Volkswagen Momentum Masterclass with Dr. Rudy Kisler "Past Values: Heritage, Power, and Ethics"

 The Munich Research Centre for Jewish-Arabic Cultures at the LMU is pleased to invite you to a two-day masterclass with Dr. Rudy Kisler. The masterclass will take place as part of the Volkswagen Momentum Workshop “Rethinking Jewish Cultures Beyond Borders” (June 9–12, 2026).

In recent years, heritage sites have increasingly become arenas of social conflict. From the toppling of monuments tied to colonial histories to contested repatriation of cultural artifacts from European museums and the strategic use of archaeological sites to legitimize territorial claims—these conflicts prompt us to ask: what place and meaning does the past hold within our communities at present?

In this masterclass, we will explore the relationship between representations of the past, contemporary politics, and present-day moral values. Through arts-based methods, engagement with heritage practitioners, and collective thinking, we will consider possible futures for our pasts.

Dr. Rudy Kisler is a research fellow in the Volkswagen Momentum Program “From Pre-Modern to Modern Perspectives in Judaic Studies” at the Munich Research Centre for Jewish-Arabic Cultures. His current project examines how marginalized groups in Israel interpret and narrate their cultural heritage beyond official Zionist heritage discourses. Focusing on Baram National Park in the Upper Galilee, his research explores how multiple, contested histories—Jewish, Mizrahi, Hasidic, and Palestinian—coexist yet remain unevenly represented in the public landscape.

Using a rights-based, qualitative case study approach, Kisler centers the voices of marginalized communities through interviews, observation, and participatory photovoice methods. His work aims to develop more inclusive models of heritage representation, education, and policy applicable in Israel/Palestine and other contested heritage contexts.

Dr. Kisler holds a PhD from McGill University’s Department of Integrated Studies in Education and has been awarded the Lady Davis Postdoctoral Fellowship and multiple FRQSC Doctoral Research Scholarships.

We look forward to welcoming you!