Retrospect: Action Day „Dreaming Jewish-Muslim Futures“

On 21 July 2024, the “Dreaming Jewish-Muslim Futures” day of action was held as part of the “AufBruch-Kulturtage Jüdischer, muslimischer und postmigrantischer Positionen” event. The idea behind the Dreaming Day was to create a format that focuses on commonalities and celebrates positive moments in difficult, polarising times, but also allows space for pain, grief and negotiation. The project was organised by Leyla Jagiella, Sarah Ungan and Yasemin Soylu.

Insights from the organisers:

The AufBruch action day attracted around 150 visitors, including members of the Jewish-Muslim community and the majority society. The creative formats such as movement workshops and panel discussions enabled a lively exchange and created a sense of community. The combination of dialogue and creativity is particularly noteworthy: artistic methods were used to create a space in which both intellectual and emotional levels were addressed.

One criticism was the name of the day of action “Dreaming – Jewish Muslim Futures”. Against the backdrop of 7 October and its consequences, the day was not yet the right time for some people and it seemed unimaginable to already be dreaming of (positive) futures. The balance between critical reflection and celebrating common ground was a challenge. In some cases, it was possible to respectfully address, absorb and negotiate the issues on site through bilateral discussions. The diverging expectations of the event and the different constitutions of the participants required flexible and sensitive moderation.

Participants emphasised the inspiring and appreciative atmosphere as well as the opportunity to gain new perspectives. The interactive formats that combined creative and political dimensions were particularly appreciated. One important finding is that spaces for celebrating positive moments within marginalised communities are not only necessary, but also feasible – even and perhaps precisely in times of social polarisation. At the same time, it became clear that such approaches require (even) more sensitive timing as well as sustainable and long-term structures in order to have an impact beyond individual days of action.

The day of action showed that Jewish-Muslim dialogue formats can work. The meeting spaces created strengthened mutual understanding and revealed concrete potential for cooperation. The day of action also acted as a catalyst for the new direction of “AufBruch”: several ideas for community-based formats were developed and initial collaborations were initiated.

The day of action was a milestone in Jewish-Muslim community work and showed that different perspectives and experiences can be tolerated at the same time. The day also showed that it is important not only to anchor so-called ‘frontal dialogue formats’ in the programme, but also to place a greater focus on participatory formats. Through creative approaches and encounters, levels of empathy could be addressed and connecting moments created. Future projects should build on these experiences and further develop the synergies.

Photocredits: Joe Pohl