Ouroboros is a storytelling and research initiative that explores the lived realities of Jewish–Muslim friendships in a moment of profound strain. In the wake of October 7, 2023, relationships that once felt stable have been tested by grief, fear, political division, and the weight of global conflict felt at a deeply personal level. Through interviews, narratives, and reflective dialogue, Ouroboros creates space for individuals to speak honestly about connection, rupture, and the complicated work of staying in relationship. The project takes its name from the ancient symbol of the serpent consuming its own tail—representing cycles of destruction and renewal—and asks whether relationships can survive, transform, and reimagine themselves under pressure.
Ouroboros highlights the emotional and relational dimensions of conflict that are often overlooked in public discourse. It centers stories of friendship as sites where larger histories of violence, identity, and belonging are negotiated in intimate ways. The project draws attention to themes of precarity, mutual care, silence, misrecognition, and the moral dilemmas individuals face when their communities are in tension. Rather than offering simple resolutions, Ouroboros surfaces the ambiguity and complexity of maintaining connection across difference, illuminating both the fragility of these relationships and the possibilities that emerge when people choose to remain engaged despite fear and uncertainty.
Visit us at the ACPA 2026 Annual Convention in Baltimore, Maryland.
Session Title: Creative Expression - Narrating Jewish-Muslim Relationships after October 7, 2023 using Graphic Stories.
Datel: April 1st
Time: 9:45-10:45 AM
Location: Baltimore Convention Center 317
This project has been funded by the Healy Endowment Grant at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Research conducted by Musbah Shaheen.
Illustrations by Dr. Sally Pirie (https://sallypirie.com/).