently observant, we leave that part to you.
Having said that, we would recommend to you to visit one of these two synagogues - you may make your choice according to where you stay in Berlin, as one of them is in East-Berlin and the other on the Western side:
"Rykestraße"
Where: Rykestraße 53 (in the backyard building; not the front one, where the Yeshurun synagogue is - listed below)
Borough: Prenzlauer Berg, East-Berlin
(Relatively) close train station: U Senefelderplatz
Style: This very small congregation is still finding its way, currently being somewhere between reform and conservative.When: Friday evening at 6 pm in winter time, at 7 pm in summer / daylight saving time. Saturday morning at 9:30 am. Closed on weekdays.
Website: www.jg-berlin.org/en/judaism/synagogues/rykestrasse.html
Recommended because of its history, architecture and size. It was inaugurated in 1904 as a traditional synagogue, the congregation rejected the idea to use an organ. Plundered during Kristallnacht in 1938, it wasn't set on fire due to the adjacent houses. Hence, it was the first synagogue to be used in Berlin after the war and, after the ultimate destruction of many other synagogues, it became the largest in Germany with 2000 seats. It was renovated in 1953 and remained, until the reunification of Germany, the only dedicated synagogue building in East-Berlin. There were renovations made from 2005 to 2007 and it now holds 1200 seats, still being the largest, and probably prettiest synagogue in Germany. However, quite often they hardly get a minyan, so almost all seats remain empty.
"Pestalozzi"
Where: Pestalozzistraße 14-15
Borough: Charlottenburg, West-Berlin
Close train stations: S Savignyplatz, U Wilmersdorfer Straße
Style: Reform (though not egalitarian)
When: Friday evening at 6 pm in winter time, at 7 pm in summer / daylight saving time. Saturday morning at 9:30 am. Closed on weekdays.
Website: http://www.synagoge-pestalozzistrasse.de
Recommended because of its complex history and architecture. Inaugurated in 1912 as an Orthodox synagogue, it was attacked on Kristallnacht in 1938, but the fire was put out by the German firefighters to prevent the adjacent houses from burning as well. Until after the Second World War, this synagogue wasn't (and indeed couldn't be) used for services. It was renovated in 1947 and was turned into a reform synagogue, having since an organ. It has basically remained, until today, the most important synagogue of the established, well-integrated Jewish community of West-Berlin, which can also afford a choir (of both men and women) to accompany the service. In 2013-2014 it was renovated again.
After discussing these two highlights, let's move on to our - at least historically speaking - less important synagogues:
Chabad-Lubawitsch West
Where: Münstersche Straße 6
Borough: Wilmersdorf, West-Berlin
Close train station: U Konstanzer Straße
Style: Orthodox-Chassidic
When: Depending on sunset on Friday evening, Saturday morning at 10 am. Open on weekdays (see website for updated times).
Website: http://www.chabadberlin.de/
Chabad-Lubawitsch East
Where: Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 34
Borough: Mitte
Close train station: S+U Alexanderplatz
Style: Orthodox-Chassidic
When: Friday evening: 6.30 pm in wintertime, 7.30 pm in summertime. Saturday morning at 10.30 am. Shabbat meals for tourists each Friday night after the service. 15 Euro per person, the payment should be done before Shabbat.
"Joachimstaler"
Where: Joachimstaler Straße 13
Borough: Charlottenburg, West-Berlin
Close train stations: U Kurfürstendamm, U+S Zoologischer Garten
Style: Ashkenazi-Orthodox
When: On Friday evening during winter time - depending on sunset, during summer / daylight saving time, always at 7:30 pm. Saturday morning at 9:30 am. Open on weekdays (see website for updated times).
Website: http://www.berlinsynagoge.com
Yeshurun
Where: Rykestraße 53 (in the front building; not in the back one, where Germany's largest synagogue is located, see above)
Borough: Prenzlauer Berg, East-Berlin
Close train stations: U SenefelderplatzStyle: Orthodox-litvakish
When: Depending on sunset on Friday evening (see website for updated times), Saturday morning at 9:15 am. Closed on weekdays.
Website: none
Yeshivas Beis Zion
Where: Brunnenstraße 33
Borough: Mitte, close to Prenzlauer Berg, East-Berlin
Close train stations: U Bernauer Straße Style: Orthodox-litvakish
When: Depending on sunset on Friday evening, Saturday morning at 8:15 am. Open on weekdays (see website for updated times).
Website: none
Or, a.k.a. "Oranienburger"
Where: Oranienburger Straße 28-31, inside the so-called "New Synagogue" office complex of the Jewish community
Borough: Mitte, East-Berlin
Close train stations: S Oranienburger Straße
Style: Egalitarian
When: Friday evening at 6 pm during winter time, at 7 pm during summer / daylight saving time, Saturday morning at 10 am, closed on weekdays.
Website: https://www.or-synagoge.de/
Tiferet Israel
Where: Passauer Straße 4
Borough: Schöneberg, West-Berlin
Close train station: U Wittenbergplatz
Style: Sephardic-Orthodox When: On Friday evening during winter time - depending on sunset, during summer / daylight saving time, always at 7:30 pm. Saturday morning at 9:30 am. Open on weekdays (see website for updated times).
Website: http://www.jg-berlin.org/en/judaism/synagogues/tiferet-israel.html
"Fraenkelufer"
Where: Fraenkelufer 10-12
Borough: Kreuzberg, West-Berlin
Close train station: U Kottbusser Tor
Style: Conservative, men and women seat separately but without a mechitza. Except for the few regulars who kept the place somewhat active for many years, some young professionals from Israel and other countries, now living in this very international and multicultural borough, have recently started to revive this synagogue (ourselves included).
When: Friday evening at 7 pm, all year round, Saturday morning: 9:30, closed on weekdays.
Website: http://www.jg-berlin.org/en/judaism/synagogues/fraenkelufer.html
Lev Tov
Update: Currently closed
Where: Karlsbader Straße 16
Borough: Wilmersdorf, West-Berlin
Close train station: none, it's better to take bus M29 to "Roseneck"
Style: Conservative
When: Depending on sunset on Friday evening, Saturday morning at 9:39 am. Open on weekdays (see website for up-to-date times)
Website: http://www.lev-tov.org
Adass Yisroel
Where: Tucholskystraße 40
Borough: Mitte, East-Berlin
Close train station: S Oranienburger Straße
Style: Orthodox-litvakish
When: Friday evening at 5 pm during winter time, between 6 and 7 pm during summer / daylight saving time - please contact the community for up-to-date information. Saturday morning at 9:30. Open on weekdays (see website for up-to-date times). Entrance only upon registration in advance.
Website: http://www.adassjisroel.de/en/
Sukkat Schalom
Update: The Sukkat Shalom congregation is currently using the synagogue in Herbartstraße (see below)
Where: Hüttenweg 46
Borough: Dahlem, West-Berlin
(Relatively) close train station: U Oskar-Helene-Heim
Style: Reform-egalitarian
When: Friday evening at 7:30 pm all year round, Saturday morning at 10 am, closed on weekdays.
"Herbartstraße"
Where: Herbartstraße 26, inside the old-age home of the Jewish community
Borough: Charlottenburg, West-Berlin
Close train station: S Messe NordStyle: Reform (choir and organ)
When: Friday evening at 5:30 pm in winter time, at 6 pm in summer / daylight saving time, Saturday morning at 9:30 am. Closed on weekdays.
Website: http://www.jg-berlin.org/en/judaism/synagogues/herbartstrasse.html
Bet Haskala
Where: Behmstraße 13
Borough: Gesundbrunnen, West-Berlin
Closest train station: S Gesundbrunnen
Style: Reform-Egalitarian
When: Friday evening at 7pm all year round, Saturday morning at 9:30am, closed on weekdays
Website: https://bethaskala.de/Startseite/