In our vision of a new world, where everyone can contribute their individual beauty and closeness between people prevails, healthy boundaries play a crucial role. These boundaries enable us not to lose ourselves and to maintain our identities. They help us to protect values and the diversity of ideas and structures. Matter itself is defined by structure and limitation. Without delineation, there is no defined life. The more a culture is spiritualized, the more its inner values and healthy boundaries are realized, the less need there is for external demarcations. Yet, there always remains a natural delineation of culture to the outside.

The concept of a 'heavenly Jerusalem on Earth' cannot be realized by merely tearing down fences. Boundaries are a part of human experience, as humans are limited in their capabilities. Striving for complete absence of boundaries can lead to overestimation of oneself and inadvertently cause more conflicts. However, recognizing and respecting the diversity in how we perceive the world can free us from considering our own perspective as a universally valid ideology. This process forms the foundation of a culture of freedom.

Only through mutual agreement and togetherness can boundaries (fences) be meaningfully overcome. Overcoming, however, does not mean completely tearing down or ignoring boundaries. There is a peaceful way of dealing with boundaries, which begins with inner reflection. The path of peace, which starts within us, leads us back out into the responsibility for the world.

The events not only in Germany, especially since the year 2015, but also worldwide demonstrate the need for healing cultural roots and establishing a culture of freedom that originates from within and extends beyond national borders. In our interconnected world, decisions and developments in one country often affect other regions. Exchange across borders can help us find common solutions for global problems and strengthen the spirit of peace and freedom worldwide.

Make a fence around the law' – this guiding principle from the 'Ethics of the Fathers' (Chapter 1, Verse 1) in Judaism unexpectedly found its way into the design of the Friedensmal. In Judaism, the law, the Torah, is called a Tree of Life. In the Friedensmal, the Tree of Life is the central element. The Garden of Freedom and the fence in front of the Stone of Encounter form the framework around the Friedensmal, or the fence around the law. The word 'garden' originates from the Indo-European word 'Ghorto', meaning enclosure. Originally, the 'fence around the law' was not part of the concept of the Friedensmal. Life itself surprisingly brought the fence, and thus the Stone of Encounter and the Garden of Freedom, as the frame of the entire design. This unexpected turn of events illustrates how a person plans their path, but God directs their steps (Proverbs 16:9). The story went like this:

In 2012, the local authorities had issued a special permit for the construction of a horse paddock fence on the neighboring property. Our monument features the Tree of Life breaking through a dark ring (symbolizing the dark past) towards Jerusalem, thus representing freedom. The new fence was to be erected right in front of the breakthrough of the Tree of Life. However, this contradicted the artistic message of the monument. Additionally, it deprived the originally planned design of the monument, which included 33 large memorial stones, of its freedom to be effective in the intended manner. A monument perceived as oppressive is not suitable for conveying a message of peace and freedom, nor for being attractive to visitors.

The artist initially omitted 22 large stones from the monument circle and symbolically replaced them, in line with the artistic message of the monument’s design, with the Stone of Encounter at the edge of the property. This opened up the 'Dark Ring' in the monument towards the side facing away from the fence. These measures were able to relieve the landscape. On the Stone of Encounter, the message of peace can be read: 'That we recognize the fences in togetherness…'. Furthermore, the design of embankments (angel wings) on the sides of the monument area and the landscaping around the monument circle gave the fence a different aesthetic function: from a blockade in front of the Tree of Life, the fence became part of a frame; a protected space and a transition to the outside world. This is how the Garden of Freedom as a framework came into existence.

With the Stone of Encounter and the Garden of Freedom as a frame, it was possible in this way to integrate the fence as a new, clearly visible boundary meaningfully into the design of the monument. It was an artistic response to the problem and ultimately led to a different design that was much more developed both in content and aesthetics. The design thus emerged in a process of engagement with life. At the beginning of 2019, the artist came across the passage 'Make a fence around the law' (Ethics of the Fathers) during an internet search. Life itself had made this directive a reality at the Friedensmal. But there was even more: Interestingly, on the side of the monument facing away from the fence, which was opened for the aforementioned reasons, the historical 'Jerusalem on the Rhine' was later discovered, giving the entire design an additional, deeper meaning.

Yerushalayim is both a root and a vision, woven into our culture. Throughout history, this root has been repeatedly injured. To achieve freedom and the full potential of life that we yearn for as individuals and as a society, it is imperative to heal the deep wounds in our own souls and in the collective consciousness. This healing enables us to understand the world more comprehensively and to take responsible actions for today and tomorrow. 'Learning from the past' here means transforming the burdens of the past into hopes and lessons for a better future.

The rich Jewish history of our region testifies to a time when Jewish life and culture flourished. Yet this history was overshadowed by tragic events, especially on the night of November 9, 1938, and the following day, when synagogues in many cities, including Speyer, Worms, Mainz, and also in Bensheim, were burned. These events marked the beginning of the systematic destruction of Jewish communities throughout Germany and beyond. The persecution and expulsion of the Jewish Germans is a deep trauma that continues to have an impact today, and its processing and healing are essential for understanding our shared history and shaping our future.

The raw, unmarked side of the Stone of Encounter faces west towards the Hochstädter Valley – a place with a deep, yet often overlooked history. Since 1865, mining tunnels have shaped the landscape, and during the shadow of World War II, the valley became a site of armaments production, protected from air raids. Tragically, it was displaced Greeks and concentration camp prisoners who were used as forced laborers there. This place thus stands as a silent witness to war, tyranny, and the dark chapter of German history. It was part of a comprehensive system of main and satellite camps that extended across Europe, affecting even small communities like Hochstädten. A detailed account of this history can be found in my treatise, supported by contemporary historical documents.

The Stone of Encounter, inscribed with 'Yerushalayim', stands in the Peace Memorial as a cautionary memorial stone. It reminds us not to be ensnared by ideologies and to recognize the boundaries in our interactions. It invites us to reflect on the values embodied by the heavenly Jerusalem. Below the stone is the phrase 'Where dust transforms into light', symbolically pointing to the Friedensmal to the right of the stone. This inscription reminds us that light and understanding can emerge from the darkest chapters of our history – a path of transformation that becomes visible in the Friedensmal.