“I want to express just how much this trip has changed my view on the Jewish-Germanrelationship in the modern day. After exploring Jewish life in Germany and seeing how Jews are protected and cared for, I am grateful to say that I would be comfortable visiting Germanyagain in the future, and will encourage others to do so as well. I have already started spreading the word about this magnificent program!”- Michelle Schachter, Rutgers University
I will highlight two of my favorite pieces of the trip. The first was Shabbat in Berlin. We davened in two different shuls and got to see the different aspects of the community. After shul on Shabbat day, we went back to the homes of members of the community for lunch. The family I ate by was so warm and welcoming. They talked about what it was like to live in Germany, first in Munich and now in Berlin. They had 25 guests at the table from all different walks of life. It was so special to see the strength and continuity of the community. It is easy to get caught up in the destruction of Jewish life that occurred in Germany during the Holocaust and its almost absence in Soviet occupied East Germany. Germany Close Up reminded me that Jewish life always continues. It was so exciting to see the Torah and Judaism in Germany today.
The other experience I want to highlight was the Jewish Museum in Berlin. The museum has an incredible architecture with so much meaning. The floors of the museums are structured so you make your way down through the timeline of German Jewish history. It begins with the arrival of the Jews to the towns along the Rhine river in the middle ages and continues up until today. It was incredible to see the amazing story of the Jewish peoplte laid out. Bryan Borenstein and Jeremy Lunzer stood reading one of the old sefarim in Hebrew. How incredible it is to be able to connect to something so old yet so relevant. Throughout the museum you can look through a window into these empty spaces called “voids”. These empty spaces represent the gaps and voids in Jewish history that resulted from persecution of Jews throughout the centuries. It was powerful to acknowledge both the richness and the struggle of the Jewish journey. Having the Borensteins with us on the trip was amazing! They are so warm and welcoming. – Rebecca Grossman, UMD ‘17
“When first applying for this program I was not sure what to expect, knowing that the program is not run completely by Jews, and the trip was not meant to only discuss the Holocaust. Truthfully, the wee
k I spent in Germany will go down as one of the best. Touring the country was extremely enjoyable. What I found refreshing was learning about the German culture separate from the atrocities committed by the Nazis approximately 80 years ago. If the Jews were to only focus on the wrong, which a country did to them then there would be no countries in Europe left to appreciate. Germany as a country has a beautiful culture, and rich history. Also, there is a small, yet growing, Jewish community in Berlin. It is important to focus on more then just the recent past. We must look back further than the twentieth-century, and we must look ahead. This trip has allowed me to look at German society as a larger picture, with a bigger story to tell. Prior to this trip Germany was simply the country that destroyed European Jewry. Now, I realize that there is more to the people and the country. I also hope that the Jewish community in Berlin manages to stay afloat, and flourishes. It is easy to forget the great Torah learning and Jewish customs that were created in Germany. Seeing it start up again is a reminder of the Jewish people consistently fighting, and even through hard times managing to not only survive, but to thrive.” – Leena Zelman, Brooklyn College
“…It was interesting to see how relations were between Germans and Jews, Germans and Americans, and Germans and people from the former USSR. My parents are originally from the former Soviet Union, and after Germany re-unified, they invited a lot of Soviet Jews to come live in Germany. It was very pleasant to speak to people who I share a culture and ethno-religious background with.
It was also an eye-opener to see how the Orthodox community differs from the one in New York and really puts things in perspective. But at the same time, there was a sense of familiarity and connection because even though we were born in different places, we come from the same places, and that was something that I was really proud of.” – Abby Potashnik
“This trip was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was amazing to be able to visit the places in Berlin and Munich where only 80 years earlier a vibrant Jewish community was present and have a chance to learn more about the history of the Holocaust. I also really appreciated the opportunity to be able to visit Nuremberg. Seeing the massive fields where Nuremberg propaganda rallies were held in the years before the war and viewing the architectural plans of the buildings which the Nazis planned to build helped me realize the enormity of the Nazi’s plan for worldwide domination.” – Yael Lazarus, Touro College ‘17
“The Orthodox Union’s trip to Germany with Germany Close Up was indescribable. I think if I put my thoughts and feelings of the trip into words, I won’t fully be able to describe it but rather I would be limiting the impact it had on my life and the invaluable education it provided me. Due to the trip educating about Germany’s long windy past all the way until today, I think its a unique and invaluable trip thats necessary for people to partake in if we want to make sure the horrors of the Holocaust never happens again, and the kedoshim that experienced it are never forgotten. Not only did I get to experience Germany and learn about it from many different vantage points in a way that I only could have experienced on this trip with the Orthodox Union and Germany Close Up, but I got to meet so many different people, each with their unique Jewish identity, who really enhanced the important foundational Jewish aspect of the trip. Having Rabbi Bryan and Sondra Borenstein as the couple representing the Orthodox Union JLIC was an amazing choice and they were a great fit for the trip. They were a great example to myself, a student from Stern who never experienced a OU JLIC couple, of the passion of Judaism thats needed to do the very important work they do on college campuses.” – Zahava Schwartz, Stern College ‘17
“I have interacted with many great Jewish educators over the years but I found this couple to be exceptional both in their warmth, sincerity, and humor as well as in their wide range of ability and readiness to meet everyone on their personal level of Jewish knowledge & observance. They were a constant inspiration throughout the trip.
Also, there were many strong friendships forged in a short period of time among the participants and I am extremely appreciative to the OU for selecting such a strong group of participants and to Rabbi Bryan & Sondra for encouraging an atmosphere that facilitated these connections to unfold in the context of a very rich & transformative experience.” – Ephraim Shoshani