Final Paper

Thoughts on our Class

It’s harder than I thought to consider a paper on the nuts and bolts of our semester’s Living Jerusalem class, since I really enjoyed it.  So I’ll try to consider the different pieces of it that worked for me and those that weren’t so smooth.

First, I enjoyed the Karen Armstrong book.  I know it seemed a lot to read, as it seemed we had to read all at once.  And it got to be hard reading.  Maybe it could be broke up just a little more than it was, or even intermingled with other readings in between.  I feel like the information was critical to a basic understanding of Jerusalem, hence a bit of an understanding of what our class is talking about.  And, although I don’t know, probably any other book with that much information in it would be an actual history book, which would not be near as much fun to read.  So I am in favor of considering Karen Armstrong’s book an important book for this class to read in the future.  I wonder if writing a brief summation of bits of it would help drive some of the information home, not a tremendous paper or anything, but maybe an outline type paper, or summation of what we think happened.

The other readings were OK, I think.  Some of it was definitely more interesting than others, but, overall it was good, in that it really related to what we were talking about.  Obviously, it was relevant also to the speakers we heard.  I think we had a broad spectrum of speakers, and appreciated them all.  I would like to have seen more of a mixture of Israeli then Palestinian speakers, rotated rather uniformly throughout the course.  I know, as fate would have it, it seemed heavily leaning toward Palestinian speakers and I also know that wasn’t supposed to be the case, so I am not really concerned about it.  But I think it is important to evenly portray an unbiased approach to speaker selection by rotating the speakers evenly according to the topic they are speaking of and the “side” they reflect.  This is important because, among other reasons, we could (and did) easily have students who leaned heavily to one “side” or the other; this is a way for our class to maintain an even keel within.  Speaking of the selection of speakers, I was pleased with the diversity of topics on which they all spoke.  I think it was uplifting, for the most part, as well as enlightening as to the depth of complexity within the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.  I would like to have seen more speakers about the wall situation.  I think that was a very interesting and important subject.  I don’t know how, but it would be awesome to hear more from several peoples of each side of the wall.  I also think maybe just a couple of days of speakers, then a class to discuss what we really heard, saw, etc.  Then start again with a couple of speakers, then discussion for a class.  I think this would be more beneficial, capturing more of the opinions, thoughts, and conflicts within our classroom before they became back-burned due to new information of new speakers.

I know we all came from our own diverse background, with some of us willing and easily able to speak up with our thoughts, while others held back for reasons only they may know.  I wonder if there might be ways to make speaking up an easier ordeal for those who don’t.  For example, after a discussion class, maybe once in a while we could be assigned a short paper on our own personal response.  This response could be shared then in class, where it might be easier to read your own statement rather than speak out loud from scratch about it.  Then this response could be posted on our blog.

            And that brings me to the blog.  The blog…it was a really good idea, I think…it became a silent slate where we could write our opinions or feelings on, yet sometimes the responses seemed forced.  For example, personally, some of the papers we read were difficult for me to read and even more difficult for me to form an opinion on, very deep reading and worded such that it was hard to follow.  I know, big deal, this is college, suck it up and do it!  But, our class structure was so awesomely laid back; it seemed conducive for creativity.  Yet it was hard to be creative when nothing hit a note within.  I wonder if it would be possible to require a set amount of responses, such that every single reading did not require a written response, yet maintaining a specific number of responses required every few weeks.  I know there are some readings that I loved and couldn’t wait to respond to.  I sensed this variation of personal involvement and testimony within other blogs and wonder if some of the other students struggled with this.  I saw where this thread of creativity was carried from beginning to end of our Living Jerusalem class, though.  And that was the awesome part of our course. 

          From the first, the class flowed in a laid back, casual manner.  It took a few classes to actually acclimate to it, to realize that it was uniquely different from my other classes and unlike any I’d ever had.  This laid-back manner I think lent to the overall creativity within it, feeling free to let down your guard and be yourself, without worry of being wrong or inadequate.  I liked this aspect.  Now granted, it could be somewhat hectic, trying to keep track of which paper was due when and what postings were due online.  I guess this wasn’t overwhelming to me, as an older person and a mom, I am used to juggling changes and spontaneity in life: that IS life!  But it did keep me on my toes, and once in a while, on the wrong side of the ever-changing schedule!  But I still think this was a good way to work with our free-flowing class…it makes sense.  And I really enjoyed seeing the many people in our class come out of their proverbial shells over the weeks of our course.  I think our discussions lent to the ability of others to speak out, though they were out of their comfort zone.  And this brings me to the question of the size of our class this semester.

          I know that smaller classes have time for more things, and may get more from discussions as far as involvement goes.  And I know this was the first time this course has had such a large amount of students.  But I really think our class size did not hurt us at all.  Granted, there was maybe less time to balance speaking due to the quantity of students, but I think it created an even wider base of knowledge from which to glean new information, new insight, and, especially, offered more diversity within our numbers to challenge the very issues we discussed so much and put so much importance on: tolerance and acceptance.  Our wide range of interests and beliefs amongst so many students allowed a really interesting spectrum of opinions to be considered, and even challenged.  And challenged some of them were.  But the size of our class added to the learning aspect of our class, for me, and emphasized more realistically the diversity and complexity of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict: There are no easy answers and it is definitely more complicated than it seems!

          I also really enjoyed the idea of OSU joining us.  I wish the technological aspect would be much improved, but also, that’s life.  I would like to see student from Jerusalem join our class also, several to many times throughout our course.  And I would also like to hear more from them.  It would even be interesting the first time we all met, to have a brief introduction from each student.  I think it would help create a bonding and sense of involvement, kind of like the music and sports joint teams in Jerusalem and Israel did.  And I think it would be fun to hear some of the daily things going on in the city, from the students there…just a few minutes and a few words of daily life…something positive, or negative I suppose, just things that are front and center right then for them, as a group or individually.

          I think the final project idea was fantastic, and, true to our free-flowing course, our final projects flowed as easily and fluidly.  They were a good representation of our class and were great to hear.  I think it would be much better to actually schedule them a week or two earlier, so that we all could meet together as one, just to review the presentations.  I know we kind of tried to do this, but it would be great to have an entire class time to do this. 

          And, I must add, the beautiful Turkish breakfast at the end of our course was a memory maker.  I will never forget the awesome food and the wonderfully relaxed atmosphere of our class and breakfast, listening to you all chatter and laugh.  It was awesome after some very deep conversation and realization about Jerusalem and her conflict, a reprieve after some intense realization, for sure.

          But there is one area of the course that I am not sure about: the class being taught by someone other than Dr. H.  I see where a huge part of our Living Jerusalem class is the energy and enthusiasm she brings to it, and that could be a tremendous problem for IU’s next Living Jerusalem course.  I know what ever school gets her will be most fortunate.

Final thoughts: Hope for Tomorrow

Hope for Tomorrow

People are obviously a basic component of all facets of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict we have discussed in our Living Jerusalem class.  They are also the component that touch my heart and bring tears to my eyes.  In listening to our many class discussions related to Jerusalem and her people, I have heard thoughts and opinions, pros and cons, general speculation and personal testimony.  I have witnessed well-articulated disagreements, friendly fire as intensity mounted, and have heard questions asked that beg answers, though none exist.  I have witnessed passion expressed for a land and for her people, and sadness and disillusionment as well.

Though we sat in a small classroom in southern Indiana’s Indiana University campus, it seemed our hearts and minds seldom remained there.  Bombarded with information on Jerusalem, we learned of her historic past and the many peoples that laid claim to her.  Each generation seemed to bring new issues and agendas, with her complexity becoming interwoven and tangled, one people against another and one religion against the next.  Sordid battles raged in the name of religion, wars in the name of land possession, and bias in the name of identity for her diverse myriad of people.   

Though far removed from the physical reality of the land, her people, and her continuing conflict, our class discussion became living pieces of this reality: some had lived in Jerusalem and witnessed the division.  One had lived so close to the wall that she could almost touch it from her Jerusalem window. One had to fight to keep the passport of her birth country.  Several had Israeli or Palestinian family living there.  Some had no previous understanding of the conflict while others had a part of themselves woven into the multi-faceted issues and problems.  All of us listened; all of us offered a thought, a question, or an opinion. But no one could offer a solution.    Our small class of students, though widely diverse and willing to share, were unable to see an end to conflict in Jerusalem and her land.  I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness: Jerusalem, the heartbeat of her land, has endured her bitter past and remains today as complex and as unresolved as ever.  Her battles and wars are still real, and her people still cry.  A peaceful resolution to her age-old conflict seems as far away as her distant beginning, with no solution in sight…and life goes on:

“Oh Jerusalem, your people cry.  Is there no way to dry tears?

Your people fight to live, fight to survive for another generation.

Where is the joy of your land?  What has become of the smiles of your people?

They are behind walls, where smiles and dancing eyes cannot grow.

Eyes of like young become eyes of like old,

Filled with uncertainty for today and without hope for tomorrow.

Circles of identities maintain separation to exist

And motions of daily living rely on checkpoints to count time.

Walls offer security that should come from peace,

Walls offer peace that should come from humanity,

And humanity offers more walls…..

How can this be?  There must be hope for tomorrow.

Hope for tears to dry, for life without fighting, for joy in the land.

Hope for smiles and dancing eyes of the old

To pass with the stories of their people to the young,

Who offer the same to their children.

Circles of time living together as one breath among many,

With humanity offering peace

And peace offering security

And security offering life without walls.

Is there not hope for a tomorrow of peace?”

Hope.   I heard the word echo within our class discussions.  I felt it wind in and out of the many speakers we heard from Jerusalem, her land, and our land as well, who cared to share their thoughts with us.  I witnessed it with those who believe in projects of coexistence enough to dedicate their lives so others might someday live in peace.  I believed it as we spoke of tolerance and eventual acceptance of others around us, so necessary for the peace tomorrow could bring and so lacking in our world today.  With the wall, without the wall, sides or no sides at all, hope seemed the remaining thread for humanity’s peace offering.  Without it, how can we survive? And with it, how can we fail?

My mind and heart return to the people of Jerusalem and her surrounding land.  If hope can be heard and felt and witnessed and believed, why has it not grown into peaceful coexistence? Why has it not taken root in the hearts of those who say they yearn for life without conflict and struggle, yet only dream of smiles and dancing eyes and a home with no wall of separation?  Perhaps hope lacks innocent soil in which to grow, feeding rather on hostilities of previous generations and lack of tolerance or acceptance of those different from themselves.  Perhaps tolerance could have been mistaken for weakness or assimilation.  Perhaps. 

“Where can hope be found?

Perhaps it rests in the children, with minds and hearts untainted by bias.

Tomorrow’s generation,

Where friends may speak a different language, wear different clothing, and

Share family stories of customs common to neither on a land common to both.

Perhaps hope will allow tears to dry,

Fighting to cease, and joy to return.

Perhaps smiles and dancing eyes will be the result of acceptance and love for one another,

The innocent soil, tomorrow’s children,

Feeding tolerance and acceptance to

Circles of identities in close proximity.

Perhaps this hope of tomorrow’s peace lies within the children of today.

Perhaps.”

And I think, perhaps it does.  Within our own small classroom at IU, I was so encouraged to witness smiles and dancing eyes that seem the result of acceptance and love for one another.  I listened with admiration as each of you presented information for us to consider, striving for fair and unbiased words in a world where both may be hard to find.  Sincerity could be felt in the words of personal testimony, and passion carried by honesty and humor.  And I watched with renewed hope as a group surveyed the large blackboard, laughing as they worked together to write ‘peace’ in Arabic, in Hebrew, and in English. 

“The innocent soil, tomorrow’s children,

Feeding tolerance and acceptance to

Circles of identities in close proximity.

The hope of tomorrow’s peace within the children of today.”

2nd Round of Ammo's class presentation

Thank you guys so much for your awesome presentation.  I had not thought in detail about social media and the impact it obviously has on the world!  And it obviously does!!!  You did a great job of explaining and presenting it in a progressive way that helped me understand the various aspects of media in regards to their desired effects.  If it's people who are voiced together to become powerful opinions and influences in our world, then it must really be big business to work on the minds of people; influence would be so important.  I liked how you put your own personal interests and stories into your presentation; you guys made it real!  You gave a great opening to our LJ class. I am thinking that each group's presentation will be able to fit together as a collective representation of the heart and soul of our 2013 IULJ family!  Way to go!!!

My Position: Changed or Strengthened

What a way to end my LJ blogging...late!  I misread/misunderstood and thought I had until Wednesday at 5pm....my fault.  I sure hope this one is better late than never.  But...my position...changed?  Strengthened?  Oh yeah!

Changed, in that I think deeper about my position now...before, it was there...did I have a position?  I did.  Pro-Israel.  I didn't think much more than that.  It was far removed from my life; there was laundry needing done, dishes always, life going on...the world was still turning, and I was sure life hung in a suspended state of continuation...everything the same, and Jerusalem and her (yes, her!) surroundings were also there...somewhere...doing what she always has...what was that?  I don't know...but life was going on....yes, I cared, but I didn't know very much...so, yes, I changed.  Changed, in that I feel my eyes have been painfully opened to a very tiny piece of reality...Jerusalem is there doing what she always has...but the reality is: people are suffering...both sides....as I see two sides.  I base this on the fact that a wall was built, and it has two sides...sounds simple, but that's what I think....

Strengthened, in that I have been able to draw on all you awesome LJ fellow classmates and learn to listen and believe just a little bit more than I did...learned that there is a history deeper and more painful than I ever could have imagined, with people alive today that seem to live and relive the persecution and suffering that has been a horrid part of life's cycle in Jerusalem and Israel...and continue to face daily questions about livelihood and their future...both sides....both sides with fathers and mothers praying that their children can live to grow up, have a home, a family, and a livelihood of their own, praying for land to support the ideals instilled as part of their identity.  Yes, strengthened to further believe that the pain is real, strengthened to know that all deserve to live and to let live...strengthened to believe that hope is real and lives in the hearts of men and women, and strengthened to know that...there is no solution on the horizon...not that there can't be, not that there won't be, but simply that the road is long and treacherous, and uncertain...but I am mostly strengthened to know that there are young men and women such as you all to help make a difference in this world, one opinion, one hand, and one heart at a time...I am proud of our next generation and I so look forward to seeing what you all do.....

Response: Difficult Issue For Me

I think I have been on a mental roller-coaster this class, kind of like labor pains that build, rising and falling, yet more concentrated than the previous ones and never really falling back to the original starting point....Probably the most difficult issue for me was the discussion of the 'wall' in regards to Palestinian and Israeli opinions and boundaries, and the results of these differences.  I could actually feel a turmoil of question building inside myself, to the point that I even drifted into my midnight slumber with these thoughts still running through my mind.  In fact, one night well past midnight I shared with my husband a little bit of what was on my mind....how huge this wall is, the fact that it's not a straight wall, rather one that zigzags in and around communities, dividing people from their land, and how sad I felt for the different people affected.  I especially was troubled about the Palestinians and the fact they were isolated from their farms and livelihood, and I tried to explain my feelings to my husband.  We are a pro-Israel family and my opinions surprised him.  There were some quiet moments, and some difficult answers.  We both accept Torah and the Biblical boundaries given to the Israelites, but somewhere in my heart, I shared how one surely cannot look into the sad eyes of the Palestinian women and children, and the old folks, and think they cannot live there and work their land.  My husband offered that I had allowed my faith to be questioned and that the more one learns, the more information one has to sort and sift through, allowing potential to stray from beliefs.    I definitely agree with that last bit, and there has been so much information coming in from so many different directions that I have felt a bit of earth shaking inside of myself.  But I never offered to go there.....only that I know that when Messiah comes, He will bring Peace.  Until then, can we not try to get along? Surely we can work towards peace, try to accept others, even without understanding them, just try to accept...can this be so bad? In the still of the night, our opinions seeming at unusual odds with one another, he was quiet, offering finally that I needed to talk with my Uncle Isaac.....end of conversation.  But I could still see those sad eyes, I still felt torn, I still wished for acceptance that could lead to earthly peace...and sleep was elusive.....

Reading Response: Open-mindedness

In reading 'The Blog of Jerusalem Open House' article on openness, I couldn't help but wonder about the attributes mentioned there as important to resolving differences.  The author mentioned understanding, conversation, and acceptance of one another as prerequisites for creating better lives for the people of their community.  But what jumped off the page for me was how much we all need to consider understanding, conversation, and acceptance of one another.  Whatever we are promoting - our religion, our personal identity, our community, our political stance, or our part in conflict of any nature - how much further could we move toward common ground with these attributes?  How do we get there?  How do we find the open-mindedness to begin this journey?  Is it there waiting to be cultivated?  Waiting to be enlightened?  Waiting for open-mindedness to allow understanding, conversation, and acceptance of one another?.....

The 'City of Borders' further opens the mind to the need for acceptance.  While understanding is not necessary perhaps, acceptance of one another is.  Understanding would make life easier many times, but I think it is not to be expected; It is so core to an individual's identity.  Rather, acceptance that is challenged daily throughout conflict - nationality, religion, political orientation, individual orientation - is basic to achieving conflict resolution and a peaceful community.  Acceptance is not an easy attribute to achieve, but vital.  Is it a left-over "I'm OK, you're OK?" ... I don't know..... Does it mean agreeing with the point in question?  I don't think so.....But I do think that acceptance is a prerequisite for conflict resolution with respect as a foundation block, and that neither seem to have happened.

It is interesting how the sometimes subtle...sometimes unspoken witness...the wall, the music, the people and their choices... cry for freedom, for understanding, for acceptance...I had not considered that gender differences also could or need cry as well.

With the many conflicts within conflicts within THE conflict, where ever to start....where is the beginning of the raveled thread of resolution that needs acceptance?.....It is no simple task and there is no simple answer.....

Reading Response: Suad Amiry's writings

I really enjoyed the two chapters from Suad Amiry's book Sharon and My Mother-In-Law.  Her humor was a pleasant reprieve from the discussions of the past few weeks.  Not only does Suad incorporate a light-hearted approach to life, it seems, but is able to convey this quality during not-so-light-hearted times...during conflict.  I really enjoyed her ability to share the main thread of the story, such as the humor in trying to obtain a gas mask, or a rabies vaccination for a 'Jerusalemite' dog, while using the  background information to paint the rest of the story.  While she creatively weaves a really interesting tale, she shares enough other information to make me wonder what was going on in her surroundings.  That's where her writing fascinates me...bringing smiles with wisps of daily living, kind of like Erma Bombeck's style of writing, yet raising apprehension at what might happen due to her surroundings.

Her ability to "take one step to the side of life" is really interesting...."stepping out of the frame and observing the senselessness of the moment"...I wonder if that might be a useful ability for more than surviving the Israeli occupation she described...maybe it would allow more time to think a situation through...kind of like Tevyah in The Fiddler on the Roof...didn't he do that?  Suspended everyone in time for a moment while he sang and tried to sort out his reactions?...come to think of it, I don't think it helped him at all.  Although he "stepped out of the frame and observed the senselessness of the moment," I don't see where the outcomes were affected by this moment of reflection.....but maybe this stepping to the side allows one's humor to sort through the atrocities... not making sense of them, but possibly surviving in spite of them.....like Tevyah's conflict of tradition versus reality in the face of persecution...Suad Amiry also tries to maintain the logic of life during the Israeli occupation of her home.  

After all, isn't it attention to the details of life that keep us going?  I think so...I really wanted to know if she got her gas mask, or her puppies got their rabies vaccination...and I wonder if she was able to be relieved of the infamous mother-in-law problem in a win/win way?  Were the mother-in-law and Suad both happy?  Why would this even matter in the face of the age-old conflict taking place in their lives, forced as a way of life upon thousands?  It matters... it allows us to take that step to the side, to bring life down to that micro-level that we all can relate to...that aspect that goes beyond tradition or daily routine...presented as something to laugh about...through humor...yes, I really liked her stories in our reading!

Web Blog Journal: Music.....

Music used to totally encompass my life.  During my teen years, I learned to love piano, guitar, and song, with a dream of becoming a composer.  Several influences on my life changed my path (voices of others questioning how I would support myself, children....).  My music was limited with the semi-lonely yet satisfying world I called my own; our family moved very often to follow my father's military career, so current music trends in the US (or almost anywhere) were unknown to me (so much so that in my 6th grade year in Edzel, Scotland, a blonde haired, blue eyed young fellow that thought he was a gift to girls whispered behind me, "Hey Barb, listen to this song I wrote for you," and preceeded to belt out the Beach Boys 'Barbara Ann'-my name-...I looked at him and told him I wasn't impressed!...little did I know.....)  But music was important to me and was both a friendship and a creative accomplice when I should have been sleeping.  My love for music morphed, singing throughout my life time...I remember for many years thinking that life would end if I could not sing...but it didn't, and singing has become a very distant friend within the last decade or more.  My 20 year old son is gifted with a more than amazing voice; a tremendous range and natural vibrato, as well as a song in his heart most of the time.  When I read the reading for today, Galeet Dardashti's article on piyyut, I thought of my son, and his natural love for songs of importance to other countries (I especially love his beautiful voice singing heartfelt religious Israeli songs). And when I clicked the link and heard Galeet Dardashti's singing, and style of singing, I thought again of him, as well as my love for music.  And I also was in awe of the rich quality of voice that she shared with such moving music.  Music is not something you have to understand to appreciate...like her description of the deeply religious songs inspiring the belly dancer to perform; it is felt.  And her singing reflects that.

As I read through her article, I thought of my Jewish Folklore class.  Just yesterday we discussed "invented traditions," how more modern traditions used parts of what was a people's identity of long ago, to form continuity through time and a tradition embraced as their own...and then I read her article.  Click.  She shared the same idea: "Though they have diverse agendas, all are invested in the reclamation and reinvention of a musical genealogy that they feel is vital to their identity as contemporary Israelis. As the nation loses its grip on the collective imagination, we are witnessing a

reconfiguration of previous identities of Israeliness" (Galeet Dardashti, p16).  The previous identities of the Jewish people and the reinvention of this musical genealogy is like the "invented traditions" we spoke of.  Though we spoke of folktales, the music and the stories are representative of the people and who they really are, as well as where they come from, a thread of continuity woven to join their past with their present.

I see music as a thread of communication used to seam together the past with the present.  I also see it as representing the artist who shares it, inevitably becoming a platform for the audience that follows the artist's music.   I think music and it's message is like the proverbial rock tossed into a lake, causing one ripple of wave to make another and another and...the potential for touching lives through music is endless.   I see that music has the ability to draw hearts and minds to forget for a moment and just listen...the message in the music has the potential to make a difference to those around..... we got a glimpse of the difference music made on the combined West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and those involved.  I can see how music could be used to share identity without allowing a wall to be built, although much, I think, depends on the artist.  (For example, the artists in the "Channels of Rage" had great potential to encourage or discourage differences and conflict as a result of their music/message.)  Also, she sings songs that were traditionally for men, from what I gathered.  So, she is opening a nontraditional arena for women, which I think is wonderful.

I have no idea of the meaning of these words, but notice the 'Divan' in WEDO's name, and the DIVAHN in Galeet Dardashti's album...just wondering if they are related.

I could listen to her music all day long, and look forward to learning more about her and her musical world.

http://www.divahn.com/

Israeli-Palestinian youth songs

  Jerusalem with Heartbeat     www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxljoMy5awE

Step for Peace     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SFMogSFcus

Bukra Fi Mishmish     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xw6NiUb44o

Reading Response: Channels

Reading about the movie "Channels of Rage" was interesting.  But the way the article wove the details of differences and conflict was really amazing, I think; not just was it a basic explanation of the movie, but an analysis of some of the conflict's effects through the musicians.  We've spoken in class about how identity is reflected in music and language.  This article offers specific lyrics of each of the two musicians, Palestinian Tamer and Jewish Kobi and, indeed, their emotions pour out through their words.  For example, one doesn't need to know which 'side' Tamer is 'on' when you read his words: "...You say the Arabs are primitive, you say the Arabs are aggressive.  Say we are criminals and barbarians, we aren't," or Kobi's "...but we're here to stay.  Zionism's in our blood."  It's a wonderful thing to be able to articulate feelings, sentiment, and emotions into music (I love music) but I think it also becomes a platform (intentional or not) for the artist, with media able to carry them (intentionally) into the heart and heat of political, even national conflicts.  And there I think that the words, the language within music like Tamer's and Kobi's, have the ability to become identities for people to 'belong.'  In fact, the article says that rappers, such as these two, actually become "role models who can set trends amongst their fan followings almost without being aware they are doing so".....  Is it possible then that words from musicians such as Tamer and Kobi can actually have not only tremendous impacts on the hearts of those in the midst of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, but sway popular opinion?  I really liked Kobi's response to chants from concert fans of "Death to the Arabs!"  He replied, "Cut it out, not death to the Arabs, but life to the Jews!--and they stop[ped]"  That's powerful!

Channels of Rage: Dissecting the Inner Conflict article also spoke of the two musicians, but it seemed to share more of the effect of violence on the concert attendance and on the musicians as well.  In fact, this article also mentioned the "Death to the Arabs" chants Kobi received while on stage.  But it made no mention of his heartfelt and peaceful approach (NOT death to Arabs, but LIFE to Jews), leaving only the brash and negative division to be chewed over and spat out.  As the name 'Channels of Rage' may imply, this article seemed to focus on the violence and repercussion of rage.  Working to tie the musicians and their music to division and violence, the article ironically mentioned that "the media also created fireworks;" apparently they are aware they have the ability to create puppet strings of division, if they choose.

The Global Posts article 'Hip-Hop and the Palestinians' further offers Tamer's music (and his group DAM) as a continued freedom fight: "DAM is still the Palestinian soundtrack to resistance, only better known." The article continues: "...despite their fame, Tamer, Suhell and Mahmoud all still live in Lod and they say their commitment to the Palestinian reality remains as strong as ever. While they write and rap about Palestinians living in the territories, much of their work also focuses on Palestinians, like them, who remained in Israel after the state’s establishment in 1948... DAM, however, has refused to shut up. Tamer said: “Real rap criticizes anyone who denies freedom.”  It is obvious that music, and more specifically rap music, offers an outlet for the artists to not only vent their frustrations and opinions, but to reflect the sentiment of their people as well.    But it is also obvious that the intensity with which the artists present their message, as well as the message itself,  can frenzy the audience and become a platform in itself, is so desired.  And, as Global Post offers us a prime example, the media can serve to fan the smoke into a legitimate flame of passionate 'sides,' able to defend or attack as desired.  So, while music can indeed serve to bring together for common purposes, such as with the WEDO Orchestra, I think it can be as volatile as the conflict itself, able to sway hearts either way in this age-old conflict....

Response to "Searching the Web for the Wall!"

I know one thing: it's hard to search for information on the Israeli-Palestinian separation wall to write about...I just wanted to click and read more, and more, and...yep...more!  But here's a short one that sounded all too familiar.  It was on the NZ Week, from Jerusalem and dated 25 February 2013, and it sure reminded me of our meeting with Sahar Vardi. This article basically reported that Israel is banning the Palestinians on building on more than 1,000 acres of their own land near the separation wall...for 'security reasons.'  Those two words reminded me that Sahar said almost all replies to questions asked about the wall are answered that way...'security reasons.'  Who could doubt or question.  But one does have to wonder why, when so many people do not have homes, homes can not be erected for the homeless.  And, how can a country on one side of the fence govern another?  Just wondering.....

http://www.nzweek.com/world/israel-bans-palestinian-construction-near-separation-barrier-for-security-reasons-51133/

Also, on Haaretz.com, dated 21 January 2013 there was another article on the wall.  It's headlines were: "Israel to change route of separation fence near Jerusalem to cut off Palestinians from E-1 area."  That meant finding out where in the world...where in Israel... the E-1 area is located.  After locating it (it is east of Jerusalem between Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Ma'ale Adumim) I am thinking that Israel is really stretching it as, apparently, this will isolate Palestinian territory from E-1.  I am wondering why or how it can be built if the international community is in opposition.  Also, if the High Court of Justice is petitioned by the isolated Palestinian settlement/city of Al-Zaim, wouldn't Israel have to tear it back down?  Hmmmm...interesting to me is the speculation as to what might happen, what repercussions might take place, what consequences might result....like a wait and see child's game with super high stakes.....what could be the advantage here?

And, I must say, in my unprofessional opinion, that the wall is not even close to attractive for such a beautiful country...and it winds in and out and around so much that it looks like a series of after-thoughts...surely there is a better way to exist next to each other.....

Reading Response

The videos about graffiti and where and why it is appearing was very interesting.  This was the first real look at a separation wall for me... I didn't realize they were so tall or stretched for 700 kilometers!  Wow.  And, indeed, there is a lot of smooth concrete surface available for artists to go to work on.  I really was amazed at the multi-faceted "Send a Message" business.  You can actually send them your message and, after some basic looking over, they go to work on it and, presto, it becomes a message on a most unusual wall.  I had to smile when they said their 'overhead' was relatively low...and it's neat how they use the profits from their business to try to help Palestinians who have lost their homes.  The mysterious Banksy, the British wall-artist, was quite interesting as well.  Kind of like the face of Tim Allen's neighbor in "Tool Time," the face of Banksy is not known to the public...but his artwork is.  Although his work graces many cities with many messages, he has also been active on a separation wall, painting pictures and images that send unspoken messages.  I especially liked the one that looked like a giant dotted line with a pair of scissors on it, like we find on the back of a cereal box, showing where to cut something out.  Very clever!  Each painting offers some form of positive message, I thought...the little girl holding the helium balloons, obviously soaring with them, seems a message of hope.  I am not sure of the connection with Julie Peteet and the Grafitti, but sure enjoyed the videos!

Also, the information of the Sheikh Jarrah was something new for me to digest...if I understand it correctly, it seems a platform for Israelis to protest against the eviction of Palestinian families and Israeli settlement policies of East Jerusalem?  I think it was interesting, as well as the short article about the amazing young woman, Sahar Vardi.  I look forward to hearing her tell her story.

I also am wondering, through all our speakers, all interesting and insightful, if we will hear any speakers that seem to speak for the Jewish Israeli population.....

I must also mention Noura Dabdoub's well-written thesis, "Homeland Redefined: Spaces of National Belonging."  This is a fascinating article.  It is amazing sometimes how one thing ties into another...for example, in another class of mine we are studying Jewish history's late 1880's and the people she mentions are being mentioned in my other class...small world it is.....I liked how she delved into the historical aspect of each people and followed them through time, establishing their identity and connection with their homeland, which both claim as their own.  And I really had never heard in words, but both sides really do consider each other their enemy.  I know that sounds dumb on my part, but within her article, each side says pretty much the same thing, ending with....[our] enemies the Jews, or [our] enemies, the Arabs....sad that that is true!  Her article leads us right into her conclusion, where she details what could be, if.....very well written.

Group Project ideas

Our group is the Identity one.  We have chosen to focus, at this point, on music and sports, and possibly children.  And, most specifically, how these areas, through integrated projects (such as that awesome West-Eastern Divan Orchestra) have or can make a difference within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Daniel Barenboim, in the book Parallels and Paradoxes, said, "...they have shared a common experience.  And this is what was really, for me, the important thing about the encounter."  That common experience between Israeli-Palestinian youth, be it through music such as the WEDO, or sports, or early education, can make a difference.  We hope to capture pieces of this difference.  I am really interested in the children aspect, but this may easily overlap into the music area.  I am not sure yet.  But we are wondering if there is such a thing as finding out a "then and now" on some of the youth that were involved with the orchestra.  I don't have any more specific details, as, especially after seeing the movie last night, my mind is spinning with possibilities and areas of curiosity.

Reading Response: Parallels and Paradoxes

After the really interesting video conference with Mariam Said, the Parallels and Paradoxes reading added a little more dimension to what we are learning right now.  It amazed me that they took the time to document their conversations; it was a wise thing to do.  It makes me think of those in my life that I should take the time to record conversations with....anyway, this bit of the book gave a fascinating glimpse into Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said.  The Memoriam of Edward Said, written by Daniel Barenboim, was so well articulated; not only is Daniel Barenboim a Maestro and genius in the musical arena, but is so adept at putting his thoughts into words.  He really wrote so beautifully about his dear friend, painting a picture that helped me envision what Edward Said was like.  In reading about each of these men, the word 'Renaissance Man' comes to mind; I read it in one of the readings about Edward Said, but I had already thought it while reading about them.  For example, Maestro wrote: "Edward was not only at home in music, literature, philosophy, and the understanding of politics, but he was also one of those rare people who saw the connections and the parallels between different disciplines, because he had an unusual understanding of the human spirit, and of the human being."  WOW!  What else could there be left to know?  Edward Said not only was beyond genius, but Daniel Barenboim is a master at writing so eloquently to relay his point...my, my.....

I feel that details they shared help flesh out what we know of the West-Eastern Divan, which I now see has much of the heart and soul of these two men living within the orchestra, its purpose, and the Barenboim-Said Foundation itself.  I really like what the Maestro said about sharing their music: "They were trying to do something together...they already can't look at each other the same way, because they have shared a common experience.  And this is what was really, for me, the important thing about the encounter."  Sharing common experience....perhaps this is a key to peace in the conflict....like the project we watched about schools for the very young, from both sides, sharing common experiences...maybe this holds peace within its hand.....I really look forward to seeing the movie.

Response to WEDO and questions for Mariam Said

Hello Mam,

What a wonderful project the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra project seems to be.  I first watched the trailer of the movie and, besides being excited to see the entire movie; I was touched by the message by some of the youth within the movie clip; such sincerity and touching words for hope.  Your husband's quote from the clip: "...the question of identity has to be posed in terms of the future...that is to say, how do you deal with other identities who also feel they have a place in that very place..." seems to be the very question posed in our class this semester.  We have read Karen Armstrong's Book (Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths) to try to understand a little better the various identities within Jerusalem and their history within the city.  Although these identities are critical to where Jerusalem has come from, these many identities feel they are a part of this very place...how can we move forward in understanding and peace without carrying the question of identity into the future?  His words ring so true. 

This beautiful music is testimony that we can remain individual yet learn from each other, working together for a common cause.  I could see the passion in the tremendous conducting of Daniel Barenboim and the intensity of the musicians to bring soul touching life to their music.  WEDO is witness to Mr. Barenboim's vision of "a productive and harmonious Arab-Israeli co-existence," reflected in the performance of the youth and offering hope for a peaceful tomorrow.

Thank you so much for your work in this project and for your time to speak with us.  I have a couple of questions to ask you, with your permission.  Do you remember the first time you heard of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra project idea and what was your reaction? At what point did you begin working with the project and what differences do you notice from that point until today within the project?

Thank you again most sincerely,

Barbara McGinness

Reading response to Issam Nassar's article

Fascinating reading!  Questions popped out of my head on every page, yet he answered most of them by the end of the article.  I had no idea that many (most?) late 1800-early 1900 photographs of Jerusalem and the countryside there left room for questions: Why were so many incorrectly identified?  For example, the early 1900 picture in his article identified the subject as 'The Tower of Antonia' but was really a minaret of the Aqsa Mosque.  How did THAT happen?  Accidental?  Intentional?  Why??  As I read, I wondered WHY then there were so few people in the photographs...did they just not have enough foresight to consider the value of the people in the photos for later researchers?  Was it on purpose?...

Especially, although a photograph was of one thing, WHY did they describe something else?  For example, The Dome of the Rock was spoke of as "The Site of Solomon's Temple."  And the picture mentioned above, of the lone dead tree with the minaret in the background, captioned as "The Temple Area.  Tower of Antonia."  Also, the many photographs of people, the land, etc. seemed to always reflect Biblical stories.  The Biblical stories are awesome, but how can every photo lead to them...for example the 1870's photo of the old man talking with an old peasant woman in a wheat field...Ruth and Boaz...Why?.....

By this time my mind was suspicious of some unspoken, subtle plot for some unknown purpose....conspiracy theory, huh....questioning, "Why the extreme slant to relate the people and the land to Christian Biblical stories during this time period?"  Again, I love Biblical stories, but this was noticeably extreme....as was mentioned in our class: it may not be about the beautiful stone gate but rather the man that sits by that gate everyday.....And then Nassar offered my wondering mind an explanation: "...this paradigm of European colonial expansionism was further complicated by the special connection of the country to the biblical history of both Christianity and Judaism as was fully exploited to serve European colonial expansionism.  Calls for a PEACEFUL CRUSADE to establish a European Christian enclave in the Holy Land...."  Ah HAH...there it was!  The unspoken purpose was to condition the minds and hearts for another type of crusade?  Wow!  It makes sense....but then, why did they quit doing this, or did they???

Also, I had to smile....Russia self-appointed itself as protector of the Christian-Orthodox community there, France did the same thing for the Latin Church, and Britain signed on as protector of the Jewish community...Where was the US?  Did they not get involved in this concept, to be left out in the event something moved forward, in some direction, for some purpose (peaceful crusade even)? It is not like the US to not be involved in the matter of others....nuff said!

I thoroughly enjoyed this article...it really offered interesting information.  Especially, it offered the concept of wondering about the proverbial man sitting by the gorgeous gates...what do these early photographs show us about what was going on in the minds of the photographers, therefore others of the time period, since he was commissioned by them and photographed to entertain/inform the viewing audience...what was Paul Harvey's rest of the story.....

Questions for Issam Nassar from the Identity group

Do you see similarities or difference between modern photography of Jerusalem and what is discussed in your article?  Why do you think this might be?

It was very interesting to learn how many of the early photographs were improperly identified (ex: James Graham's 1854 Dome of the Rock and the early 1900's picture identified as 'Tower of Antonia' instead of a minaret of the Aqsa mosque).  Do you think these were accidentally or intentionally mislabeled/misrepresented?  Why (or why not)?

You mention that Russia self-appointed itself as protector of the Christian-Orthodox community, France as protector of the Latin Church, and Britain as protector of the Jewish community.  What happened to the US?  Did they not also get involved in this concept?  Why/why not, do you think?

Who I am: 55 years in 500 words

I stood in line, sat in front of a camera and smiled, and walked away with a thin plastic card clenched in my fist, like thousands before me, only… I cried.  My life has been a journey through time, the product of experiences, choices, and dreams, and this card was the doorway to a dream I thought could never be mine. 

A baby boomer born in Napa Valley, California, my childhood education was earned as a US Navy brat.  Schools in California, Virginia, and Maryland taught me a lot about differences within our own country, while three years in Japan and two in Scotland allowed me to learn of other cultures and peoples.  A time of exploration and adventure, my sister, brother, and I made paths through forgotten bamboo groves exploring the Japanese countryside and rode rusty bicycles down many Scottish roads, in awe of hills covered with purple heather and Highland cattle.  And I learned that life was a beautiful journey.

A teenage American woman during the free-spirited early 1970’s, I learned a lot about the consequences of choice.  My high school diploma in one hand and my letter of acceptance to Indiana University in the other, I realized that dreams of higher education were not as important as life growing within.  At that time in rural southern Indiana, girls didn’t go to college pregnant.  They married.  So marriage I chose.  And I learned that life was a journey with pain.  But I also learned the beauty of love between mother and child.

As a devoted mother and homesteader of the 1980’s, I learned what it was like to step into a man’s world in the workforce, becoming the first woman pipefitter/plumber within the Central Foundry division of General Motors.  Serving an 8000 hour apprenticeship to earn my journeyman status, I worked long hours of backbreaking work, retiring after a thirty year career.  During those years I learned that life was not a fair journey for women.  But I also learned the value of hard work and that you can realize great accomplishment if you never give up.

Two children to support as a single mother, I bought a farm and remarried. Years of experiences and choices allowed me to appreciate that which I may have overlooked when I was younger.   During the 1990’s I learned the joy of being married to your best friend and the wonders of two more children, and I learned that life was a journey of satisfaction and peace worth discovering. 

The new millennium brought with it rekindled family relationships, precious grandchildren, and homeschooling for our two youngest children.  As our son finished high school and pursued his dream of attending Indiana University with their AFROTC program the fall of 2011, I remembered my dream of so long ago…..

I stood in line, sat in front of a camera and smiled, and walked away with a thin plastic card clenched in my fist, like thousands before me, only… I cried.  My student ID card from Indiana University was the doorway to my dream, and I learned within my life’s long journey dreams really can come true.