Jewish Communities' Helplines Offer Vital Support in Germany

The Jewish communities in Cologne and Düsseldorf are celebrating the longevity of their telephone counseling services, which offer free, anonymous support for individuals facing personal crises, worries, and fears. The Cologne service, operated by the Synagogue Community of Cologne (SGK), marks 25 years, while the Düsseldorf service, run by the Jewish Community of Düsseldorf, has been active for 26 years. Both services collaborate and initially aimed to establish a nationwide Jewish hotline.

Stella Scherbatova, a psychologist who was involved from the beginning in Cologne, noted that the service was initially geared towards emigrants, particularly Russian speakers, but also offers support in German and English. For six years, a rabbi was available for confidential religious discussions. Scherbatova emphasized the continued importance of the service for Russian speakers and those seeking culturally and religiously familiar support, especially after October 7, 2023, when some individuals felt more comfortable discussing issues related to Judaism with someone who understood their background.

Alexander Apel, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist with the SGK, stated that the helpline receives calls from across Germany and acts as a "seismograph of the political situation." Call volumes increase during societal crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and following October 7. Many callers also discuss loneliness, health problems, grief, and personal anxieties, with two-thirds reporting feelings of loneliness and difficulty maintaining social contacts, according to Apel.

Olga Rosow, Deputy Administrative Director of the Jewish Community of Düsseldorf, highlighted that some callers, including those with mental health conditions, have made the calls a regular part of their lives. In the third quarter of 2025, the Düsseldorf service handled 686 calls. Beyond emotional distress, some callers seek practical information, like doctor referrals or phone numbers. The service is particularly crucial for older individuals; in the third quarter of 2025, those over 80 constituted the largest caller group with 258 calls, followed by those over 70. Individuals under 50 made up a much smaller portion with only 15 calls. Loneliness is a significant factor, making the helpline one of the few social contacts for some elderly individuals.

The work requires significant emotional resilience from volunteers, who receive training in counseling techniques and self-care. Rosow and Scherbatova noted that volunteers are carefully selected due to the emotionally taxing nature of the calls, especially those involving suicidal ideation. Staff are trained to encourage callers to seek professional help and to maintain contact, sometimes by inviting individuals to community events as a bridge to further support. Volunteers often draw on their own life experiences to offer empathy, but are trained to maintain professional boundaries and not to conflate callers' issues with their own.