LBGT Community

It is easy to forget that LBGT rights, or rather lack of rights, is a common issue in all modern countries. Countries such as those in Europe have modernized more than even the U.S. when it comes to the LBGT community. However I was interested to read about how Israel, a middle eastern country, handles these issues. Although Israel is part of the middle east, it is very different from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq- therefore I wasn't too surprised that the Israelis did offer rights to the LBGT community.

This past summer I worked for the Anti-Defemation League. One of my tasks as an intern was to read bills and legislation regarding hate crimes. A lot of hate crimes are committed against the LBGT community. Because this legal aspect interested me, on one of the websites, Jerusalem Open House, I decided to read about the LGBT Bill of Rights in Jerusalem. Firstly, I was surprised about a lot of the rights that do not already exist. Currently, the Israeli hate crime legislation does not specifically list LBGT, unlike the codes in certain states of the US do. Ohio has a similar code to that of Jerusalem- it does not protect against crimes motivated by a victim's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. So I guess it looks like Jerusalem, a holy city, is just as progressive as Ohio, a state that has elected Obama twice. However, I was glad to read that there is a large number of people in Jerusalem that are pushing for more LBGT rights.

Like many other of my classmates stated, I was surprised that we would cover a topic such as LBGT rights in a class focusing on Jerusalem. I guess I keep forgetting that there is more to Israel than just conflict and more to Jerusalem than just religion.

Sharon and my Mother-in-Law/ Not Mother of all Cities

It was a refreshing twist to read war stories that added some humor. I literally laughed out loud when I read about the dog receiving a Jerusalem passport and then when she took the dog to the border and told the Israeli soldier that she was driving the dog to Jerusalem where the dog was allowed. This comical "tail," although amusing and funny, really illustrates how hard life was/is for Palestinians living in these territories. In the story about the gas masks, the Palestinian soldiers where joking around when they were being transported in a fun and seemingly care-free way. However, my laughter was quickly mitigated when I thought about the reality of the two stories- how awful it is that a dog received a Jerusalem passport when families/people have been trying for months/years to gain access to the city. Also, the reality behind the jokes such as "this is the transfer bus to Jordan" is heartbreaking. Palestinians actually had to worry about trusting the soldiers, being transported to another country, or being tricked. Being pro-Israel, I have never read stories about Palestinian families and what actual life is like for them. Based on these stories, however, it seems as if the Jews during WWII and the Palestinians have a lot in common. The Germans had special rules and enacted curfews, just like the Israelis did. 

Everyone refers to Jerusalem as as "she", as a holy beyond holy cities, that people sometimes lose sight of the fact that it is a living city with potholes that need to be fixed and schools that need to educate. I think that Galit did an excellent job in illustrating/arguing that Jerusalem is not just this fantasy, holy city that everyone claims it is- it is a lot more than that. It is a real city like columbus that needs necessary, "cityesq" elements just like every city.  

P.S. I have never heard Jerusalem  referred to as a prostitute. 

Web Journal

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” 
― Bob Marley

In the shower, on the walk to class, driving in the car, playing my viola or running on a treadmill, music always surrounds me. Growing up, The Indigo Girls, REM, Natalie Merchant, Jewel, or Broadway show tunes filled my house. My mom, a lover of music, started my passion for music at an early age and to be honest, without my love of music, my life would be incomplete. Music can cheer me up or pump me up. Music has even helped me get through one of the worst break ups ever. What I listen to defines who I am. My favorite bands are  Death Cab for Cutie and the Avett Brothers and my favorite female vocalist is Regina Spektor. I attend at least one concert a year. Basically, I can't go a day without listening to music. 

The music that I listen to are all methods of communicating to me life lessons: 

"Flowers never bend with the rainfall"- Simon and Garfunkel- This quote/song inspires me to keep my head up and be strong. If fragile flowers can withstand the power of the rain then I can withstand life's obstacles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAvCfCBZaF4

"There are places I remember, all my life though some have changed...with lovers and friends I still can recall...in my life I've loved them all"- In My Life- The Beatles. When I listen to this song I think of all the life memories that I have created a long the way. The friendships and the hardships and the connections. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKQpRgxyyqo

"Somedays aren't yours at all. They come and go as if they are someone else's days....don't doubt." Somedays- Regina Spektor- Last year I hit a really hard time in my life and really struggled almost everyday, when I would listen to songs such as this one or Simon and Garfunkel, for the 3 min that the song played I could feel a connection that the singer also was going through a hard time when he/she wrote the song. It is nice to know that you are not alone in feeling a certain way, you can always find a song that feels it too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrGRSKjAvNM

Music and conflict: I believe that music soothes all the pain, at least for the time that someone is listening to it. Even though music might not solve all the problems politically, it can offer a place of hope or a glimmer or inspiration, as corny as the sounds. Music often times represents an outlet. Whenever I was upset in high school, I would always grab my viola and just play away. Lyrics can also be a way to let out pain, anger and emotion. Therefore, music is a more peaceful way of approaching a conflict. Think about the hippie movement in the 60s. Peace Train

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” 

― Victor Hugo

In my last blog I talked about One Day by Matisyahu: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRmBChQjZPs

Music also offers me a way to connect to my religion and my culture: 

Hatikva

Shema Yisrael

The Work of Her Hands

Channels of Rage: While I was reading this article I couldn’t help thinking about the Jewish singer Matisyahu. He set this large trend in the United States about promoting peace and bringing about a Jewish Reggae/rap genre. Like Kobi wearing a Star of David, he makes singing about peace “cool.” Matisyahu sings about the one day that no one will be fighting anymore and that all the children will be playing together.  Also like Kobi, Matisyahu brought about a new/modern Zionist message. His name means “gift of God.” He mixes hip-hop, rap, beat boxing and the Judaism’s hazzan style of songful prayer.

Israeli hip-hop: All flow, no edge: It is very interesting how politics shape music and culture of a country. Hip-hop and rap emerged in Israel after a handshake between enemies whereas rap and hip-hop became popular in the United States due influential African American roots.  Although I listened to Subliminal and I decided that I am not a huge fan, I think his lyrics and message can really have an effect on Israel’s youth.  From personal experience, Music can really shape the way that someone looks at something.

Hip-hop and the Palestinians: “Rap is CNN for us.” This small quote is loaded with a powerful meaning. For the Palestinians, rap is a way of communicating events, emotions, and thoughts. Rap became a way to peacefully resist, just like music in the 60’s during the civil rights/Vietnam era.

The Work of Her Hands: Until reading this article I have never really heard or learned about the Mizrahi culture. I know about the Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jewish culture but I honestly have never learned about the Mizrahi culture. However, I do listen to a lot of Israeli, Middle Eastern, and religiously Jewish music. I would argue that every song in a way is a “religious poem.” Most music is written out of emotion. Whether the song is about the religion of love or the religion of heartbreak or the religion of god, every song is written for a purpose- to spread a message of some sort.

I thought it was very interested that a class about religious poem songs was created and became widely popular. I think this definitely illustrates the strong connection that Israel has with religion as well as the connection that religion has with music. Religion has definitely also shaped Israel’s secular culture.

Research Article: The ICJ's Advisory Opinion on the Consequences of Israel's Construction of a Separation Barrier in the Occupied Palestinian Territories: A Movie in the Right Direction or an Impediment to Peace

Article: THE ICJ’S ADVISORY OPINION ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF ISRAEL’S CONSTRUCTION OF A SEPARATION BARRIER IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OR AN IMPEDIMENT TO PEACE?1

by: Mustafa Mari2

This article addresses whether or not different scholars believe that the ICJ- the International Court of Justice's involvement has actually helped or hindered the peace process. The article starts by summarizing the legal side of the conflict starting from the British Mandate in 1947. Throughout the peace process, there has been a lack of "reference to humanitarian law or human rights." Both sides have encouraged actions that have violated these laws/rights. 

The article explains that the separation barrier- in 2002 the Israeli government approved of creating a barrier in Israel along the northern part of the West Bank, which will surround 16% of the west bank. The IJC was involved in this process and held a hearing that involved 15 states. The court found that the wall was contrary to international law. 

In 2003, there was an issue that declared that peace cannot be achieved until Israel goes back to respecting the human rights laws. 

The article claims the the interjection of the ICJ actually did hinder the peace process. 

The reason that I selected this article was because it focused on a topic that we have not addressed in class yet- law. Law is usually very clear-cut a dry and does not involve emotions and feelings. In class we discuss topics that do involve these emotions and feelings. However we haven't looked much in international relations or much about NOGs or politics yet. The international court of justice is a very important institution in international relations. Instead of just focusing on how people view the wall, this article steps away from the emotions and focuses on the law aspect. 

I also found this article appealing because it appealed to a lot of terms and ideas that I am currently learning about in my Global Governance class with Dr. Mitzen. In class, we discussed what international law truly means and whether or not it really is a law. After discussing the idea, International law is a law based on norms and traditions, so in fact it is not an actual law- therefore with reference to this problem, does Israel have to follow these international laws? Is it ok they they don't because other countries don't seem to? 

Link: http://journals.ohiolink.edu.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/ejc/pdf.cgi/Mari_Mustafa.pdf?issn=13891359&issue=v7inone&article=373_tiaootdoaitp

Graffiti on the Walls/ Homeland Redefined

As I look back on my trip to Israel, I don't remember seeing graffiti on the walls. Graffiti is a great way to spread a message that would reach millions of people every day. However living in a world full of graffiti would be scary and frightening. Riding my bike with rockets painted on the building behind me or slurs that are attacking one side of the conflict would really impact my life and views as a child.This makes sense though when you talk to Israeli and Palestinian students. The hostile environment that they grew up in really has effected the way that they view the conflict and the way that they view each other.

 Both the negative and positive graffiti both act as propaganda- "We weep for Palestine", "Voices from the Ghetto", "I am not a terrorist." All of these words graffitied on the walls are simple sentences, yet they are so powerful. Reading things like this when ever you pass a building, a wall, a dumpster, will cause this conflict to always be inside your head. 

However, from the other point of view- the people did not want to like the wall, they wanted to hate the wall, so reading hurtful messages and looking at intense images remains a way for those to speak out against the wall in a non violent way, but to show their protest through words and images instead of acts. 

In Noura's article, the idea of homeland was addressed and explained from both the Palestinian perspective of a homeland and the Israeli perspective of a homeland. Although I have learned and studied a lot about zionism and what the Jewish people wanted out of a homeland, I have never learned the palestinian earn for a homeland or what they even consider a homeland. It seems as if someones "right", identity and nationalism have really gotten in the way of peace. Before this class I never really thought about the importances of home. Obviously, my home is where my family is and where I am the most comfortable, but now I am starting to realize that my home is more than just my house. My home is my community, my school, my actions in the community, the place I pray, the place I eat etc. 

Parallels and Paradoxes

For this blog I decided to pick out a few quotes that inspired me/ had a lot of meaning to me, my life, and my views. 

"Let us not forget that until May 15, 1948 we were all Palestinians- Jewish Palestinians, Muslim Palestinians and Christian Palestinians"- Daniel Barenboim 

This is a very interesting and yet probably a controversial idea. It is true that before Israel was a nation that everyone that lived there lived in the land of Palestine. However, because of the conflict, the history and the birth or Israel, Israelis would now consider themselves to be Jewish Israelis as opposed to Jewish Palestinians. But this quote goes back to the idea that we are all human beings that live together in this world and therefore should treat everyone with respect because we are all the same. In one of my other classes we talked about nationalism and identity and how the idea and purpose of nationalism results in immoral actions/ideas. One puts their national identity first when making decisions when really everyone in the world should be united.

"It's not only possible to have multiple identities but also, I would say, something to aspire toward"- Daniel Barenboim 

 This quote relates back to our previous blog and made me think of what I wrote about. I have two major identities that make me who I am- Italian and Jewish. However I also have my interests and hobbies that make up my identity. I am a poli sci student. I am an AEPHI sister. I am a big sister at home. I am an israel-activist. I am a fashionista (or at least strive to be). I am all these identities and that is what makes me who I am. 

"There was an Israeli group, and a Russian group, and a Syrian group,  a Lebanese group, a Palestinian group, and a group of Palestinian Israelis. All of them suddenly became cellists and violinists playing the same piece in the same orchestra under the same conductor"- EWS 

The reason that I picked this quote was because I felt it really exemplified the purpose behind the orchestra but also the purpose behind this class. We are all students are Ohio State, we are members of the class, doing the same assignments. But we are all from different backgrounds and religions. There are Palestinian students in the class and there are Jewish students. But there are also christian students, catholic students, muslim students, and non religious students. But every tuesday and thursday at 9:35 we are the Living Jerusalem OSU class, all learning from the same teacher. Our class is a Parallel.

Italian Jewish Girl

                                  WHAT I CONSIDER HOME

What do you use your ladle for? In my house we use our ladle to stir either the tomato sauce for the lasagna or the broth for the matzoh ball soup. We have two different types of balls in my house- meat ball and matzoh balls. This is who I am. I love music, everything from folk to country to classical. I love obama. I love fashion. I am passionate about Israeli politics. I want to live in NYC with the rest of my family. I am currently listening to Johnny Flynn and First Aid Kit. I am probably similar to most of you, yet I am also probably very different.  

My political beliefs/ why people think I'm an inside hippie.

From my grandma- plays the Hatikva when you pull the cord.

The food in my kitchen. 

In my dresser for safe keepings

Worn around my neck.

    

Protecting my apartment in columbus.



This is who I am.

                       

Ishaq Shami and the Predicament of the Arab Jew in Palestine/ Leper, Lunatics, and Saints

Ishaq Shami and the Predicament of the Arab Jew in Palestine 
     Being an Arab Jew is an "oxymoron." I loved this idea because it is very true. In today's society, most Arabs are seen as muslims and Arabs and Jews do not get along. I thought that Shami's story was very interesting because being an Arab Jew is like living two different lifestyles with two different beliefs in two different worlds. Today, how can one really be an Arab Jew? You are forced to pick due to the tension and the conflict.
      However, I think that Shami did an excellent job in discovering both sides of his culture. He learned Arabic and Hebrew and brought a novel that was written in hebrew but portrayed a palestinian narrative voice to society. I never knew that when the first waves of the diaspora occurred that many Arab Jews felt torn between their culture and their religion. I always assumed that being Jewish trumped all. Today, being Jewish is both a culture and a religion. As a citizen of the U.S. and because I am Jewish, I am considered a Jewish American. But if I had to pick between my american culture or my jewish heritage, I would pick my jewish heritage because I feel like jews all around the world share the same lifestyle, as opposed to all Americans. 
     Until reading this article, I never knew that any Jews were welcomed by the Palestinians. However, the First Palestinian Congress of 1919 rejected zionism and zionist immigrants but welcomed those Jews that were already Arabicized. This makes me question whether religion played as big as a role in the Arab-Israeli conflict as everyone puts it out to be. 

Leper, Lunatics, and Saints 
     I think the word nativism that is addressed in this article really speaks out to what we have discussed in class about what land belongs to who. Nativism also relates nationalism and history. The diaspora and right of return led to a rise in both Jewish Nationalism and Palestinian Nationalism. History has displayed that when one culture feels threatened by another, they all join together and ignite nationalism. 
     For example, the Zionists attempt to to establish claim to Israel through biblical heritage, the Palestinians began a movement of nationalist revivalist writings.  Therefore, anything that the Zionists claimed to be true to the biblical sense, the Palestinians contested by "stressing present-day continuities between the biblical heritage and Palestinian popular beliefs and practices." I think this illustrates how each side was really trying to prove what was theirs instead of wanting to share it. 
     I also thought it was interesting that all 3 religions believed in saints- I thought that saints was only something the the Catholic sect of christianity believed in. 

Last 4 Chapters

For me, the last 4 chapters were of much more interest to me than the rest of the book because the focus was on the more modern history of Jerusalem rather than ancient history. I never knew or really thought about how the modernization of Jerusalem occurred. I found it very interesting that the ottomans/ the ottoman leader Muhammad 'Ali was responsible for bringing a modern way of life to the people, such as modern medicine, education and technology. 

Also, I never realized that the Jews had some control over modern Jerusalem even before they were given Israel. They held government positions and had some influence in politics. They felt as if they were "not in exile" and that they were not highly discriminated against, with such things as special taxes geared only towards Jews. 

I was very happy to read the last two chapters and I am very happy that these chapters were included. I think they did a nice job of giving the details of the formation of the state of Israel. I am glad that the class will read this because unless studied, a lot of people don't know much about the process of in which Israel was formed or the conflict that occurred throughout the formation. I think this will help others understand more why Israel was formed and how it came to be. 

Project Idea

w/ Robyn Silver

We are going to make a video/documentary using imovie. We will interview people from all religious Jewish backgrounds who practice different sects of Judaism. For example we will interview two different rabbis, orthodox students and reform students, and individuals who are connected to Judaism culturally instead of religiously.

Possible Questions:

How would you feel if Jerusalem was no longer part of the Jewish homeland?

Why is it part of who you are?

What does Jerusalem mean to Judaism?

Have you ever visited Jerusalem?

How did you feel different about your religion after you visited Jerusalem?

Jerusalem has a lot of meaning to other religions too, how do you feel about sharing the city with this other religions?  

What if the Western Wall was part of Palestinian territory?

Possible People:

Rabbi Ben Burger (modern orthodox), Zollman at chabad (traditional orthodox, very religious), Sarah (chabad- Rabbis wife), Karen Cohen (Israeli living in U.S.), friends living in Israel, Nathan Meese, Regan Siegel, random friends in the Jewish community/people at hillel, Ilana Nurko.

Chapter 11-13

When I was a freshman at Miami I took a history of pre-modern civilization class. The class was completely different than what I thought it was going to be. The teacher focused heavily on religion- especially Islam. I was pretty annoyed because if I wanted to learn all about religion I would have signed up for a history of religion class. However, as the semester went on, I realized that the reason we focused on religion is because religion was so intertwined with with politics, power and life. 

This notion is expressed in all three chapters of the reading. I was surprised to learn that to the muslims and to the religion of Islam, Jerusalem is only the third important city. This makes me question the modern rights to the city of Jerusalem. To the Jews, Jerusalem and Israel is the only important city. However the muslims have Mecca, a city that they could always call their homeland- why do they have to have the "right" to both cities. As much as the conflict going on in Israel isn't about religion it is about religion. 

In chapter 12, Armstrong discussed how the Christians really showed their political power and influence over Jerusalem through the fact that they put a lot of effort in developing in Jerusalem special to their faith. This helps explain some of the reasonings behind the crusades- the christian knights felt as if it was their duty to fight for their city (272). The crusades happened hundreds of years ago- yet religions and cultures are still fighting over the city. For example, "for six hundred years there had been tension between Jews and Christians, particularly regarding the status of Jerusalem.  Will people ever stop fighting over the city? If it has equal importance to all three religions- three religions that realistically share the same G-d then why can't people get a long and realize that even if Jerusalem is part of Israel/a Jewish state that it can still be meaningful to all religions. 

Chapters 8-10

Chapter 8: Aelia Capitolina

"The rabbis had not given up hope that one day their Temple would be rebuilt: the last time the temple had been destroyed, there had been a restoration against all odds. But they believed that it was wiser and safer to leave this rebuilding to G-d" (157). - This quote really stuck out to me because of the fact that the Jewish people put all their faith and confidence in G-d. A temple is one of the holiest places and the fact that they would wait until G-d would help restore it illustrates their commitment and trust in him. I also thought it was interesting that after the destruction of the Temple many Jews sought religious security in their homes, which is where a lot of traditions such as Passover started.

Chapter 9: The New Jerusalem

A part of this chapter also related to the change in the importance of the temple as being the only holy place. "The fate of the temple was clear proof that G-d no longer wanted that showy type of sacrificial ritual. He wanted them to follow the spiritual religion  preached by Jesus, which did not depend on temples or holy places" (175).  This is a clear shift in the ideology that you have to come somewhere sacred or holy to connect with G-d because now you can anywhere in the world.

Chapter 10: Christian Holy City

After reading this chapter I realized how little I knew about the connection between christianity and Jerusalem/Israel.

I have a couple of questions that I hope we can discuss either in class or

1) Do christians still refer to bethlehem as bethlehem?
2) Where did the Messiah come back to according to Christianity? The Jews believe that the Messiah still has not come. When I was in Israel I saw the ally that the Messiah was supposed to come to:

2nd Journal Assignment

To Blame. To blame is the number one verb that seems to stand in the way of peace between the Arabs and the Israelis. Which side is right? Which side is wrong? Which group started the tension? Which group should just give in first? In order to overcome this conflict, both sides and even outsiders must stop placing the blame on each other and work together to figure out a compromise that works for both sides. Due to history, this probably seems very unrealistic, and to be honest I think that it is without a change in perspective from everyone in the world.

I strongly believe that the Arab-Israeli tension cannot be solved without educating the younger generations in Israel/Palestine first how to grow up in a peaceful environment without established hatred towards one group. But this education needs to happen all over the world too. If kids grow up with the notion that because they are jewish that they should hate Palestinian Arabs and vice versa then there will never even be a chance of coexistence. 

The above picture is an example of anti-israel propaganda. It is in the form of a cartoon which makes it more appealing to both children and adults. 

This image especially pertains to today's youth because it is arguing that Israeli children will grow up to be doctors, lawyer etc.- respectful jobs- where as the Palestinian boy will grow up to be a terrorist using guns and violence. 

Overall I think that it is of great necessity to start with the youth- preaching and talking about coexistence, tolerance and peace because otherwise it will be instilled in their brains that the opposite side will always be the enemy and that leaves no hope for resolving Arab-Israeli tensions 

Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths Chapter 5-7

In chapter 5-7 I really learned a lot about why the Jewish Religion performs certain practices or has specific rituals. After our class discussion on tuesday, I have been thinking about religion and what religion means to me and what it means to other people. After reading chapter 5, I realized that religion has drastically changed over the billions of years.

In chapter 5 Armstrong illustrates how this change occurred: "When the exiles asked: 'How can we sing one of Yahweh's songs in an alien land?' they were not simply giving voice to their homesickness but facing a theological dilemma. Today religious people believe that they can make contact with their G-d wherever they are in the world." I thought that this aspect was extremely interesting because I never knew that location used to be an important part of religious contact and spirituality. I know people that pray to G-d at home or at school etc. and they are still reaching out to G-d. However, one of my friends is Pentecostal and he believes that Jesus will come back to  Jerusalem and that is the only place that you can come in contact with him. However this will not happen until there is peace in the area. The Jews also view Jerusalem as such a holy place because they believe that Jerusalem is a symbol of final salvation and a place for G-d/Yahweh to return.

A couple years ago someone asked me if I knew who Yahweh was and this was before I had taken any religion class. I said I didn't know and they asked me why not because that is the name of the Jewish G-d. In Chapter 6, Armstrong tells why Jews do not refer to G-d as Yahweh. I never really knew why, I always knew to refer to G-d as "Adonai" which means "Lord." The reason for this is that "Yahweh had become so transcendent in the minds of people that it was dangerous to utter his name....only high Priests could pronounce the divine name, and then only once a year on Yom Kippur. Still I don't remember once referring to G-d in temple as Yahweh.

I thought chapter 7 was especially interesting because it discussed the structure/layout of temples and sanctuaries. It also discusses one of my favorite parts of Jerusalem- the western wall. Of course I understand what the wall means to my faith in the modern sense but I guess I never realized that I didn't study the history of the creation of the wall. I also didn't know that the Muslims reconstructed the wall at some point in history and that is is part of their history/faith too. That helps me understand more the occurrence of the Wailing wall incident.

Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths 1-4

As a history minor, I love studying past events and learning about how things came to be. I never learned much about the b.c. history of the Israel territory so reading the first four chapters was very informative.

Chapter 1: Zion
"At this date all cities were regarded as holy places, an alien concept for us in the modern West, where the city is often experienced as a godforsaken realm in which religion has an increasingly marginal role"(7) - This specific quote struck me as being very interesting because looking at the world today one can see that most cities are not seen as holy places. Yes, some cities have holy cities, but the city itself is still part of the modern technological world. I think that a lot of people living in Jerusalem might not view it as a sacred or holy place because they do every day things there- it is part of their lifestyle. However, most of the world views as being one of the holiest, if not the most holy city. 

"Such sites are sacred to us because they are inextricably bound up with our conception of ourselves; they may be associated with a profound experience that transformed our lives, with memories of early childhood, or with a person who was important to us"(8). After reading this I instantly related this quote to my experience at the Western Wall. The Wall is a sacred place but it didn't mean much to me until I was actually there on Shabbat and felt the religious and emotional attachment to it. I associate the Wall to this night in May 2010 when I decided how important Judaism is to me. 

Chapter 2: Israel

Many people always debate who had the land of Israel first and which religion should "own" it. This chapter did a great job at explaining the journey behind the possession of the land by the Israelites  I thought that this chapter was pretty dry and a little confusing to follow. But it made an interesting point- "in the history of Jersalem and the Holy Land, Jews, Christians, and Muslims have all found other people in possession." No one really felt that this land was theirs. 

Chapter 3-4: City of David, City of Judah

I wear the Star of David on my neck every day. However I never really learned or studied why David was important to my religion. This chapter helped me learn some of the facts that I didn't know. I thought that it was very interesting that there were periods of time in which historians didn't know much about the city and if it even existed. It makes me think about how historians complete their stories about events, especially about B.C. history. They need to rely solely on texts and artifacts because for obvious reasons nothing else was left behind. 
The last sentence of chapter 4 - "yet even in the ruins, the city of Jerusalem would prove to be a religious symbol that could generate hope for the future" was very meaningful because I think it can be applied to what is happening in the middle east today. There is war and rockets and bombs. But there is also hope that in the future there can be peace in this religious place. 

Journal 1

I discovered Living Jerusalem randomly about a month after I scheduled my classes for spring semester. After reading the description I knew instantly that this was a class that I wanted to take. This class is about culture, conflict, communities and life. As mostly American students with all different backgrounds and beliefs, I think this class really offers a chance for everyone to learn a little bit more about a view different or new from theirs. I think that after we all take this class we will each have a better understanding of the various cultures and communities in Jerusalem. But beyond just this understanding I think we will each discover a little more about ourselves and our own beliefs on issues on not just issues in Jerusalem, but global issues that can somehow be related to what we learn in this class.

My trip to Jerusalem 

I think at first we all might have some difficulties opening up to each other. Jerusalem and Israel/Palestine is a very emotional topic for many people in the class. For this reason, some comments made might be taken in an offensive or attacking way. I know that I need to learn to keep an open mind and not prejudge an issue just because I was raised to believe a certain way. I believe that the web-based blogs will help us each open up through our writings. Sometimes saying how we feel in front of a class might be intimidating because another student’s response might not be the response that we hoped for. I will often times use writing to convey my opinions/feelings because I can really think and focus on what I want to say and the way that I want to convey an idea.

Today was our first discussion day and I was a little intimidated. I wasn’t sure if anyone in the class would agree with my beliefs. However many students felt the same way I did about the representation of Jerusalem in Washington D.C. I commented that if the Palestinians and Israelis had trouble getting along in the real Jerusalem how would they ever manage to peacefully display both sides/cultures in a fake Jerusalem?  Plus how can someone really experience and culture and atmosphere so unique in a fake setting? I kept referring back to epcot in Disney world- yes going to the different “countries” while still being in Florida seemed like the coolest thing ever to a ten year old, but actually having experienced the real Jerusalem- shopping in the markets, walking to the wall on Shabbat, eating at a local Palestinian café- that is not something you can experience in the museum district of DC.

Friday Night at the Western Wall 

Every single student in the class comes from a different background so I am sure that we as a class will have plenty to debate and discuss. Obviously the Palestinian students might have a different view than the Jewish students and other students might have views different from both. I just really hope that this class teaches me different perspectives so that I can view Jerusalem not just as a city in Israel, but a city that is comprised of many faiths. Even though I am very opinionated and believe strongly in my views, I have never judged someone based on their ethnicity, faith/religion, race, political association etc. I am not going on the trip but the class is very small which makes it easier for all of us to get to know each other. I am looking forward to more debates/discussions/dialogues like the one we had today. 

Week 2

“As a holy city it serves as symbol, vehicle and embodiment of spiritual beliefs and aspirations..”

            

     I have studied the formation of the State of Israel countless times in many different classes. I learned about the mandate, the struggle, and the wars. However, I never looked specifically at Jerusalem and the rich history that it possesses just as a city itself.  After reading Dumper’s article Jerusalem Then and Now, I learned a lot about why this holy city is seen as holy and sacred to three different religions. I found it interesting that originally Jerusalem was seen as the city that Muslims would make their holy pilgrimage to, until Muhammad changed it to Mecca. I bet Jerusalem would be in a very different place both socially and politically if the change to Mecca never occurred. I also did not realize that a lot of the religious influence came to Jerusalem due to western support during the mandate and formation of Israel. I thought that the religious atmosphere/ cultures were always due to the religions that historically existed, not based on modern, outside influence.

            As I read the second article I learned the importance of the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock to the Islamic faith. The movie we watched in class talked about these spiritual places but never having studied the importance of Islam in Jerusalem I was clueless about what they were. I am starting to realize that it is important to learn about all faiths, not just mine when studying a place that is so spiritually rich.

            When studying Jerusalem most people focus on faith and religion. However, the third article mentioned that not every building has a religious significance; some have political significance as well. I never viewed Jerusalem as being a center of political power, only its’ religious significance.  

Week 1

After reading the article “Researching East Jerusalem,” I asked myself the same question that was asked to the author- what do I remember most about Jerusalem? The first memory that came into my head was visiting the Western Wall on Shabbat Friday.  Seeing all the Jewish people worshiping and praying as the sun was setting was the most impactful religious/cultural experience that has ever occurred to me. This is what I remember most. However, as I was reading the article I realized that on my trip to Israel I only experienced the Jewish part of Jerusalem. The first thing I think about is the part of Jerusalem opposite of the author. Amiry's perspective and memory is completely different from mine.

When Amiry claimed in her interview that Jerusalem is a city that belongs to other people not just Israeli’s, I quickly thought about how I viewed Jerusalem. I know that Jerusalem is a city that contains many religions, however I guess I have always viewed Jerusalem as being a big part of Israel and Israel’s national identity, I never associated the city as belonging to others.

I related a lot to Amiry’s point about how others view Jerusalem as just being a center of religion. Most people that I talk to about Jerusalem only see it for its rich history and religious locations- as a tourist center. This is exactly how I used to see it too. However, once I visited I was able to actually experience what life would have been like if I was a teenager living in Jerusalem. There is definitely a life outside of religion, such as Ben Yehuda Street.

With regards to the representation of Jerusalem at the Smithsonian festival, I believe that considering the conflict, it would be very difficult to display the city in a way that is accurate to everyone. Also, I could only imagine the struggle that must have occurred between both the Israeli’s and Palestinians- they struggle to represent Jerusalem in Jerusalem so why would it be easier anywhere else?  In Galit Hasan’s Dialogueas, he mentioned the difficulty of being on the Israeli team if he had not experienced the peace movement. 

The idea of having two separate research teams reinforces that two major ethnic groups/religious groups see Jerusalem as two different cities. Even though technically Jerusalem can be seen as a united city, in actuality it is not. It has different identities, different boundaries and different meanings to everyone but it does not have a common meaning. The United States of America has different identities and ideologies and meanings but the people are also united- they are American and are drawn together by the belief of freedom, for example. Jerusalem is lacking a commonality. 

Short Bio

Hi! My name is Elissa and I am currently a junior studying Political Science and History. I have been to Israel one time before on Birthright and hope to go back this summer. I am very involved in Israeli politics and pro-Israel rights through Buckeyes for Israel.