Architecture

I never thought of architecture as a sense of national identity, but when I thought about it, it kind of made sense. Every country has their own style which represents their long history in the land. However, for the Israeli Jews, they had become new immigrants to their ancient homeland. As new immigrants to the land, architecture is used "...as a way to Israelize Jerusalem." Architecture is used as a physical representation of their place and belonging to the land. I wonder what Israeli would look like now if they were not displaced from their homeland. Would it be the same? Or vastly different? Maybe there is no need to look at ancient architecture, but move on from the past and build their own and new source of identity.

Pyalara questions
1. What sort of changes have you seen when using your voice?
2. Has there been backlash from the Israeli government?
3. What are the main issues that are being written on currently?

Walls and Graffiti

I enjoyed reading "The Writings on the Wall." When I think of graffiti, I remember the city where I grew up. Graffiti was everywhere, drawn on every brick wall available. The drawings had no meaning to me. They were just a bunch of illegible words that were probably the names of dangerous street gangs. I would see men on the streets, walking around with wife beaters and baggy jeans looking like they were about to cause trouble. I always attributed the people behind these drawings as rebellious men, who used graffiti as a form of vandalism.

However, the article depicts a different picture of what graffiti is on the walls. It is still holds the same sense of rebellion, but uses this kind of rebellion as a way of free speech. It’s rather remarkable that people would sneak around in the night to paint their voice onto these walls. It’s rather cool that graffiti is used as a medium to inform, to resist, and to criticize. It’s like a batman symbol flashing in the night. It inspires people to take action; to still up conversation and believe in a unified body that is willing to stand up for what is right.

Klein's article was interesting as well. I appreciate that it gave me a better idea of what the wall was meant to do. From what I've gathered, the Israeli's have used it as a way to keep the "other" out for issues of security. These walls physically block the mental barriers that the Israelis have construed.

Items that represent me

For most of my life, I was raised in Southern California. In the city where I was raised, it had a population that was majority Asian. I had a very weird upbringing. Culturally, I felt very in tune with my Asian back ground. My friends and I would always gossip about Asian pop stars, But at the same time, I always differentiated myself away from people of native land. I am an Asian American who is proud of her culture, but also proud of being an American.

In the Asian American community, we call people who have recently immigrated as a "FOB" (fresh off the boat). In a way, it is saying that the way that these people talk, dress and act is not fully Americanized. Personally, I find that even though I do not want to seem like a "FOB," the items around my house tell that I have integrated both Asian and American pop culture into my personal style and life.

In my closet, I have clothes that Asians would consider "fobby". I don't mean that my closet is filled with traditional silk qi pao dresses, but I have items purchased from Asia that are popular with the young generation there. If you google "how to dress like a FOB," you can find a lot of information on how to achieve this look. Girls overseas, especially from major cities, focus on being cute.

This is what a FOB would look like. The main goal of this look it to look cute.Her makeup is done in a way that will make her eyes look bigger by wearing fake lashes and contact lenses that make their eyes look more dilated.Many times, the clothing sold on the streets is one size fits all. So the clothing may be over sized. In my closet, my roommate and I have a section of clothes that would be considered "fobby." This is our way of staying connected with the youths back in Asian culture. However, we do not want to be mistaken for a "FOB." So we take these styles and Americanize them as our own.



I love food. It is very important to me. When I moved to Ohio, it made me very very sad that there were no good authentic Asian restaurants anywhere. Many places have Americanized their recipes to accommodate to the majority population. So when I am at home, I try to cook as "authentic" as I can. In my refrigerator, I would say half of the items are from the Asian market. I have random Asian spices and sauces, and a lot items that are questionable to my roommate. I have shelves full of Japanese and Chinese snacks and candy. Even so, within the same shelf, I keep boxes of easy mac and canned spaghetti. Sometimes I even eat grilled cheese with Chinese cabbage (bok choy). They don't really go together, but I don't care.


I could not find one item and say "voila this is me." I am a result of the current popular culture from the mother land and from the culture here. I really love and appreciate that I can incorporate both sides into my daily life. I am and Asian American who appreciates where I am now, and where I would have been if my parents had not immigrated to the State.

Questions
1. How would one reconcile their faith while being gay?
2. In a video, a Israeli? woman said that her mother would rather her be gay than have her marry a man that was Palestinian. Is this true? Or does it depends on the strength of one's religious affiliation.
3. Is the GBLT community legally allowed to be open, or is it just a social problem?

Hasan-Rokem and Amiry

I rather enjoyed the two chapters from Suad Amiry's diaries. Assuming that these stories are true, I admire Amiry's effort in retelling her stories in a more positive, humorous tone. Even with the dark backdrop, the people in her memories seem to reflect a sense of empowerment. Though they are second class citizens in the Israeli state, the characters joke through their circumstances and do not let it drag them down. The chapter "A Dog's life," shows Suad It seems rather unbelievable that dogs are given citizenship where else their owners, as human beings, do not. Even passing through checkpoints is easier for Suad's Jerusalem dog. In the "Promised Gas Masks," the Palestinians made a pointless outing to receive gas masks. Though they are the ruling power, the Israeli soldiers are depicted as incompetent people who use their power in ridiculous ways. Though these stories does not have an ominous, fearful tone, it does not change the fact that these unequal treatment is part of their everyday lives. How the story is told kind of seems like they just go with the flow. This does not mean that the people are indifferent to their situations, but make the best they can out of it. It seems that even though they are restricted in doing certain ways, their strength still shows through.

"Not the Mother of All Cities," gave me a different perspective on how to view the city. As a female, Jerusalem has been coveted and adorned by men that have overpowered her. I kind of imagined Jerusalem as a wife of a controlling husband. She is yearning to be free and show her true self, but is limited to what her husband wants her to be. Jerusalem as a "widowed or bereaved mother," makes it sound like the city is a hopeless woman, who is in need of a man to survive. The land is not deprived nor does it need help of one's view to make it better. What is needs is for all it's cultures to be allowed to flourish.

Questions
1. How are Israeli and Palestinian woman treated? How are they the same and how do they differ?
2. How do your feminist views affect your views on peace?
3. If woman had more say in political issues, what would their stance be?

Music

The Heart Beat Project
This organization seems to really advocate the idea of bringing Israeli's and Palestinians together. Their tactics are very similar to the orchestra that of David Barenboin and Edward Said. They have used music to bring Palestinian and Israeli musicians together in order for them to have a chance to be able to communicate and build a community of trust. Music is used as a platform to bring groups together.

However, the Jerusalem Music Project tells another story. The Project is "...dedicated to encouraging the country’s finest talents, bridging the distance between Israel and the rest of the music world...We believe that music is about inter-human communication and cooperation." As I first looked through the website, I was expecting yet another music project that brings young Palestinian and Israeli musicians together. But as I read on, it gave a different mission statement than the Heart Beat Project. Though the Jerusalem Music Project does not say that it excludes others, one of their mission statements explicitly says that this Project is a chance for Israeli students to learn and meet from renowned musicians. However, instead of uniting Palestinian and Israeli musicians, it united musicians within Israel. In their special project, it emphasizes on bringing Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs together. These special projects focus on playing Arab music and introducing musicians to Hebrew poetry. Though it brings Arabs and Jews together, it does not focus on Palestinians. Though the leaders of the project may not to opposed to that idea, they seem to focus within the state.

Compared to the Heart Beat Project, the young musicians seem refined, and focused on excellence and development of their talents. Where else in the Heat Beat Project, we see that these musicians are diverse and carrying electric guitars and some kind of stick. Yes, it is a place to learn music and explore their creativity, but the emphasis seems to revolve more on bringing people together. Where else in the Jerusalem Project, it is an effort to expose and play wonderful music of Arabic origins.

Project ideas

For my project, I want to focus on identity. Is identity focused on religion, language, or in the land that one lives in? We discussed in class that there are many groups in the area, and even within the two major faiths, there are many people that diverge from majority. I will interview people on what identity means to them in general and see if I can connect that with Israel and Palestine.

Salim Tamari articles

The two articles I chose was "Lepers, Lunatics, and Saints," and "Ishaq Shami and the Arab Jew." The first article follows the uncredited work of Tawfiq Canaan's enthographic study of the Palestinian people, pre-Islamic times; more notably, of peasant culture, which has been uncorrupted by western colonialism and modernization. I must admit, I've read this article through more than once and I did not understand the significance of this article. More so, I did not understand how his discussion on Songs of Solomon, saints and their relation to madmen related. Was it to show that the nativist Palestinian cultures are separate from other cultures(Jewish?) in the area or just the opposite?

I found the last article rather interesting. The article surrounds the story of Ishaq Shami and the dissenting identity of being an Arab Jew. I found it rather interesting that there are different cultures and languages within the Jews and how it is a struggle to be apart from the majority. Ishaq Shami was a Jew who did not write about Jewish elements, rather wrote about the surroundings of where he grew up. Even though he was a Jew, his writings were not particularly accepted. I also thought the brief discussion of what the Zionist movement meant to Arab and Sephardic Jews. I didn't seem like returning to Jerusalem was such as an importance to them. That was rather different to hear, because based on what we have been reading, all Jews have been clumped together as one. Some might have felt their return Jerusalem as returning home, where else others expressed that it was simply just like moving to another state. This article has made me curious about different groups beyond just Jews and Palestinians.

Questions
- What are the cultural differences within the area other than the obvious?
- How has your studies affected the way you view the Israeli government?
- As a sociologist, how has being an Israeli or Palestinian affected the lives of people in Israel and Palestine?

Summary 14-18 and Solution

"The Israeli conquest was not a 'reunification' of the city, but its occupation by a hostile power." The conquest of the Western wall, like the previous conquerors only breed more hate and fear. It seems like an endless cycle. The actions of the Israeli's only stirred up more conflict. From these readings, I do understand the aims and goals of each side, but these reasons to me do not justify disregarding the others.

"One of the most inescapable messages of the history of Jerusalem is that, despite romantic myths to the contrary, suffering does not necessarily make us better, nobler people. All too often, quite the reverse" Pg. 435

What Armstrong said, really stuck out to me. One would think that living through times of affliction, one would be more sympathetic towards another. It is just amazing how humanity so easily turns against one another. Armstrong really seems to hit on how much religion has brought upon evil. For the sake of religion, violence is enacted and destroys peace. What an area is supposed to be, triumphs over rights of other human beings. I am an extremely emotional person, and the last chapter especially, made me rather sad. Armstrong does not leave on a completely pessimistic ending, however, and talk about the potential of hope for the city. The key is coexistence I shall now segue into the solution portion.

The only way to a solution is tolerance. Tolerance that one may not have the same beliefs as you. Tolerance for others to take part in what is "yours". How can this be possible? I think getting to know the other side is a step in the right direction, because there is no way that all side can be right at the same time. Both religious and political authority need to be on board that true compromise the the true solution. How is this possible? I really don't know.

There was a discussion in class that history is passed down from generation to generation. How can one forget the atrocities that was inflicted on their family? How can one move on and move past from it. Though the past is a part of us, we are not people from the past. I am certainly influenced by generations before me, but it does not mean that their choices are my choices. Human beings have monstrous capabilities of inflicting damage. We are also gifted with the ability to adapt to social changes. This includes accepting people that were not accepted in the past. Relationships, regardless of what they are, are always very fragile. It is so easy for people to snap back to their discriminatory thoughts. Even through the shakiness, people need to be willing to keep taking steps forward and fight through backward motions. Humans will always have thought of hatred. However, it needs to be taught that this kind of treatment towards others is unacceptable. Therefore one can acknowledge the need to constantly improve oneself.

Chapters 11-13

While I was reading these chapters, I became very frustrated with Christianity and how they represented their faith. Through out the chapters, I found myself comparing the ruling styles of the Muslim and Christian leaders. I was frustrated that "Christians" acted on behalf of Christ and did some pretty horrendous acts. Even though I am not of Muslim faith, I too was frustrated at the "Muslims" for not following the original teachings of Muhammad of living a pious, humble and non extravagant life that respects the other two religions. Through out these readings, it seems that people can never stick to the original teachings of the religious authorities (Jesus and Muhammad), regardless if they are legitimate or not. If you're a Christian, then follow the teachings of Jesus. If you're a Muslim, then follow the true teachings of the Qu'ran!

In chapter of the crusades, I kept thinking, did these "Christians" even read the bible at all? Now I know that not all people were literate, and most might have gotten their information from religious leaders, but I still can't believe how the cause of liberating the tomb of Christ from Islam and justifiable cause to wipe out an entire city. Even after the crusade, it seemed like these crusaders did not know what to do with the city. They massacred the whole city, and took the ruins for their personal wealth. They have reclaimed Jerusalem, but most soldiers went home.

I am glad that I was able to read these chapters though and get a better grasp and understanding of the Muslim faith. "The Qur'an therefore instructed Muslims to return to the original, pure religion of Abraham, who had lived before either the Torah or the gospel and had, therefore, been neither a Jew nor a Christian. He had simply been a Muslim, one who had made this total surrender of his life to God." Even though I do not agree, I can sympathize with the fact that Muhammad wanted to purely follow God. Though they did not treat the dhimmis as equals, Islamic rulers for the most part ruled with religious tolerance. There were internal conflicts within the faith, and a period where the Caliph AL-Hakim burned down crosses and segregated the dhimmis and forced them to convert to Islam. But for the most part, I found it rather appealing that out of all the religions, the Islamic religion has brought the most peace less blood shed up to this point.

In conclusion, people completely misinterpret their own faith. I wonder if they do the same now. I must admit that I am in no place to judge what is the real truth in these teachings. Everyone has their own interpretations of the same thing, and that's a problem. Also, I am very glad to start seeing the Islamic side to the story.

Questions:
1)I know that the experience has opened dialogue and enabled students to work together and have a common understanding in their love for music. How have students brought back what they've learned to their respective homes?

2) Have there been other efforts to bridge gaps between the Israeli and Palestinian people?

When I was reading Parallels and Paradoxes, I kept thinking of the movie Remember the Titans. The movie takes place in a time in the U.S. history after segregation had been made illegal. A black football coach becomes head coach of a football team, and conflicts emerge between the black and white football players. After weeks of conflict, they finally grew to respect and then love one another as family after living and working together during training camp. Their experience on the high school football team changed how they saw each other and how they saw life. They worked together, because in the sport of football, they needed to be willing to defend each other on the field. The discussing of the Wiemar workshop stirred up feel good feelings, and made me believe that people can come together for their love of a common goal, such as music. It seems too good to be true. I wonder if there is truly peace within the orchestra, but then again, I should not belittle the power of open dialogue and respect. In the video, the woman talks about how everyone is friends, and whether or not they like the person is based on their personality and not on where they're from.

At first, I was very optimistic of the situation because people who had come from different parts of the middle east, with different religions can come together to play music. They have an understanding because they have this one commonality of playing music. What happens if that is taken away? I'm not saying that these students are going to be hostile with one another after their tour is over, but for how can we find dialogue and common ground for the people of Israel and Palestine? I do commend the efforts Barenboim and Said who have used their talents in a meaningful way to bring people together, but it is just a start.

Reading:8-9

It is amazing me to read on how much one city changes throughout the years, especially in the religion. Especially for the Judaism, Armstrong describes changes after the destruction of the temple, where some Jews shifted some of the characteristics of the temple onto other landmarks. Chapter 8 describes Christianity as the main religion in Constantine's Roman empire. Though Christians have no attachments to any temple nor believe that God is confined to a sacred space, it was curious to see the importance of the New Jerusalem.

"[Christians] had proudly proclaimed that their was a purely spiritual faith that was not dependent upon shines and holy places. Their startling response to the discovery of the tomb shows that the myths of sacred geography are deeply rooted in the human psyche. A sudden shock or an unexpected reunion with one of the physical symbols of our faith and culture can reawaken this enthusiasm for sacred space, particularly after a period of persecution when people have experienced the threat of annihilation inn an especially acute manner. It is never safe to assume that we have outgrown these primal myths: even in the secular, scientific world of the twentieth century, we are not immune to their appeal, as we can see in Jerusalem today."

I think this quote above is very interesting because it shows how a remainder or symbol of a holy place or significant event can resonate so deeply into one's mind. Armstrong writes that Christians do not rely on symbols and shrines. For Christians, the building of the new christian holy place on Golgotha, is more than just a reminder of a fond memory. This is the place that Jesus died and resurrected. Though this is not the only place that Christians can worship, attachments are formed towards the area. Eusebius who was opposed to this area as a sacred space, was so touched by the discovery of the tomb, that he changed his mind and even renamed the site New Jerusalem. This is the place where Christianity had uprooted pagan religions and Judaism. This is the part that I find unsettling. Armstrong talks about how since Christians have come to power, they have had the tendency to practice exclusion and out casting those that do not have the same beliefs. At the end of chapter 8 Armstrong hints of a new power that will over rule the Christian religion. I am curious to see whether Christians will be persecuted and whether their New Jerusalem will be destroyed and whether they will react the same way as the Jews have to the destruction of their temple.

Chapters 5-7

Armstrong notes numerous times the changing views on the presence of God. From the beginning Gods presence was felt through the land and in the temple, then it started to change to where Yahweh was omnipresent and not bound land domains. The latter view was not fully expressed until Jesus' birth. Even though Armstrong mentions these new and changing views, the Jews always place the first as a major importance. After the destruction of the first temple, there was a sense that Yahweh had left the city and a sense of hopelessness had emerged. In chapter 5, Armstrong expresses the yearnings of the Jewish exiles; to return to Jerusalem where the presence of Yahweh resided. Throughout chapters 5-7, the Jewish people continue to passionately fight for their temple and protect it from those who change and deface the temple; challenging those who do so. An example of this is the contrast between Herold's rule and the destruction of the temple by the Romans. People did not revolt against Herold because he made no attempts to corrupt the temple. This contrasts with the end of chapter 7 where the Romans trespassed into the temple, entering into the forbidden regions. The chapter ends with a depiction of the brutal overtaking of the temple. The Jew defended all they could. In the midst of fighting, they still kept to the laws of sacred spaces and stayed out. This goes to show how much the Jews stayed with their beliefs and constantly align their lives to these beliefs. Not everyone has the same beliefs and Armstrong tells very well that there are internal disagreements within the Jews. Even so, we see the strength of one's own beliefs through their passionate actions.

I have heard these stories before through the Old testament, but I've always read bits and pieces of it over time and never really put events together. I appreciate that Armstrong treats it as "history" but at the same time, states her speculations. Since I am a Christian, I hold everything in the Old Testament to be true, but I have never really considered it on historical terms. So this reading has giving me huge exposure to a different perspective.
Karen Armstrong raises some very good questions in the beginnings of her book. The city of Jerusalem I claimed by the three monotheistic faiths. When looking back at history, the question of who has claims to the city first might seem like a good solution to who gets what. However after reading the chapters, I realized that it so much more complicated because the holiness of the land is of huge importance. Jerusalem is a place where all the faiths have experienced God.
Also this reading gave me a better understanding of why holy land is viewed as important. I didn’t understand it because even though I believe in Jesus’ crucifixion, I place no attachments in the land, but on the act itself. I like how Armstrong puts into detail the importance of the sacred from its very beginnings and its evolution through time. Armstrong speaks generally that people are constantly seeking meaning in their lives. They seek a world that is just and that their futile ways will end in a positive outcome. The way that people come to terms with their meaningless existence is with the encounter of the divine. The encounters with the divine are marked by the symbols and where these encounters were taken place. It was interesting to see Jerusalem’s change before and after King David. I was interesting to read about how Yahweh was an unknown god and was integrated into the city to become the ruling God of Jerusalem. The building of the temple signified a place for the Israelites.
As a Christian, one of the major themes that I see in new believers is that they all ache for a better world and yearn to return to that state that God had originally created. It really surprised me that people in ancient times (through Armstrong’s interpretation) were feeling this way and it was solved by placing their realities in a sacred being, whoever it may be. When I think of ancient and pagan gods, I see them as destructive forces that demand worship or it’ll be the end of them. But it seems that Baal was seen as god that restored order and confronted chaos. So when Armstrong began to talk about the integration of different Canaanite gods, I became rather confused.
"Then, as now, there would always be people devoted who preferred the option of devoting their religious energies to sacred space over the more difficult duty of compassion." I really appreciated this quote because in my own religion, many of us believers tend to focus on the wrong things and this quote reminded me of that. We are called to love others, but choose to nit pick on unimportant details that make us become the opposite of what we claim to be. I cannot speak for Muslims or Jews, but for myself it’s rather important to think of the real worth in situation. Is it better to be right and oppress others along the way or simply love regardless? I know this is too idealistic and impossible to implement as a solution, but it sounds nice.

Week 2

Reading Response

"Jerusalem Then and Now" - The importance of Jerusalem as a sacred site overshadows the geographical significance of the area. Mick Dumper mainly follows the power struggle for the three faiths and how the flourishing of each religion depended on political dominance of ruling powers. By 1967 the Israel army controlled both West and East Jerusalem, intensifying the tension between groups. There has been little effort to integrate the Palestinian population into Israeli society, instead efforts from the Israeli government tried to expand the Israeli culture into Palestinian areas. The current arrangement of Israeli occupation is unacceptable to the Palestinian people, who see Jerusalem as a crucial center for their capital. The author states that unless there is a change in those non negotiable, further negotiations will not happen.

"The History of Jerusalem: An Arab Perspective" - The author of this article first starts off by stating the difficulty of differentiating true history from legends and myths. However, he does not discount the significance of native beliefs as an important factor in the history of Jerusalem. Palestinians believed that the current Arab population is descended from the original inhabitants of Jerusalem and have been Arabized over time. I found this piece of information interesting because it gives a share of legitimacy of Jerusalem to the Palestinian and Arab population. That aside, each religion has its own reason and beliefs for the importance of Jerusalem. According to the article, during the rule of the Ottoman, Jerusalem was under Islamic rule, but it was time a time of religious toleration. However, after the British occupation in 1917, the Zionist movement gained support by the British government that pushed for a separate and exclusive Jewish state. The author ends in hopes for a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem that gives religious freedom to the three faiths.

"Jerusalem: The Holy City Though the Ages" - Reba Rubin follows the historical rulers and conquerers of Jerusalem and narrates the religious significance that each ruling power brings in either destructing or restoring the three faiths.

"A Brief History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict" - This article gave me a brief understanding to the modern Arab-Israeli conflict. In 1949 Israel declared its independence and pushed thousands of Palestinians to leave the area and live as refugees. Since, there has been strong conflicts between Israel and the Arab nations. Over the years, the has been much blood shed on the Palestinian side in hopes of regaining their state and by the Israeli side who are committed in keeping control. Though there has been talks about peace and talks of creating a two states, to this day there has been no real peace in negotiation talks.

Reading one

I have to be honest; when I learned that a requirement for this class is to keep a public blog for all my fellow classmates to read, I almost dropped this class from fear. Sharing my thoughts in general is a very difficult task for me. Since preschool, I've always dreaded sharing time and this continued on into high school. Entering college, I made a vow to myself that I would change. However, three years later, I'm still the same. Since no other interesting class can fit into my schedule, I've been forced into a corner to make the first steps in change. I am hopeful that this class will become an unintentional blessing. So then, my expectations for this course is to help myself become comfortable with contributing to discussions with my peers and rid myself of feelings of incompetency. I know nothing about Jerusalem, other than from biblical accounts. Though I lack knowledge in the topic, I hope that my perspective will be deemed useful.

The postponement of the Jerusalem festival was sort of a shock to me. "What was the big deal?" I thought. If it were a Chinese festival, things would be simple. We would hire some lion dancers, have the women dress up in the traditional Qi Pao dress, serve up some rice and we have ourselves a pretty decent festival. China has long prided itself in having a unified culture. As a Chinese American myself, this is what I am accustomed to. It is hard for me to relate to this Israeli-Palestine conflict other than think about how a Asian American would represent oneself in a American Festival. But, this comparison is not a fair comparison in my eyes. From these articles, I have been exposed for the first time to the diversity of interests and beliefs in Jerusalem. I am slowly beginning to understand the difficulties in representing all sides of Jerusalem as equals, without offending and surpassing one over the other, whilst paying close attention to religious, political and cultural diversity. As the class progresses, I hope to learn about the underlying struggles that each group has had to bear and trace it through current times. I also hope to further learn about current efforts for peace and unification.