This workshop took place on January 30.

Literature can be more than entertainment. It can open spaces, shift perspectives, and create encounters beyond political slogans. In this workshop, we explored Jewish and Israeli literature as a distinct space of resonance — not in abstract or theoretical terms, but through texts, voices, and experiences that speak to us directly.

Together with Ariella Chmiel and Linda Rachel Sabiers, we discussed what literature can do, why stories often communicate more than debates, and why it may be especially important today to speak about “Jewish literature.”

Through selected excerpts, we entered into conversation: What emotions do texts evoke? What perspectives do they open? What can we learn about Jewish life without it having to be explicitly explained?

The second interactive part focused on prejudices, clichés, and cultural images. In an open and accessible format, we explored how literature can reproduce stereotypical ideas — or consciously break them open.

The workshop was open to all interested participants, regardless of prior knowledge. At its center were exchange, curiosity, and the experience that literature can change the way we see the world — quietly, but profoundly.

On January 29, 2026, guests gathered at the Alte Münze in Berlin for an event hosted by the ZERA Institute to discuss the role of digital spaces in radicalization, antisemitism, and the normalization of violence.

Following opening remarks by Maral Salmassi and Mark Pinhasov, Prof. Benjamin Folit-Weinberg presented key findings from the research project “Extremism and Attacks on Democracy: Online Radicalization, Antisemitism, and AI,” stepping in for Research Director Dr. Matthias J. Becker, who was unable to attend due to illness.

The evening also marked the publication of Reports 1 and 2, which, for the first time, empirically demonstrate how illiberal discourse emerges within the digital mainstream and translate these findings into a policy- and practice-oriented research agenda.

In the subsequent panel discussion, “Words Have Consequences,” moderated by Maral Salmassi, Seyran Ateş, Ariella Chmiel, Rebecca Schönenbach, and Ahmad Mansour discussed responsibility, language, and the limits of tolerance toward extremist ideologies.

The event concluded with an open get-together and further exchange. We thank all guests, panelists, and supporters for their engagement.

Maral Salmassi moderated the panel discussion “Words Have Consequences: Culture, Narratives, and Responsibility in Addressing Antisemitism and Extremism” with the following speakers:

• Seyran Ateş, lawyer, author, women’s rights activist, and founder of the Ibn Rushd–Goethe Mosque in Berlin
• Ariella Chmiel, political scientist and co-founder of Coffee with a Jew
• Rebecca Schönenbach, independent consultant specializing in counterterrorism and extremism prevention
• Ahmad Mansour, Israeli-German psychologist and author of Arab-Palestinian background

Coffee with a Jew began as a mobile coffee bar:

Have a cup of coffee, stop by, and start a conversation.

Accessible, personal, and open to every question.

Coffee with a Jew is a project by B’nai B’rith Munich. It was launched in 2024 by Daniel Gitbud and Ariella Chmiel to create conversations about Jewish life, challenge prejudices, and bring people into dialogue.

The practical workshop format developed by the Zera Institute focused on how antisemitic, extremist, and anti-democratic attitudes emerge among children and young people—and how educational professionals can address them in everyday practice in a reflective, sensitive, and effective way. The workshop provided a protected space for exchange and self-reflection, while also strengthening participants’ confidence in taking concrete action. Working with realistic case studies, participants developed discussion strategies and pedagogical approaches that support teachers in identifying problematic narratives at an early stage and responding to them constructively.

Together, participants examined how antisemitic and extremist interpretive patterns spread through family environments, peer groups, and social media; which indicators may signal early stages of radicalization or social exclusion; and which forms of language and professional stance can empower children and young people by fostering empathy, democratic understanding, and social responsibility.

The workshop was led by Gabriele Rohmann, social scientist, journalist, and co-director of the Archive of Youth Cultures. For more than 25 years, she has worked at the intersection of youth, pop, and subcultures, political education, extremism prevention, and media literacy, advising educational and cultural institutions as well as public authorities. The second facilitator was Thomas Riedmann, a social and cultural anthropologist and prospective teacher who has been active for many years as a political education practitioner, with a particular focus on antisemitism-critical educational work.

We would like to thank the participating teachers for their openness, commitment, and strong engagement. Once again, the workshop demonstrated the central importance of reflective pedagogical practice and professional exchange in strengthening children and young people at an early stage against antisemitic and extremist narratives.