German-Israeli Knowledge Transfer and the History of Encounters

From 17 to 19 June 2026, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in cooperation with the Selma Stern Centre for Jewish Studies Berlin-Brandenburg, is organising a conference on German-Israeli knowledge transfer at Freie Universität Berlin.

For more than two decades, German-speaking students spent several weeks each summer in the desert city of Beer Sheva to attend the summer university there. They learnt Hebrew and attended academic lectures in the afternoons, with excursions to the Negev on the programme every Friday.

The invitation is open to all interested parties, particularly former students who studied in Israel.

This event will be conducted in German.

Preliminary agenda:

Wednesday, 17 June 17.00 – 18.30 Opening/ Prof. Dr Mark H. Gelber (BGU), Dr Judith Müller (Heidelberg)

Lecture: Prof. Dr Irmela von der Lühe (Berlin), “Thomas Mann’s ‘Joseph Novels’ in the Negev Desert”

Lecture: Prof. Dr Kobi Kabalek (Penn State), “German Perceptions of the Holocaust and the Fight against Anti-Semitism after 7 October 2023”

18.30–19.00 Coffee break

19.00–20.30 Panel #1. “Studying in Israel/Research, Teaching, Work”

Moderator: Prof. Dr Anna-Dorothea Ludewig (Potsdam)

Dr Tore Langholz (Hamburg), Prof. Dr Manja Herrmann (Jerusalem), Dr Sebastian Venske (Hanover)

Thursday, 18 June 10.00 – 11.00 Panel #2. “Religion, Ethnicity and Inclusion – Germany, Austria, Israel”

Discussion: Rabbi Konstantin Pal (Berlin) and Pastor Silke van Doorn (Loccum)

11.00 – 11.30 Coffee break

11.30 – 13.30 Panel #4. “Knowledge Transfer and Life Paths”

Moderator: Dr Judith Müller (Heidelberg)

Dr Alexandra Klei (Berlin), Dr Malgorata A. Maksimiak (Berlin), Marina Wall (Wetzlar), Dr Sophie Wagenhofer (Berlin)

13.30–13.45 Closing remarks: Irmela von der Lühe, Mark H. Gelber

Friday, 19 June 10.00 – 12.00 Supporting programme: Visit/guided tour of the House of the Wannsee Conference, Dr Ruth Preusse (Wannsee)

Source: hagalil.com