Young German battles anti-Semitism in Berlin

Maja Jamal-Eddine devotes her free time to fostering understanding and tolerance among the faithful of two major world religions.

The 24 year-old joined the Kreuzberg Initiative against Anti-Semitism 18 months ago after experiencing intolerance within her own Muslim community.

"In my view, there are two sets of problems. On the one hand, Muslims are confronted with prejudices, such as the idea that they are fundamentalists or traditionally backward.

"On the other hand, Muslim groups, especially young people, are themselves prejudiced against other religions, such as Judaism, or against German culture. Within the Muslim community there is also intolerance, such as that reflected in the conflict between Sunni and Shiites."

The Kreuzberg area of Berlin has a large immigrant population, mainly from Turkey and Arabic countries. Maja, a Muslim of Syrian descent who was born and raised in Berlin, understands the issues facing young people from these communities.

Setting a good example

The Kreuzberg project, which was founded in 2003 in response to attacks on synagogues in Istanbul, involves local residents, both Germans like Maja and non-Germans. It focuses on educating 15 to 23 year-olds through workshops in schools and youth centres, monitors manifestations of anti-Semitism and organizes talks and seminars to sensitize and create awareness among residents on these issues.

It has received various public grants and awards in recognition of its activities. In 2006, the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) highlighted the project as a good example in its publication Education on the Holocaust and on Anti-Semitism: An Overview and Analysis of Educational Approaches.

"Recognizing that anti-Semitism exists within a particular community is already a first step in tackling the problem," says Kathrin Meyer, the ODIHR's Adviser on Combating Anti-Semitism. "Having a young woman like Maja take the lead in raising awareness of the problem in her community is one of the things that make this project so effective."

Learning from different perspectives

Maja tries to create awareness among students about the parallels among different religions. She has developed two educational projects, one on the Middle East conflict and another on gender role awareness. Both are workshop games that involve role play, pantomime and discussions.

The first revolves around the story of a friendship between a young Palestinian and a young Jew in Germany. During the game, the players look at the conflict from different perspectives, enabling them to analyse current stereotypes. It homes in on questions such as: Can young Palestinians and Jews be friends in Germany?

The second game is about love. It is designed to stimulate discussion and analysis of traditional gender roles. It also looks at how an individual's needs and desires can be balanced against religious norms.

The Kreuzberg project's activities are summarized in a brochure called "Educational concepts against extremism in multicultural societies", which is available on the NGO's website.

Between two cultures

"Another reason for getting involved was because I am planning to become a teacher," Maja says, who is studying political science and chemistry while training to become a teacher. "I like to work with young people and to help them resolve problematic situations, such as the one of growing up between two cultures.

"I have realized that it is always possible to positively influence young people. Since pupils are not equally receptive, it is important to pick the right approach in order to reach out to everyone. Depending on the individual, one needs more or less patience."

For Maja, young people have a crucial role to play in promoting tolerance.

"Young people can approach and convince their peers more easily than others. It is important to be aware of this responsibility, assume it and make things happen. That is also why it is a good idea for the OSCE to bring together young people of different backgrounds to jointly discuss topics such as tolerance."

Despite the difficulties she observes, Maja is positive about the prospects for building a more tolerant society. "I shall always be optimistic about the future. Otherwise it would be difficult to engage with reality. I hope that it will become increasingly possible for people to approach one another, transcend differences and learn that everyone is different - that's why everyone is special."