Conference 2027
Conference Programme
Four days of presentations, panels, and discussions on Christians and Muslims in Israel
25–28 January 2027
Online International Conference via Zoom
Working language: English
Time zone: CET
The programme below is preliminary and subject to refinement. The detailed conference programme, including confirmed speakers, presentation titles, abstracts and biographies, will be published as the programme develops. All sessions will be held online via Zoom.
1
Day 1
Monday, 25 January 2027
14:00 – 15:00 CET
Dr. Hanna David
Tel Aviv University (Emerita) — Israel
"Christian and Muslim Students in Israel: Educational Gaps and Achievement"
15:00 – 16:00 CET
Prof. Barak Medina
Faculty of Law, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem — Israel
"Equality under Emergency: Arab Citizens, Minority Rights and Israeli Constitutionalism after October 7"
16:00 – 17:00 CET
Dr. Ameer Fakhoury
Polonsky Academy for Advanced Study, Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, Jerusalem — Israel
"Between Sect and Nation: Christian–Muslim Relations and Palestinian Citizenship in Israel"
17:00 – 18:00 CET
Prof. Mohammed S. Dajani Daoudi
Founder, Wasatia Movement — Palestine
Director, Wasatia Graduate Academic Institute
"Palestinian–Israeli Dialogue and Coexistence: My Reflections in 2026"
18:00 – 19:00 CET
Ian M. Giatti
Staff Reporter, The Christian Post — United States
"Incidents Involving Christian Pilgrims and Public Christian Worship in Jerusalem"
Working title — subject to speaker approval · Online via Zoom — English
19:00 – 20:00 CET
Abbot Dr. Nikodemus C. Schnabel OSB
Abbot, Dormition Abbey and Priory of Tabgha — Jerusalem, Israel
"Christianity on Mount Zion: Monastic Presence, Interreligious Tensions and the Meaning of Staying"
Working Title — Subject to Speaker Approval · Live Online via Zoom
2
Day 2
Tuesday, 26 January 2027
14:00 – 15:00 CET
Dr. Alexey Somov
Associate Professor, St. Philaret’s Institute, Moscow — Russia
"The Legend of Judas Cyriacus and the Construction of Religious Identity in Late Antique Palestine"
Provisional title — final version pending speaker confirmation
15:00 – 16:00 CET
Dr. Lillian Boxman-Shabtai
Senior Lecturer, Department of Communication and Journalism, Faculty of Social Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem — Israel
"Polyvocal Content Analysis"
16:00 – 17:00 CET
Prof. Dr. Zorica Kuburić — Serbia
University of Novi Sad / Center for Empirical Research on Religion
“My Pilgrimage to Israel: Personal Experiences and Observations as a Christian in Jerusalem and Other Holy Sites”
Personal pilgrimage experiences and observations as a Christian visitor
17:00 – 18:00 CET
Rev. Dr. David M. Neuhaus SJ
Pontifical Biblical Institute, Jerusalem — Israel
"Christians and Muslims in Israel: Israeli State Policy"
18:00 – 19:00 CET
Daoud Kuttab
Senior Communications Officer, World Evangelical Alliance; Founder, Community Media Network & AmmanNet — Jordan
"Palestinian Voices, Media and Religious Communities"
19:00 – 20:00 CET
Session to be announced
3
Day 3
Wednesday, 27 January 2027
14:00 – 15:00 CET
Session to be announced
15:00 – 16:00 CET
Shadi Khalloul — Israel
Founder, Israeli Christian Aramaic Association (ICAA)
“Christian Arameans in Israel: Identity, Community and Jewish–Christian Relations”
Working title — final title to be confirmed · Participation confirmed; final presentation title and abstract pending
16:00 – 17:00 CET
The Very Rev'd Canon Richard Sewell
Dean, St George's College, Jerusalem — United Kingdom
"Christian Pilgrimage and the Living Church: What Visitors Miss about Christians in the Holy Land"
17:00 – 18:00 CET
Prof. Yitzhak Reiter
Al-Qasemi Academic College and Reichman University — Israel
"Al-Aqsa, the Temple Mount and the Politics of Muslim Holy Places in Israel"
18:00 – 19:00 CET
Hana Bendcowsky
Program Director, Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue — Jerusalem, Israel
"Jewish–Christian Relations in the Context of the Holy Land"
19:00 – 20:00 CET
Session to be announced
4
Day 4
Thursday, 28 January 2027
14:00 – 15:00 CET
Dr. Sehrab Masri
Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Educational Counseling (M.A.), Ramat Gan Academic College; Lecturer, Department of Education, Tel-Hai University — Israel
"School Counselling as a Bridge: Fostering Empathy and Jewish–Arab Relations among Adolescents in Israel"
15:00 – 16:00 CET
Yasmin Abu Saad
PhD Candidate, School of Education, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev — Israel
abusaady@post.bgu.ac.il
"Beyond the Classroom: Education, Community Agency, and Social Change among Palestinian Bedouins in Israel"
16:00 – 17:00 CET
His Excellency Bishop Rafic Nahra — Israel
Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem; Patriarchal Vicar for Israel
“Life, identity and challenges of Arabic-speaking Christian communities in Israel”
Live online via Zoom · English
17:00 – 18:00 CET
Dr. Ofir Winter
Senior Researcher, Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) — Israel
"Islamic Discourses on Israel: Religious Legitimacy, Peace and Muslim Public Debate"
18:00 – 19:00 CET
Session to be announced
19:00 – 20:00 CET
Session to be announced
Programme Materials
The detailed conference programme, including confirmed speakers, presentation titles, abstracts and biographies, will be published as the programme develops. All sessions will be held online via Zoom.