Beit Ben Yehuda - בית בן יהודה

This week in Israel is dedicated to Holocaust remembrance - a time of reflection, responsibility, and dialogue across generations.

Alongside our German-language conversation with Holocaust survivor Eva Erben on Thursday, we would like to draw your attention to another important event taking place earlier in the week:

On Wednesday, April 15th at 18:00, a Holocaust Memorial Event will be held at the Hanns Seidel Foundation’s Office in Jerusalem (Keren HaYesod 38, 3rd Floor).

The evening will include:

An input on contemporary antisemitism in Germany by Uriel Kashi, Director of Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste)
A testimony from Holocaust survivor Saul Hochstein

The event will be held in English.

Participation is limited, and registration is required via the Zikaron BaSalon website or by email at:
📧 [email protected]

In a time marked by growing polarization and renewed challenges to democratic values, these encounters are not only acts of remembrance but also spaces for critical engagement and shared responsibility.

We warmly invite you to take part.

This week in Israel is dedicated to Holocaust remembrance - a time of reflection, responsibility, and dialogue across generations.

Alongside our German-language conversation with Holocaust survivor Eva Erben on Thursday, we would like to draw your attention to another important event taking place earlier in the week:

On Wednesday, April 15th at 18:00, a Holocaust Memorial Event will be held at the Hanns Seidel Foundation’s Office in Jerusalem (Keren HaYesod 38, 3rd Floor).

The evening will include:

An input on contemporary antisemitism in Germany by Uriel Kashi, Director of Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste)
A testimony from Holocaust survivor Saul Hochstein

The event will be held in English.

We warmly invite you to take part.

Netflix goes Beit Ben Yehuda! 🎬

We are excited to share that “BBY Jerusalem” is now available to stream on Netflix.

A group of young German volunteers arrives in Jerusalem - ready to learn, to contribute, and to understand.

What they encounter:
shared rooms, very honest conversations, and israeli perspectives that challenge their own.

Between voluntary engagement, ASF seminars, and moments of uncertainty, they begin to understand:
meaningful encounter requires openness, patience - and the willingness to question oneself.

6 episodes about learning, responsibility and real encounters

Happy Chanukkah from ASF Israel & Beit Ben Yehuda
As the Festival of Lights begins, we extend our warmest greetings to all our friends, partners, guests, and supporters.
Chanukkah stands for resilience, responsibility, and hope — values that shape our work at ASF Israel and at the Beit Ben Yehuda every day. Through volunteering, we enable young people to take concrete responsibility and to engage in meaningful social and educational work. Through dialogue, we continue to build and strengthen lasting connections between Germany and Israel, even — and especially — in challenging times.
At the Beit Ben Yehuda, these values come together in a shared space for encounter, learning, and remembrance. None of this would be possible without your trust, your commitment, and your solidarity.
We thank you sincerely for walking this path with us.
May the lights of Chanukkah bring warmth to your homes, clarity to our shared values, and hope for peace and understanding.
Chag Chanukkah Sameach,
ASF Israel & Beit Ben Yehuda

Besuch von Bundesministerin Karin Prien im Beit Ben Yehuda – Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste e.V. Jisra’el Nicht kategorisiert Besuch von Bundesministerin Karin Prien im Beit Ben Yehuda Am Montag den 27. Oktober war der Vortragssaal des Beit Ben Yehuda in Jerusalem bis auf den letzten Platz gefüllt. Bundesministerin Karin Prien (Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend, BMFJSFJ) besuc...

Fotografin Melanie Zanin

Once a year, Beit Ben Yehuda invites German-speaking tour guides for a New Year’s gathering.
This year, we combined the event with a visit to the newly opened Knesset Museum — a fascinating and interactive exhibition that tells the story of Israeli democracy from its beginnings to the present day. Visitors can take part in simulated votes on draft laws and explore key moments in history, such as the debates on German reparations, the Eichmann trial, or Angela Merkel’s memorable speech to the Knesset.

Afterwards, we gathered at Beit Ben Yehuda to present the work of Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (ASF) and our educational guesthouse, and to invite the guides to recommend Beit Ben Yehuda as a place to stay for future groups.

Since October 7, tourism in Israel has largely come to a halt – yet during this gathering, a sense of hope was palpable that new peace initiatives might bring an end to the war and restore calm to the region.

With this hope, we look ahead to a peaceful and meaningful new year.

🌿
מוזיאון הכנסת - Knesset Museum
museum

The past year has been intense and challenging for all of us, marked by rockets and attacks in Israel, the devastating war in Gaza, the frightening war with Iran, the painful reality that so many hostages remain in the captivity of Hamas, as well as countless other challenges that shaped this difficult year.

And yet, alongside these heavy burdens, we also experienced moments of hope and connection. At Beit Ben Yehuda we hosted many meaningful encounters: between Israelis and Germans, between young people and Shoah survivors, between Jews, Christians, Muslims – and many more.

We are grateful that Israeli youth movements, students, peace initiatives and many more have chosen to use our house as a place for dialogue, and we are especially glad that since early September two young German ASF volunteers are once again in Israel, dedicating a year of their lives to social engagement and to getting to know the country and the region more deeply.

To all our friends, partners and guests, we wish a good and inspiring new year filled with encounters and shared learning. May the coming year bring peace, safety and calm to everyone in the region.

We stand in solidarity with Hanoar Haoved VeHaLomed (NOAL) and Hashomer Hatzair and strongly condemn their recent expulsion from the International Falcon Movement (IFM).

We stand in solidarity with Hanoar Haoved VeHaLomed (NOAL) and Hashomer Hatzair and strongly condemn their recent expulsion from the International Falcon Movement (IFM).

As Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste in Israel (ASF) and the Beit Ben Yehuda educational center in Jerusalem, we have had the privilege of hosting many groups from Hashomer Hatzair over the years. Together with NOAL, they represent two of Israel’s last remaining left-Zionist youth movements - organizations that have for decades built bridges across communities, promoted peace, and fought for democracy and social justice.

This decision singles out Israeli youth movements not for their values or actions, but for their very identity. Both NOAL and Hashomer Hatzair are committed to peaceful coexistence, are active in Israel’s peace movement, and often stand in opposition to their own government’s policies. Yet they are now excluded from the very international network they helped to build - one co-founded by Jewish social democrat Kurt Löwenstein.

Isolating democratic youth movements because of their nationality undermines the purpose of international cooperation. It replaces dialogue with division, and erases critical voices that are essential for building a just peace.

Our history as ASF is rooted in confronting the past, fostering dialogue, and building bridges across divides. We therefore stand in full solidarity with Hanoar Haoved VeHaLomed and Hashomer Hatzair, and we call on the international youth movement to protect - not silence - pluralistic and democratic spaces for young people everywhere.

Netzwerk Israel - Solidarität mit der Zivilgesellschaft haGalil.com .de.il Beit Ben Yehuda - בית בן יהודה

Welcome to Beit Ben Yehuda, Team TOM! 🌿

We’re happy to welcome a group of educators and social workers from TOM – Torah uMelacha Youth Village to Beit Ben Yehuda!

Located near Moshav Herev Le’et in Emek Hefer and part of the Bnei Akiva school network, TOM was founded in 1958 by Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neria z”l. It is a religious youth village for boys in grades 9–14, combining Torah study with academic and technological education.

With tracks in electronics, robotics, communication technology, TOM supports students from diverse Jewish backgrounds – including newcomers from France and Ethiopia, and even ultra-Orthodox youth in a special “Derech Chaim” track.

Welcome to Jerusalem!
כפר הנוער יב"ע תו"ם

Today, another Lishmor al Kesher gathering took place at Beit Ben Yehuda – once again in cooperation with our long-standing partner AMCHA.
These regular meetings provide Holocaust survivors with a space to come together, share their stories, and reflect on current challenges in a safe and respectful setting.

During the shared meal, many participants spoke about their experiences during the recent conflict with Iran. Many lack a bomb shelter in their homes and must descend many stairs to reach safer areas. Some choose to remain in their flats without a saferoom so as not to leave behind a partner in a wheelchair. One participant expressed relief that the war ended relatively mildly, adding that a more coordinated attack by Iran and its proxies could have had devastating consequences for Israel.

After lunch, Jonathan Livny, a member of our ASF Friends’ Circle, gave a thought-provoking talk on Wagner. He shared how his father fled N**i Germany in 1937 via London, bringing with him only a few personal belongings – including a small collection of Wagner records.

Jonathan addressed Wagner’s antisemitism, arguing that it is not reflected in the music itself. He questioned why Wagner has long been unofficially boycotted in Israel, while other composers with similarly antisemitic views continue to be performed. “If I ever reach heaven,” he said, “I will ask God why He gave such musical talent to such an antisemite.”

His talk sparked a lively and controversial discussion: Should we judge art by the personal beliefs of the artist? Can we separate the work from the worldview?

Our sincere thanks to Jonathan for his thoughtful contribution – and to all who shared this afternoon with us.

This gathering was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Axel Springer Foundation.

AMCHA Deutschland Netzwerk Israel - Solidarität mit der Zivilgesellschaft Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (ASF)