Page 20 - Demo

מגזינים
Annual Magazine of the Israeli-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, June 2014
Promoting business between Israel and Germany
Two Germans in Israel: Interviews with the CEO of ICL and the COO ofTeva
Communication News
Different city, same dream?
Why do
Germans
pay so
much for
Electricity? Dreams?
Ideas
Much has been said and written about young Israelis moving to Berlin. Terms like Freedom, Dreams and Cost of Living came up. But there are also many young Berliners in Tel Aviv, enjoying not only the beaches but also the diverse culture of “the Bubble”. Kont@kt asked Amit, 29, from Tel Aviv and Anna, 35, from Berlin about their motivations to swap cities, about what they miss 3000 km away from home and what this special link between the two cities is made of, that many young people feel.
Ideas
What typical things from Berlin do you miss the most?
As for Berlin, I miss most the very special atmosphere which is described by the expression “Berliner Luft” (the air of Berlin, rather pointing towards the atmosphere than the air). I was ever since impressed by the artistic scene and the creativity and the will and spirit to create new things, both in the architectonic sites of Berlin but also in new cultural and educational concepts. The ecological movements which started in the 80s, alternative forms of living as propagated in Kreuzberg in the 70s and 80s, all of this can be felt in Berlin.
Do you intend to stay for good?
This will depend on many personal and professional decisions.
Lately there is a lot of talk about a special connection between Berlin and Tel Aviv. Do you feel this connection? Why do you think it exists?
I think the strong interest in Berlin of many young people from Israel reflects a very unifying wish of young people from different parts of the world: People want to live in peace, democracy, prosperity and thrive for their fulfillment. On this path, they will choose or aim for a place which seems suitable to them for their individual purposes.
Amit, 29, from Tel Aviv
What was your motivation to move to Berlin?
I visited Berlin in the past and was always attracted to its eclectic charm and uniqueness. Since these visits I had a strong will of becoming a part of that experience.
The first idea was to relocate to Berlin together with my boyfriend who was living in Finland. But things didn't work out like we wanted, so we broke up a bit before actually moving. Eventually, I came to the city by myself.
How is it different from what you expected? What surprised you most?
Before coming to Berlin I learned a bit of German with an app for my smartphone. Once in Berlin, I soon found out I will need to do a bit more than downloading an app to improve my skills. Today, after more than 8 months, it still feels like German people have trouble understanding me when I try speaking German. Luckily, when
Publicity Technology
Young Israelis in Berlin add to the multicultural image of Germany’s capital and fill the cities' sights with new meaning. Amit chose this picture of him within the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe to represent old and new Jewish life in Berlin.
Anna, 35, from Berlin
What was your motivation to move to Tel Aviv?
I came to Israel in 2008 to perform 2 years of post-doctoral studies at the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS). I am a medical doctor with training in oncology and received an outstanding opportunity to perform studies in an internationally recognized lab at the WIS, receiving funding from the Minerva Foundation which is supported by the Max- Planck-Society. These scholarships enable Israeli scientist to perform doctoral and post- doctoral studies in Germany and vice versa. The impact of these scholarships reaches far beyond a merely scientific exchange between the two countries. Just in my closer circle of colleagues, 3 Minerva fellows found their partner to life is Israel.
Tel Aviv Beach © AHK Israel
How is it different from what you expected? What surprised you most?
I came with few expectations. My main expectation was science based. I wanted to publish a good scientific article and to extend my expertise in cancer research. I intended to go back to Berlin, so I took everything
Anna moved from Berlin to Tel Aviv in 2008 to study at the Weizmann Institute. She found an outstanding research environment and decided to stay.
quite open minded. I was mostly surprised by the similarities of Germany and Israel. For example, I did not find the mentalities of many of my fellow colleagues too different
Neve Tzedek © AHK Israel
from what I know. What affects a work place or societies are specific concepts and ideas which shape details in the general attitude and how to approach problems and solve them. In this aspect, Israel is very diverse, most probably because of the many different backgrounds of its immigrants. The way
things are handled here seem rather liberal to me, for example that a group will tolerate very divergent habits of its individuals, whereas from Germany, I am rather used to that the individual will adjust his/her behavior to the group.
What is the biggest difference between the picture of Tel Aviv/Israel in the German media and the real life here?
The biggest difference between the real life in Tel Aviv and the picture of Israel in the German media is that the media has the tendency to focus on extreme situations, such as war, terror attacks, terror groups etc. This shapes the perception of Israel and the Middle East in a very biased manner, forgetting that a very large percentage of people of different backgrounds in Israel favor peace and live as a democracy, support human rights and do not have extreme political or religious views. Unfortunately, most articles presented
Azriele Center
© Marianne Achso / www.jugendfotos.de
in the news convey a different impression.
What is your favorite place in Tel Aviv?
I like everything which is close to water, such as the beach, Yafo, the harbor etc. Yafo is very interesting as it is a very diverse and dynamic place.
I speak English almost every local understands me just fine.
What is the biggest difference between the picture of Berlin/Germany in the German media and the real life here?
Depending on when you get to Berlin, you are either going to meet a "the place to be" city or a "depressing east European atmosphere" one. In winter, Berlin is cold, snowy and dark. People on the street aren't happy. If you see any at all. But then summer happens and Berlin comes to life. Parties
Brandenburg Gate
© Susan Fuchs / www.jugendfotos.de
everywhere, outdoor dining and drinking, summer festivals... So much stuff is going on in summer and it feels like the top of the world.
What is your favorite place in Berlin?
Oranienburgerstrasse is a fresh, vibrant area of the city that is surrounded by well-preserved history. It offers beautiful crazy street art and relaxed cafes, perfect for meeting friends or just having a walk.
What typical things from Tel Aviv do you miss the most?
The beach. Also, as one of the most diverse and hedonistic cities in Europe, I expected Berlin to offer a wide verity of yummy international food – and it does. But still, when it comes to WOW food, there's no better place than Tel Aviv.
Do you intend to stay for good?
I wish I could continue exploring cities around the world for the rest of my life, yet I believe at some point I will be moving back to Tel Aviv.
Berlin Cathedral
© Alex Swan / www.jugendfotos.de
Lately there is a lot of talk about a special connection between Berlin and Tel Aviv. Do you feel this connection? Why do you think it exists? There's a lot of similarity between Berlin and Tel Aviv: the young vibe, a fragile history, old vs. new, hedonistic lifestyle, liberalism and much more. It's like two islands not connected to the countries they belong to. Sometimes I think the only way to distinguish one city from the other is the climate. And public transportation.
Did you know... ... that according to the OECD, Germany is the second most popular country for immigration worldwide? Almost 400.000 20 Kont@kt 2014
people, many of them highly qualified, moved to Germany in 2012, a number only exceeded by the USA.
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Berlin and Tel Aviv – different Cities, same
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