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School of Jewish Theology at the University of Potsdam
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Juergen Ritter / IMAGO
After allegations of sexualized harassment at the Abraham Geiger College in Potsdam, the Central Council of Jews said the investigation was extended to the School of Jewish Theology at the University of Potsdam.
This was announced by the Central Council on Wednesday in Berlin as an interim result of the investigation that the Cologne law firm Gercke Wollschläger is conducting on its behalf.
According to the Central Council of Jews in Germany, the law firm has obtained information that suggests extending the investigation to the School of Jewish Theology.
The Central Council followed the extension in order not to be able to raise any doubts about the investigation by the Chancellery.
He was not involved in the investigation.
The Institute for Jewish Theology is part of the University of Potsdam.
Future progressive rabbis study there and at the Abraham Geiger College at the same time.
Complete, unreserved and independent clarification is the top priority, emphasized the President of the Central Council, Josef Schuster: "We must prevent, as far as possible, that individual, potentially relevant areas are left out during the investigation and that, after the report has been published, there could be scope for allegations that the clarification was fragmentary or carried out half-heartedly.« What exactly the 75 surveys by the law firm have revealed so far remained open.
The allegations of sexualized harassment by a lecturer at the Abraham Geiger College became public in May in a report by »Welt«.
SPIEGEL also reported extensively.
The rector of the rabbinical college, Walter Homolka, let his offices rest.
Homolka was also Vice Director of the School of Jewish Theology and Chairman of the Leo Baeck Foundation.
According to the Central Council, interviews were conducted with those responsible for the facilities as well as with those affected and whistleblowers.
In addition to the Abraham Geiger College, the institutions are the Leo Baeck Foundation, the Zacharias Frankel College, the Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk, the Union of Progressive Jews and the General Rabbinical Conference.
Further interviews are planned.
Results are expected by the end of the year.
The University of Potsdam recently announced that it would soon be publishing the first study results.
A press conference is planned for the end of September or the beginning of October.
Rabbis for Jewish communities have been trained at the Abraham Geiger College since 1999.
wit/dpa
