International Week „Spirituality in Social Work“ im November | Rückblick

Offener Brief von Dr. Rebecca Ranz (Sapir College) und Prof. Dr. Franziska Wächter (KHSB) zum gemeinsamen Online-Seminar im November.

Dear friends of the KHSB, dear colleagues, dear students,

we would like to tell you about an Israeli-German cooperation seminar that took place at the KHSB this winter semester. We, that is the lecturers of the seminar, Dr. Rebecca Ranz, Sapir Academic College, and Prof. Dr. Franziska Wächter, KHSB. Once again this year, we prepared the seminar with enthusiasm and lots of ideas for the content and organization. Common dates had to be found, the meetings in the digital space had to be carefully planned and the thematic focus on the topic of „Spirituality in Social Work“ had to be defined and worked out. The students from our two universities began to meet in late summer and prepare their inputs in order to provide the students from the partner university with the best possible information and thus lay a good foundation for the exchange. We were all looking forward to the joint start on October 9th .

We experienced the morning of October 7 in shock. The terrorist attack by Hamas brought terror, death, terrible suffering and displacement to our colleagues and students at the partner university. How could and would we continue with our plans in this situation of being paralyzed by the horrific events? We as the KHSB group met on October 9th and the student group wrote a letter to their fellow students from the seminar, whom they had never met, never seen, never spoken to, to express their heartfelt sympathy and solidarity. A sign: We are here. At your side.

On the 8th of October Dr. Rebecca Ranz from Sapir College met on zoom with some of her Israeli students, everyone was still in shock and only began to understand the magnitude of the disaster – the murder, kidnapping, rape and brutality of Hamas were unimaginable, at this point it was not possible to continue the course, but there was a clear voice from the students that they must continue at a later date, otherwise Hamas won.

We met on November 20 and spent a good week together at the seminar, which was, of course marked by the ongoing war, the despair, the fear for loved ones and the grief for lost friends and relatives. Nevertheless, we were able to talk to each other, engage in intensive professional exchange, learn from and with each other – in many ways, because there was also room for personal discussions. Rarely have we experienced an academic seminar with such intensity. The closeness in our encounters was astonishing, even though we were „only“ able to meet digitally. Together in a situation that none of us had experienced before and in which empathic human encounters were given space.

We would like to let the students have their say at this point:

I wasn’t sure what to expect and how people will react to everything that’s going on in Israel. I felt a bit unsecure but eventually it turned out to be very interesting. I was very happy to see the sensitivity towards the situation, thank you.

At the beginning, when the course just started, I felt that I was really unable to start learning and put new information into my head. But as soon as we started talking and getting to know each other, my mind changed. Learning was very different than I thought it would be. It was mutual and based on trying to get to know each other and the cultural differences. This experience (which started with apprehension) opens the hatch for me to spiritually aware treatment. Because just as you start to know another person from another culture, so it is possible to know another person from another world of spirituality.

Before the course, I was afraid that it would be difficult for me to sit every day and listen because of the war, but to my surprise, I found it interesting and important, and it actually helped me not to think about the war all the time and to get to know myself a little.

I was most surprised of how well we all connected together. That was really beautiful.

I was scared about talking in English, but on the first day my fear was already gone when we weren’t even half way through the first breakout session.

It was so special, respectful, and interesting. I was surprised that the communication was open and so pleasant.

The reflections of the course participants show us and encourage us to continue and expand our cooperation. Without any ifs and buts. As a voice against the wall of silence.

Rebecca Ranz
Franziska Wächter