Action Reconciliation Service For Peace - ARSP

Home
United States
Philadelphia, PA
Action Reconciliation Service For Peace - ARSP

Directions Website

ARSP is a volunteer organization based in Germany and operates in the USA since 1968. www.actionreconciliation.org

For over 50 years ARSP has been committed to working toward reconciliation and peace, as well as fighting racism, discrimination and social exclusion. Since ARSP began work in the United States in 1968, more than 700 volunteers have worked in the United States in movements for peace and social justice and for reconciliation with the Jewish community. The appeal at the founding of Aktion Sühnezeichen/Action Reconciliation starts with acknowledging Germany’s guilt for Nazi crimes. The appeal was read out loud during the synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany in 1958 and it was signed by two thirds of its members. It states the following: “We Germans started the Second World War and for this reason alone, more than others, became guilty of causing immeasurable suffering to humankind. Germans have in sinful revolt against the will of God exterminated millions of Jews. Those of us who survived and did not want this to happen did not do enough to prevent it”. Convinced that the first step towards reconciliation had to be made by the perpetrators and their descendants, the founders of Action Reconciliation pleased that “the other nations, who suffered because of us, will allow us with our hands and with our means to do something good in their countries” as a sign of reconciliation and peace.

10/14/2026

Meet Joschka who is volunteering at NEOCH (Northeastern Ohio Coalition for the Homeless), and Leopold who is supporting IRTF (the Interreligious Task Force for Latin America). Together, they're discovering a city that’s full of surprises …

“Cleveland feels like a little bit of everything! You could be at Lake Eerie, which feels like an Ocean, relaxing on the beach and in a matter of 15 minutes later, find yourself Downtown, walking between Sky Scrapers. Two minutes after that, you would be at Playhouse Square, the second-largest performing theater district in the US.
And Cleveland truly has it all! So far, we’ve already seen fish, mice, squirrels, raccoons (one of which broke into our apartment and is now our pet, Gary🦝), and a whole army of groundhogs.

The city is divided into East and West by the Cuyahoga river, which is crossed by more bridges than anybody could possibly need. This is apparently the result of the "War of the Bridges" (it's funny, look it up!). That's also not the only wonderfully weird-unique thing we have here in Cleveland. We also have one of six original "The Thinker" statues, and the only one whose legs were blown up by an unknown person for an unknown reason in 1970. We also have the largest outside chandelier in the world and a private airport, which nobody uses, although it takes up a huge portion of the lakefront.

Cleveland is funny, weird, and full of surprises. Come and visit!”

Fun Facts

Joschka
🎵 J's favorite song: “Balkon” by Conny
🌮 Favorite food: Burrito Bowl
📚 Hopes to learn: How the systemic disadvantages faced by people experiencing homelessness came to be
💛 Hopes to give: New input and fresh perspectives

Leopold
🎵 L's favorite song: “My Moon My Man” by Feist
🌮 Favorite food: Quesadilla
📚Hopes to learn: Spanish
💛 Hopes to give: Positive vibes

We're excited to see what Joschka and Leopold discover, learn, and contribute during their time in Cleveland. Here's to new experiences, meaningful encounters, and a little more Cleveland weirdness! 💛

10/12/2026

Dear friends,

We would like to introduce Josefine, our ARSP volunteer serving with HIAS PA in Philadelphia!

Since beginning her volunteer service, Josefine has had the opportunity to experience many wonderful things the city has to offer. Although she isn’t much of a sports fan, she joined her friends for a game — a great reminder that being open-minded can lead to new experiences and unexpected fun!

But above all, Josefine is here to make a difference: supporting immigrants, contributing to the important work of HIAS PA, and bringing encouragement, positivity, and motivation to the people and organization she serves.

We are proud to have Josefine as part of our ARSP volunteer community!

Fun Facts
🎵 Favorite Song: “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison
🥯 Favorite Food So Far: BAGELS!
📚 Something I Hope to Learn: How I, as an individual, can make a positive difference in the lives of others
❤️ Something I Hope to Give: Support, encouragement, and a helping hand to those who need it

10/09/2026

ARSP Malena volunteers at the Rehabilitation Center at Hebrew Senior Life in Roslindale, MA. Exploring a new city step by step is such an exciting part of starting a new chapter! Here’s Malena’s story about getting to know her new home, one little corner at a time.

“Boston feels very European to me. The streets don’t follow the typical grid system but have developed organically over time. This makes it easy to discover hidden corners and little spots along the way.

I live in Brookline, which technically isn’t part of Boston. As the city grew and expanded, Brookline remained an independent town—and it still is today. However, it is now completely surrounded by Boston and feels very much like part of the city. It takes me about 20 minutes by train to get Downtown.

Brookline is very lively, and even at 11 p.m., there are still plenty of people out and about. One of the oldest streetcar systems in the U.S. runs right through the heart of Brookline as part of Boston’s T. The neighborhood is full of small shops where there is always something new to discover. “💛

Fun Facts
🎵 Favorite song: “Time” – Olivia Dean
🌭 Favorite food so far: Fenway Park hot dog
📚 Something I hope to learn: A lot about Jewish culture and how to navigate living on my own
💛 Something I hope to give: Lots of love and smiles to the people I work with

10/06/2026

We’d love to introduce Henry, our ARSP volunteer in Camden, NJ! Just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Henry is spending the year supporting Joseph’s House, the Sisters of St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center, and Christus Lutheran Church.

Moving from Germany to the US, Henry is already discovering just how much there is to learn, experience, and enjoy:

“The first few days in Philadelphia and Camden have been an exciting adventure! I knew I would be living here for a whole year, but going from a small town in Germany to a major U.S. city is a big step.

Every day, I meet new people and learn more about the United States. At my placements, I’ve already gained many valuable experiences and really enjoyed the variety of my tasks. In Camden, you never know what the next day will bring! One day, I’m unloading a truck, and the next, I’m laminating materials for English classes.
I’m looking forward to everything this year will bring—and to all the new experiences, people, and challenges along the way!” 💛

Fun Facts

🎵 Favorite song: “In Love” by Aaron May
🍎 Favorite food: An apple with homemade honey
🌎 Something I hope to learn: What it’s like to live on another continent and adapt to a completely new environment
💛 Something I hope to give: Support and joy to everyone who needs it

10/01/2026

One of the many meaningful encounters at the beginning of an ARSP volunteer’s journey: Sophie had the opportunity to meet Rodi Glass, a Holocaust survivor, while starting her volunteer year at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.

Meeting survivors and hearing their personal stories is a profound honor and an important part of the volunteers’ experience. Their stories offer a personal connection to history—and a reminder of why remembering, learning, and sharing these stories matters.

For Sophie, this is just the beginning of a year filled with encounters, learning, and experiences that will stay long after her service has ended. 💙

09/29/2026

🗽Introducing our two ARSP volunteers in New York City!

What’s it like living around the corner from Times Square?

“Amid the hustle and bustle of people and cars, there’s always something new to discover. We can even see the flashing lights of Times Square from our bedroom windows! It’s fascinating to look out, watch the crowds, and wonder where everyone is headed.

We’ve already started a tally on our fridge of the Cybertrucks we’ve spotted and how many times we’ve heard “Empire State of Mind” playing from the street. 🎶🚕
Plus, so far, we’ve managed well to find home due to the street grid”

Hannah, ARSP volunteer at Selfhelp Home and Project Ezra (left side)

🎵 Favorite song: Cosmic Dancer – T. Rex
🍕 Favorite food so far: Pizza
🌱 Something I hope to learn: “To learn from new experiences and to see life from new perspectives.”
💛 Something I hope to give: “Happiness to older people who might sometimes feel lonely.”

Luna, ARSP volunteer at Clinton Housing Development Company (right side)

🎵 Favorite song: Denkmal – Wir sind Helden
🍝 Favorite food so far: Pasta with tomato sauce — because it’s cheap and easy to make!
🏙️ Something I hope to learn: “How to make friends in a new city.”
💛 Something I hope to give: “Something to smile about to the people I work with.”

Two volunteers, two new perspectives, and one very busy city! ❤️🗽

09/28/2026

Some ARSP connections last long after the volunteer year ends! 💙

Clara, our former ARSP volunteer who helped us during orientation did a wonderful trip down memory lane.

She shared: “I really enjoyed my time with the volunteers in Philadelphia. After the seminar, I was happy to be able to spend another week in Boston. My highlight was visiting Hebrew Senior Life, the nursing home where I volunteered back then. By a happy coincidence, I met Anna, who was a volunteer after me. We had a wonderful time helping out with Shabbat, and Anna played piano for the residents.”

It’s wonderful to see former volunteers reconnect, share memories, and return to the places that became part of their ARSP journey. 💛

09/24/2026

Meet Kian and Michael, two of our ARSP volunteers who are starting an exciting new chapter in Philadelphia. Michael (left) is volunteering with Cradles to Crayons, while Kian (right) is serving with Family Promise.

We all remember the excitement—and maybe a little nervousness—of moving into our first apartment and living on our own for the first time. Kian and Michael are experiencing just that! They are sharing an apartment in Germantown while learning to navigate independent life in a new city. It certainly helps that the two are already best friends! They’re ready to serve their communities, meet new people, and experience life in Philadelphia.

And now, a few fun facts about each of them:

Kian
🎵 Favorite song: “1901” by Phoenix
🥪 Favorite Philly food so far: Philly cheesesteak (he hasn’t tried much else yet!)
🏠 Something he hopes to learn: improve his English
💛 Something he hopes to give: Good vibes to everyone he serves

Michael
🎵 Favorite song: “Oh Yeah” by Steve Lacy
🥨 Favorite Philly food so far: A Philly-style pretzel
🏠 Something he hopes to learn: How to live on his own
💛 Something he hopes to give: Be a great support to the team at Cradles to Crayons

We’re excited to follow Kian and Michael throughout their year of service and see all the people they meet, things they learn, and memories they make along the way! 💙

09/22/2026

Our volunteer group in Chicago is now complete! Due to a delay, Jakob arrived a few days late.

From left to right: Anne, Jakob, Emi, Aaron, and Sophie.

All five will support three organizations in Illinois. Anne and Emi will volunteer with Cradles to Crayons; Aaron and Sophie will serve at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center; and Jakob will volunteer with Selfhelp Home.

All five are excited to learn, serve, and experience American life. They would like to thank their supporters for making this journey possible.

09/21/2026

We wish our friends and supporters a meaningful and peaceful Yom Kippur. and peaceful Yom Kippur. May this holiday bring reflection and renewed hope for the year ahead.

Address

1501 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA
19102

Website

http://www.actionreconciliation.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Action Reconciliation Service For Peace - ARSP posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed non profit organization in Philadelphia?