Tel Aviv and Berlin: A New City Partnership?

On March 28, 2025, Berlin’s state parliament unanimously approved a motion to establish a twin town relationship with Tel Aviv. As the capital of Germany moves to formalize its 19th city partnership, this development carries profound historical significance – and hopefully positive political and practical implications.

Historical Context and Responsibility

Germany has a unique obligation toward the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The proposal from Berlin’s parliament, initiated by the governing CDU (Christian Democratic Union of Germany) and SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany) factions, explicitly acknowledges this responsibility, stating: “In view of the Shoah, the systematic genocide of about six million European Jews during the Nazi era, Germany bears a special responsibility towards the Jewish people and the State of Israel.“

This duty has taken on even greater significance in the wake of the brutal Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. The parliamentary motion emphasizes that this responsibility must be brought “into the consciousness of urban society with a strong sign of solidarity – not only, but especially after the barbaric attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023 by Hamas terrorists.“

The proposed partnership serves as a strong symbol of solidarity and places this commitment at the forefront of Berlin’s civic consciousness. According to the motion, “This solidarity and our help for Israel and Israeli cities are part of our immovable value compass and remain raison d’état.“

The German-Jewish dialogue, which began in the early post-war years, has evolved significantly over the decades. Today, Berlin and Tel Aviv enjoy dynamic exchanges in social, cultural, and economic spheres. This well-established relationship can serve as a solid foundation for the development of a upcoming formal partnership.

Political Support and Implementation Process

All parliamentary factions have expressed support for the town twinning agreement during the crucial session of Berlin’s state parliament. The motion was jointly introduced by the CDU and SPD factions on March 18, 2025, requesting the Senate to “intensify the already positive ongoing discussions with the city of Tel Aviv in order to agree on a town twinning between Berlin and Tel Aviv.“

But while the motion has received unanimous support, the implementation timeline remains a point of discussion. The motion indicates that following the Berlin Mayor’s visit to Tel Aviv in February 2024, “actual conditions appear favorable for advancing toward establishing this nineteenth partnership for Berlin now“. However, more than a year has passed since that visit, raising questions about the pace of progress.

Beyond Symbolism: Combating Antisemitism!

I hope that this partnership goes beyond symbolic gestures to actively foster the prevention and combating of antisemitism. This must be a central component of the town twinning rather than mere symbolism. The alarming rise in antisemitic incidents in Berlin makes this aspect of the partnership particularly crucial. The situation in Berlin has reached unprecedented levels:

• In the first six months of 2024 alone, Berlin documented 1,383 antisemitic incidents – averaging nearly eight per day – surpassing the total for all of 2023 and marking the highest annual count since documentation began in 2015. These incidents included two cases of extreme violence, 23 attacks (six against children), and 37 instances of targeted property damage, including 21 cases involving Holocaust memorials.
• The nature of these incidents is deeply troubling. Jewish and Israeli children have been beaten, spat upon, and threatened by classmates. Educational institutions have become hotspots for antisemitism, with 74 incidents reported at academic institutions, including 27 at schools across 9 of Berlin’s 12 districts in the first half of 2024. Berlin police documented 67 incidents of violence motivated by antisemitism in 2024, with 26 categorized as bodily harm2.
• The situation has become so severe that Berlin’s Jewish community has been forced to take extraordinary measures to protect themselves. In November 2023, shortly after the Hamas attack on Israel, the community began printing only abbreviated surnames of children celebrating bar or bat mitzvahs in local papers—abandoning a decades-old tradition—to avoid putting them in danger. Berlin’s police chief Barbara Slowik even advised Jewish residents to be vigilant when traveling through neighborhoods with large Arab communities, acknowledging areas where “open antisemitism is expressed against people of the Jewish faith and origin“.

With no signs of this trend abating, the partnership between Berlin and Tel Aviv must prioritize practical, effective strategies to combat antisemitism rather than relying on symbolic gestures alone. The safety and dignity of Berlin’s Jewish community depends on it.

Moving Forward: From Proposal to Implementation

As Berlin’s parliament urges the Senate to accelerate the partnership process, the focus must therefore remain on creating a meaningful relationship that goes beyond symbolic gestures. The unanimous political support across party lines, initiated by the CDU and SPD motion, demonstrates the importance attached to this initiative, reflecting an hopeful ongoing commitment to combating antisemitism and supporting Israel.

The motion passed in March 2025 represents an important step, but much work remains to be done to transform this political commitment into concrete action. City officials from both Berlin and Tel Aviv will need to develop detailed implementation plans, secure necessary resources, and establish governance structures to oversee the various aspects of the partnership.

Public engagement will be crucial to the success of this initiative. Citizens from both cities should be actively involved in shaping the partnership and participating in its activities. This could be facilitated through public consultations, community events, and digital platforms allowing for ongoing dialogue and collaboration.

A meaningful partnership should include concrete initiatives such as educational exchanges focused on Holocaust remembrance, joint programs to counter antisemitic rhetoric and actions, and collaborative efforts to promote understanding between diverse communities. By embedding antisemitism prevention into the fabric of this relationship, Berlin and Tel Aviv could create a model for how cities can work together to address historical injustices while building more inclusive societies and fostering Jewish life.

The partnership should establish regular forums where experts, community leaders, and citizens from both cities can share best practices in combating antisemitism. These could include training programs for educators, law enforcement, and public officials on recognizing and responding to antisemitism, as well as youth exchange programs designed to foster cross-cultural understanding and empathy.

Ultimately, as the implementation process progresses, it will be crucial to prioritize meaningful, results-driven collaboration over purely symbolic gestures. Genuine engagement, with a strong focus on combating and preventing antisemitism, will ensure that this partnership achieves lasting impact rather than remaining merely ceremonial.

Motion 19/2312: