Germany would never have been on my list of countries to live in. As a British Jew I have grown up with a nauseating uneasiness about anything and everything German. A wariness that had been instilled in me as a child through my parents and grandparents.
But ten years ago my own prejudices changed when I met my future German husband. Three years ago we packed up everything, left London, my Heimat, and moved to the small city of Munich.
There were so many reasons we left London - it was too expensive, quality of life, the weather. With a job as a BBC journalist, I knew bringing up a family in London was inconceivable - I was already working out the costs of child care and schooling before my daughter had even been born.
Both of us knew that in the Hintergrund of my thoughts I silently observed a sinister rise in antisemitism. Violent crime on Jews, the boycott of Israeli academics, the rise of aggression against Jewish students on university campuses, were just some of the shameful acts happening on British soil.
I could not stand to live in Britain anymore. After my husband was offered a job in Germany he simply couldn't refuse, I wondered how I'd feel about moving to the country that murdered 6.5 million of us?
More work still needs to be done on teaching Germans history
While French Jews are leaving France in their droves, Germany is experiencing a Jewish renaissance, especially in Munich and Berlin. Over the last 22 years the growth almost quadrupled to today's figure of around 102,000.
Standing at the heart of Munich's city centre is one of Europe's most impressive contemporary synagogues, Ohel Jakob. Clad in Jerusalem stone, it is a celebration of the return of Jews not only in Munich, but countrywide. Surrounded by a kindergarden, school, cultural centre and museum, there are 9,500 members of this Orthodox congregation. It is a statement that says loud and clear: "We are are back, and we are here to stay."
I joined the liberal Jewish community when I moved to Munich. Within three years I have seen its membership grow from around 200 to more than 400, with many young people and families coming from around the world - including Brazil, Sweden, France, the US, and Israel. Ceremonies are sung in English, Hebrew and German, to reflect the internationality of our community.
Star architect Daniel Libeskind's plans to build a spectacular synagogue for our community has been on the cards for years. Raising money for such a grand scale project has been the greatest challenge. But with our current community space, in an office block, bursting at the seams, a scaleddown project looks likely to go ahead in 2018.
The recent increase in the Munich Jewish population is primarily to do with a very buoyant job market. Last year, the Bundesregierung extended its opportunity to bring more professional Israelis, with their great talent and skills, to Germany by offering visas to live and work here. This included an automatic working visa to young Israelis who wanted to earn some cash during their travels.
The relationship between Germany and Israel is at an all-time high. You could even call it a "love-in". In a recent poll, 68 per cent of Israelis rated Germany positively and 81 per cent wanted a close relationship between the nations. More than half think the "average German" is a strong supporter of Israel.
Many of my Israeli friends plan to stay in Munich. They feel safe here - both as citizens and Jews. Munich, the capital of the Bavarian state, has the lowest crime rate in the country. But more importantly, there were no reported violent antisemitic attacks in the whole of Bavaria in 2012 and 2013, according to government statistics.
Antisemitic crimes in Germany fell in the first half of 2014 with 350 incidents, compared to 409 in 2013. Many of these crimes, which ranged from desecration of graves to violence, were attacks from Neo-Nazis. Even during last year's Israeli/Gaza conflict, there had been no rise in antisemitic attacks in Germany.
Nevertheless, during that time, German Jewry felt vulnerable. Standing with 800 Jews in Munich last year, against antisemitism and to support Israel, was for me, one of the most moving experiences. Politicians from both the SPD and CDU made passionate speeches about their support for Jews and Israel. None more so than the gathering in Berlin, which Angela Merkel attended, stating that Jews were unequivocally part of Germany.
My London friends would point fingers at Germany's history and tell me that antisemitism is still rife. Just look at the 15,000 people who joined Pegida (Patriotic Europeans Against Islamisation of the West) marching in Dresden in the guise of "only" being against Islamic fascism. The middle classes joining neo-Nazis, and stirring the crowds with Nazis phrases, such as the Luegenpresse. But more people marched against Pegida across Germany, especially in Munich where there was a turnout of around 20,000 against a meagre 1,500.
I don't deny that antisemitism still exists in Germany. The two policeman sitting in their car, outside my synagogue, are a reminder of just how dangerous it is to be a Jew. We are always living under some threat. But I think British Jews will always view Germans harshly - as long as antisemitism continues to exist in Deutschland.
Berlin's streets are filled with remembrance of the Holocaust - more so than Munich. All these gifts, like the plaques on a house or on a pavement, are proof of just how far Germany has come in analysing and contemplating how this could have happened. Of course, there are attitudes and perceptions of Jews where the lines between antisemitism and criticism of Israel become blurred. More than one in four Germans equated Israel's treatment of Palestinians to Nazi persecution of Jews during World War Two, according to a survey last year. One in five respondents said Israel's policies made Jews less likeable.
To eradicate antisemitism is, sadly, not feasible. More work needs to be done on educating Germans. Having the opportunity to meet more Jews would be helpful. But as long as the government continues to meet antisemitism with zero tolerance, and politicians continue to show their strong support, I not only feel comfortable living here, but happy living here as a Jew.
