架构师提供的文本描述。很少有犹太社区在重要性和传统上超过美因茨社区。在中世纪是主要的宗教教学中心，这种重要性可以追溯到一系列有影响的拉比，特别是格申本犹大(960年至1040年)，他的教义和法律决定对整个犹太教产生了影响。他的智慧被认为是如此巨大，以至于他被命名为“הגולאמאור”-“散居在外的光”。梅因茨新犹太社区中心试图汲取这一传统。

Text description provided by the architects. Few Jewish communities used to surpass the one of Mainz in importance and tradition. During the Middle Ages being the major center of religious teaching, this importance can be traced back to a series of influential Rabbis, especially Gershom ben Judah (960 to 1040) whose teachings and legal decisions had impact on Judaism at large. His wisdom was deemed to be so large that he was given the name “הגולא מאור“ - ‘Light of Diaspora’. The new Jewish Community Center of Mainz attempts to draw out this tradition

 © Iwan Baan

(Iwan Baan)

然而，美因茨犹太人的历史也有不同的一面。在历史上，几乎没有任何其他城市的犹太人受到过如此频繁的迫害，而且还一次又一次地试图建立一个犹太人社区，就像在这座看似平静的美因茨城一样。自从公元900年左右第一次提到“马恩扎”中的犹太人以来，这些社区就以一种悲剧性的规律被根除了。然而，几年后，犹太人找到了在美因茨重新定居的勇气。因此，Mainz几乎典型地体现了对未来的希望、学习和不可动摇的信念，同时也体现了在一个多千年中对犹太文化和人民的破坏。

The history of the Jews of Mainz though, has also witnessed a different side. In almost no other city have Jews been persecuted so often throughout history, and have still time and again attempted to build up a Jewish community as in this so seemingly serene city of Mainz. Since the first mention of Jews in ‘Magenza’ around the year 900 the communities have been eradicated in a tragic regularity. And still, a few years later Jews found the courage to settle again in Mainz. Thus, almost paradigmatically Mainz embodies hope, learning and an unshakable belief in a future, and at the same time the destruction of Jewish culture and people over more than one millennium.

大屠杀之后，这个社区又由一小群犹太人建立起来。直到1980年代，大约有75个犹太家庭居住在美因茨，当时来自前苏联共和国的犹太人移民增加了这一数字的六倍。小型住宅的现有空间已不能满足日益增长的社区对宗教、社会和文化活动的需求。一座新的犹太教堂加社区中心的建筑变得必要，建在前主要的“犹太教堂Hindenburgstrasse”的工地上。

After the Holocaust the community is founded again by a small group of Jews. Up until the 1980s approximately 75 Jewish families are living in Mainz when immigration of Jews from the former Soviet republics increases this number sixfold. The existing spaces in a small residential building cannot fulfill the demands of the growing community for religious, social and cultural activities anymore. A new building for a synagogue plus community center becomes necessary, constructed on the site of the former main ‘Synagogue Hindenburgstrasse.’

 © Iwan Baan

(Iwan Baan)