AJC ACCESS

The Germany Close Up Fellowship: An Open Group for Young Professionals in Affiliation with AJC Department of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations and AJC ACCESS. 

Religion and Politics in Modern Germany 

November 11^th – 18^th, 2012

Background

Established in October 2007, Germany Close Up – American Jews Meet Modern Germany is an initiative created to enrich transatlantic dialogue and provide Jewish American students and young professionals in their twenties and early thirties with an opportunity to experience modern Germany up close and personally. A generous government scholarship (a part of the ERP Special Assets of the German Ministry for Economics and Technology) covers more than two thirds of participation costs, which leaves a participation fee of $800 per person. At the same time, Germany Close Up is an independent body regarding the organization and contents of its programs. The purpose of the program is to allow participants to gain their own perspective on Germany through individual experience.

The trips are designed as an exposure to a myriad of facets that form modern Germany, with both the past and present in focus. Every GCU trip entails a number of activities, tours and meetings. The different groups will meet German opinion makers from academic life and from across the political spectrum as well as representatives of grassroots movements and German contemporaries. All the trips cover the issues of Germany’s reflection on its past and its efforts to deal with the memory of the Holocaust and the Nazi horror up to this very day. They will also consider its transformation in the last 60 years into a modern, reunified, and democratic country in the heart of the European Union, home to the third-fastest growing Jewish community worldwide. Observing Shabbat and keeping a kosher diet are both possible on all GCU trips.

Focus

In addition to the overarching themes of all GCU trips, this 8-day program between November 11^th and 18^th will focus on religion and politics in modern Germany. Today’s Germany is confronting the societal and political challenges of identity and integration in a country where traditional Christian religious influence is waning even as the Muslim and Jewish communities have experienced dramatic growth.

This trip is being conducted in affiliation with AJC ACCESS (www.ajc.org/access) and the AJC’s Department of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations (www.ajc.org). AJC is a longstanding partner of Germany Close Up and works for the development of young Jewish American leaders.

The program will focus on the following topics:

• Berlin and united Germany
• The Holocaust and the Nazi era including a visit to a former concentration camp
• Transatlantic/German-American relations including a meeting with officials of the German Federal Foreign Office
• German-Israeli relations, as well as the way Israel is otherwise perceived in Germany
• Jewish Berlin, present and past including the integration of new members of the Jewish community
• Interfaith dialogue
• A visit to the Berlin office of AJC

Expenses

Each participant is responsible for a fee of $800. This fee will be paid indirectly to Germany Close Up via a flight contribution. After acceptance to the program, each participant is therefore expected to book their roundtrip airline ticket to Berlin with economy class. In most cases this expense will cover the $800 fee. If your air fare is lower than $800, you will be asked to pay Germany Close Up the difference. If your air fare is more than $800, you may be eligible for a flight reimbursement from Germany Close Up for the difference between $800 and your actual flight costs. Please note, however, that reimbursements have a maximum cap. Participants departing from NYC or Washington DC are not eligible for a reimbursement. For participants not departing from NYC or Washington DC the maximum ticket cost Germany Close Up allows for is $1000. This means you will receive a maximum reimbursement of $200 ($1000 max ticket cost minus the $800 registration fee). This is to ensure the participation fee remains the same while participants may come from across the Unites States and Canada. Reimbursement will take place several weeks after the program’s conclusion.

Once you have been accepted for the trip, we encourage you to begin researching flights ASAP due to the maximum reimbursement levels and the rising cost of airfares as the trip dates near.

Germany Close Up covers the following expenses in Germany: hotel accommodation in double rooms, most meals, transportation within Germany, admission fees and event tickets. The scholarship does not include tipping. Please keep in mind that you will need to pay around 50€ (roughly $75) for tips.

For any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Application closes September 2^nd, 2012.

Please apply online here

When completing the online application, be prepared to attach the documents listed below as a single pdf file (please no ZIP files). Please also send a copy of your attachments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The documents we require to complete your application are: 

• An online application form
• A cover letter
• A resume
• A 1-2 page essay about your interest in the program
• One letter of recommendation

Read more about the last trip here.