Waltraut Rubien Award for German-Israeli School Partnerships

The Waltraut Rubien Funding for German-Israeli School Partnerships supports school partnerships nationwide with an annual grant of €1,000. The program of the David Ben-Gurion Foundation in Germany is aimed at educational institutions planning a student trip to Israel and engaging substantively with the life’s work of David Ben-Gurion. The goal is to strengthen intercultural exchange, promote democratic awareness, and make an active contribution to combating antisemitism. Applications can be submitted by July 30 each year and apply for the following school year within the funding period 2018–2028. Repeat funding and allocations to individual subprojects are generally possible and are decided by the foundation board according to established evaluation criteria.

Interested schools submit a project description of no more than two DIN A4 pages in PDF format. Key aspects of the award decision are the further development of the German-Israeli partnership, the thorough substantive engagement with David Ben-Gurion’s life’s work, and the commitment to preventing antisemitic attitudes. The funding promotes innovative concepts in the fields of education, training and continuing education, social cohesion, as well as labor and social affairs. Through the Waltraut Rubien Funding, students have the opportunity to gain sustainable learning and encounter experiences within the framework of school partnerships while simultaneously deepening German-Israeli reconciliation.