Intercultural Exchange: German and American-Jewish High School Students at the German House
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"When I'm back in Berlin everything will appear very small to me, I guess“, Florian noticed while looking out of the 22nd floors' windows.
He is one of ten mainly 11th grade German students from the Bettina-von-Arnim-School in Berlin, who participate in this year's „German / American Jewish High School Youth Exchange Berlin – New York". On April 2, 2008 the group stepped by the German House for an afternoon visit during their 8-days full-scheduled stopover in New York.
The young students are attending a very special exchange program, which has intended to promote encounters between the German and American-Jewish youth since several years. Organized by Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum, Secretary General of the North American Board of Rabbis (NABOR), ten American students from Rabbi Rosenbaum's Temple Israel Synagogue but from several different High Schools on Long Island have already travelled to Berlin. Especially the group's visit at concentration camp's memorial Sachsenhausen was one of the „most touching moments“ one American student remembered.
During their journey the German students are staying with their exchange partners' families on Long Island, joining a school day or a Jewish Shabbat service to learn more about American and Jewish-American culture. And they were happy to follow the invitation of the German Consulate General: Together with their teacher, several American students, and some host parents, the German high school seniors were greeted by Deputy Consul General Dr. Stephan Grabherr and briefly introduced in the role of Germany in the United Nations as well as informed about the Consulate's daily business. Afterwards they met the Consulate's interns for getting a deeper personal impression of their work.
Since its start in 2002 the Jewish oriented exchange program is anually allowing up to 25 students from both countries to make intercultural experiences. Some of them made even close friendships beyond the program's encounters. The exchange program is activly encouraged by the Consulate General in New York, which has an „important interest in the contact with American Jewish institutions at all levels“, Cornelia Jarasch, Consul for Political and Cultural Affairs, underlined.
Article by Sandra Landsfried
