The U.S. and Germany share a future, common values, and challenges. Securing our democracies against emerging security and political threats can only be achieved together as allies. As differences across the Atlantic rise, AJC Berlin is on the ground maintaining and building long-lasting relationships.
Connecting American Jews and Germany
For decades, AJC has worked with local partners to connect American Jews with modern Germany. AJC began an annual leadership exchange program with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in 1980 that promotes mutual understanding of contemporary politics and Jewish life in Germany and the U.S. Since its founding, more than 400 American-Jewish and German participants have traveled on this exchange program.
The Third Generation Initiative, in cooperation with Germany Close Up and Allianz SE, brings together young American-Jewish leaders and German professionals. For one week in Berlin, participants engage with themes such as Jewish life in Germany’s past and present, German-Israeli relations, foreign and security policy, and the transatlantic relationship.
Fostering Strategic Dialogue
AJC hosts roundtables with renowned American, German, and Israeli policy experts to promote dialogue on pressing transatlantic issues. Programming has included diplomatic sessions at the Munich Security Conference, academic seminars on foreign and security policy, and roundtables with Israeli officials. In recent years, discussions have covered strategies on Iran and the JCPOA Nuclear Deal, Hezbollah, and Middle East policy. These discussions inform policy makers and opinion leaders in Germany on the current political strategies being discussed in the U.S. and Israel.
