A co-operation of AMCHA Deutschland e.V. and the Barenboim-Said Akademie

Perspectives for a peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians seem more distant than ever since October 7, 2023 and the subsequent wars in Gaza and in the Middle East. Nevertheless, this symposium aims to pose questions about the possibilities, conditions, and limits of dialogue: Is it even still possible to talk about dialogue after October 7? What needs have arisen for those directly affected as a result of the Hamas massacre and the ongoing violence and wars? What may psychosocial perspectives be able to contribute?

In keynote speeches and panel discussions we will shed light on the reactivation of historical traumas, ask about the effects of decades of conflict and wars on societies, and discuss approaches to shaping a more peaceful future. Guests will include Wasim Birumi, Dr. Dror Golan, Dr. Slieman Halabi, Dr. David Senesh, and Dalia Sivan.

The opening address will be delivered by José Brunner, Professor Emeritus at the Buchmann Faculty of Law and the Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas at Tel Aviv University.

The symposium will conclude with a presentation of the new book Brief in der Nacht: Gedanken über Israel und Gaza (“Letter in the Night: Thoughts on Israel and Gaza,” published this year in Dutch and German) by Chaja Polak, hosted by Shelly Kupferberg.

Program details to be announced shortly.

The symposium will be held in English. Admission is free.

AMCHA Deutschland e.V. has been supporting psychosocial aid for Shoah survivors and their descendants in Israel for more than 35 years. At the core of this work is the continuous commitment to the recognition of the consequences of the Shoah, for which there is still a lack of awareness, as well as the visualization of a present that continues to traumatize through exclusion, the experience of violent wars, or anti-Semitism.