"Studying the Shoah: Learning about Human Decisions, Reflecting on Responsibility"A Joint Study Project for German and Israeli StudentsRationale:This project aims to create an active exchange between German and Israeli youth with a view to develop a deeper understanding about the Shoah (Holocaust) and its legacy.This mobility project will include historical case studies from the period of the Shoah, providing a multi-perspective view on human behavior during the years of unfolding genocide. Furthermore, students will discuss issues of commemoration culture and the different ways of grappling with the event of the Shoah in both their respective societies. After studying on a historical and meta-historical level, the youth will openly discuss the implications of the gained knowledge for our lives today. They will discover the value of democracies like the countries in the Europaen Union. Moreover, they will discuss about the increasing of xenophobia and antisemitism. Various open-ended questions will be posed within the framework of this project, such as: What is our attitude towards history? What does the shared history mean to us; our families; our countries? What does it mean to be responsible for our own decisions? How do we reflect on our responsibility for shaping a better future? How do we build a partnership to address these challenges?Background:Since its founding in 2005, the European Department of the International School for Holocaust Studies of Yad Vashem has continuously invested efforts in developing an active network of educators in countries across the European continent. The Villa ten Hompel is one of the partners of Yad Vashem and the co-operation has been very fruitful until today. Both sides have pledged to foster cooperation in the field of youth projects, and as a result more youth from NRW in 2015 will be visiting Yad Vashem. Important to mention, that it will be the first project between Villa ten Hompel and Yad Vashem, which is a two way exchange. Not just the Germans study on the Holocaust via the view of the victims, no - this time the Israelis come to Münster to study how Germans deal with their role as perpetrators and what responsibilty arises out of this and influences the democracy nowadays.The project is a pilot projects between both institutions and - if successfull - might be implementated as a regular exchange.Target Group:This project will include the participation of four partnerschools in Northrhine Westphalia (NRW) and selected schools in Israel. together with a long-standing partner institution, Villa ten Hompel in Muenster. The four above-mentioned schools:Christian Dietrich Grabbe Gymnasium Detmold, Annette von Droste Hülshoff Gymnasium Münster, Hermann Leeser Schule, Städtische Realschule Dülmen, Realschule St Martin Sendenhorst4-5 participants each school can join the project + home teacher from each school. In Israel, this group will meet with 20 Israeli high school students, and their teachers. The Israeli and German students form the international youth group. Preparatory meetings for the young people in their respective countries will be conducted (at Villa ten Hompel in NRW and at Yad Vashem in Israel), and a virtual meeting of all of the project participants via video conference will be arranged. Project Description:1. Phase I: Preparation on Respective Sides German students will first gather at Villa ten Hompel for a preparation meeting. Israeli students will meet first at Yad Vashem for a preparation meeting. Both groups will become familiar with the rationale, expectations, proceedings and content of the project.Young people will learn about the culture of remembrance of the "other" and will discuss their own perspectives, emotions and attitudes. Educational materials on Holocaust memory especially designed for young people, by young people, will be included in this phase.2. Phase II: Meeting in Yad Vashem (Activity I)All participants and facilitators will meet in Yad Vashem, an extensive educational campus. Special interactive tours of the Yad Vashem monuments, learning center, museum complex, archives and Righteous among the Nations Garden will be given. It is expected that the setting for the seminar at Yad Vashem will trigger a multi-layered, international dialogue. This mobility seminar will promote an extensive dialogue between the German and Israeli high school students, including educational workshops featuring Yad Vashem didactic materials . 3. Phase III: Youth meeting in the Villa ten Hompel (Activity II)Meeting in the Villa ten Hompel means to change the perspectiv from the victims to the perpetrators. During the exchange in Münster the learnt experiences in the meeting in Yad Vashem, will be transferred to modern times. Topics like refugees, increasing of xenophobia and antisemitism, European Values will be addressed.