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?