Structures that support and connect People

"We were wondering why you wanted to meet with us" - while this directness or chutzpah from the students probably had everyone in the room holding their breath, Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor was not only calm, but also had a clever answer at the ready. During the joint discussion with students from the University of Jewish Studies (HfJS), he emphasised the importance of structures: "I love structures. People create these structures that connect. There is now a new connection between the university and Israel that outlasts terms of office." While Prosor was interested in exchange and funding opportunities for the students, they in turn asked him about his experiences at the United Nations, which he shared partly seriously, partly jokingly, but always recognising the importance of the institution.

During his visit, the ambassador also got to see the HfJS library, where Lena Bindrim, a library employee and Judaist, also showed him the Heidelberg Talmud. This had already been printed in 1948 by the Heidelberg printing company Carl Winter on behalf of the U.S. Army in order to be able to hand out several editions to the liberated Jews in the American zone. The model for this was the Vilna Talmud. The title page shows a drawing of an abandoned concentration camp on one side and the land of Israel as a hope for the future on the other.

Another detour was to the HfJS canteen. This is the place in Heidelberg where you can not only eat kosher, but also delicious food. Prosor found this out during a joint discussion with Rector Prof. Dr Werner Arnold, Vice-Rector and Dean of Studies Prof. Dr Viktor Golinets and Dr Mirjam Wilhelm, who is responsible for internationalisation at the university.