Reisbericht - Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Studienreise Israel 2006
centrated on the reflection on actors and origins in the context of
anti-Jewish prejudices, an issue which is still of sad prominence
today. Increasing assaults of anti-Semitic background have strikingly
underlined the need to continue our engagement to fight
Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia. Certainly the most important
events in this field took place in June 2000 and June 2004. Under
the heading “Israel in the Middle East – Germany in Europe” various
speeches and workshops were organized to analyze where
anti-Semitic attitudes originate and how they can be changed. So
far, these occasions led to the most comprehensive reactions inside
and outside the university.
What the examples you have just heard about indicate is the
constant effort of our work at Mainz University to bring Israel to
public attention.
But as often happens with a discourse like this, there appears a
confrontation of opposing images and prejudices, existing in our
minds. When we talk of exchange then, this means more than just
some driving ideal. Instead, it becomes a subject to constant
questioning and discussion itself. Learning about the other also
means learning about oneself, which is thus sometimes a great
challenge to overcome. Now, this is theory! But what about reality?
How do countries actually learn about each other in daily life?
How do Germans learn about Israel? How do Israelis learn about
Germany? Most of the information we obtain stems from mediated
sources. But do the pictures on TV really show us what it is
like to be living in Israel? Do the articles we read actually allow us
to form a thorough opinion of the political situation in the country?
As students, who have been given the chance to make the impressive
experience of traveling across this country in the past
two weeks, each and everyone of us has had the chance to revise
and broaden the pictures in his or her mind. Our meetings
with experts in the field of media, politics and science helped us
gain more insights. Among several others, we had the great opportunity
to talk to renowned specialists such as Dan Bar-On, Avi
Primor and Moshe Zuckerman. Obviously, there is always an-
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