ABSTRACT
After the Second World War, few people could imagine that Jews would ever again settle on German soil, establish roots and survive. The thriving Jewish community of Germany counted over 500,000 before the war, and only about 15,000 German Jews survived the Holocaust. Although a handful of Soviet refugees had managed to defect to West Berlin during the 1970 and early 1980s, more significant emigration of Soviet Jews to Germany started during the transition period surrounding German reunification. The German government found itself in a harsh dilemma, facing the rising tide of Soviet-Jewish immigration juxtaposed with severe Israeli reproaches for its open-door policy toward Soviet Jews. Being Jewish is defined by former Soviets as an ethnic rather than religious affiliation, as over 90 percent of them are secular, speak Russian as mother tongue, and know little about Judaism. Most Jewish refugees are convinced that they can never penetrate the invisible wall between themselves and the surrounding German society.
