One of the most interesting parts of the Jerusalem Report was the recognition that both those who call for an undivided Jerusalem and those who support political division actually want the same things: "security and sanctity" (8). It's crazy how both sides want the same thing but they believe that it must be achieved in exactly opposite ways. To me that says that either there are other reasons why they want to divide the city or keep it unified, or it says that the prospect of an agreement should not be so unreasonable if the goals are exactly the same.
The author also says that Jerusalem was often depicted in the media as the poorest city in the country, but he does not confirm that statement. Is that true? Or is that just the media's portrayal?
One other aspect that I noted from the Jerusalem Report was the thematic emphasis on American politics. As we have discussed in class and as I've known, America is a major player in what goes on in Jerusalem. But until now I had not really seen that as much in the literature, whereas in this article, it is throughout. It's kind of sobering to think that one country so far away can impact another country so dramatically.
Overall I thought Klein's article was very interesting as well. I had never thought about the difference between frontiers and borders before, but the perspective he lays out was incredibly relevant: "A boundary marks the point up to which each collective reaches, while the frontier directs its gaze to the other side of the boundary, to encounter and confrontation with an opposing entity or culture. Each of the contending groups seeks to control or defend its territory against being physically taken over by the “other,” the “invader.”" This distinction, while subtle, makes a lot of sense in view of Jerusalem. If each side views its boundary as a frontier, either one that they want to cross to gain more land, or one that they must protect, conflict seems inevitable from this perspective.
I had also never really thought about the effects of the Intifada (specifically the Second Intifada) on the Palestinian people. Klein describes Israeli actions in response to the uprising, and then the paragraph immediately following states: "Poverty, desolation, and neglect have spread throughout East Jerusalem. Eastern residents report these phenomena not only in the Shua'fat refugee camp but also in Abu-Tor, Silwan, Wadi Qadum, and Wadi Joz. There has been an increase in open drug use and trafficking. Fraudulent land sales have become a widespread phenomenon, and because income has shrunk, more people have become dependent on communal or religious charitable organizations. The press has reported a rise in the number of minor girls marrying in order to ease the brides' families' financial distress. The Jerusalem Municipality estimates that in 2000, a majority of 57.7 percent of East Jerusalem's Palestinian residents lived beneath the poverty line, including 68 percent of Palestinian children." This paragraph struck me as a sad and striking reality. As a result of the Intifada, Israeli police and armed forced increased their restrictions, which in turn led to a decrease in services in East Jerusalem. It just kind of seems ironic that an attempt to make things better contributed to making some things worse. (Maybe that's a reflection on how groups should pursue making things better...).
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Week 8- Monday
Before reading Nitzan-Shiftan's article, I never realized how much architecture could be associated with national identity. I remember that Karen Armstrong touched on similar ideas several times, but it did not strike me to be as central to her writing as it was here. One of the most interesting parts to me was that post-1967 Israeli architecture attempted to assimilate the forms of "the conquered" in hopes of promoting peace (232). I wish this idea had been developed more though- how did the Palestinians view this attempt? Was it at all successful at bridging the two groups? Furthermore, I think it's also interesting that in the examples here, people were attempting to create and solidify national identity through architecture, whereas in the past, the architecture came first and the national identity came to be associated with. (For example, Greeks and Romans happened to make their columns differently, and so they became one of the markers of which power came to rule in a certain area. They did not specifically design their columns to be different than the others).
In the first section of Qleibo's work I was surprised that he said he found freedom in Jerusalem as a Palestinian. I understand that he then goes on to describe how it was where he grew up and how, even though he didn't necessarily know specific people, he knew their families and their culture. I wonder what sort of conditions he was living in to describe his life as free. Most other literature or perspectives I've heard/read describe the Palestinian plight, their oppression. But he seems to look past that and be grateful for what he can relate to. Even in the poem when he refers to all the other nations that were in power, his tone is still one of acceptance and he focuses on how his life is a poem that connects him back to his roots.
In the first section of Qleibo's work I was surprised that he said he found freedom in Jerusalem as a Palestinian. I understand that he then goes on to describe how it was where he grew up and how, even though he didn't necessarily know specific people, he knew their families and their culture. I wonder what sort of conditions he was living in to describe his life as free. Most other literature or perspectives I've heard/read describe the Palestinian plight, their oppression. But he seems to look past that and be grateful for what he can relate to. Even in the poem when he refers to all the other nations that were in power, his tone is still one of acceptance and he focuses on how his life is a poem that connects him back to his roots.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Response to Amiry and Hasan-Rokem
I really enjoyed reading Amiry's "Sharon and my Mother-in-law." In addition to the easy to read and fast paced style, I thought the concept was interesting. While anecdotal and somewhat journalistic (as in personal journal), it gave a unique perspective on Jerusalem through the eyes of a Palestinian. It was real and a fascinating look at the everyday life of normal people. I appreciate this perspective after the long and tedious historical one, and for me it brought to life some of the realities that Palestinians face- especially in the part about the Jerusalem ID and Passport (for Nura). It was also encouraging to read about Palestinians being able to make jokes and not take everything too seriously- it's just good to know that life isn't always terrible.
I also liked Hasan-Rokem's piece as well. Her acceptance of other views is admirable. She says, "Nothing in me wishes my kind of relationship to the city to be the only emotional option. There is room here for many loves. There is no room here for coveting, dispossessing and hatred" (54-55). I think that if everyone, or even most people, could take a similar view, the situation in Jerusalem and Israel would be very different. I also think that her focus on practical issues is good as well: "Maybe most important is recognition that the population of Jerusalem has real, concrete needs to be taken care of: schools, parking lots, respectful neighbors, freedom to live with all one's family members, the right to express one's cultural, religious, ethnic or national identity" (55). It is easy to forget that Jerusalem is a city where people live their every day lives, and to focus on the aspects that pertain to that makes a lot of sense.
I also liked Hasan-Rokem's piece as well. Her acceptance of other views is admirable. She says, "Nothing in me wishes my kind of relationship to the city to be the only emotional option. There is room here for many loves. There is no room here for coveting, dispossessing and hatred" (54-55). I think that if everyone, or even most people, could take a similar view, the situation in Jerusalem and Israel would be very different. I also think that her focus on practical issues is good as well: "Maybe most important is recognition that the population of Jerusalem has real, concrete needs to be taken care of: schools, parking lots, respectful neighbors, freedom to live with all one's family members, the right to express one's cultural, religious, ethnic or national identity" (55). It is easy to forget that Jerusalem is a city where people live their every day lives, and to focus on the aspects that pertain to that makes a lot of sense.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Final Outline
Final Project Outline
The order is to be determined, but we will ask one religious leader from each of the three major faiths represented in Jerusalem the following questions (probably in this order)
1. Why is Jerusalem important to you? To your faith?
2. Have you ever been to Jerusalem?
How did different faith or ethnic groups interact?
3. How would you describe the root of the conflict in Jerusalem?
4. How important is social justice to you and your faith?
What is its role in the conflict?
5. In a perfect world, what would Jerusalem be like?
6. Do you believe peace is possible?
7. What would need to be done for peace to be achieved (at least to some extent)?
The project will basically be a video compiling the responses to these questions.
The order is to be determined, but we will ask one religious leader from each of the three major faiths represented in Jerusalem the following questions (probably in this order)
1. Why is Jerusalem important to you? To your faith?
2. Have you ever been to Jerusalem?
How did different faith or ethnic groups interact?
3. How would you describe the root of the conflict in Jerusalem?
4. How important is social justice to you and your faith?
What is its role in the conflict?
5. In a perfect world, what would Jerusalem be like?
6. Do you believe peace is possible?
7. What would need to be done for peace to be achieved (at least to some extent)?
The project will basically be a video compiling the responses to these questions.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Response to Tamari / Questions / Final Project Idea
READING RESPONSE
The first article on Popular Music and Modernity was a fascinating look at Jerusalem because it essentially came from a firsthand account. I think the methodology of this paper is really interesting because the author intends to reform the perception of the Jerusalem that existed 80 or more years ago based on the anecdotes of a poet/musician from that time. It’s just interesting that his journals had been available, and I would assume other complementary information as well, and yet the perspective has always been that the city was “grim, conservative, and joyless” (46). As I was reading Jawhariyyeh’s story, however, I couldn’t help but wonder how objectively and broadly a reader should take this perspective. Jawhariyyeh’s experience doesn’t seem to be the norm for an average citizen in Jerusalem- he was rather privileged. How similar were other people’s experiences?
From the second article, one aspect that stuck out to me was the Palestinian emphasis on the pastoral. In general, I find it interesting that in almost every culture I’ve ever studied, people tend to idealize and romanticize the past. It makes sense that if you want to go “back to your roots” then the past would be the place to find them, but I think there’s so much to be said for the present as well. Several hundred years from now, the present will be the past for the past for future generations, and will they look back and idealize our times? I also thought the section that refuted Canaanism was really interesting too, because it says that “Canaanism cancels the assumption that Zionism is a European movement, propelled by modern European contingencies” (7), even though we have discussed how Zionism has existed for a long time. Finally, it was just a minor detail, but I also found it interesting that the author used the term “post-Nakba” (6) without really describing what it meant, also betraying his bias.
QUESTIONS (sorry, I didn't get home from work and see the syllabus until after 11 last night)
In the article about Popular Music you mention that the city was not always divided based on relgious confession but simply by neighborhoods (hara). What would need to happen in Jerusalem for that system to work agian?
How do you think that Jawhariyyeh's social status affected the portrait of Jerusalem as described in his journals?
FINAL PROJECT
For our final project, Kara and I are going to visit places of worship of the three major faiths associated with Jerusalem (a Christian church, Jewish temple, Muslim mosque). We are going to video tape whatever is appropriate to tape and also ask people (hopefully including some of the leaders) at these places various questions about Jerusalem. Then we will compile it all into a video to show the class.
The first article on Popular Music and Modernity was a fascinating look at Jerusalem because it essentially came from a firsthand account. I think the methodology of this paper is really interesting because the author intends to reform the perception of the Jerusalem that existed 80 or more years ago based on the anecdotes of a poet/musician from that time. It’s just interesting that his journals had been available, and I would assume other complementary information as well, and yet the perspective has always been that the city was “grim, conservative, and joyless” (46). As I was reading Jawhariyyeh’s story, however, I couldn’t help but wonder how objectively and broadly a reader should take this perspective. Jawhariyyeh’s experience doesn’t seem to be the norm for an average citizen in Jerusalem- he was rather privileged. How similar were other people’s experiences?
From the second article, one aspect that stuck out to me was the Palestinian emphasis on the pastoral. In general, I find it interesting that in almost every culture I’ve ever studied, people tend to idealize and romanticize the past. It makes sense that if you want to go “back to your roots” then the past would be the place to find them, but I think there’s so much to be said for the present as well. Several hundred years from now, the present will be the past for the past for future generations, and will they look back and idealize our times? I also thought the section that refuted Canaanism was really interesting too, because it says that “Canaanism cancels the assumption that Zionism is a European movement, propelled by modern European contingencies” (7), even though we have discussed how Zionism has existed for a long time. Finally, it was just a minor detail, but I also found it interesting that the author used the term “post-Nakba” (6) without really describing what it meant, also betraying his bias.
QUESTIONS (sorry, I didn't get home from work and see the syllabus until after 11 last night)
In the article about Popular Music you mention that the city was not always divided based on relgious confession but simply by neighborhoods (hara). What would need to happen in Jerusalem for that system to work agian?
How do you think that Jawhariyyeh's social status affected the portrait of Jerusalem as described in his journals?
FINAL PROJECT
For our final project, Kara and I are going to visit places of worship of the three major faiths associated with Jerusalem (a Christian church, Jewish temple, Muslim mosque). We are going to video tape whatever is appropriate to tape and also ask people (hopefully including some of the leaders) at these places various questions about Jerusalem. Then we will compile it all into a video to show the class.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Channels of Rage Response
I really enjoyed watching this movie. I thought the concept of peace through rap/hip-hop was really interesting, but it clearly wasn't executed very well. As the movie went along, I started to think that even though TN was saying that he wanted peace, the lyrics in his songs were not just pro-Palestinian but subtly anti-Israeli. I do think that both of the men focused too much on the past and on the negatives rather than on the future, but TN seemed more extreme to me. At one point he was performing at a camp for children and was rapping about a kid getting shot in the face. At least from what the movie showed, TN's lyrics played on the emotions more so than Subliminal's and didn't focus as much on equality or peace.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Jerusalem Music
I found an organization called the "International Center for Creative Music, Jerusalem." Here's a link to the website: http://members.tripod.com/ICFCJ/
I think the coolest thing is their emphasis on diversity and unity. One of their goals is to "Provide an opportunity for musicians of all levels, of all different ages and diverse ethic, religious and cultural beliefs, principles and background to study and play together, and through the experience of making truly creative music together, develop and internalize a mutual trust and respect for each other. " It sounds like a really cool organization that brings different types of musicians together from all different walks of life.
I think the coolest thing is their emphasis on diversity and unity. One of their goals is to "Provide an opportunity for musicians of all levels, of all different ages and diverse ethic, religious and cultural beliefs, principles and background to study and play together, and through the experience of making truly creative music together, develop and internalize a mutual trust and respect for each other. " It sounds like a really cool organization that brings different types of musicians together from all different walks of life.
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