Hello everybody!
I was born in a small town in West-Germany, but came to Berlin in 2009 to study history and political science. I did not only choose Berlin because of its excellent universities, but also because for me, it's the most beautiful city in Germany and maybe even in the whole world. Berlin's beauty differs a lot from those of other cities like Paris or Rome. It's not so much about lovely houses or old traditions, but in its own way it's just wonderful, deep and meaningful.
In Berlin, I found my way to Judaism and fell in love with Yoav shortly after that. I'm not only interested in Jewish religion, but also in the history of the Jewish people that I wish to become a part of. So after studying history and political science, I decided to continue my higher education in Jewish studies and philosophy.
I've been guiding for over six years now and have also worked in some other interesting projects, for example as an academic assistant for the Konrad Adenauer foundation in a Holocaust education project. Searching for a thorough understanding of the Holocaust has always been my deepest interest, expressed in my academic studies and my work for the foundation as well as a history guide in Berlin. I also volunteered in a political NGO against anti-Semitism and organized events for the international club of my university. Furthermore, I worked as an assistant in the office of a member of the German Parliament, where I got some very interesting insights into German politics. I really enjoy meeting new people and learning about their backgrounds and perspectives, as I hope to do with you as my guests in Berlin.
Nowadays, Berlin is the most diverse city in Germany. You will see people from all over the world with very different cultural and religious backgrounds. Even though there are conflicts sometimes, Berlin is a very tolerant city with many minority groups. There is so much to see in Berlin and I'd love to show you the city and its secrets. As your guide, I'm not only there to explain about the sites and their meanings, but also to show you some cool places to have a walk or a drink after the tour. I'm sure we can have a wonderful time together, and am looking forward to meeting you!
Yours
Natalie Sapir
Some Testimonials:
“Even though I am a professional historian, there was so much that I did not know and so many gaps that only Natalie could fill in for me. I have only superlatives with which to praise Natalie's abilities and talent as a guide.”
- Prof. Eli Lederhendler, Department of Jewish History and Contemporary Jewry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
“We took the Jewish Berlin tour with Natalie. She is very knowledgeable and accommodated to our pace. Our tour took about 4 hours of walking around the Jewish Quarter and sights of Berlin, and even though we made it with a child, she made it very interesting and easy to follow. I would definitely recommend Natalie for tours around Berlin.”
- Sandra Kofman, Miami, Florida
“We have just returned from a tour of the Jewish area of Berlin with Natalie. We could not have done this on our own. Her knowledge and enthusiasm made the tour for us. We would never have found the places we visited. We only wished that we could have walked more and seen some more of Berlin with Natalie. We would not hesitate to contact Natalie again if we are in Berlin and would recommend her to anyone coming to Berlin.”
- Emma Pliner, London, UK
“We made a Berlin introductory tour and Jewish Berlin tour with Natalie. This was my first visit to Berlin. Natalie was a pleasure to spend time with - calm, sensitive and well informed. I recommend her a guide, and I would emphasise the importance of having a guide in Berlin. On the afternoon of day 1, we coincidentally were in the area of the tour on day 2. We would have missed almost everything of significance if we had not returned with Natalie the next day. This is a city with so much complex history to understand. Unless you have weeks to inform yourself, a guide is invaluable. And Natalie is an excellent choice.”
- Justin Tydeman, London, UK
“ 'This structure was built in 1922 to commemorate the blah blah blah' - This is NOT what you’ll hear with Natalie. Yes, you’ll get the facts, but incorporated into interesting story after fascinating anecdote. She wastes no time, gives big picture and fine detail, and interweaves it all into a meaningful, easy-to-listen-to approach. Definitely the best tour guide we’ve ever had.”
- Jacob Bernstein, Boston, Massachusetts
“We bless our choice of Natalie. Her knowledge of history and the city is far beyond the normal guide. She was always interesting and well attentive to us as to keep the momentum. Her calm and dedication to her profession made it all the more pleasant. Without such a guide, the Berlin center of history would be another meaningless nice postcard. We strongly recommend a private guide in Berlin and even better, Natalie.”
- Yossi and Hagar Cassuto, Tel Aviv, Israel
“Natalie's extensive knowledge of Jewish history and culture in Germany went well beyond our expectations. She was able to bring together the secular history with Jewish history superimposed with her own analysis clearly based on extensive knowledge of the subject area. We would highly recommend a Jewish tour of Berlin with Natalie.”
- Gail Kanef, NYC, New York
“We were guided by Natalie and she was outstanding!! We are a well travelled family who had already spent a few days in Berlin and she was tasked with showing us Jewish Berlin. She took us back to places we had already seen and quite frankly showed us what we had literally walked over and missed. She answered all of our questions, shared little known historical facts, told great stories, kept us moving and was respectful of our need to stop when we needed to stop. She provided exactly the tour we were looking for. We would highly recommend her!!”
- Judy and David Rosen, Chicago, Illinois