The Conference of European Rabbis, one of the most significant associations of Orthodox rabbis in Europe, is moving its headquarters from London to Munich as a

result of the UK's departure from the European Union. Conference President Pinchas Goldschmidt confirmed that Brexit was a leading factor in the move, stating that Germany is one of the few countries in Europe where the Jewish community is growing and where the political climate is favorable to the development of Jewish life.

The Conference of European Rabbis has been based in London since its establishment in 1956 and has approximately 1,000 member rabbis from Dublin to Vladivostok. The organization's announcement of the move came as it presented its Lord Jakobovits Prize to Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder for his outstanding commitment to the protection and promotion of Jewish life in Europe.

The Ohel-Jakob Synagogue in Munich, completed in 2006 in the city center, hosted the prize-giving ceremony and will also house the Conference's planned Centre for Jewish Life. The Center will provide educational opportunities for traditional rabbis and their spouses, as well as hosting international conferences in the city. The Centre will be primarily funded by the Bavarian State Government, with additional funds coming from private donors.

The move has been in the planning stages for a few years, with the Conference leadership deciding that the headquarters should be located in the center of Europe after Brexit. The Bavarian government subsequently invited the Conference to hold its 32nd congress in Munich, and Söder and Munich Jewish Community President Charlotte Knobloch invited the group to relocate there.

The Conference of European Rabbis has been working closely with the German Jewish community at the local and national levels, as well as with the country's Orthodox Rabbinical Conference. The Central Council of Jews in Germany President, Josef Schuster, welcomed the decision by the Conference, saying that it will enrich and strengthen Jewish discourse in the country.

Today, there are approximately 90,000 members of Jewish communities in Germany and as many as 100,000 more who are unaffiliated. The vast majority have roots in the former Soviet Union, and in the past decade, many Israelis have made Germany their home. The current Jewish population of Munich is about 9,000, according to the Central Council of Jews in Germany. Photo by Mark Neyman / Government Press Office, Wikimedia commons.