Yad Achat team from Germany visits Givat Haviva
By Lydia Aisenberg
June 28, 2009
International Department staff members are most fortunate to meet and interact with outstanding young (and older) folks from abroad during their seminars on and off the Givat Haviva campus.
Four young Germans who paid us a visit this month, and were impressed with the work carried out by Givat Haviva, equally impressed the International Department staff members with their dedication to our shared goals.
Yad Achat is the name of the network they and their colleagues founded in Germany. The name Yad Achat comes from the Hebrew expression 'Lassot yad achat' – to come together for the common goal, in short, to cooperate.
And that is what the network of historians, social scientists, teachers, legal representatives and journalists, certainly do – and we hope to give them a hand, or two.
The Yad Achat folks actively participate in encouraging German-Israeli exchange, in battling Anti-Semitism and racism in all its ugly forms, and doing it through networking in order to avoid superfluous work and costs.
Dirk Hempel is a good example of the committed to making a change Yad Achat members. A journalist by profession, Dirk – who speaks fluent Hebrew and also Spanish – works as an advisor for press communication management, and according to the organization's website "he is passionately dedicated to the purpose of a lively international exchange", a description that is more than fair and strongly felt after only a short conversation with the gentleman.
He has accumulated valuable experience dealing with seminars for youth in Germany. His interest in and knowledge of international politics is keenly felt. Apart from Yad Achat, Dirk is also an active member of the Israelische Gesellschaft (German-Israeli Society).
Politics and youth education are the main interests of Andreas Koch, who is also learning Hebrew. The Political Science graduate is particularly interested in German history, culture of remembrance, Anti-Semitism and extremism. Apart from many other activities, Andreas is also a lecturer on various educational topics for the German Union Coalition.
The ladies, Lisa Bork and Eva Hildisch, also both speak Hebrew and have spent lengthy periods in Israel and built up strong relationships with individuals and organizations in the country. One of the basic tenants of Yad Achat is direct contact with Israelis and the development of joint projects and continuous dialogue as a strong antidote for distorted pictures of Israel and anti-Semitic tendencies in Germany.
"Yad Achat actively supports German-Israeli exchanges by providing contacts and innovative ideas and by our personal commitment. Joint projects, continuous exchange and intercultural communication are the best basis for good long-term interactions with Israelis," they say.
"You cannot shape the future if you are not aware of the past and Yad Achat, therefore, is committed to the legacy of the survivors of the Holocaust. We have a deep interest in the politics of memory, we develop education concepts and learning materials and support historical research", say the team.
After hearing about the background to Givat Haviva and a summary of projects dealing with Jewish-Arab relations in Israel, the visitors spent some hours in the Wadi Ara and Dotan Valley region, experiencing one of the International Department's well-known tours of the Green Line and security fence, Jewish settlements in the Dotan Valley and the village of Barta'a.