The End...

The Jerusalem Project

          Throughout this class, there have been many things I have learned about myself and the world. Not only was I able to gain a lot through engaging in the class material, but most of what I learned about came from engaging with other students in the classroom. This class effectively used a critical pedagogical approach to rethinking our education. While normally, classes follow a regimented syllabus with regular paper assignments and exams at the end of a section; this class was able to defy the norm effectively. Through the use of our blogs, I particularly was able to engage in class material more in-depth without worrying about the formalities of a written paper. Looking for peace in a conflict deeply rooted with many issues at times can be difficult, but this class made each of us want to look for solutions. Instead of being inactive members of our society, we were able to critically engage personal experience and knowledge with that of the conflict. Unlike any other class I have taken before, videoconferencing influential figures in the conflict was not only totally awesome but extremely beneficial to our learning experience.

       On a more formal note this class was able to defy the norms of regular assignments and readings. We, of course, still has readings that were to be done before every class. The readings at time were extremely long, and reading 60 pages between classes is a little unfathomable for someone taking 19 credit hours. The book that we read by Karen Armstrong, to me, was not only extremely bland, but very tedious. It required much attention when reading the text and it felt like we had too much information to indulge in. However, because our assignments were in a blog post and not a formal writing prompt, it gave us more room to only look at some of the massive amount of information in one night, and pick out what was most appealing to us. The coolest part was that after reading all of the blogs after one of these assignments was that everyone picked different notches from the reading. This way I was able to understand what I could through the text and then read my classmates blogs to unpack more of the reading. Therefore, I was unable to comprehend it more fully. Another benefit of being able to write in a public forum is the fact that it is public. Anyone can get online and find my blog, and if they think it sound interesting they can learn and read it. This way my particular message of peace has more chance of moving around to others. Not only are our personal blogs important as a public forum where other students and people can engage, even though some people made their blog private, but our blog homepage as a whole was particularly useful. Sometimes I would spend hours just browsing throughout our home blog and listening to the music on the side. It was during this time, I started to use more critical thought.

       Because there were so many people in our class that had a much deeper connection with the conflict, I felt like our class was able to confront issues that most other classes, even like this, are unable to do. To be in a class in Bloomington, Indiana and be studying a conflict surrounding mostly Israelis and Palestinians, and actually having Israelis and a Palestinian girl in the class made it particularly intriguing. It’s not every day you get to sit by a girl that actually knows what it’s like to be a part of the occupied West Bank… Or a boy that has wandered the streets of Jerusalem since he was a kid. It’s especially not every day that you get to work and be in a small group with both of these people. Here in our Living Jerusalem class, I can say that I did that. I learned so much from these people and the others with extremely prominent Jewish/ Israeli backgrounds. However, hearing a personal account of what it was like to be Palestinian from someone I would now identify as a friend is beyond cool to me.

       Before taking this class I had a pretty good idea about what I thought about the conflict and that was that the Israelis were clearly oppressing the Palestinians and the United States was only helping innocent lives be taken. I still agree for the most part with my personal theories, but I have also been able to open up and see more of the Israeli point of view. It has nothing to do with the fact that I don’t like Jewish people or believe they do not have right to any land, because I know their religion has been through much tribulation. But, it is my thought that because of things like the Holocaust, Israelis and Jewish people would be more caring for people and religions that are being oppressed. I’m not saying that what they are doing to Palestinians is the same as the Holocaust. I just wish that they would remember the pain of oppression and find ways to not force their own oppression on other people. Now that I know more about the history of the conflict and the constant back and forth game between the three religions, it makes more sense to why Israel has taken so much control over the “sacred land”. However, I am still extremely confused about humans believing they are inherently right to all land. Land should be a place where we live healthily together through our ecosystems, not somewhere where we kill it and all the people living on it. Although, if people do feel an inherent right to land, it should be open to different types of people and not exclude one type. Because of groups of people like Hamas, the American and other foreign visions of Palestine are particularly narrow. Most ignorant Americans hear Arab and think “terrorist”, let alone hearing that Hamas is a political party in Palestine. Through this class I think we were able to remove most of the ignorance and set forth to try really listening and finding a solution to the conflict.

            Videoconferencing Miriam Said was most definitely one of the coolest opportunities that I have had this far in college. While Edward Said is not only a huge benefactor to finding peace in the conflict, he is a scholar I have read about in many classes with much insight to share about the world.  After the conference I got to tweet (on Twitter) about my chance to ask her questions and had many envious friends. How many classes get the opportunity to videoconference Miriam Said and other extremely influential Arabs and Israelis?

            Not only was the videoconferencing a strong addition to the class, but the types of people we got to videoconference were definitely not what I had been expecting. I expected to talk to more formal groups or individuals. Instead we got to talk to artists, members of the LGBT community, and individuals that have shown that peace is not only made through government power, but through the power of people and the bond we each have with each other. I think one extremely important idea to take away from this class is the importance that music and art have in finding similarities among very different groups of people. Today in school we are taught to become consuming subjects that don’t appreciate the value of the arts, but even in an issue where bombs are being sent of almost every day, arts have an importance. If more teachers could envelop the critical pedagogy we have learned in this class, I think people would be more intellectual in general. Instead of learning and educating one particular way, we can find the strength of changing techniques and trying different approaches to learning. This is the type of learning that I benefit most from, learning where I am not only consuming the information from a textbook, but engaging with my classmates and scholars on the topic. Also not being taught at by a teacher, but having the experience of turning around the teacher-educator roles so that I can express my own knowledge on the topic to my peers.

            There are very few things that I would change about this class. The first is just technical, and that would be to eliminate the importance of commenting on other people’s blogs. I think it is more important to engage in this discussion personally then through a measly comment on a post. The other thing I would maybe change is for the final project and it would be having smaller groups to work in. While I loved everyone in my group, working with six others on one individual topic is challenging. I feel like working with groups of three or four on more specific ideas would be more beneficial.

            Overall, this is one of my favorite classes that I have the opportunity to take at IU. It should be a model for how all classes are taught here in the university due to its innovative and critical learning. It would be a shame not to see the Jerusalem project carry on because by the end of class you could most definitely tell that people cared more about the conflict in general, and most people were able to open to up to side they previously were unaware or weary of. It was more than a pleasure getting to be a part of such a fantastic class.

late but hopefully not too late

well, somehow I got caught up on projects for other classes this week and didn't even look to see if we had posts due this week... so whether or not I get the credit for this blog, I don't really care because I am excited to reflect on everything I have learned in this class. I have said it in the last post, but this is the way I LOVE to learn, I have benefited so much from engaging in this class and reading my classmates blog posts.

Coming into this class, I had a very strong opinion on what I thought about the conflict. When I first started studying this conflict, I had no position on whether or not which side of the conflict I agreed with  more. However, once the decision to make the wall was made, I started to lean more towards support for the Palestinian communities that were being destroyed. It's so hard for me, because I don't have a personal stake in any part of the conflict, especially because I don't really have religious affiliation any more. However, human rights are important to me. All human lives are important to me.

When it comes to the Holocaust, I can't even imagine having family attached to this horrific event in history. The Jewish population, in my opinion deserves a place, a home, somewhere to claim. However, I think they should use their knowledge of being oppressed to realize that while they can have a home, they shouldn't keep other people from coming to that home and making a place there too. I don't wanna talk to much about it, because it is a touchy subject... But, you should come talk to me more about it, if you don't agree or understand.

It's important to have different views, and I think people forget the value in it... We are so worried about fighting the people different from us, and my most general view is that people need to learn to accept difference. We are all different in some way, and there is no reason we shouldn't live peacefully together. My opinion, take it or leave it

A Couple of Small Changes

Overall, I am obsessed with this class. I love the way it's set up. It helps to show that the education system doesn't have to work the way the institution make us think it does. Meaning, writing stupid systemic papers with no-expression and taking tests over information you cram to learn a couple days before a multiple choice test... So I could go on forever about how I hate the education system, but the point is I really enjoy this class and have benefited more from the assignments and interactions here than in most of my other classes.

There are a few small changes I would make to the class. One would be to at the beginning of the class have room for discussion so people can talk about their blogs, or someone else's blog. Allowing for question and discussion on a more personal level. I fell short often of commenting on other people's posts, not because I wasn't loving reading all of the posts. But I have trouble writing in a way that I didn't want to offend people or sound rude. This part of the class I think could use some changing...

The other thing I would recommend is a space to carry on after we have speakers so we have more of a chance to talk with each other about what was raised in class. I feel like there was little time devoted to after speakers talked, and too much time devoted to before they talked. So maybe have blogs due the day of the speaker, instead of the day before. I don't know just an idea.

Again, I'm not saying any of these things have to happen, they just might help the overall understanding of the material.

An Open Place

I cannot wait to watch the documentary, City of Borders. I'm sure you will learn later but this is what I am extremely interested. This idea of both the Israelis and Palestinians coming together in a community like LGBTQ is so eye opening. In a world that is shut off by so many religious groups all over the world, they use their differences to come together. If learning anything in this class it's that both groups of people are very attached to their history and heritage, but when you are able to overcome those huge differences and look for similarities, you are able to live together.

I think that the Jerusalem Open House is incredible as well. Giving people a place to come in such a strong ability in such a violent community. Not only do I have strong ties to this problem for a love of people in general, but the LGBTQ is very much a part of. Growing up, my family was extremely open and always taught me to love all the people around you, no matter what they look like or believe in. It has always been a part of my life.

These are the type of people that understand the bond between each other, not the separation.

Gas Masks and Puppies

I can't imagine a situation I would be put in here that would require use of a gas mask. However, for Suad, it was imperative. It was imperative that she get a gas mask, she was told to have one, and yet she couldn't get one?

Here in the US, curfew is designed for kids, so that they aren't out late doing "bad things", but here a curfew is imposed for everyone, and getting caught has much more implication then if you were 15 in the States.

So when a gas mask is imperative, but you are under a strict curfew,  what are you supposed to do? The fact that Suad and her friends used their sarcastic humor to analyze the situation they were in is interesting, but what else ? They had to obey these ridiculous rules and enforcement from people that mocked them, so why not mock the situation? It should not be that an entire city or state of people with regard to only that category are mashed together like potatoes.

Im sure puppies like potatoes, but they don't get mashed up because they are just too freaking cute.

 I mean who can seriously deny a puppy? Maybe heartless pricks....

It is my belief that puppies, cats, bears, plants, sealife, or you law every other living organism that has a right to the earth be given equal opportunity to share what the earth provides for us. However, I guess that's just not how it goes. A 19 year old Arab is obviously not as important as a 5 week puppy, unless maybe they have a pug shaped nose...

I know it seems like I'm jus rambling. But seriously, with the dominance that humans have taken in the world, you think that they would use priority for those others that can help them DOMINATE THE WORLD. But instead we choose to take arms against people that are different from us.

Music is the Answer

Music is everything to me.
I can change my mood through music,
I can channel thoughts and messages through music
I can find answers in music.
I can DANCE to music.
 I can do everything through music.

I wish I could play music better, but I can't. I have attempted guitar countless times, I played the flute in middle school, and I played the piano from Kindergarten through the 2nd grade. All were pretty unsuccessful. However I come from a family of musicians, both of my sisters are singers and performers. Seeing them sing brings me a lot of happiness.

Anytime I am having a bad day, the first thing I look for is the probability of live music in the area. When I hear good, live music; my heart beats a little faster. It's almost as if my mood changes in an instant.

Music is key to communication because it is the universal language. Almost everyone can hear or play music, and once it is performed, everyone hears it the same way. It doesn't matter if you know the language or the context behind the song, what matters is that you are hearing the exact same thing as someone else, the exact same way. Music allows people to express what they cannot in words or conversations.

Channel of Rage

"Let's continue living, our lives are in front of us. It's not too late because tomorrow is a new day. If we lose our hope our dream will perish. So reach out a hand in love." Subliminal and The Shadow (Kobi Shimoni and Yoav Eliasi)
I was interested in actually hearing one of the songs that we had to read about in the articles about the movie,  Channel of Rage. The part that I have highlighted is the chorus of the song, not rapped, but sang. As the show continues, you can see the adoration and the meaning that comes from both the rappers and the audience. While, these words seem so simple, it's easy to find a solution to this awful problem. They can continue living every day, without violence, but living a life just as everyone is trying to do. While so many people say this problem is so deep- rooted and it's too late to change anything, they are giving hope saying that there is always time to make a change. Without this forward looking attitude, they will all continue to suffer through this awful life, so now is the time to open your hearts and show love. Love for your heritage, but love for all with a hand reaching out.

At the height of the second intifada, a Zionist spreading the word of no-violence through what most people would consider a violent industry is huge. While most people contribute hip hop to drugs and violence, here he is able to try and change that, and make the conflict more peaceful through means of such a powerful media outlet. Music has the power to make many changes by introducing ideas to youth, who are the future of the conflict. I know that he is mainly aiming at peace among all in Israel, and especially his Jewish counterparts. But regardless, the message stretches farther.

If you then watch the Palestinian rap group, DAM- Born Here. He speaks of the oppression he feels from the Israelis as the Palestinians. He fights for his equal right to the land that is kept from them, while he expresses anger, it seems he just is also fighting for what he believes. He isn't saying Israelis have to leave too, but he wants to be a part of what is his home.  "The separation wall mutes her hope".

The Art of Language

I thought it was cool that we got to read Nora's paper as a part of the class, to know more about someone that has learned from Professor Horrowitz just as we do. I was thoroughly impressed with the concepts she outlined when confronting the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Most particularly, her interest in the reframing of homeland and the notion of "the other" as central to the conflict.

The first definition that she gave as a background was particularly appealing to me, in a sense that I had never really thought about it. She is quoting Benedict Anderson who defines "a nation is an imagined political community" An "imagined" political community? I feel like if more people heard this definition, they would be more open to having a broader appreciation outside their own political realm. If the public of many nations realized this "imaginary" sense, I feel as though they would think they had opportunity to more greatly affect the community.

Here notion of the inside vs outside is one of prominence in this conflict, and it goes hand in hand with the idea of the "other" and the definition of homeland. Social Constructions have forced humans into a continuous competitive mindset, always wanting to be part of something better, and always having an enemy to beat. The idea that every group needs to have a counter part is pretty disappointing, when in reality, we are all the other. This need for competition is what pushes us to find what is ours, what belongs to us, a home. When in a search for this home while "the other" is doing the same, it can only lead to conflict. That is why I think that is we were to re-establish what is a homeland, so that can incompass not just those that are similar to you culturally, but bound to all for hope that they too find a homeland.

Exciting Said

Uhh, I was beyond enamored to listen to Miriam Said talk the other day in class. The thing the struck me most about her, was her willingness to continue her husbands life long work after he passed away. Not a lot of people would do what she does, but it shows how much this Project means and her hopes and aspirations for the future of the conflict.

When it comes to the reading on Parallels and Paradoxes, I was pleased with the writing of Daniel Barenboim and his admiration for Edward Said in the intro. And then in Edward's introduction, at one point he explains " the difficulty lies in the fact that this conception of world cannot be described in words- because were it possible to describe in words, the music would be unnecessary " It's as if the music is speaking to both the Israelis and the Arabs in a way that  nothing else can. I mean, think about all of the word vomit and arguments that have occurred and the little that it has been able to accomplish. So many times, when I can't express what I feel, I can express it through music. In a conflict like this, where everyone has high emotions and value in what is happening, its hard to come up with the words to explain it to someone else without getting frustrated or confused. But, here, they are able to join their music in an ensemble to communicate.

One of the very first things said in the first chapter, kind of harks on the same idea as the music speaking for the words, but with hitting a little harder on the core of the conflict, or at least I think. He mimics the cliche "I am home when I make music." For two groups of people that feel their home is in Jerusalem, yet they aren't able to be at home because of the ongoing dispute. However, here in the Orchestra these kids don't have to look for their home in Jerusalem and feel lost, but they can be together with others that also believe it is their home and play music. Playing the music and experiencing the feeling they get as they do it, is home, there is no longer a question of who's home the music belongs to, but that the music belongs to all.

Peace by Music

Everyone listens to music. Whether it be classical, rap, hip-hop, rock, whatever. Not everyone loves the same type of music, and people have many different opinions on what is good music. Similarly, Palestinians and Israelis love their heritage and background, they may have different opinions on what side of the conflict is more valid, yet they should be able to see that they feel this way for the same reasons. Music bridges the gap between these differences to open Palestinians and Israelis to acknowledge different views, but same goals. 


 For Daniel Barenboim to come up with a way to parallel these two by starting the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra,I find it quite remarkable. He talks about how both groups of people will never settle the argument, yet they reach out to see that they can coexist and understand why the others see it the way they do. What better way to start an orchestra that allows both groups of people to express a love and talent of music, regardless of their past, they all play the same music as one. 

It's so important that as a people, we realize the ability to be around people that are different than us, yet still be equally as happy. Our culture today defines us by our heritage and consumer needs, and forces us to put up a fist against those that are different. Whether it be based on class, gender, race, sexual orientation,religion, or every other stereotype. We forget that these things will probably never change, there is ALWAYS going to be these differences, yet we shouldn't let that stop us from being able to coexist and live peacefully together. Be proud of who you are but also be proud of others for being who they are. 

I can't describe how please I am to see someone work through this conflict through music, our universal language. For in music, we see differences in time, instruments, melody, voice, and etc. Despite those differences in songs and tune, we value the differences and the preferences we share with it. Regardless if you like listening to Beyonce or Bach, there is an understanding between the two. 

photobible

You can learn a lot more from a photograph than you think you can. You couldn't even know where the picture was taken or when, but just by identifying with objects or scenery in the photograph, we are able to make pretty educated guesses.

It's not surprising to me coming from a Christian upbringing, that Jerusalem would get framed Biblically like this. In Sunday school growing up, we would hear about tails of Jerusalem often. To me, it was just a city of the past, a city of the book. Most of my childhood , it still had that mysteriousness to it. After indulging in the Israeli- Palestinian conflict freshman year of high school. I finally had the chance to see that it was in fact a city today, and a city with more than just my Christian faith. 

So as Nassar described the pictures that were framing Jerusalem as a Bible city, this is what was going through my head. When I was young, these pictures in the article are the ones that I would have imagined it would look like. I can just picture palm branches and the many people of the Bible strolling the streets like they own it. 

It's interesting now, to see my point of view from my childhood to my point of view now.... very different. But when you are taught something your entire life, if no one ever tells you any different, that is truth right? That is why this dispute has so much at the core of it. Kids just like me, that believe the truth they know.

Tamari

I think I would really have a good time talking to the Canaan and Palestinian ethnographers. The idea that they are looking to not only biblical text, but song and other cultural heritage as a link to their belonging in Jerusalem is so cool to me. To think about how people use music to describe their connection with a place or memory is awesome, because I think often times when you don't know how to explain something, music is the best way to try.

When Tamari makes the statement in this first article, "Jerusalem became the arena for an intellectual circle that regarded the peasantry as the soul of the nation- the salt of the earth, uncontaminated by radical intrusions of technology and a Westernizing culture," I think I had to re-read it a couple times to really grasp what he was trying to say. By referring to Jerusalem as an arena, I am first caused to assume that is because of the "battles" (or disagreements) between the Israelis and Palestinians. However while, the peasants normally stand to lose a fight for being poor and weak, they triumph and show how their intellectual capacity to understand the problem far outweighs their opponents. They are not afraid of the western support and aid to the "big guys" through technology, because they know the true answer to the battle lies somewhere else. Now, I may have taken this completely too far, or over thought it. But it really made me think.

I really enjoyed reading this first article also for the ethnographers take on the "lunacy" and how it affects people, why it's caused, and what it means. To me, I think of myself as quite the loony. However, it is because I grow passionate about things that I have a connection to. Whether it is a connection to my past, my present, or my future, when there becomes an issue that hits home to me, I am damned well pleased to express that feeling in what may seems crazy to everyone else. But similarly to the way the ethnographers describe the connection that to the divine by the Palestinians has caused them to feel this sense of madness when it comes to finding a way to get a connection back. When something really means something to you, you will do and say anything to prove yourself.

In the next article " The Predicament of the Arab Jew" this is the first time I have heard the term, which he quickly  reminds me to remember that seems almost like an oxymoron. However, the fact that it exists leaves hope for situation, for me at least. If only we can  find a way to help those embedded in the conflict that they can work together, they do have similar roots, and they both deserve equal access to their land.

I can't wait to hear this Speaker tomorrow.

Last of Armostrong

" It is difficult to be optimistic about either the future of the Middle East peace process or the future of the Holy City." It is incredibly hard to be optimistic, however it is possible. It is possible to be optimistic when everyone around you is incredibly pessimistic. But if I have learned anything in this book, it is the optimism and hope of the people that has lead to the great times of Jerusalem. It is the small amount of people with optimism that keep the struggle going. A goal of peace is probably irrational to most people, but I do believe there can be an end to violence.

While it is endearing that Karen continues to make remarks about her own faith "Christian Jerusalem offers a particularly striking instance of the dangers of leaving compassion and absolute respect for the rights of others out of the picture", I think she mainly does it to present herself as more biased towards her own faith and less towards the others, especially Islam.

Ultimately what this book has shown me is that there are a lot of sides to the story, and Armstrong presents all the rulers and all the religious sacrifices particularly well. She tries to not miss a beat when it comes to how much the city has been through. However the side she yields to present is the human perspective. Leaving out the religion could have given her a spin on the city so that in fact we don't decide at the end of the book who the city should belong to, but instead that it belongs to all people because of all of it's important history and landmarks.

I believe she believes there is a possibility for coexistence, but in order to do that I think that it is important to factor in to do that, we must look beyond our differences to see our neighbors as people with love in their hearts for all. It doesn't matter what faith you have, where you have been, but all that matters is that you are trying to provide for your family, the best way you know how.

mixins'

In these readings I found a lot of things that made me question the ability to see things in a clear view. In one sentence, Armstrong writes that " The Muslims' arrival in Jerusalem was an event of immense importance." and then one page later, "the Jews and Christians of Palestine became "protected minorities", they had to give up all means of self defense and could not bear arms." What did she mean by immense importance? Was she talking about the fact that later led them to inhabit the city as all three faiths before Crusades or was she saying it was important for the Muslim Identity? It becomes unclear to me in these two pages by how she feels about the Muslim effect on the cities already disputed territory. But then, I continued reading to hear more about this idea of maybe allowing these religions to take their differences and unite them through their similarities.

She writes about how just a temple can mean something to both religions, even though they think of each other so different. "Both Jews and Muslims came to regard the Rock as the foundation of the Temple, the center of the world, the entrance to the Garden of Eden and the source of fertility."I wonder if the world thought about all things like this. For instance, every person on this earth is a part of a community of all living things, and some of the things that are naturally a part of this world are immensely important to all people. Say you get to climb Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia or stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon or bathe in the Dead Sea, no matter what background you come for I imagine the feeling all people that get to experience it.

 "The experience of living together in a city that was sacred to all three faiths could have led monotheists to a better understanding of one another." We all are a part of something so much bigger than we realize. Living among people who are different in an area that is special to all, can make you respect and love those differences. If only our governments and leaders of faiths  fought for a world where we can agree to disagree.

ch 8-10

Journal Entry #2

The Arab-Israeli conflict has so much more to it than I originally thought before doing the readings for this class. I am the first to say, I believe I was far too judgemental on topics I now see I wasn't educated enough on. For so long now I have put so much pressure on religions as the sole cause for all of the issues in the conflict. I was the first to blame religion for every reason the conflict began and continues to exist. While I still believe that the religious aspect of the conflict in deeply rooted to the problem, I now see that there is so much more to it. I think that as humans, there is a tendency to take claim things that we maybe don't have the right we thought we had. As much faith as I like to keep in humanity, the further our values lean to dividing people based on their differences, the more developed the issue is going to be. We have to be able to first close the gap between minorities and the majority by looking at issues such as employment, education, and new opportunities for those in the lower class of Jerusalem both Arab and Israeli. The more educated a young public is on social issues and history, the easier it is going to be to find a solution. I know that it seems very broad and I wish I could elaborate more on how I think that could happen, but I don't have those solutions because in reality this is the solution to many world problems I think. I look forward to keep reading Armstrong and the other readings, as well as hearing more from my classmates and guest speakers.

On another note, I was wondering if anyone else is interested in film? There are a number of extraordinary films on the topic and maybe we could start a movie night or something and search for some of these films. Maybe that sounds really nerdy, but I would like to meet more people in our class in a different environment.

I wish I had the answer to the problem, I really did, but I think a lot of people have worked at it for a long time. However, we just have to keep trying to make progress, and maybe one day the world will see peace.

EXILE: Reading Response

I think it is interesting how at the very beginning of the chapter, Armstrong writes about Yahweh deserting the city and describes the destruction as  "an act of de-creation, like the flood that overwhelmed the world at the time of Noah." It is here apparent to me again how she views most people to understand and believe the story of Noah and the flood. Growing up in a Christian faith, this story was one of my favorites, but I wouldn't ever give it a literal meaning. I don't think that the earth was actually covered in water while Noah and the animals waited it out on a boat. I guess however if you look at it more like a parable the exile of the Jewish people in Jerusalem could have been a de-creation,  taking them back instead of pulling them forward. I'm sure that when once returned to their city, they felt as though they had to recreate their former home, similarly to how the Bible teaches us that Noah and the animals had to restart in their home. I can't imagine being taken from a place, a home, and then returning after so much destruction and ruin. Then again, sometimes it is refreshing to have a new start.

In this same paragraph she speaks on how the destruction of the temple and the city, was similar to the end of the world. It's such a cool concept to me that everyone has a different concept of what the world is. Is it just a geographic map? Is it your family and friends? Your faith and your background? When people talk about the end of "the world", it's all up to interpretation. My world and your world could be very different places, and while something could happen that could be the end of your world, could be the beginning of my world. Yeah, I know that's getting pretty deep. But, I feel like the more I learn about this situation, the more I realize there is not so much of a solution to the problem, because there is so many different angles that the problems could be viewed as.

I liked Karen's writing a tad more than I did in the beginning  I felt myself trying to open up and learn from her interpretations and compare them with my own. I respect her for bouncing out of her comfort zone and taking a dab at writing this book.

Armstrong's Interpretation

Wow. I'm slightly confused, I came to look at my blog and found that the blog I had written wasn't there. Part of the reason I don't trust the internet. But I'll try and rewrite what I had previously written.

I try not to be too cynical when reading books that have such a broad history, but I was not a fan of Armstrong's introduction to the book. I often found myself "grouped" in her generalizations about how people saw the world or how she thought everyone saw the world.  I think that it's interesting that she is a Catholic nun, how ever it really throws my interest off again. I REALLY try to be open to the views of people from religious doctrines, but some traditions in the Catholic church really bother me, but I'm definitely not going to go into that. Please don't be offended if you are Catholic, I promise I have nothing against you. Anyways, I feel like in the introduction she uses more opinion and openness than she does in the chapters 1-4 of the book.

When I got to reading the actual chapters of the book, I found myself rereading pages, a lot. I am not the biggest history fan, and without a big enough knowledge of Jerusalem's history already I found myself pretty lost trying to keep up with all the names, dates, and people. I feel like it's necessary for her to cover it all, but it makes for a read that isn't to appealing to me. I am really going to have to find a new way of reading these chapters, whether it is jotting down notes in the book as I am reading or notes in a notebook. It's not that I don't get what she is explaining and telling us about, it's more that I have attention problems, so sometimes my comprehension isn't where I would like it to be.

I am sounding extremely negative, wow. I have really got to work on that, I'm really not usually this bad. I guess this book will need to grow on me, or we will grow together. I'm not gonna give up on it.

Journal #1

So far, I enjoy this class. I'm normally not the biggest fan of posting my thoughts and feelings about issues online. I like to be old fashioned and write a diary in a notebook or somewhere that it couldn't potentially be lost. But, I guess that's life. Technology happened and I have to jump on the bandwagon. I like the idea that the class discussions are so open and that I get to reflect on my own perceptions of the conflict but also with other people's perceptions. I hope that we get to do more small group work, I really like my group and feel like I could learn a lot from them.

I think that if the festival actually happened, it would be amazing. Bringing together of such different groups of people with such a crazy past. If the festival were tomorrow I would want to go and talk to as many people as I could from all the different backgrounds and eat a lot of HUMMUS ! yum. It seems to me that this conflict has too much too it for the festival to ever actually be supported. People are far too selfish, especially now a days. Sometimes I lose hope that there's still good people out there. But then you read about the people that organized the festival and realize that there are, and you do service work and realize that there are more, but sometimes in class and on campus people can be really disheartening.

 I can't imagine what it would be like to feel like my home was taken from me, or I didn't have home in the right place. The Zionists wanted to redefine their home in Jerusalem, for the fear that they no longer had a place in their own home. If I one day came to my house in Indianapolis to find that my parents no longer lived there, I would feel like a nomad, like I didn't belong anywhere. But my question is if I went back to my home like the Zionists did and try to expel a new family that had made their own home there, would I ask them too to give up their home? They might have also felt a strong connection to that home. The Palestinians removed from homes and displaced to Jordan, Syria, and Egypt might have found a home in one of those places, but still longed for a home in Jerusalem. But now, the Zionists were back in their homeland, and that is what made them happy.

Sometimes when I am doing the readings I really get confused. The thing is I understand the back and forth fight for something you believe is yours, but it seems like it can never fully be resolved because once some place is your home, you have an everlasting connection to that place, and it can be really hard to leave or be forced to leave. I feel like the United States and the United States didn't do enough. It was like they were always choosing a side that needed help at that particular instance. Couldn't they have tried to deal with the conflict more head on, instead of once it was already in a place where thousands of people were displaced? It kills me to read things like the 6 Day war ISrael started, and the number of tragedies that came with it. I just wish all the time that people could come to terms with compromise.

Ramblings and Readings #2

You know how in grade school everyone has their "seat" in class, even if the "seat" isn't assigned by the teacher. If you have been sitting there everyday for a while, and then one day you walk in and another girl is sitting in your seat, your probably got pretty angry. A sense of ownership was connected with that seat, your friends sat around you that you had things in common with, you felt comfortable engaging from there, it was your comfort zone and someone else had the nerve to take it? But, what if thier old seat had also been taken? Or they too felt a connection and more engaged while sitting in that seat, it should only be fair that they get a turn too. Customs and traditions are important to people, for comfort, morality, and a slew of other important reasons. The fight for the sacred city of Jerusalem as described by Mick Dumper seems to be in the same realm as the chair. All three religions; Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have history in the city, religious and cultural history. Because of the history and connection they each feel with the city, they feel a sense of ownership without making room to share the seat or switch up the seat occasionally. This change can interupt your whole life, or it seems like it would. As Mick describes the tensions that have erupted from East and West Jerusalem and the ownership that each religion has to each part of the city, seems to have a valid reason. Yet, that's the problem and that's why it has been a problem for so long. It's easy to see that all three religions have valid connection to the city, and it's nearly impossible to fight against one of the validations.

And then we go on to read Rashid's view of Jerusalem territory and in the first section he strikes a bell with me, "When dealing with Jerusalem, however, much of what is considered to be "history" is simply not historically verifiable. This is true about most sources, whether in the Bible, the Gospels, the Quran, or most other traditions." This statement is kind of what I was just trying to explain. While each of the traditions relies heavily on their religious book for clarification and validity, each to his own has as much merit, but the others have none. So which one can we believe? However when we hear of the crusades destroying previous rule and area, it only seems logical that the fighting has continued to repeat itself in history. The more Jerusalem was taken away from each group, the more they seemed to covet it, and the harsher the dispute grew. And through these disputes and takeovers, are when things were built or brought to make the city what it is today. Whether it was the Ottomans architectural tiles or the Jewish quarters in the old city, they all define a part of what Jerusalem is, despite being from different backgrounds.

Roman rule, Bible Rule, Mohammad rule, Solomon rule, rule, rule, rule. All this ruling is making me confused and I'm wondering why I gotta do all this math.... (haha) The power devoted by each group trying to dominate the city is eventually over powered by someone else. Someone is always bigger and stronger, and ready to destroy those different from them. That's what I learned especially in the last two articles. There is a lot of names and a lot of people that cared a lot about getting what was best for their own interest.

Class Project

In class on Thursday we talked about all of the different areas of Jerusalem that we were interested in doing a project in on class. It's  awesome that so many people had such different topics that they were willing to work on. It's nice to know people care and have knowledge on these things. I think the fact that we all have such different backgrounds is going to make for great class discussions. I really wouldn't mind doing a project on any of the things that we discussed in class. I have interests in learning about all aspects of the city. I'm really into non-profit and service work, so it would be really cool if someone would wanna find out more about humanitarian issues and work in the area of effected communities. However, all of y'all seem like you would be cool to work with, so I'm not opposed to other ideas at all.

Response #1

It's always been extremely interesting to me the way that people respond to issues or problems in the world. I have concluded that usually it has much to do with how people were raised from their childhood to where it has brought them today. I know this statement isn't completely valid and some people turn out to be everything but their past. Here in these articles I find myself respecting the history that each writer has in connection to such a huge dispute in the world. Religious discourse has been an incredible part of violence in our world's history. To me, I am interested in finding a people with middle ground, respect for their history, but with the ability to embrace religious and social differences. That is why I am so impressed by the idea of the project.

Being a Palestinian or an Israeli in recent history could be anything but easy. For Suad Amiry, I am compelled by her story of working on this project. I admire her for ignoring intolerance, which is never easy. In the end from her we learn that once again the weight of money over-powers the weight of harmony. While we find people who are willing to end a world of problems through breaking personal traditions and history through no personal gain, we are haunted still by the power money has over our happiness and control.

That's what I have been able to realize through all of the accounts of people working on the project; the complete selflessness to work so hard for peace.

The study of ethnography that we learn from Amy Horowitz's account is completely interesting to me. People that devote so much to the effort of folklore and customs are really the people that understand the world. It's hard to explain why I see it this way, but I feel like if we could all mutually respect our own choices with the choices of others, there would be a lot less problems in the world. To me, the work that she did in the project along with the others is the answer, more people just need to realize it. It seems so simple.

PS. I have heard sometimes my writing is not easily understood because I just tend to write whatever comes to mind. So, I'm sorry if it seems a tad confusing and not so fluid.

Introduction

Hey, My name is Maggie Adams (formally Margaret, but it doesn't really fit me) . I am from Indianapolis, IN and grew up on the near east side of town in Irvington. I am majoring in Communications and Culture and minoring in International Studies. I like music.I prefer to be outdoors.  I started studying the Israeli- Palestinian conflict when I was 14 in a global issues class, and have been interested in it ever since. I have served on a Model United Nations committee as a part of the Israeli Joint Cabinet Crisis. In the past few years I haven't been as actively engaged as I would like to be, so I am eager for this class project.