«We hand out kosher-halal gummy bears. That makes us popular!»
Sarah-Maria Hebeisen and Omar Ibrahim on the Jewish-Muslim tours
Since the resurgence of the conflict in the Middle East in 2023, the Jewish Museum of Switzerland has been offering Jewish-Muslim tours. The tours are given by two guides, one with a Jewish background and one with a Muslim background. What is the situation like after two years? Sarah-Maria Hebeisen and Omar Ibrahim, who have given several tours together, look back with museum director Naomi Lubrich at some hopeful and some challenging encounters.
Naomi Lubrich: Sarah-Maria, you designed our Jewish-Muslim tours and have now given almost 40 workshops. What’s your verdict?
Sarah-Maria Hebeisen: I have mixed feelings. Some groups were talkative and curious, but some came with preconceived opinions and fixed viewpoints. We mostly have groups with a large proportion of Muslim students. Their teachers are often unsure how to deal with the conflict. Many of them need guidance on how to maintain their professional neutrality for their classes. It is now more important than ever to address these issues.
NL: You like to work in dialogue. What have you had success with?
S‑MH: We talk about basic terms like Jewish, Israelite, Israeli, Muslim, Islamic, and Islamist. Sometimes, that’s what it takes for many of the participants to realize how complex the topic is and how important it is to use the right words. «Islamic» does not mean «Islamist». «Israelite» does not mean «Israeli»; many people already struggle with this distinction. For some, it’s even hard to distinguish between «Arab» and «Muslim». Constructive conversation can only happen when the correct terminology is used. Although we mostly work with school classes, this kind of education is also beneficial for adults. They also find it difficult to find reliable information.
NL: Omar, the fact that you welcome school classes to the Jewish Museum is important. Why?
Omar Ibrahim: With the combination of my name, the way I look, my upbringing, and my studies, I seem different from what you would expect from a workshop instructor at the Jewish Museum. This makes it easier for people to relate to me. My presence alone shows that Arabs and Muslims are open to conversations and exchange with the Jewish community. These days, that is highly relevant.
NL: What is special about working with young people?
OI: Adolescents face the challenge of relating to the world. This is generally part of human development. However, it’s harder to do with the unreliable information that is available these days. This makes it all the more important for adolescents to educate themselves and communicate with each other in a neutral context like a museum.
NL: Does it matter that you’re an atheist?
OI: I’m not a staunch atheist. My late father was Muslim, which also makes me a Muslim. However, I don’t practice the Muslim faith according to the Sunni way. My connection to Islam is of a philosophical and scientific nature. This also shows in my studies. When adolescents encounter people who know about and engage analytically with religions, it can help open their perspectives around these topics and ways of life.
NL: What existing knowledge do the students bring to the museum?
S‑MH: Normally, the teachers prepare for their visit in class, so that students are already familiar with certain aspects, such as the Zionist Congresses that took place in Basel, or the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Young people mainly get their information from social media, but it’s often simplified or in the form of slogans.
NL: Is there a turning point during the tour, where you notice that the participants become more receptive to the complexity of the issue?
S‑MH: It’s often everyday similarities, sometimes even offhand comments, like the fact that pork is not allowed in both Judaism and Islam, that evoke understanding and support of the other side. And at the end, we always hand out kosher-halal gummy bears. That makes us very popular!
OI: Demonstrating how much Jewish and Muslim cultural histories have in common, how specific terms can be defined, and which prejudices are unfounded creates the conditions for meaningful dialogue. Whether this will foster a lasting change in the young people still remains uncertain. We can only help with the education process. We try and do this by not artificially simplifying the complexity of these issues, while presenting and communicating them through dialogue.
NL: Sarah-Maria, Omar, your work is difficult, but important. Thank you for your dedication! We would also like to thank the Vontobel Foundation, the Sulger Foundation and the Federal Service for Combating Racism of the Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA as well as other sponsors who have helped support this important project.
verfasst am 20.04.2026
