Teaching degree: University cooperates with the Sara Nussbaum Center

The cooperation builds on existing formats of collaboration: for example, an excursion to the synagogue with students of Catholic and Protestant religion, which takes place at least every semester, has become established. The Trialogue Day 2025, a Kassel training program for teachers, took place in the synagogue and reached a wide audience with over 100 participants. Both Institutes - for Protestant and Catholic Theology - already offer an "Interreligious Competence" study profile, while the Institute of Catholic Theology also offers the "Ecumenical and Interreligious Competence" module, which also includes aspects of Judaism and in which the Sara Nussbaum Center is involved. This cooperation has now been more formalized.

Timon Gremmels, Hessian Minister for Science and Research, Art and Culture, had advocated this cooperation in advance. The Minister of State explained: "This connection between the University of Kassel and the Sara Nussbaum Center for Jewish Life is a matter close to my heart. I am very pleased that this cooperation has now been sealed. It anchors the expertise and important work of the Sara Nussbaum Center at the university and makes the expertise on Jewish culture accessible in the teacher training courses. This new cooperation will ensure that Jewish religion and culture are taught even better in schools in the future. Last but not least, an in-depth understanding and knowledge of Judaism are still the most effective means of countering reservations and preconceived ideas."

"As Jewish theology is lacking as a discipline at our university, we can use this approach to make authentic religious positions visible in the context of interreligious learning," Ute Clement was pleased to say. "A lack of knowledge about Judaism can lead to uncertainty and avoidance of these topics. This creates a pedagogical speechlessness in lessons and at schools, which in turn can be a breeding ground for anti-Semitic and other religion-related prejudices. We are working against this."

Ilana Katz, Managing Director of the Sara Nussbaum Center, expressly thanked Minister Gremmels for initiating the cooperation and added: "Especially in this day and age, it is essential that prospective teachers acquire interreligious and intercultural skills - not just in theory, but in a lively exchange. As an extracurricular place of learning, we bring Jewish perspectives and experiences directly into university professional training. In this way, we promote knowledge, encounters and empathy - central building blocks of a diverse and democratic society. We are delighted to be able to further intensify our collaboration with the University of Kassel."

In addition to Ute Clement and Ilana Katz, Elena Padva, Director of the Sara Nussbaum Center, Prof. Dr. Ilse Müllner (Institute of Catholic Theology), Prof. Dr. Martin Bauspieß (Institute of Protestant Theology) and Lisa Ferin, contact persons for people affected by anti-Semitism at the university, were also present. They unanimously emphasized that it is unacceptable for people in Germany to use current Israeli politics as a pretext for anti-Semitism.

Around one in five students enrolled at the University of Kassel is studying to become a teacher. In the winter semester 2024/25, 323 students were enrolled to study religion as a teaching subject (main/major subject only).

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