Historical Background
The film material was shot in the new synagogue in Berlin in the summer of 1932. With 3200 seats, it is the largest synagogue in Germany. It was inaugurated for the Jewish New Year in 1866 and is an exemplary reflection of German-Jewish history.
It shows the choir of the Jewish community together with the cantor Leo Gollanin.
Kol Nidre is a significant prayer recited on the evening before Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in the Jewish tradition. Its haunting melody and solemn words mark the beginning of this holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The prayer is essentially an annulment of vows made between individuals and God, ensuring that any vows or promises that cannot be fulfilled due to unforeseen circumstances or human fallibility are null and void. This allows individuals to enter Yom Kippur with a clean slate, free from the burden of unfulfilled promises or obligations. The words of Kol Nidre evoke a sense of repentance, humility, and the desire for forgiveness as Jews embark on the solemn process of introspection and atonement during Yom Kippur.
