About

The summer school brings together an international group of activists and those who want to be activists to Berlin to explore the theory and practice of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world).

Overview

The Jewish Activism Summer School (JASS) offers a variety of programs:

The 3-week intensive Summer Program: every August
The 3-day Jewish Activism Weekend Gathering: overlaps with the final weekend of the summer school in mid-August
The Jewish Activism Reading Group: meets every two months in Berlin
Shorter programs through the year for example:
- Jewish aspects of the Frankfurt school (February 2024)
- Jewish theopolitics: Considering the Rising Right in Israel and Beyond(Summer semester 2024)

At JASS, you will:

Study the theories of Tikkun Olam rooted in Jewish texts
Learn practical skills to implement in your own activism and community work
Join an international network of activists and community practitioners
Become immersed in Berlin’s flourishing activist community by visiting local initiatives
Discover Berlin’s thriving Jewish community

JASS is open to Jewish and non-Jewish activists, students and professionals of all backgrounds over the age of 18.

JASS is a program of the Universität Potsdam. It is a non-partisan project, unaffiliated with any political party.

“We knew how to share, to work together, to defer to one another, to
surmount obstacles, to outdo ourselves.” (anti-Nazi resistance fighter and educator Chasia Bornstein-Bielicka, describing the qualities of her
comrades)

Mission

JASS was founded in 2016 and is directed by Professor Jonathan Schorsch, Chair for Jewish Religious and Intellectual History at the Universität Potsdam, Germany. He established JASS in the wake of the rise of openly nationalist, xenophobic, anti-democratic ruling parties in a disconcerting number of countries.

JASS’ mission is to serve Jewish (and non-Jewish) activists and organizations by offering programs, informed by Jewish values, that educate, train and challenge activists (protesters, social entrepreneurs, change-makers, innovators), in our shared fight for democracy, human rights and a healthy and sustainable world.

JASS is unique in offering Jews and non-Jews alike a serious and practical education in Jewish traditional approaches to Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), historical examples of Jewish activism, and an interdisciplinary cluster of skills and methods applicable to any issue area.

Meant to delve into the Jewish experience and fountains of wisdom, JASS invites non Jewish participants to take part in the program. We believe in the constructive power of dialogue and mutual understanding, and welcome allies of different views and experiences with open arms.

Mission