The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its spillover into Germany: Exploring Jewish-Muslim relations in a time of War and Crisis

Executive summary

Join us in Heidelberg (28 July – 4 August 2025) for a groundbreaking, week-long workshop that brings together 40 students from Israel, Palestine, and Germany to explore the recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how it reverberates through Jewish-Muslim relations in Germany today. This unique seminar blends academic discussion with facilitated dialogue to foster critical reflection, personal connection, and shared understanding.

The workshop is free of charge for selected participants. Meals will be provided during the main program days, and accommodation will be arranged for Israeli and Palestinian participants. Travel costs from Israel/Palestine will be reimbursed up to a set limit.

Whether you're a student or simply passionate about peacebuilding and intercultural exchange, this is a rare opportunity to connect, reflect, and imagine new pathways toward mutual understanding and long-term collaboration.

About the Workshop

We are excited to invite applications for a unique, week-long workshop that will explore how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict shapes Jewish-Muslim relations — not just in the Middle East, but in Germany as well. In the wake of the tragic events since October 7, 2023, we believe it is more important than ever to create spaces for thoughtful dialogue, academic inquiry, and intercultural exchange.

This workshop is a joint initiative of the Hochschule für Jüdische Studien Heidelberg (HfJS), Tech2Peace (T2P), an Israeli-Palestinian NGO focused on dialogue and technology, Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College (JMC), and the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace (Hebrew University). Together, we aim to combine academic discussion with facilitated dialogue and meaningful connections.

Over the course of an intensive week, 20 participants from Israel and Palestine and 20 students from Germany (of all backgrounds, with a special invitation for students with Israeli, Palestinian, Middle Eastern, Jewish or Muslim backgrounds) will come together in Heidelberg. Through lectures, workshops, and dialogue sessions, we will examine and reflect on the current crisis, its impact on Jewish-Muslim relations, and broader questions of migration, co existence, and identity in Germany, in Israel/Palestine, and in-between Germany and the Middle East.

Participants will not only exchange academic ideas, but also share their lived experiences, historical narratives, and personal challenges. We will learn from each other’s perspectives and work together to think of new ways of fostering understanding between communities.

This workshop is more than a conference: it is an opportunity to build lasting academic and intercultural partnerships, and to help shape a new model for open, thoughtful engagement with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Europe.

If you are passionate about research, dialogue, and building bridges between communities, we warmly encourage you to apply!

Workshop Goals

1. To explore how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resonates within Jewish- Muslim relations in Germany, especially after the recent escalation.
2. To offer an interdisciplinary platform for young scholars to study connections between the Middle East and Europe.
3. To build strong, lasting academic and intercultural networks among Israeli, Palestinian, and German participants, laying the foundation for future collaborations between people and institutions.

Location

Most of the workshop will take place at the Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies (Hochschule für Jüdische Studien Heidelberg).

Schedule and Structure of the Workshop

Day 0 (28 July): Arrival and Welcome

• Participants arrive and check in.
• Optional: Walking tour of Heidelberg’s beautiful old town.
• Evening: Icebreakers, networking activities, and an introduction to the workshop’s goals and structure. A chance to meet your fellow participants in a relaxed setting!

Days 1, 2, and 3 (29– 31 July): Academic Exploration and Dialogue
Each day will be structured into three main parts:

• Morning Sessions (9:00–12:00): Academic Exchange: Participants and guest scholars will present their research, followed by lively discussions. We encourage critical engagement and open conversations around the presented material.
• Afternoon Sessions (14:00–17:00): Dialogue: Small-group discussions on key issues such as Jewish-Arab and Israeli- Palestinian relations, the Israel-Hamas conflict, its ripple effects in Europe, and Jewish-Muslim dynamics in Germany.
• Evening Sessions (18:00–20:00): Public Events and Networking: Guest lectures, film screenings, and intercultural networking opportunities open to a wider audience. These evening programs are designed to be lighter and more accessible, offering a refreshing end to the day’s deeper discussions.

Days 4 and 6 (1 and 3 August): Deepening the Dialogue
These two days will focus entirely on dialogue and group discussions — no formal
academic presentations, just space for honest, thoughtful conversations.

• Morning and Afternoon Sessions: Dialogue sessions.
• Evening Sessions: Public events and community engagement opportunities.

Day 5 (2 August): Group Excursion
A full-day group trip (destination to be announced!). A chance to unwind, explore,
and continue conversations in a more informal setting.

Day 7 ( 4 August): Closing and Farewell

Academic Themes and Topics

This workshop offers a dynamic, transdisciplinary space for exchanging ideas, perspectives, and experiences. We particularly welcome students from fields such as Jewish Studies, Islamic Studies, Middle East Studies, History, Anthropology, Religious Studies, Social Psychology, Media and Communication, the Arts and Politics. However, you don’t need to be studying one of these subjects—or to present your research—to participate. If you're passionate about these issues and eager to engage, we warmly encourage you to apply.
For those interested in presenting, we particularly invite original papers that explore the many layers of Jewish-Muslim relations in Israel, Germany, and beyond. Suggested topics include:

• Israeli-Palestinian relations after October 7, 2023: new challenges for peacebuilders and the rise of local tensions
• Lessons from elsewhere: comparing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to other ethnic and national conflicts around the world
• How the Israeli-Palestinian conflict shapes Jewish-Muslim relations in the diaspora — with a focus on Germany (though case studies from other Western countries are also welcome)
• Minority-majority relations in Israel and Germany before and after October 7: what has changed, and why it matters
• Jewish-Muslim and Israeli-Palestinian encounters in Israel, Palestine and Germany.

Costs and Logistics

Participation in the workshop, for those selected, is free of charge. Lunch and dinner will largely be covered during the main workshop days (meals will not be provided on the arrival day, departure day, or free day).

Flight tickets are booked & purchased by the participants themselves and will be reimbursed after submission of receipts at the end of the conference up to a certain maximum amount: Participants travelling from Israel maximum reimbursement amount = 750€ and participants from the West Bank maximum reimbursement amount = 850€. Within this maximum amount, costs for transfers to the airport and travel within the conference venue will also be reimbursed (after submission of receipts).

Accommodation for the Israeli and Palestinian participants will be provided in a hotel or hostel dormitories (separate rooms for men and women).

Who can apply?

In Germany: We invite students based in Heidelberg to apply — including BA or MA students, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral researchers. We especially welcome Jewish and Muslim applicants who live in Germany (either as German citizens or as students).
Please note: German participants are expected to stay at their own homes during the workshop. If you live outside Heidelberg and wish to apply, you are very welcome — but if accepted, you will need to cover your own accommodation costs.

In Israel/Palestine: Priority will be given to applicants from the following groups:

• Jewish and Arab/Palestinian students from Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College
• Jewish and Arab/Palestinian doctoral and postdoctoral fellows affiliated with the Truman Institute, and MA students who are involved in projects related to the Truman Institute.
• Israelis and Palestinians who are alumni of Tech2Peace

Application deadline: 28.5.25
Application link: https://forms.gle/CK4oZPS5BrcFxW3n9

Have any questions?

For questions regarding content, email: tom.wuerdemann@hcts.uni-heidelberg.de
For logistical questions, email: anja.romberger@hfjs.eu