About Us

Notice

Gruppe Jugendlicher stehen in einem Raum

Since ConAct is focusing mainly on advising and further qualifying professionals in the field of German-Israeli youth exchange in Germany, we decided to keep our website in German.

If you have any requests on German-Israeli youth exchange, we would also like to encourage you to contact our office or our Israeli partner Israel Youth Exchange Authority regarding youth work professionals from Israel.

If you are interested in updates on ConAct and news in the field of German-Israeli youth exchange, please subscribe to our newsletter that is published six times a year in German and English: 

SubscribE to our newsletter!

Eine Gruppe steht an einem Tisch mit einem Spiel

ConAct – Coordination Center for German-Israeli Youth Exchange is a nationwide working service and information center for exchange projects between German and Israeli youths, located in the sector of non-formal education. Since 2001 ConAct administers the funding of German-Israeli youth exchange, supports exchange programs between young people and offers qualified trainings for professionals in the field of German-Israeli youth work.

The employees of ConAct inform about organizational requirements and offer assistance in the educational preparation of exchange projects, arrange contacts between new partners from both countries and organize information days and professional conferences. Each year, over 300 projects of extracurricular education are financially and pedagogically supported.

While visiting Israel in spring 2000, Johannes Rau – then Federal President of Germany – had suggested to actively support and intensify German-Israeli youth exchange. Following this proposal the Israeli Minister of Education, Yossi Sarid, and the German Minister of Youth Affairs, Dr. Christine Bergmann, signed a resolution for the establishment of coordinating offices for German-Israeli youth exchange. The Declaration of Intent is available here: Declaration of Intent (only in German).

Jugendkonferenz Grafik

ConAct works on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, supported by the federal states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. ConAct is formally connected to the Protestant Academy of Saxony-Anhalt in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, yet as a state institution it is not being connected to any religion. Thanks to the invitation of Lutherstadt Wittenberg, the office of ConAct is located in the historical city hall.

The Israel Youth Exchange Authority (formerly Israel Youth Exchange Council) is the coordinating office in Israel and respective partner organization of ConAct. It is working on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Fast Facts on ConAct – Acting Together

This is what we do

We are...

  • providing information, networks and partners within the field of German-Israeli youth exchange
  • advising German-Israeli project partnerships on the preparation and organization of joint youth exchange programs and trainings for professionals in youth work
  • developing educational papers for planning and realizing German-Israeli youth meetings
  • formulating central questions for the further development of German-Israeli youth encounters – which already involve the third and fourth generation after the beginning of private contacts and diplomatic relations between Germany and Israel
  • planning conferences and seminars for the exchange of experiences and for further qualifying leaders of youth groups and multiplicators within German-Israeli youth exchange
  • discovering new ideas for pilot-projects within German-Israeli youth exchange

This is how we help

We...

  • inform about the funding of projects in German-Israeli youth exchange by financial means of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
  • give advice for finding additional funding possibilities to facilitate youth encounters
  • arrange contacts between organizations in Germany and Israel in order to help establishing new cooperation programs of youth exchange
  • organize conferences and workshops addressed to group leaders in order to convey new perspectives.

We are the service and information center within the field of youth relations between Germany and Israel.

Please contact us if you have any questions. We are looking forward to hear from you!

Educational Materials und Publications

Zwei Frauen vor einer grünen Wand

Below we have compiled various documents and information we are able to provide either in English or in Hebrew. Please contact our office if you would like to order one of the listed publications.

Educational Materials for German-Israel Youth Exchange

  • Plan Together – Experience Exchange! Practical Guidebook for German-Israeli Youth Exchange Vol. I: Plan – Exchange – Evaluate – Follow-Up
    Youth associations and youth education experts have been planning German-Israeli encounter programs for more than 60 years. Good practice is passed on, however, time and again questions on "Why?", "What?", "Who?", "Where?" and "How?" emerge in the process of planning the program which to answer is challenging not only for newcomers. A comprehensive answer to them has not been written anywhere – until now. The new Practical Guidebook for the German-Israeli Youth Exchange offers newcomers as well as experienced group leaders a variety of assistance. (German / Hebrew)
    A Hebrew version of the guidebook can be downloaded here:  Plan Together – Experience Exchange! Vol. 1.
  • Plan Together – Experience Exchange! Practical Guidebook for German-Israeli Youth Exchange Vol. II: Methods for diversity-conscious education and encounters
    Volume II of the practical guidebook makes diversity-conscious education applicable for German-Israeli exchange programs: It invites experts in German-Israeli exchange and educational work to consciously choose methodological approaches for their exchange projects that address the diversity of the individual and collective background of young people from both countries. (German / English / Hebrew) 
    A Hebrew and an English version of the Practical Guidebook Volume II can be downloaded here: Plan Together – Experience Exchange! Vol. 2
     
  • Spotlight on… Germany & Israel: Five Short Films about Past, Present and Future of the German-Israeli Relations

During the anniversary year in 2015 young people from Germany and Israel met for a youth exchange and created five short films, which take a look at the bilateral relations from the eyes of the young participants. The clips can be used for working in youth exchanges or to prepare the groups in advance. The brochure includes further educational materials dealing with the topic of the different clips. (German / Hebrew) 
A Hebrew version of the document can be downloaded here: Spotlight On
 

  • Gemeinsam Erinnern – Brücken Bauen (Commemorating Together – Building Bridges) is a handbook on ways of remembering together and joint commemoration in German-Israeli youth and student encounters. The handbook was compiled in cooperation of ConAct, the Bavarian Youth Council and the Municipality of Jerusalem; revised and updated edition 2014. (German / Hebrew)
    Find more information on the handbook in the German-Hebrew flyer here: Commemorating Together.
     
  • Da fällt mir aber ein Stein von den Schultern (A stone fell of my shoulders = That took a load from my mind) is a guide including methods in German, Hebrew and Arabic for language awareness raising for the application in German-Israeli youth exchange. (German / Hebrew / Arabic)
    You can download the Hebrew/Arabic version of the guide here: A stone fell of my shoulders.

Publications

  • Living Diversity in Germany and Israel: Your Story Moves! Momentaufnahmen – Reflexionen – Handlungsimpulse (2019) (Snapshots – Reflections - Ideas for action) is a brochure that focuses on the migration societies of both countries and some of the challenges they pose for educators and youth workers. It was developed as part of the project "Living Diversity in Germany and Israel", which took place from 2015-2019. 
    You can download the Hebrew version of the brochure here: Living Diversity in Germany and Israel: Your Story Moves . 

  • Living Diversity in Germany and Israel. Challenges and Perspectives for Education and Youth Exchange 
    Momentaufnahmen - Reflexionen - Fragestellungen (2017) 
    (Snapshots - Reflections - Questions) tackles various questions that emerge when dealing with diversity in the societies of Germany and Israel: What are the central discourses around the social diversity of young people in both countries? What were the insights gained concerning similarities and differences? It was developed as part of the project "Living Diversity in Germany and Israel", which took place from 2015-2019. 
    You can download the Hebrew version of the brochure here: Living Diversity in Germany and Israel. Challenges and Perspectives for Education and Youth Exchange.

  • The German-Israeli Youth Congress 2015. A Retrospective (2016) offers a comprehensive review of the Youth Congress 2015, bringing together different voices as well as results of workshops, lectures, excursions and discussions of the participating young people, scientists, politicians and youth work professionals. 
    You can download the English documentation here: The German-Israeli Youth Congress 2015

  • Moving moments connecting for life - Deutsch-Israelischer Jugendaustausch in Forschung und Praxis (German-Israeli youth encounter in research and practice) gives insights of German-Israeli youth exchange and compiles historical developments and research results of six decades of intense work in the field of German-Israeli encounters. (German / English / Hebrew)
    You can download the Hebrew version of the booklet here: Moving Moments Connecting for Life.  

  • 50 Jahre Diplomatische Beziehungen Deutschland – Israel | 60 Jahre Deutsch-Israelischer Jugendaustausch (50 Years of Diplomatic Relations Germany – Israel | 60 Years German-Israeli Youth Exchange) inducts amusingly and informatively into past and present of German-Israeli youth exchange. A historical abstract adds pictures and background information to important stations of political developments. (German / Hebrew)
    You can download the Hebrew version of the booklet here: 50 Jahre Diplomatische Beziehungen Deutschland – Israel.
     
  • Gemeinsam Erinnern – Brücken Bauen (Commemorating Together – Building Bridges) is a handbook on ways of remembering together and joint commemoration in German-Israeli youth and student encounters. The handbook was compiled in cooperation of ConAct, the Bavarian Youth Council and the Municipality of Jerusalem; revised and updated edition 2014. (German / Hebrew) 
    Find more information on the handbook in the German-Hebrew flyer here:  Commemorating Together – Building Bridges.
     
  • Gemeinsam erinnern – Engagement teilen – Vielfalt leben (Commemorating Together – Sharing Commitment – Living Diversity) is a documentation of the German-Israeli Symposium in 2011 on occasion of the 10th anniversary of ConAct in cooperation with the Israeli partner office IYEA. It assembles around 30 short essays which summarize the bilingual discussions by experts on important issues regarding the German-Israeli youth contacts. (German / Hebrew)
    You can download the Hebrew version here: Commemorating Together – Sharing Commitment – Living Diversity.

Downloads

  • Joint Regulations for German-Israeli Youth Exchange, that provide the common basis for the funding of projects in German-Israeli youth exchange by financial means of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. They were adopted in revised form in 2010 and became effective on January 1, 2011.
    Download Joint Regulations (German / Hebrew)

  • Information on Flight Cost Subsidy informs about the payment of flight cost subsidy regarding German-Israeli youth- and professional exchanges and on the submission of flight cost bills.
    Download Information on Flight Cost Subsidy (English)

  • Cooperation Guide. This fact sheet makes recommendations for a successful cooperation in German-Israeli exchange-projects.
    Download Cooperation Guide (English)

  • 60 Years of German-Israeli Youth Exchange – From Black & White to Multiperspectivity. Four Theses about the importance of German-Israeli Youth Exchange.
    The article reflects on the experience and observations in the course of 60 years of youth exchange, highlights its importance and outlines perspectives for the future.
    Download 60 Years of German-Israeli Youth Exchange (Hebrew)

Newsletter Grafik

Newsletter

Anmeldung/Sign up

Partnerlogos-partnerpnggefördert
durch