On 4 and 5 June 2026, the Dagesh on Tour facilitators came together for the second qualification training of the year. The two-day programme focused on pedagogical approaches to teaching Jewish art and artistic positioning, the implementation of the Dagesh safeguarding concept in workshop practice, and reflection on collaboration between facilitators during workshops.
The first part of the training was dedicated to the question: How can concepts of “Jewish art” be conveyed in educational settings, and what possible approaches to defining “Jewish art” can be formulated in this context? Given the complexity and ambiguity of the term, the focus was on a shared exploration of different perspectives, experiences, and positions within the field.
Drawing on artistic and educational impulses, participants discussed the themes and concepts that shape the work of Dagesh on Tour and explored how these can be translated into workshop formats. The session provided space to reflect on participants’ own roles, perspectives, and responsibilities as artistic and educational facilitators, while generating valuable ideas for the future development of Dagesh on Tour’s educational programmes.
Another key focus of the qualification days was the practical application of the Dagesh safeguarding concept. Kristina Omelchenko, Education Coordinator and Cultural Mediator, and Nina Fraeser, Education Coordinator and Mediator, led the workshop “How to Safeguarding Concept: Safety Training and Introduction to the Safeguarding Framework.”
Following an introduction to the guidelines developed as part of the safeguarding concept, participants worked through a practical case study in a role-playing exercise. The scenario centred on an ambiguous antisemitic incident, requiring participants to apply the checklists and action guidelines developed within the framework. The exercise enabled participants to test the safeguarding concept from different perspectives and reflect on its practical implementation. The insights gained during the workshop will contribute to the ongoing development of the safeguarding concept.
The qualification concluded with a session led by coach Deborah Kohn. The first part focused on collaboration between facilitators working in pairs. Drawing on practical examples, participants discussed communication, role distribution, and strategies for preventing and addressing conflicts.
The second part was dedicated to a collective reflection on the previous workshops and the key insights gained throughout the qualification. This process helped identify important impulses for the further pedagogical and conceptual development of Dagesh on Tour formats.
The second qualification training once again highlighted the value of exchange and collaboration among the facilitators. Diverse perspectives became visible, methods and procedures for workshop implementation were successfully conveyed, and concrete ideas for the further development of Dagesh on Tour formats emerged. We would like to thank all speakers and facilitators for their committed participation and valuable contributions.
The workshop commenced with a session led by the Mobile Counselling Team from Angermünde, Barnim/Uckermark, focusing on the challenges posed by right-wing extremist structures in Brandenburg. Participants were introduced to effective strategies employed by non-governmental organizations and engaged in a discussion about how “culture” is perceived within the right-wing milieu. The afternoon provided an opportunity for guided peer-to-peer case consultations, fostering collaborative learning.
Day two unfolded in Eberswalde, starting with a guided tour of the special exhibition “Ellen Auerbach and Lea Grundig – Two Artists in Palestine,” featuring the remarkable works of Atalya Laufer at the Eberswalde Museum. Participants delved deeply into Laufer’s artworks and explored the successful workshop concepts that have been previously implemented as part of Dagesh on Tour.
The final day featured an insightful coaching session led by Marina Chernivsky from OFEK e.V., who elaborated on the specially developed safeguarding concept for Dagesh on Tour. A participant expressed appreciation for the supportive environment: “As always, there was a great group atmosphere and a feeling of safety.”
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved for contributing to a successful event characterized by rich insights, engaging participation, and empowering exchanges.
Photos by Dagesh, installation by Atalya Laufer
“I learned a lot from the intense conversations with my colleagues.”
From November 26 to 28, the final qualification days of 2024 for instructors and artists involved with Dagesh on Tour took place. The focus of the training was on art education for children in elementary school. At the beginning of the meeting, we welcomed Dietmar von der Forst from the Schöneberg Youth Museum, who presented best practice examples for working with 8 to 12-year-olds in non-formal education contexts.
On the second day, we explored the children’s world of the Jewish Museum Berlin. Dr. Ane Kleine Engel welcomed the group to ANOHA, guided them through the fascinating exhibit, and explained the history of its creation, as well as the ongoing work with children in preschool and elementary school. After the tour, participants had the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions with Dr. Kleine Engel about the mediation of contemporary Jewish art. One educational consultant described her experiences at ANOHA as follows: “The day at ANOHA was an absolute highlight. The content was not only incredibly interesting and important but also affected me on so many levels. I will be thinking about this visit for a long time.”
On the last day, the group engaged with the exhibit “Rohini Devasher: Borrowed Light” at Palais Populaire. Art educator Sarah Steiner demonstrated how contemporary art education can succeed with a young audience. She also discussed with the participating artists and educational consultants about methods for workshop design with constantly changing exhibition content.
In the final hours of the three-day training, participants had the opportunity to reflect on the methods and approaches they learned for art education with elementary school students, particularly regarding Dagesh on Tour 2025, under the guidance of Deborah Kohn.
We thank all invited speakers for their valuable contributions and the participants for the lively exchange!
Photo: Installationsaufnahmen der Ausstellung: Rohini Devasher – Borrowed Light — Deutsche Bank ‚Artist of the Year‘ 2024 im ©PalaisPopulaire. Berlin, 09.09.2024
The qualification days for instructors and artists taking part in the Dagesh on Tour educational programme took place on 14 and 15 November 2023 at the Grüner Salon in Berlin. In addition, artists from the Dagesh Network came together for a network meet-up on the evening of 14 November 2023.
The qualification days for active and new instructors and artists involved with Dagesh on Tour take place at regular intervals and serve to facilitate exchange among the non-staff contributors, allowing them to deepen their discussions on topics relating to their educational work and the further development of the programme. Our aim was to utilise these qualification days to look back at Dagesh on Tour’s very successful year. In 2023, the programme offered 113 workshop days, was active in 7 federal states, and was able to reach over 500 children and young adults with various workshop formats including one-day workshops, courses, and project weeks as part of Dagesh on Tour. We also made use of these qualification days to address the situation in the aftermath of 7 October, discussing the challenges we are facing in the educational work conducted by Dagesh on Tour. In addition, the qualification days allowed us to introduce new, prospective contributors to the Dagesh on Tour programme with exercises on the focal points of our educational work. We were pleased to welcome Rosa Fava from the competence centre ju:an at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation for an expert input on the challenges of antisemitism-critical educational work within public children’s and youth outreach programming.
The Dagesh on Tour workshops are currently on hold. The discussions and insights gathered at the qualification days are being incorporated into our further planning and considerations so that we will hopefully be able to resume the workshops again soon.
The network meet-up held on 14 November 2023 provided the artists involved in the Dagesh Network a chance to engage in informal discussions, to get to know new network members, and to have a more personal get-together in light of the developments that have taken place since 7 October, including in the arts and cultural sector.
We would like to thank all involved for their time and the intensive discussions that made the days together so meaningful!
Photo credit: © Dagesh, 2023
