Looking (Slightly) Beyond the Veneer

Observations from the Holy Land:

1. People on road signs in the United States are sticks: faceless and shapeless. In Israel, they are basically the same except for one important difference: some of them have wide brim hats on as if they are black hatted Ultra-Orthodox Jews. One must wonder, especially after understanding some of the internal politics of Israel, whether this was a concession by some Prime Minister to secure the votes of one of the ultra-orthodox sects. Seems likely. Either way, the hats people wear here in Israel will keep people-watchers entertained.

2. One thing you should try if you ever make it to Arab parts of the country is kunefeh. It is a cheese-based dessert served warm and made with vermicelli and syrup. It’s then topped with a small amount of crushed pistachios. It is colored orange much of the time, which makes ones think it might be citrus-flavored. But it's nuttier and creamier than that. Each place has its own different spin on this traditional dessert and some towns do it better than others. I would say which town takes the kunefeh, but I wouldn’t want to bias your opinion. At least not on desserts...

3. Bedouins are a very interesting group of people. There are things which the tribes have in common, such as their historically nomadic lifestyle, but they also differ from each other and often fight each other. At least in the past. Presently, their traditional way of life is changing rapidly.

The traditional life in desert tents has been swapped for living in desert towns. Many of the towns are in the Naqab (Negev) desert in the south of Israel. The Bedouin Arabs have faced forcible evictions, population transfers, demolition of homes and destruction of property, and confiscation of their lands since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. This is according to a report written by a commission headed by Eliezer Goldberg, former Israeli Supreme Court Justice.

It has been a difficult transition from nomadic to pastoral to urban life. Life in the desert is hard, but with the hardship comes independence. Certainly there is less of a worry about administrative hang-ups like applying for permits to build structures. If you would have told some of these Bedouin’s ancestors, even a century ago, that they would a) give up the traditional lifestyle and live in houses, and b) that they would then be denied permits from a new state to build in their own desert, they would have kicked you out of the oasis.

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights, states “the right of the people to be secure on their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.” This is one of the foundations of liberty in the U.S. The same protections are not being afforded the Bedouins in Israel. Of course this is a different nation and each country needs to act according to its own situation. But even Justice Goldberg said, “There is no justification for the state to treat the Bedouin residents in these communities differently from the way it treats the rest of the citizens of the state.” There is a lot more information about these people and their plight in southern Israel. Check out pictures of al-Arqeeb, a Bedouin village that has been repeatedly demolished, here.

Eitan's Internship at Yad Izhak Ben Zvi Institute

I am [finishing up] my internship at the Yad Izhak Ben Zvi Institute. The Yad Izhak Ben Zvi Institute, or Yad Ben Zvi for short, is located in beautiful Rechavia, Jerusalem. The Rechavia neighborhood was founded in a communal, moshav-like spirit and its architecture and culture reflect those ideals. Rechavia is known for its beautiful gardens and narrow, inviting streets that are conducive for getting to know your neighbors. Yad Ben Zvi is in fact located in the apartment complex that used to belong to Israel's second president, Izach Ben Zvi. Today the institute has expanded from its original location in that apartment to include parts of three adjacent buildings. They are building a new facility that will house the bulk of the institutes offices and archives.

Yad Ben Zvi's mission to research and do advocacy on behalf of the Jewish communities of the East; that is to say any Jewish community that is not Ashkenazi or of European descent. Yad Ben Zvi is also a leading institute in documenting the history of Jerusalem. The Ben Zvi Institute is associated with the Hebrew University and has partnerships with the Yad Vashem Institute for Holocaust Research. Many of its foremost researchers teach in universities in Israel and abroad.

The focus of my internship with Yad Ben Zvi is looking at how World War II affected the Jewish communities living in North Africa. While the policies of Nazi Europe were not wholly applied to North African Jewry, those communities experienced many hardships during the war and that experience has not been documented as thoroughly as their European counterparts. The aim of the project is to broaden the narrative of the Holocaust in order to foster a more communal response to the Holocaust amongst Jews, while filling large gaps in the academic literature.

Israel..you will be missed..

I have not taken the time to post my own entry thus far because I have been so busy enjoying every minute of this wonderful country. I will try to summarize my experience as best as possible but it will be hard to include all of the incredible things we have been through here. The first two weeks of this program were phenomenal. I learned so much and felt like I really immersed myself in the unique culture of this region. The impromptu debates between our tour guide and our speakers, the amazing cuisine, and the overwhelming hospitality we received from everyone has made me fall in love with this country. The following four week internship was difficult in that there was so much I wanted to experience and see and I felt like my time here was so short. While the the work I did at my internship was interesting the weekend adventures were the highlight of my week. Our first weekend trip to Haifa was so relaxing and fun. The people were incredibly nice, the food was amazing as always, and the beach was beautiful and relaxing. My favorite weekend however was when we ventured down to the south of Israel to Eilat. The first day we were down there we hopped over the border to Jordan to visit the ancient city of Petra. I would tell anyone who ever comes to Israel that you cannot leave without visiting this place. It was magnificently beautiful and the history and ancient architecture was just amazing. It was also really great to experience Arab culture which was warm and hospitable. On our second day in Eilat we went on a relaxing boat cruise on the Red Sea to a coral reef where we went snorkeling. Going back to our internship after this weekend was tough so we planned a relaxing trip to Tel Aviv for the following weekend. It happened to fall on the evening of White Night where the whole city of Tel Aviv stays up all night putting on concerts in the streets and the beach. It was so much fun and a great way to truly experience the vibrant nightlife of Tel Aviv. Our trip was cut short when I came down with a bad case of food poisoning, however I can now tell you that the hospitals in Israel are fabulous. We are spending our last week here finishing up all of the final things we wanted to do in Jerusalem and I am looking forward to spending my last day wandering the Old City. Israel is an amazing country and this program has been such an incredible experience. I can't wait to come back and visit again!

The Past and the Future in a 3000 Year Old City

Week two of the internship period is now behind me. This was a great week, filled with a lot of activities. The project I am currently tasked with at my internship – the Yad Ben Zvi Institute – is to read soldier memoirs from the North African campaign of WWII, summarize them, and post onto the YBZ online academic database. Individually the stories are not that interesting – a soldier reminisces about his loved one in London, another complains about the poor conditions of a POW camp. Other memoirs and war diaries have focused on the experience of being Indian or Jewish or Welsh and fighting under the British flag despite having some resentment toward the crown for policies directed towards the colonies. But when taken as a whole the stories tell a much broader narrative of the way in which the war was experienced by so many.

All of these men were individuals and their uniqueness comes through in writing style and what aspects of their war experience they choose to focus on. Some people are captivated with the places they pass through. Others relate the accounts of their comrades in arms. Others only write of their plans for after the war, using such vivid detail as if they were already living that dream as a kind of distraction from the harsh realities of their present circumstances. The goal of the project is to bring more focus onto the war in North Africa in order to broaden the narrative of the way the war is recorded and taught. Next week I will be moving on to reading about the experience of North African Jewry under Vichy and the Italo-fascist regime in Libya. Again here, we are trying to broaden the narrative in order to be more inclusive of the experience in the North African arena.

The highlight of my week was attending the President's Conference and getting to listen to so many politicians, academics and intellectuals. The conference focused on tomorrow and brought together influential people from around the world. My favorite session by far was listening to Shimon and Chemi Peres wax philosophical about their relationship and about their vision for Israel in the coming years. It was very inspiring. President Shimon Peres is an elder statesman with a lot of wisdom to impart and I listened attentively to their playful banter and anecdotes.

More interesting things to come, Im sure.

Bye for now – Eitan

Kaitlin's Internship at the Vidal Sassoon Institute of the Study of Anti-Semitism

The Institute is an independent, non-political research center that was established in 1982. The institute has numerous publications including their yearly Posen Papers and their bi-yearly ACTA series. They also have an online bibliographical database of more than 50,000 works on anti-Semitism from around the world and the institute puts on monthly symposiums and lecture series.
 
My main project for the institute involves searching major newspapers from the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia for any articles pertaining to or containing elements of anti-Semitism. Although this project occupies the larger part of my day at the institute I recently took on a second long term project. The institute offers grants to PhD students from around the world and I am creating a database of PhD programs in the United States in the fields of Jewish Studies or History and contacting the directors of these programs in order to advertise the institutes grant opportunities. Depending on the duration of these projects I may also work on applying for grants for the Institute as well.
 
In the first week that I have been at the institute I have learned much about the phenomenon of anti-Semitism both historically and in current day conflicts. I have access to thousands of publications on a wide range of subjects that my supervisor has encouraged me to read during any free time that I have. I have also learned much about what regions of the world contain the most recent currents of anti-Semitism and how their governments are responding to anti-Semitic acts. A great bonus to following the media on a daily basis is that I am always well caught up on what is happening throughout the world and am able to see how different countries report on events. By developing a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of anti-Semitism, both historically and modern day, I am better to understand Israeli and Jewish identity and how the sense of victimization affects their views towards their neighbors. I hope in my remaining time here I will gain a greater understanding of anti-Semitism and how it plays into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ottavia's Internship at The Abraham Fund

I am working at the Abraham Fund Initiatives, an organization that seeks to promote coexistence between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel. It does through six different major initiatives: Teaching Arabic language in Jewish schools, improving the treatment of Arab citizens by Israeli police, strengthening the status of Arab women, increasing policy-makers' familiarity with Arab society, developing Central Galilee as a model of shared living, and increasing education that promotes the concept of a shared society. I am working in the Public Advocacy and Government Relations department on a project that researches the early retirement of blue collar workers in Arab society. I am writing a report on how other countries throughout the world deal with the issue of men who do manual labor being forced to retire early due to declining health so that Israel can use this as a model for dealing with this problem. The Abraham Fund is located in Neve Illan, a town in the Jerusalem Hills about 15 km from Jerusalem. I hope to gain a better understanding of the problems that exist between Jews and Arabs in Israel and how this organization believes these problems can be solved.

Katie's Internship at The Abraham Fund

The Abraham Fund works to promote coexistence and equality among Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens.  The Fund believes in advancing a cohesive, secure and just Israeli society through the promotion of social change, advocacy, and public education. 

The Fund has five main initiatives that it uses to promote the above goals. 

-          Seeks to mandate the teaching of Arabic language and culture for all Jewish students in Israel’s public schools. 

-          Seeks to improve the relationship between Israel Police and Arab society through multicultural awareness programs and an improvement in the scope and quality of services provided to Israel’s Arab citizens.

-          Seeks to combat poverty in the Arab sector by promoting the status of Arab women in their communities.

-          Works with government leaders, the media, and private sector to advocate for policies that promote a shared and equal society for all citizens by raising awareness of the importance of social inclusion to Israel’s future. 

-          Seeks to develop the Central Galilee as a model for shared living in ethnically mixed regions.

For the Abraham Fund I am researching South Africa’s cohesion tactics after Apartheid.  What types of strategies they used to bring a sense of unity to the country and promote coexistence between races.  The Abraham Fund is interested in South Africa as a model for further initiatives and tools that Israel can use to resolve the conflicts between Arab and Jewish Israeli citizens.

The Abraham Fund is located outside of Jerusalem in the town of Neve Ilan.

Matt's Internship at CIS and Moshe Dayan Center

My internship is through both the Center for Iranian Studies and the Moshe Dayan Center, several professors, including both Meir Litvak and David Menashri are affiliated with them. Both  centers are located on the 4^th floor of the Gilman Humanities Building on TAU’s campus. Upon arriving, I met some of the interns from the Moshe Dayan Center, I went on a tour of the campus and became acquainted with the Library and the schools database.

I intend to use the resources of both centers to understand the change in Israel’s National Security Strategy following the events of the end of the Cold War and the 1991 Gulf War, assessing both the reasons for the change of policy as well as the implications on the Middle East and, more specifically, on Iran. With the access to the library and the databases, I hope to begin my own personal research this weekend in preparation for a meeting with him on Tuesday.

Next week, I intend to fully engage professor Litvak in my research project, as well as find out more about how Interns can submit articles to the Iran-Pulse and the Tel Aviv Notes, both of which are publications released by CIS and the Dayan Center respectively.

Nate's Internship at Mossawa

My internship is with Mossawa, which is located in the Wadi Lisnas neighborhood in Haifa. I am working on issues concerning the Arab citizen minority in Israel. Currently, I am conducting research on the Arab Bedouin population in the Negev desert. The research concerns the Prawer Report, which was written to implement the policy recommendations laid out in the Goldberg Report. The Goldberg report was the output of the Goldberg Commission charged with making recommendations concerning the Arab Bedouins in the Negev desert.

In addition, I attended a J Street U. meeting with a colleague. During informal sessions, I helped answer questions about the Negev Bedouin issues. I will use this internship opportunity to practice Arabic and do some translating.

I hope to use this internship to learn about many different issues concerning the Arab minority and their rights. Now, I am working with the issues on the ground, but there will be more opportunities to explore higher politics concerning legal agreements between Israel and the EU.

Nick's Internship at Mossawa

The staff at Mossawa are amazing, friendly people. The center's mission is to advocate the rights of the Arab Palestinian citizens of Israel by engaging with civil society, NGOs, media, and government officials both foreign and domestic. The center is located in the Arab residential neighborhood of Haifa, a city typically described as a city of "coexistence." I have learned, however, that this is not the case.

On Monday we were introduced to the entire staff at a weekly meeting where everyone discussed current projects he or she was involved in. They were kind enough to explain each project to us and asked us which projects were of personal interest.

Since Monday, I have been working with co-worker Mbarak on developing a detailed schedule for the center's first summer camp which will take place from July 20-July 30. The schedule was given to me in Arabic and translated by Mbarak into broken English. I then developed the English schedule and, as 6 camp participants are coming from Spain, my Spanish translation skills helped out.

I have learned a great deal about Arab Palestinian rights in Israel and current legislation that jeopardizes human rights. Although I take everything with a grain of salt, I am fascinated by all perspectives. Everyone is very passionate about their political and ethnic identification and it makes for great conversation. I feel very included in all aspects of the center and hope that next week will be just as productive.

My goals for next week are to help out during the center's presentation in the Negev ( we will be going on Monday). We will be teaching Bedouins how they can best address the human rights issues they suffer. I also hope to learn the exact nature of village demolitions and how the society deals with the situation.

I had a co-worker take this picture today in front of the sign that reads "Mossawa"

Weekend Trip to Haifa

This past weekend we (Katie, Kaitlin, Lauren, and Ottavia) went to visit Nick and Nate who are doing internships two hours north of Jerusalem in Haifa. There is only one word to describe this city, a word we have often used throughout our trip: EPIC! Haifa is on a hilltop called Mt. Carmel overlooking the mediterranean sea. The most famous site to visit is the Ba'hai gardens, beautiful gardens that start at the top of Mt. Carmel and descend all the way down to the Ba'hai Temple. People of the Ba'hai religion are supposed to pilgrimage to Haifa at least once to see these gardens. The temple holds the tomb of the prophet Elijah, one of the most prominent figures in the religion. After our first day at the beach, where the water was warmer than in Tel Aviv and where you could relax at beach bars with cool music, we toured the Ba'hai gardens and then headed to the beach again. We stopped for lunch in the German Colony, an area at the bottom of the hill where you can see all the levels of the Ba'hai gardens. Interestingly, there is also a Germany Colony in Jerusalem with a similar house structure and atmosphere. A waitress in Jerusalem explained to us that all the German colonies in Israel share the same characteristics and were founded by German Lutherans of the Temple Society. Once WWII began the British asked the Germans to leave, nicely i'm sure. It seems that these areas have been turned into neat restaurant/bar neighborhoods where many foreigners now live. We went to the German colony area in Jerusalem for dinner this week and had a great time. Anyway, we had a lovely weekend in Hafia and would recommend it to people coming to Israel. The only downside were the huge jellyfish eeeek! But don't worry they are seasonal, and it seemed that we were the only ones who were concerned.

Israel: A Culinary Tour

Hello from Jerusalem! As someone who incorporates food and restaurants into all of her travel experiences, I would be completely remiss if I did not write to you all about the incredible food experience we have had here. I am Italian, and in Italy asking someone what they have eaten that day is like asking the question how are you in English. Food is that important. So take it from someone who knows good food when I tell you that Israeli cuisine is incredible. From hummus, to falafel, to freshly baked pastries and bread, I have not had a single meal I did not love here. Let me start with the hummus. We have been to some of the best hummus restaurants in Israel, including Abu Hassan in Jaffa. The menu was very simple, either regular hummus, hummus with fava beans in it, or their special hummus that they make with a blend of herbs and spices. I had the special hummus and the perfect flavor and texture will make it hard for me to eat hummus when I come home. We have had hummus at almost every place we have traveled throughout Israel, and it is made differently in every location. The Arabs in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem had their own version as did the Bedouins and the Druze, but they are all equally delicious in their unique ways. Next is the falafel. Almost anywhere you go in Israel, this fried chickpea specialty is fried to perfection, crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. Never dry like the falafel you get in the States most of the time. My personal favorite is a falafel place right outside our dorms here at Hebrew University's Student Village that serves falafel in pita bread with your choice of hummus, vegetables, and sauces. The baked goods here also the best I have had (outside of Italia of course :-) ). Bread is often baked in a brick oven and I have had it for breakfast with freshly made jams or with my lunch or dinner with different spreads and spices. As for the pastries, you cannot leave Israel without trying Rugelach, a crescent shaped pastry with chocolate inside. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Italian cornetto filled with nutella, but I have been to the Jewish quarter at least once a week since arriving in Jerusalem for this superb sweet. In short, dining in Israel has raised my culinary standards and while I still uphold that Italy has the BEST food, Israel comes in a very, very close second place.

The first two weeks of this program have exceeded all my expectations. We have met with local politicians, journalists, peace activists, Bedouins in the Negev, and archaeologists. Not to mention, our guide Ruti knew so much about Israeli society and culture that it was challenging to wrap my mind around it all. But, I managed.

Professor Ziv has organized a remarkable program of study. Not only have we been exposed to ideas which span all parts of the political spectrum, the site visits - especially to the Golan Heights and to various Palestinian centers - have significantly helped me to understand certain aspects of the much discussed Arab-Israeli conflict.

The information I have learned from the first part of this program has also helped me shape my own personal views of the political situation which plagues this beautiful country. I have changed some of my previously held views, and solidified others.

I can not wait to see what the internship portion of the program will bring, but I'm sure it will be worth more than words can express.

Hello from the girls dorm!

Since none of us have blogged before, we thought it would be nice to write our first blog together. We are two weeks in and this is our first blog because our time here has been packed with activities. Today, for example, we spent our entire day off on the beaches of Tel Aviv. It is a hard life but someone's got to do it. But seriously, in addition to our beach days we have been traveling and having lectures with many parts of Israeli society. From meeting with political parties in the Knesset to having tea with Bedouins in the desert we have seen many different perspectives on Israeli culture and the challenges it faces. These past two weeks have probably brought up more questions than answers. We look forward to continuing our discussions over the next few weeks and hearing as many views as possible. Hopefully we will have some words of wisdom for you at the end of our time or at least a more developed look at the conflict. We are sure the next few week will fly by as fast as these last two because as we often say... Well, this is the best class I've ever taken.Talk to you again soon!

Kaitlin, Katie, Lauren, and Ottavia

SIS Program in the news!

The group met with members of the United Arab List (Ra'am-Ta'al), the largest Arab party in the Knesset, on Monday, June 6.  They have also been able to talk to parliamentarians from the Labor and Independent parties as well.  An article about the June 6 visit was published in two Arabic language news sites:

http://www.panet.co.il/online/articles/1/2/S-416652,1,2.html

http://www.alarab.net/Print/377010

English summary of the article:

The article mentions that Ibrahim Sarsour met with 9 students and Dr. Guy Ziv as part of an American academic program to visit Israel and the Palestinian towns.

The MK talked about the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Arab initiative that Israel rejected, and the discriminatory treatment of Arabs in Israel.

He also addressed Bibi's speech to congress and pointed out that it was full of factual errors and lies.

He took the opportunity to distribute a letter that Arab parties sent to Obama.

He concluded by answering questions from students.

Mosaic

Steve being indecent on the Temple Mount

I have been in Israel for thirteen days now with my colleagues. Under the leadership of Professor Guy Ziv (and backup leader Steve Glickman), we have been inundated with the peoples, the cultures, and the conflicts afflicting Israel internally and outside the borders. We have visited so many sites and met with so many individuals that taking in all the information would be impossible. But if there is one thing people in Israel are not, it is shy. And this goes for their hospitality (which is genuine and welcoming-especially if they know you are American) as well as their opinions, which are as diverse as the people.

Some of the places we have been include: Temple Mount (including the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque), The Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Mount of Olives, Sea of Galilee, Negev Desert, and the Golan Heights. We have met with writers, politicians, peace activists, officers in the Israeli Defense Force, and Palestinians. There are so many places to see and so many people to meet that it can seem overwhelming at times. Being able to see Jerusalem (truly a strikingly beautiful city) and Israel from the many different perspectives and hear so many opinions is truly a blessing. But in the land for blessings, there certainly has been no shortage of tragedy.

People live politics and conflict on an everyday basis. There are a number of breaks in Israeli society beyond Israeli-Palestinians. A member of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, told us that she likes to focus on the larger picture because issues in the Middle East, and Israel in particular, can easily degenerate into a multitude of details that can be confusing. For her, this is a luxury she has as an elite member of the government whose job is to try to make sense of the larger picture although she no doubt has to struggle herself. But what I have realized is that for the majority of people here, their life is one of those details from which that they cannot run. In other words, they are living the reality of living in a fought-over land and the problems often seem intractable.

That being said, people go on with their lives. Last week, we went to a concert here in Jerusalem and saw the joy on the faces of the youthful crowd. It could have easily been mistaken for an American concert if the words were in English and there were not teenage Israeli Defense Force soldiers in their olive-colored uniforms mingling with the rest of the young people. Yesterday, we met with Bedouins in the southern desert, the Negev. The town of Rahat is actually the first Bedouin town established as a town because they are traditionally a nomadic people who lived out of tents. Interestingly, two of the Bedouin men we met with, both with good jobs and well-educated, stated that if they had a choice, they would return to the tent and the nomadic lifestyle. But the tidal wave of modernism has swept through even the Bedouins’ population and there’s no going back.

I hoped to give you, the reader, just a small introduction to and a glimpse at the Israel my colleagues and I have had the opportunity to experience the past couple of weeks. There is a lot going on here besides the politics but the tense political situation inevitably finds its way into every conversation and seeps into every aspect of the lives of the people. Now off to learn more in this land which has been contested for thousands of years.

Lucky enough to have experienced Jerusalem with this group!

What an amazing group!  It was a real treat to have seen students in action... finding out why the Frank Sinatra Cafe at Hebrew U was named after the famous singer, tasting the very best pistachio baklava that the Jewish quarter had to offer, practicing a few words in Hebrew with the program's faculty director - this is the stuff that memories are made of.  Of course (and more importantly!) there was the program curriculum and its site visits, too... an introduction to Israeli politics and society, the archaeology and history of Jerusalem, the Western Wall, Temple Mount, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, etc... Looking forward to hearing more about what this group gets up to in the next 5 weeks.  Enjoy the photos, and thanks for letting me tag along!  - Rebecca

 

First Post! - Better Late Than Never!

Hello all! We have been very busy these past few weeks in Israel, hence the lack of blog posts. Nevertheless, with the seminar period ending soon, including the intense schedule of trips to the north,tours of the Old City and interviews with key leaders, the blog should begin to fill up nicely!

The picture above goes out to Rebecca Bellinger, for all of her amazing work in securing this trip and making it an unforgettable experience!

Now, as I am in the midst of several activities and cannot make an in-depth post at this time, I will simply leave you with a few words for those not in Israel, and a few words for those who are here with me. To those of you considering traveling to Israel, for credit or not, DO IT! Israel is a journey of the body, mind and spirit that you will never forget.

To my friends traveling with me I have but a few words for you:

"Epic"
"Apples"
"Where is Steven"
"Don't test these besties"
"What did Eminem's Grandmother say to Eminem when she found out he could knit?"
"3AM jogs along the beach"


-Matt