Today was our first full day in Berlin. After a short tour of the city that followed the course of the Berlin wall, we had some free time. Our first stop was to the shopping mecca of Kaufhaus Des Westens which is Germany's answer to Harrod's of London. We need to give a shout out to Adolf Jandorf (1870-1932), a fellow Yid who founded this shopper's heaven.
The absolute coolest part of this department store is the 6th floor which contains a food "Gourmet" section that makes Berkeley Bowl look like a 7 Eleven. Aside from the 5 separate counters that serve different types of coffee, we found a huge selection of American food (JIF for 8 Euros), meats (skinned rabbit, parrot fish, eel, goose fat, candy wrapped sausages), fruits (durian, jackfruit, mangosteen, lychee), and eggs (turkey and ostrich variety). We have tons of pictures posted including one of a tin of caviar for 795 Euros.
Later in the evening, we went to a panel discussion about Jews in Berlin post 1945. Afterwards, we were able to meet some of the members of the local Jewish community who told us that there is a Jewish week with various events in the next few days. There is a significant Jewish presence in Berlin and the sad fate of the Jews follows you to every remote corner of the city. Just down the street from our hotel, which 5 miles from the city center, is the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe.
3 comments:
Those food pictures make me feel like Deutchland after the Krieg. Ugggh.
Griebenschmaltz is getting me in the mood for Shabbos.
Do you think a Chulentwurst might make it big over there?
yes, t do they have salami with a smiley face in it??
What's "mangosteen"?
I think most of the dept stores in Berlin were originally built by Jews, during the Weimar period.
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