I have been thinking for a several weeks [ever since Vered initially gave out this assignment at the beginning of the semester]. The first time that I wrote this assignment I wrote that I couldn’t be any object because I am not capable of thinking in an abstract way therefore I couldn’t think of anything. It is difficult to separate the things that you like in life and the things that represent you. Although I love to eat stir fry I don’t think that it represents who I am.Yesterday it suddenly occurred to me that I am a book. As I went to verify this symbol of me as a book I was disappointed to discover that none of my friends perceive me as a book, but none the less I still think that I am a book. A book is usually thought as a done deal. Once the book is printed and published it goes without change. I am not a printed book, but rather a notebook or journal. I am dynamic and can change. I offer people around me help, knowledge and information. I am also a place that knowledge can be given to. I feel as though knowledge can be written down inside of me.A book is also a traditional way to convey knowledge and religion. Sometimes I feel as though I am a vessel that contains and can carry religious thought and practice. A book is something that can be open and shared with others and sometimes it can be closed and put on the side. Sometimes I like to be in the center around people and sometimes to be on the side and ignored. A book is something that can go any where and is multicultural. I am not yet multicultural but I hope to be one day.

Majdi's response to me [April 25]

Rebecca, I just want to say that I understand kind of what you mean although...I just wanted to point out that East Jerusalem is the Arab Palestinian side. I would know that because that is where about 95% of my family live.As for the soldiers, ..Allah has granted to each his eyes for whom the body and mind see things to each his/her own way. In the subject of the reference to the soldiers, I don't know if she was actually writing sarcasm. I think she was more of trying to put light of the situation by being humorous. And in case you were curious (but i'm sure you know), soldiers do racially profile Palestinians, or anyone who isn't "Israeli"...hence the point of the Passports, or Jerusalem Identification that Suad was writing about ...

from group blog April 25

In an hour we will all be videoconferencing with each other. Part of me wants to save my thoughts, feelings and views on the articles for when we meet "face to face", but I will write a little bit now anyways.It is difficult for me to read four politically and emotionally intense articles all one after the other. I know that I could have spread the out during the week, but I didn't. It is even more difficult for me to write about each one. Each article triggered new thoughts and emotions.The two articles that spoke about the way Jerusalem is portrayed in literature were interesting, but to fully understand them I would need to read the literature itself. While reading them I started to think if there is any other city in the world that causes so much emotion. Is there any other city that is portrayed as a person? Living in Jerusalem I feel this intensity that the city itself gives off. Do other people feel that in the cities that they live in or is this something that is unique to Jerusalem?As Andrea wrote, I also was most able to relate to Hassan-Rokem's writing. This understanding is probably due to our similar backgrounds [Jewish –Israeli -women] and beliefs.I felt as if I was having a dialogue with Suad Amiry as I read her dairies, which seemed to me more as memories. For me it was as if she was filling in the other half of a picture for me. I have lived my life in the East Jerusalem Jewish Israeli side, and here she was telling me her side, the West Arab Jerusalem side. As she writes about the soldiers and what seemed to her an absurd experience with Israeli soldiers and gas mask, I was thinking to myself, was I that soldier. Were these people that she kept referring to as "soldiers" were they my friends? I was trying to understand the whole situation and not just see it through her eyes. By writing in Arabic and English I could feel how she wants the reader to connect and feel for her and her story.I felt drawn in as a read it, but each time she wrote sarcastically about the soldiers or Israel, it made take a step back and think the situations through. I have a lot more to say and want to hear from others so I hope we do so now at the videoconference.Have a good day.Rebecca

link suggestion

Shalom There is alot going on in Israel for Jerusalem Day [tomorrow]. There have been a lot of articles in the paper.I found this link that has photography.The people are trying to use photography to bridge gaps in the society here and use the photographies to help make a change.the link is
www.activestills.orgif
you have time look at it

remarks on first week reading

I have read the articles over a month ago, before our first video conference. At the time I was extremely moved by the articles. Now that I have read everyone comments [or a lot of people’s comment, those that wrote] I feel more inclined to write about what people wrote and not the articles.I sensed that people were writing their comments from a political point of view. I wondered if these were good articles to read for the first reading. I would have preferred to read something that felt less divided. In this case it is two articles on the same subject. Each one representing their “side”. This is a very divided way to initially present Jerusalem.As a Jewish Israeli Jerusalemite, I have the privileged of seeing the situation as one that can be resolved. I attempted to look at the conflict between the two sides and try to find ways to bridge the conflict. This may have been one of the reasons that I had a difficult time reading Amiry article. I felt that she was blaming the Jewish Israelis for taking away the right of the Palestinians to have there own folklore. I would have rather she said that due to the Israeli occupation the Palestine folklore has changed. Instead she writes that the folklore is buried beneath. I think that there is folklore but the folklore is of occupation.Galit’s article was interesting to me to see how a folklorist attempts to portray an entire diverse religiously folklore in one exhibition. I feel that I would have done the same. I also wish that I would have been a student at that time so that I may have been able to take part in the gathering of folklore

introduction from group blog

Shalom to everyoneMy name is Rebecca Sullum. I am nearly 26 years old.I am hopefully graduating this year at Hebrew University with a degree in Jewish and Comparitive Folklore.I am currently living in Tel Aviv with my boyfriend.My family lives in Jerusalem [my mom and three younger sisters]My family moved to Israel from America 12 years ago, when I was 14. That was a tramatic experience, that may be I will write about another time.Ok this is it for now.Please ignore my spelling mistakes.Have a good day.