A Decade of Partnership - AJC Berlin Celebrates 10th Anniversary

BERLIN, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "AJC is an essential and reliable partner," German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaueble declared at the gala dinner celebrating the tenth anniversary of the opening of AJC's Berlin Office/Lawrence and Lee Ramer Center for German-Jewish Relations.

"AJC has long been ahead of its time, opening an office in Berlin a year before the federal government moved from Bonn," said Schaueble. "It was a ground-breaking decision to come to Berlin in 1998, even before the government moved from Bonn in 1999."

Schaueble praised AJC's "quiet diplomacy" and pioneering education programs as effective contributions to promoting democratic values, fighting anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry, and fostering understanding among diverse populations.

He singled out AJC's Hands Across the Campus program, now available in numerous Berlin schools, AJC's Adenauer Exchange program, launched in the early 1980s to train German leaders, and AJC's Turkish-Jewish Young Professionals Roundtable in Berlin.

"One of AJC Berlin's major successes in the past ten years" was its role in OSCE efforts to combat hatred, including its co-sponsorship with the Central Council of Jews in Germany of an NGO Forum in 2004 prior to a major OSCE conference on antisemitism.

Schaueble presented his nation's highest honor for non-citizens, the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany to Deidre Berger, director of AJC's Berlin Office. "You have shown that AJC Berlin is the first port of call for fighting racism and extremism, and promoting understanding beyond national boundaries," he said.

"Our work would not be possible without partners like Minister Schaueble and other partners in this room," said Berger. "It is important to overcome boundaries. We have a common history and a common future."

A highlight of the evening was an energizing musical performance by 20 diverse German high school students from a Berlin high school in a disadvantaged neighborhood, who are part of the "Streets of Wedding" production now touring Germany.

The musical was written by New York composer Todd Fletcher, together with the students, under the sponsorship of U.S. Ambassador William R. Timken, in cooperation with the German Interior Ministry. Fletcher is cooperating with AJC on musical projects at schools using the German adaptation of AJC's "Hands Across the Campus" program.

AJC also presented its Moral Courage Award to Marita Lessny, a Berlin mother who confronted anti-Semitism at her children's school. She intervened when a Jewish high school student was attacked during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. Lessny filed charges against the perpetrators and made the story public.

"Mrs. Lessny is a symbol of resistance to anti-Semitism and other forms of hatred," said AJC Board member Julie Baskes in presenting the award. "Her courageous actions demonstrate that anti-Semitism is a problem that affects us all."

The more than 300 dinner guests at the Adlon Hotel last night included members of AJC Board of Governors, German political and civic leaders, teachers participating in AJC's Hands Across the Campus program, alumni of AJC's Adenauer Exchange Program, and members of the diplomatic community.