13 students of Judaism from Brandeis University, Boston with their leader Miriam Daur did a 13 day tour of Germany in May/June. On their way from Munich to Berlin, they stopped off at the Castle Schney near Lichtenfels, home of the Academy of Franconia and the project Brücke des Verständnisses (Bridge of Understanding), created by the Federal Government and the America-House in Munich, to enable young American Jews to form their own opinion of the Germany of today (see item on the project in the "Around Bamberg Column").

Martin Becher, the educational director gave an overview of the project The next morning, the young people visited the Burgkunstadt Jewish cemetery. Our good friend Josef Motschmann spoke of the 700 year-old tradition of Jewish Communities in the Upper Main area. The students were fascinated by the headstones, some of them 300 years old.

The following morning, they were received by the Mayor of Altenkunstadt Georg Von- brunn and the District Councillor Otto Schuhmann.

Josef Motschmann spoke again, on Jewish life in the villages. Later that day, again at Castle Schney, the students met Margaret Milz, Altenkunstadt, who spoke about her Jewish neighbours and their friendships as children.

In Buttenheim, the young people visited the Levi Strauss Museum. Although not mentioned in the press report in Appendix 5, the students also stopped over in Bamberg, where they attended the eve of Sabbath service and Kiddush. Heinrich Olmer addressed them and provided further information on the life of Jews in Franconia.