European Forum at The Hebrew University

13/10/2026

📊 How have perceptions between Israel and Europe changed?

Three years after October 7, the new 2026 Hebrew University–European Forum Barometer reveals significant shifts in how Israelis view their identity, security, and relationship with Europe.

Led by Prof. Gisela Dachs of the European Forum, the survey examines mutual perceptions between Israel and Germany, France, Great Britain, and Poland.

Swipe to discover some of the key findings! ➡️

🇮🇱 Is Israel more Middle Eastern or European?
42% of Israeli respondents describe Israel as more Middle Eastern, compared to just 18% who see it as more European.
The survey also reveals differences within Israeli society: while many Jewish Israelis report a strengthened sense of Israeli identity, Arab Israeli respondents were more likely to report a weakening of that identity.

🔐 Where do Jews feel safer?

A substantial majority of Israelis believe Israel is safer for Jews than Europe, while European respondents are much more divided.

Among the four European countries surveyed, Poland had the highest share of respondents (35%) who considered Israel the safer option.

The findings highlight a significant gap between Israeli and European perceptions of Jewish safety.

🇩🇪 How do Israelis perceive Germany today?

67% of Jewish Israeli respondents consider today’s Germany different from Germany before 1945, down from 75% in 2024.

Older Jewish respondents are more likely than younger respondents to hold this view.

At the same time, Germany remains the European country most frequently identified by Israelis as a friend of Israel, followed by Hungary.

🔎 What do these findings tell us about the future of Israel–Europe relations?
The 2026 Hebrew University–European Forum Barometer offers valuable insights into changing attitudes toward identity, security, the European Union, and European countries.
Want to explore the findings in greater depth?
🔗 Discover the full data through the link in our bio!

11/09/2026

🍎🍯 As we welcome the New Year, we wish our students, graduates, lecturers, partners, and friends a year of curiosity and discovery, meaningful dialogue, inspiring encounters, and new connections across borders.

May the year ahead bring opportunities to learn from one another, explore new perspectives, strengthen our community, and continue building bridges between Israel and Europe.

Shana Tova U’Metuka from all of us at the European Forum! ✨

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14/08/2026

This week marked 65 years since the construction of the Berlin Wall began.

On 13 August 1961, East German authorities began sealing the border around West Berlin—first with barbed wire, and soon with concrete walls.

By then, millions of people had already left East Germany, many using Berlin as the last remaining route to the West. The Berlin Wall was built to stop this mass exodus and would divide the city for the next 28 years.

Yet even the increasingly fortified border could not stop people from trying to escape. The Wall remained one of the most powerful symbols of Europe’s Cold War division until its fall in November 1989.

If European history, politics, and the forces that have shaped the continent interest you, our MA programs might be for you. Get in touch to learn more about studying at the European Forum!

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12/08/2026

One of our favorite things about Meet Our Graduates? Getting to celebrate the many different paths our alumni have taken. 💙 This week, we’re featuring Dr. Ofer Waldman.

🎓 Meet Our Graduate: Dr. Ofer Waldman

Ofer – graduated from the European Forum’s German Studies program in 2014 – now heads the Tel Aviv office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation — one of Germany’s political foundations, affiliated with the German Green Party. In this role, he stands at the heart of German-Israeli dialogue and civil society cooperation, bringing together politics, culture, and public engagement.

Over the years, Ofer has worked across academia, literature, media, and civil society — publishing books in Germany, writing award-winning radio plays and features for German public radio, chairing the New Israel Fund in Germany, and working with organizations including the Jewish Museum Berlin and the Bertelsmann Foundation.

Looking back, he sees the European Forum and the DAAD Centre for German Studies as a gateway into his public engagement in German-Israeli relations — providing not only knowledge, but also the research and networking tools he continues to use today.

One experience that stayed with him was studying German constitutional law and discovering what he describes as “the poetic beauty” of the German Basic Law.

💙 For Ofer, studying at the European Forum was never only about following one fixed path — but about discovering unexpected directions along the way.

💬 “While looking at the path you think you chose, be aware of all the doors opening up on all sides.”

Maybe your own European Forum story is next? Get in touch to learn more about our MA programs.

26/07/2026

🌏 Because your classroom can be the world.

Over the course of one unforgettable week, our students traveled across Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Macau as part of a joint study trip with the Department of Spatial Sciences.

From exploring historic neighborhoods and some of the world’s most dynamic urban landscapes to meeting with academics, architects, urban planners, business leaders, and representatives of Israel’s diplomatic missions, every day offered a new opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world experience.

These moments are what make studying at the European Forum so unique. Our M.A. programs are designed not only to deepen academic knowledge, but also to bring students face-to-face with the people, places, and ideas shaping today’s world.

A special thank you to Professor Noam Shoval for organizing and leading this exceptional study trip, creating an inspiring and enriching experience for our students. We are also grateful to our colleagues at the Department of Spatial Sciences for this wonderful collaboration, which brought together different academic perspectives and made the journey all the more enriching. And thank you to everyone who helped make this journey possible, and to our wonderful students for their curiosity, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn every step of the way.

Ready to take your learning beyond the classroom? Discover our M.A. programs in European Studies and Contemporary Germany, and get in touch to learn more!

10/07/2026

📍 A day where history, culture, and urban development came together.

As part of our joint East Asia study trip with the Department of Spatial Sciences, our students explored the many layers of Guangzhou.

From the European architecture of Shamian Island and the remarkable Sacred Heart Cathedral, to an inspiring visit to Sun Yat-sen University, where they learned about the opportunities and challenges of the Greater Bay Area from local experts, every stop offered a new perspective on the region’s history and development.

The day concluded with a walk through the vibrant Beijing Road pedestrian district, where centuries of history meet the energy of modern city life.

This is what learning beyond the classroom looks like.

Ready to take your learning beyond the classroom? Discover our M.A. programs in European Studies and Contemporary Germany, and get in touch to learn more!

09/07/2026

🌏 Learning beyond the classroom.

Our joint East Asia study trip with the Department of Spatial Sciences is officially underway!

Over the past few days, our students have explored the vibrant streets of Hong Kong before crossing into Guangzhou, experiencing firsthand the places, people, and ideas that shape one of the world’s most dynamic regions.

In Guangzhou, the group visited the Guangzhou City Planning Exhibition Center, where they learned about the city’s remarkable transformation, its historic role as a global trading hub, and the vision guiding its future development. Just a short walk away, they explored one of the city’s distinctive urban villages—high-density neighborhoods that developed outside formal urban planning but have evolved into remarkably organized and vibrant communities.

As the day came to a close, students wandered through Guangzhou’s lively city center, taking in the atmosphere and experiencing the city beyond the classroom.

This is what studying at the European Forum is all about: combining academic knowledge with real-world experience, meaningful encounters, and learning beyond the classroom.

Ready to take your learning beyond the classroom? Discover our M.A. programs in European Studies and Contemporary Germany, and get in touch to learn more!

07/07/2026

The journey begins. ✈️🇭🇰

Our joint study trip with the Department of Spatial Sciences has officially begun!

Follow along as we take learning beyond the classroom and explore one of Asia’s most dynamic regions.

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15/06/2026

11/06/2026

Some lessons are best learned on foot.

This week, our students are tracing the path from Berlin to Paris, experiencing the history, politics, and culture that continue to shape Europe today. 🇩🇪➡️🇫🇷