Welcome
Grüß Gott, Shalom and Salaam! Welcome to the web page of the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) Jerusalem.
In Jerusalem
HSF is committed to fostering sustainable peace (Heb./Ar.: Shalom/Salaam) by promoting peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. The Foundation has been actively engaged in Israel since 1979 and in the Palestinian Territories since 1994. Through its project office in Jerusalem, HSF works to enhance understanding within the Middle East Peace Process and to promote environmental awareness. To achieve these goals, the dedicated team at HSF Jerusalem collaborates closely with a diverse range of national and international partners across various sectors. Additionally, HSF offers German academic scholarships to students and young scholars.
Active worldwide
HSF is a German non-profit organization dedicated to promoting democracy, peace, and development worldwide. Mandated by the German federal parliament Deutscher Bundestag, HSF operates from its headquarters in Munich and supports approximately 90 projects in 75 countries, including in Asia and the MENA region. In the MENA region, HSF remains dedicated to broadening the Abraham Accords' historic agreements that have transformed relations between an expanding group of Arab nations and their regional partners.
With a conservative and solidary approach
HSF maintains a close partnership with the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU), Germany’s governing party. Named in honor of Hanns Seidel - former CSU Chairman and influential Bavarian Prime Minister who courageously defended Jewish citizens as a lawyer during Nazi Germany - the Foundation reflects the center-right, conservative values of the CSU, which emphasize both solidarity and personal responsibility. HSF is dedicated to promoting democratic and civic education, fostering Bavarian identity, and advancing environmental protection through conservationism and sustainable use.
60 years of togetherness
Germany and Bavaria, mindful of their history, have long borne a special responsibility for the existence and security of the State of Israel, as well as for all people in the Middle East. Both countries marked 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2025, celebrating a partnership that has evolved from a difficult past into one of openness, trust, and shared responsibility for the future.
News
0202; 0202
Highlighting the East Jerusalem Cohort 2025. This video by 0202 – Points of View from Jerusalem captures the 3-month Media and Leadership Program empowering the Women of Jerusalem.
HSS; HSS
Merry Christmas! From Jerusalem's rooftops overlooking the Temple Mount - sacred to Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike - we send a heartfelt message of hope, understanding, and unity. For the full article see Zwischen Kriegsnarben und Lichterglanz, HSS, 23.12.2025.
HSS; HSS
Stellenangebot: Internationales Hochschulpraktikum in Jerusalem für drei Monate (Flyer).
HSS; HSS
From Desert Nomads to Settled Communities: The Transformation of Israel’s Bedouin in the Negev. Video of HSF's Global Perspectives from 2025.
Activities
HSS; HSS
Take a leap: fund your education in Germany with us! Selfie with Sama from Jerusalem, an Architecture student in Germany who joined HSF's German Scholarship Program in 2025.
Questions?
Funding
HSF Jerusalem is directly mandated by the German national parliament Deutscher Bundestag, fully funded from the German federal budget, with resources allocated through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Both of them are foreign political entities.
In accordance with Israeli law and our commitment to transparency, all of HSF Jerusalem’s annual financial reports are publicly available through the Ministry of Justice. For both the current and previous fiscal years, 100% of our funding has come from the same single foreign source. To safeguard our neutrality and independence, HSF Jerusalem does not accept private donations. For more details, please refer to our FAQs.