The book "Leuchte des Exils, Zeugnisse jüdischen Lebens in Mainz und Bingen" (Light of Exile, Testimonies of Jewish Life in Mainz and Bingen) was presented at the New Synagogue in Mainz on November 22, 2016.

The federation of Jewish communities in the three SchUM cities of Speyer, Worms, and Mainz on the Middle Rhine during the Middle Ages had a lasting impact on the culture, religion, and legal system of the Jewish diaspora in Central and Eastern Europe. The three cities’ joint application for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List served as the impetus for this annotated documentation of Jewish sources and materials from the SchUM cities—beginning with Mainz.

The material ranges from the first mention of Jewish settlement in the 9th century to the treatment of Jewish history in the postwar period. The sources report on the cultural flourishing of Judaism, successful integration and acculturation, as well as experiences of suffering, persecution, and extermination.

"Light of Exile. Evidence of Jewish life in Mainz and Bingen." Hans Berkessel, Hedwig Brüchert, Wolfgang Dobras, Ralph Erbar, Frank Teske (eds.). 184 pages, 50 illustrations, 21 x 26 cm, hardcover, EUR 17.90. ISBN: 978-3-945751-69-5