Established in October 2007, Germany Close Up – American Jews Meet Modern Germany is an initiative created to enrich transatlantic dialogue and provide young Jewish American emerging leaders, aged 39 and under, with an opportunity to experience modern Germany up close and personally. A generous government scholarship (a part of the ERP Special Assets of the German Ministry for Economics and Technology) covers more than two-thirds of participation costs.
Overview
The German Academic Exchange (DAAD), in cooperation with Classrooms Without Borders (CWB), has designed the Germany Close Up (GCU) seminar for young Jewish Professionals. Established in October 2007, Germany Close Up was an initiative to provide young American Jews the opportunity to meet modern Germany and enrich transatlantic dialogue. It offers the opportunity to engage with contemporary Germany intimately and firsthand. The Program aims to allow participants to gain their perspective on Germany through individual experience. The seminar outlines many facets of modern Germany, focusing on the past and present. Every GCU seminar entails many activities, tours, and meetings. Participants will meet German opinion-makers from academia, voices across the political spectrum, representatives of grassroots movements, and German peers. The seminar covers Germany’s past and its efforts to deal with the memory of the Holocaust and the Nazi terror. Participants will also examine Germany’s transformation over the last 70 years and its steps toward becoming a modern, reunified, and democratic country at the heart of the European Union, home to the third-fastest-growing Jewish community worldwide. Observing Shabbat and keeping a kosher diet is possible during travel in Germany. The 10-day Program will enable participants to experience Berlin's multicultural life, visit former East Germany, the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and experience other key historical sites and cultural venues. GCU participants will meet with German opinion-makers, grassroots movements, faculty and students of the Humboldt University Berlin, the Jewish community, and German contemporaries. Participants will actively explore the role of Jewish voices in transatlantic relations and contribute to German-American dialogue.
The Program will focus on the following topics:
- Berlin and United Germany
- The Holocaust and the Nazi Era, including a visit to a former concentration camp
- Transatlantic/German-American relations (including a meeting with officials of the German Foreign Office)
- Jewish Berlin, past and present (including the integration of new members of the Jewish community)
- German-Israeli relations
- A visit to Munich and Nuremberg
The German Government’s Transatlantic Program funds Germany Close Up through a grant from the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) currently administers the Program.
Itinerary
Example Itinerary: We are currently working with our Germany Close Up colleagues to finalize the 2026 itinerary. The program below reflects a close example of what to expect; while the core structure will remain similar, there may be new additions or minor updates.
Sunday: Arrival in Munich
Participants arrive in Munich and transfer individually to the hotel.
Optional afternoon activities may include a visit to Nymphenburg Castle or the Alte Pinakothek art museum.
Free time to relax and get settled.
Monday: Welcome and Orientation
The program begins with a welcome and orientation session with Germany Close Up staff, followed by a group lunch.
Participants visit the Ohel Jakob Synagogue.
A walking tour of Munich highlights the city’s history, architecture, and transformation before and after World War II.
Evening dinner with members of Munich’s Jewish community.
Tuesday: Remembrance and Beyond
A guided visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial explores the origins and legacy of the Nazi camp system.
The group meets with a historian for discussion and later visits the Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism, located on the former Nazi Party headquarters site.
The day concludes with a group discussion and dinner.
Wednesday: Nuremberg
Depart Munich for Nuremberg.
A guided visit to the Former Nazi Party Rally Grounds examines Nazi propaganda and architecture.
A walking tour introduces Nuremberg’s medieval history and its central role in both the Holy Roman Empire and the Nazi era.
Participants visit the Nuremberg Trials Memorial, located in the original courtroom where the postwar trials were held.
Free evening and dinner on your own.
Thursday: Arrival in Berlin
Morning departure to Berlin by train.
Upon arrival, check into the hotel and take part in a guided city tour, including a visit to the Bavarian Quarter Memorial with historian Ben Fisher.
Group dinner in the evening.
Friday: German Politics in a Nutshell
Meetings with a member of the German Parliament and a representative of the German Federal Foreign Office provide insight into contemporary German politics and diplomacy.
Afternoon free time followed by Shabbat services and dinner with the local Jewish community at the Fraenkelufer Synagogue.
Saturday: Shabbat in Berlin (Optional Programming)
Optional Shabbat morning services at local synagogues.
Optional afternoon activities such as a boat tour and a museum visit.
Free evening and time to experience Berlin at leisure.
Sunday: Memory and Reflection at Wannsee
Visits to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and Track 17 introduce Berlin’s Holocaust memorial landscape.
Lunch near Lake Wannsee, followed by a guided visit to the House of the Wannsee Conference or the Liebermann Villa, the summer home of artist Max Liebermann.
Evening free for personal exploration.
Monday: Study Day
Morning discussions with local experts and educators on contemporary German initiatives against antisemitism and right-wing extremism.
Afternoon panel on Holocaust education in modern Germany.
Farewell dinner in the evening.
Tuesday: Departure
Individual departures from Berlin.
End of program — safe travels home!
Resources
Resources for the seminar will be available after participant acceptance.
Videos
Subject Area: Antisemitism, Genocide, Government, Hate, Human Rights Violations, Jewish History, The Holocaust