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Jewish-Islamic Forum

Thematic Focus of the W. Michael Blumenthal Academy, 2012–20

With its events, our Jewish-Islamic Forum strives to reach both a general audience and professionals in academia and government. The Forum's focal points are the circumstances of Jews and Muslims as minorities in Germany and the history of their fluctuating relationship. It pursues questions of religious practice and the philosophy of religion, such as the tension between tradition and modernity in both Judaism and Islam. Additionally, the Forum concerns itself with the impact of the conflicts in the Middle East on German society.

Map with all buildings that belong to the Jewish Museum Berlin. The W. M. Blumenthal Academy is marked in green

Where

W. M. Blumenthal Academy
Fromet-und-Moses-Mendelssohn-Platz 1, 10969 Berlin
Postal address: Lindenstraße 9-14, 10969 Berlin

A Comparative Perspective on Judaism and Islam

In particular, the Forum aims to reveal commonalities between Judaism and Islam through a comparative perspective without neglecting the unique attributes of each. With these efforts, we hope to counteract the frequent tendency to frame them as starkly oppositional. The Jewish-Islamic Forum also hosts events that complement our museum's temporary exhibitions, building a bridge between the Academy and the Museum.

Dialogical Lecture Series: Kosher to Go – Perspectives on Religious Food Regulations (5)

Lecture Series 2019/20: The Others’ Faith (6)

Lecture Series 2018/19: Science and Faith in Judaism and Islam (5)

  • Science and Faith in Judaism and Islam

    Scientific discoveries in astronomy, geology, and biology over the past centuries have called into question the centrality of humans as the “crown of creation.”

    Today, religious and scientific positions are often seen as irreconcilable. This lecture series sets out to explore the tensions and affinities between Judaism, Islam, and the sciences.

  • “Knowledge and Faith in Judaism & Islam”.

    Do You Believe in Miracles?

    With James A. Diamond (Professor in Jewish Studies at the University of Waterloo, Canada) and Umeyye Isra Yazicioglu (Professor in Religious Studies at St. Joseph’s University in Philidelphia, United States)

    Video Recording
    13 Jun 2019

  • “Knowledge and Faith in Judaism & Islam”.

    Humanity: Between Destiny and Free Will

    With Alan Mittleman (Jewish Theological Seminary of America) and Martin Mahmud Kellner (Institute of Islamic Theology, Osnabrück)

    Video Recording
    30 Apr 2019

  • “Knowledge and Faith in Judaism & Islam”.

    How Much God Is in the Holy Scriptures?

    With Benjamin Sommer (expert in modern Jewish theology) and Ghassan el Masri (researcher on the Koran in the context of the Arabic literature of his time), in German and English

    Video Recording
    5 Mar 2019

  • “Knowledge and Faith in Judaism & Islam”.

    God, Darwin, and Evolution

    With Natan Slifkin (Biblical Museum of Natural History, Beit Shemesh, Israel) and Fatimah Jackson (Howard University, USA)

    Video Recording
    31 Jan 2019

  • “Knowledge and Faith in Judaism & Islam”.

    Science in the Light of Faith

    With Geoffrey A. Mitelman (Sinai and Synapses) and Ahmad S. Dallal (Georgetown University, Qatar)

    Video Recording
    20 Nov 2018

Lecture Series 2017/18: Jewish and Islamic Perspectives on Human Rights (6)

  • Jewish and Islamic Perspectives on Human Rights

    Our lecture series addresses controversial human rights topics arising in various walks of life and examines them from Jewish and Islamic perspectives. For every lecture, we invite two scholars who present their own positions and then engage in a dialogue.

  • book cover: human rights.

    My God, Your God, No God

    With Leora Batnitzky (Princeton University) and Anver Emon (University of Toronto)

    Video Recording
    14 Jun 2018

  • book cover: human rights.

    Equal before God and Humans?

    With Susannah Heschel (Dartmouth College) and Katajun Amirpur (University of Hamburg)

    Video Recording
    3 May 2018

  • book cover: human rights.

    How Much Criticism Do Judaism and Islam Tolerate?

    With Suzanne Last Stone (Yeshiva University) and Anshuman Mondal (University of East Anglia), in English and German

    Video Recording
    12 Apr 2018

  • book cover: human rights.

    The Right to Life

    With David Novak (University of Toronto) and Jonathan Brown (Georgetown University)

    Video Recording
    8 Mar 2018

  • book cover: human rights.

    Human Rights Treaties and How They are Received

    With Michael Galchinsky (Georgia State University) and Mashood Baderin (University of London)

    Video Recording
    25 Jan 2018

  • book cover: human rights.

    Human Rights and Religions – A Contradiction?

    With Shaheen Sardar Ali (University of Warwick) and Jill Jacobs (Rabbi and the Managing Director of T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights)

    Video Recording
    23 Nov 2017

Lecture Series 2016/17: Ethical Questions in Judaism and Islam (with video recordings) (6)

  • Ethical Questions in Judaism and Islam (with video recordings)

    The lecture series explored contentious ethical issues from diverse aspects of life and shed light on them from Jewish and Islamic perspectives. Two guest scholars gave each lecture, presented their tradition’s position, and engaged in a mutual dialogue.

  • Two portrait photos of two women.

    Man as Lord or Guardian of Creation?

    With Hava Tirosh-Samuelson (Arizona State University in Tempe) and Nawal Ammar (Rowan University in New Jersey), in German and English

    Video Recording
    13 Jul 2017

  • Portraits of David Biale and Kecia Ali.

    Sexual Ethics: Sexuality, Lust, Eroticism, and God

    With David Biale (Eros and the Jews) and Kecia Ali (Sexual Ethics and Islam), in German and English

    Video Recording
    16 May 2017

  • Two portraits, a man and a woman.

    Military Ethics: The (Religious) Laws Silent Beneath the Weapons?

    With Michael Broyde (Emory University) and Asma Afsaruddin (Indiana University), in German and English

    Video Recording
    6 Apr 2017

  • Two portrait photos: a man and a woman.

    The Boundaries of Life - Bioethical Challenges

    With Laurie Zoloth (Weinberg College, Northwestern University) and İlhan İlkılıç (University of Istanbul), in German and English​

    Video Recording
    23 Feb 2017

  • Portrait photos of two men: Nathan Lee Kaplan on the left, Idris Nassery on the right.

    Business Ethics – Is Capitalism Kosher/Halal?

    With Nathan Lee Kaplan (author) and Idris Nassery (University of Paderborn), in German

    Video Recording
    8 Dec 2016

  • JMB Logo

    Social Ethics – On Fair Social Order

    With Ingrid Mattson (Western University, Canada) and Micha Brumlik (Berlin-Brandenburg Center of Jewish Studies), in German and English

    Video Recording
    26 Oct 2016

Lecture Series 2015/16: Judaism & Islam in the Diaspora (5)

  • Judaism & Islam in the Diaspora

    Video recordings of the series of panel discussions explored topical questions that Jews and Muslims in the diaspora confront in their everyday religious practice. Each event featured two academics presenting the Jewish and Islamic perspectives.

  • JMB Logo

    Organic Meets Kosher and Halal

    With Shai Lavi (Tel Aviv University) and Sarra Tlili (University of Florida), in English

    Video Recording
    1 Jun 2016

  • JMB Logo

    Feminist Approaches to Judaism and Islam

    With Judith Plaskow (religious scholar and author) and Ziba Mir-Hosseini, researcher on Islamic law and gender, in English

    Video Recording
    14 Apr 2016

  • JMB Logo

    Becoming a Jew, Becoming a Muslim

    With Tobias Jona Simon (Rabbi of the Association of Jewish Communities in Lower Saxony) and Esra Özyürek (London School of Economics), in German and English

    Video Recording
    18 Feb 2016

  • JMB Logo

    Religious Law and Secular State

    With Ronen Reichman (Hochschule für Jüdische Studien Heidelberg) and Mathias Rohe (Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg), in German

    Video Recording
    9 Dec 2015

  • JMB Logo

    What Does Diaspora Mean for Jews and Muslims?

    With Michael L. Satlow (Brown University, Providence) and Sarah Albrecht (Free University Berlin), in German and English

    Video Recording
    29 Oct 2015

Audio Recordings of the Series: Between Marrakesh and Mashhad: Jews in Islamic Countries (2)

  • Between Marrakesh and Mashhad: Jews in Islamic Countries

    Audio recordindgs from the film and reading series Between Marrakesh and Mashhad of the Jewish-Islamic Forum of the Academy programs on the past and present of Jewish lives in different countries of North Africa and the Middle East.

  • An old photograph: a wedding couple dancing.

    Yousef Abad

    Video art by the Israeli-Iranian artist Elham Rokni & Eliz Sanasarian and Elham Rokni on video art by Elham Rokni and the situation of Jews in Iran from the 1979 revolution to today

    Audio Recording
    6 Jul 2017

  • Portrait Ariel Sabar

    My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for His Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq

    Reading and discussion with the author Ariel Sabar

    Audio Recording
    11 May 2017

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