Copenhagen, DENMARK – At its recent open house, members of the Great Synagogue in Copenhagen welcomed visitors, sold food and spoke with many who dropped by.
People queued for up to 45 minutes to be able to enter due to strict security precautions at the synagogue.
There was a wide variety of kosher food available to buy at an affordable price, such as chicken or falafel pitas and jars of salty pickles.
Pinhas Mizrahi, who is retired and a member of the Jewish community said the synagogue had very nice food to offer. Many people come to try the food and people end up talking together while eating. He said it is very important for the synagogue to do this again.
Michael Raffel, whose mother was Jewish, said the synagogue is more than just a place to worship but also a community center.
The number of visitors to the synagogue has decreased due to the conflict in Gaza, Raffel said. He said opportunities to visit Jewish establishments such as the synagogue will reduce the number of rumours about Jewish people.
Christel Birkemose, who works in a Protestant church, visited the Copenhagen synagogue for the first time on Sunday. Interested in other religions, Birkemose said it is important to understand the people you live around. She also mentioned it being important to see other religions’ daily life.
The food seemed to be loved by everyone who visited, and visitors appeared to be open-minded.
Noah Haynes is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
