“Thank you again for a profoundly meaningful experience through the FASPE program—it has left a lasting impression on me.”
– FASPE Fellow, 2010
Ten to fifteen graduate students from each profession are chosen as Fellows each year through a competitive process that draws applicants from professional schools across the world. Following an introductory session in New York, each group of Fellows travels to Berlin, Krakow, and Oświęcim (Auschwitz). In Germany and Poland, the in situ program looks at the role of the profession in the development and implementation of policies and programs that led to the Holocaust. FASPE is predicated upon both the potent symbolism of Auschwitz and the Fellows’ personal experience while in Germany and Poland to help the Fellows explore the power, potential, and challenges of their chosen professions.
FASPE programs cover all student expenses, including food, transatlantic and European travel, and lodging. Piloted initially with two programs in the summer of 2010, the Museum will host four application-based programs in the summer of 2012: journalism, law, medical, and seminary. Applications will be available on this website in mid September 2011.
FASPE is a twelve day program. While the workshop discussion and site visits will vary with each trip, below is a typical FASPE itinerary:
The group gathers at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York for an orientation that includes visiting the Museum's exhibits, meeting with Holocaust survivors, and working with FASPE staff and guest scholars.
The Fellows and their facilitators travel to Berlin. Educational workshops take place at the House of the Wannsee Conference, where in 1942, representatives of State and Nazi Party agencies convened to discuss and coordinate plans for the "Final Solution". Fellows have the opportunity to study the city's historical and cultural sites.
The Fellows travel to Oświęcim, Poland, the town the Germans called Auschwitz, where they tour Auschwitz-Birkenau and work with the distinguished educational staff at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum.
The Fellows travel to Krakow, Poland, to meet with a Righteous Among the Nations (rescuer), and explore the city's rich Jewish, Catholic, and Polish history.
During the final days of the trip, the Fellows focus exclusively on contemporary ethical issues facing their professions. Sessions take place at Jagiellonian University, one of Europe's oldest and most prestigious universities.
Fellows have described FASPE as “inspiring,” “insightful,” and “life changing.” More student responses can be found here and here.
For more information on a specific FASPE program, please visit its program page. To see more information about the application process for 2012, please click on the “How to Apply” tab above.
