“George invited me to Passover. I got to know his whole family at this beautiful Jewish festival. Given that George is a Shoah survivor and I am a young German in Israel, this is particularly moving and memorable for me.”
Johann
2021/2022 ASF volunteer from Germany at the Beit Sefer Ilanot school and at AMCHA in Jerusalem
News
October 7 as an Open Wound – Encounters with Israel’s Collective Memory
Over the past four months, we have become increasingly aware of how deeply October 7 remains present in Israeli society. This was the reason why, as part of our mid-term seminar, we felt it was essential to engage more closely with what happened on October 7 and to visit the places directly affected by the attacks. Our journey began in Nir …
“Your presence matters” – Chancellor Merz in conversation with an ASF volunteer
The following report was written by our ASF volunteer Daniel, who is currently serving at Yad Vashem: As part of his inaugural visit to Israel, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Yad Vashem this Sunday — the place where I am currently serving my voluntary year with Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (ASF).
ASF representation at the ConAct German-Israeli Conference
From November 24-26, the ConAct conference took place with around 300 participants. The conference not only covered youth exchange, but also vocational training and voluntary service.
Remembering Gabi Daus
Gabriel Daus was a close friend of our work in Israel. He accompanied us closely in Jerusalem for decades and provided valuable support. Gabi, as he was known to everyone, passed away on the morning of July 12, 2025, at the age of 86—just a few weeks before his 87th birthday on July 26. We are very saddened by his passing.
Lishmor al Kesher – Full House, Big Questions
This month, we held our second Lishmor al Kesher gathering – a series of encounters with Holocaust survivors at Beit Ben Yehuda, held in cooperation with our partner AMCHA. And once again, the house was full.
Strengthening Ties Through Dialogue
As part of the EKBO/BMW delegation trip to Israel-Palestine (September 3–7, 2025), we had the pleasure of welcoming:
We stand in solidarity with Hanoar Haoved VeHaLomed (NOAL) and Hashomer Hatzair
We stand in solidarity with Hanoar Haoved VeHaLomed (NOAL) and Hashomer Hatzair and strongly condemn their recent expulsion from the International Falcon Movement (IFM).
From Yiddish to Jerusalem – Lishmor al Kesher at Beit Ben Yehuda
On Monday, 10 November 2025, we gathered once again for our Lishmor al Kesher meeting – our regular gathering in partnership with Amcha at Beit Ben Yehuda, where we invite Holocaust survivors to come together for dialogue, remembrance, and community.
André Kuper visits Beit Ben Yehuda
On Saturday, November 1, 2025, the President of the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), André Kuper (CDU), visited Beit Ben Yehuda in Jerusalem together with a delegation to engage with German volunteers about the significance of German-Israeli exchange.
Freiwillige in Israel angekommen
25 junge Freiwillige sind im September nach Israel gekommen. Sie werden für ein Jahr in sozialen und historischen Projekten engagieren. Los ging es mit einem Vorbereitungsseminar in der ASF-Begegnungsstätte in Jerusalem.