This is a brief video of a Sufi religious ceremony that I captured in my recent travels to Turkey. Armstrong briefly discussed Sufism in the last chapters of the novel. Sufism is a branch of Islam. The most well know order of Sufism is that of the Whirling Dervishes. The Whirling Dervishes are famous for their trance like state achieved during prayer.
To begin with, of the all the sections of the book that we have read, I found this section to be the most appealing. I think it may be a biased view due the nature of my recent travels to Turkey and learning of Islamic culture. I was intrigued by the continual mention of Sufism and the Ottomans.
With that said, I would like to address Armstrong's statement made on page 298. Armstrong states, "The Holy Land did not belong to either the Christians or the Muslims, Who were fighting over it at the present time." This passage struck me because I feel that the land actually belongs to nobody and everyone at the same time. As previously stated in class, the only reason why people lay claim to the land today is due to emotional attachment and not actual ownership in most cases. I feel that with all of the changing of power that has taken place in Jerusalem throughout history, even leading to the 1100's, it is total ludicrous to claim that the land belongs to one set of individuals. 
The link below is to an article that I found rather interesting. The article addresses the topics of oppression and racism behind the demolition of Palestinian houses to build an archeological park in an eastern Jerusalem neighborhood.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1239710752849&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Maybe it’s just my ignorance, but I had a different vision of what a house in Jerusalem would look like. I was surprised to find that the house portrayed is very similar to houses built in the United States. Andi and David Arnovitz, a couple from Atlanta, uprooted to Jerusalem and built a house in the Baka section of Jerusalem. Here are some photographs.
The video below is of a controversial speech made Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday, April 20th at a United Nations conference on racism. I know that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not a well looked upon individual in the nation stage of foreign relations but, I feel that he is making a valid point. Previously, in class we discussed the actual “democraticness” of Israel and which allowed us to make our own conclusions.
In his speech Ahmadinejad is only expressing the truth according to the actual definition of democracy. The government of Israel has in fact created a racist platform through discrimination of Palestinians. I think it is shameful that people can’t respect Ahmadinejad’s point for what it is worth. I acknowledge the fact that he is a leader and he should have approached the situation in a different manner, but none the less he is addressing a point that needs to be heard for the betterment of Israeli-Palestinian relations.
Chapters ten through thirteen were not very interesting contextually. I feel they are dragging on the story that has become so typical throughout the novel- war and more war for religious peace. However, this section of the novel made me more inquisitive about the mind of man. I find it fascinating that all of these unmerciful acts were being attributed to religion and were done in the name of God and religion. Not only were people persecuted but they were made to live in a true religious hell. When referring to the development of new monasteries Armstrong states, "Each settlement was thus a new Eden, a new beginning. The monks could live a paradisal life of intimacy with God, like the first Adam." What Armstrong indirectly alludes to is that the original inhabitants of the locations were displaced and disregarded.
Initially Jerusalem was to be a holy city of peace in the name of religion, regardless of the religious group that held power, but it was transformed into a holy city fueled by political agendas and greed. As one group took power they attempted to out show and show up the previous groups feats. I feel it is this mindset of doing better than the last or being more notable than others is the main fuel to the fire in the Israeli Palestinian conflict. From the readings I am drawing that Armstrong is making a statement against religion and its definition of peace. I think Armstrong is trying to reveal the faults of the three religions to prove that one is in fact not better than the rest. Therefore one religion cannot claim to have the sole right to call Jerusalem its holy city, but rather they all need to learn how to share it as equals.
I am still indecisive about my feelings towards Armstrong's novel. One side of me is interested with the historical aspect of the novel however, I wish we would learn more about the present times of Jerusalem. I understand that the novel is developing but in my mind it is developing to slow. I feel as if the novel is dragging on and on.
One thing that struck me in these chapters was Armstrong's statements and development of the oppressive approach taken by the Christians towards the Jews. Through out these chapters Armstrong gives subtle hints then at the end she directly states that the Jews were discriminated against.
The most memorable statement in these chapters was the Jewish belief that, “God created a single man at the beginning of time to teach us that whoever destroyed a single human life would be punished as though he had destroyed the whole world; similarly, to save a life was to redeem the whole world.” I find this statement powerful in times such as these because people as a whole have forgotten and/or neglected the respect of others. We as a society need to accept the fact that everyone may not have the same values or beliefs that we do and that difference doesn't make them any lesser a person than ourselves.
As we delve farther into this novel I find more and more parallels to between the history of conflict and religion in Jerusalem that coincide with the modern Israeli Palestinian conflict. By providing a detailed history of the conflicts and explaining in detail the meaning of a holy cite Armstrong is creating an emphasis on the true meaning of Jerusalem to each religion. In Armstrong's account she states that a holy place functions as a gateway to the heavens. By stating this she proves that each religion, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, have a tie to Jerusalem because it is or once was their gateway to the Heavens.
I feel that scholars would agree that the information presented thus far in Karen Armstrong's novel provides a well balanced account of the events that have shaped and scared Jerusalem for thousands of years. In my opinion I feel that Armstrong achieves a balance between the religions by providing a detailed account of the history both good and bad. By expressing the numerous accounts of concurring and re-concurring of the city, Armstrong develops a narrative that expresses how conflict has scared the city as well as built it to become the Jerusalem we know today.
In chapters five through seven I was more interested by the material than in the previous chapters because it was more informational and provided a different take information that I was already familiar with.
I enjoyed the detailed explanation of the true meaning of a “holy cite." I liked how Armstrong made the distinction that something that is holy to modern society is not considered to be holy on the same standards that were used to establish Jerusalem as a holy city.
After reading these chapters, I think I have an understanding as to why Armstrong is providing a detailed and confusing background. By expressing the complexity of the history of the city in the past she is indirectly making the statement that the conflict is detailed as well and cannot be understood in a matter of minutes due to its complexity. I also have a feeling that Armstrong is using the history to make the statement that the conflict as we know it is not something that began as a result of the formation of a Israel Jewish state but the conflict is something that dates back to the founding of Jerusalem.
To begin with, I found it very interesting that the title of my blog appeared in the text. I named my blog The Holy City of Peace as a display of irony. The name Jerusalem means peace and the city is a holy city therefore it is a holy city of peace. It is ironic in the fact that it is named for peace but living there is anything but peaceful and in the fact that religion and peace are intertwined but the most religious place lacks peace. Armstrong may have referenced Jerusalem in this way to make a bold statement or I may have misinterpreted this due to the bias of my own personal views.
The beginning chapters of the book were filled with information that seemed to overwhelm the reader and provide a link to the complexity of the conflict. However, the readings were very educational and provided a very detailed history of Jerusalem.
I feel like Armstrong made a powerful interjection that correctly sums up the history of many of the conflicts that have plagued Jerusalem since its founding with the statement, “war was waged for the sake of peace.”
Below are a few things that represent who I am as an individual. I have many different interests in life and I can be defined in many different ways, but things I have chosen represent me the best
This is a quilt that was give to my mother as a baby shower gift. I still use the quilt as sense of comfort and a means of remembrance. My mother died when I was ten and I feel like this quilt is my blanket both figuratively and literally. It is not only a patch work of cloth but I feel like it represents the many events that have shaped my life. It is frayed on the corners and strong on the inside.
The above picture is of the 2006-2007 Xenia High School Vocal Ensemble. I was a Member of this superior Choir. This group shaped my life and provided me with many life lesson, friends, mentors, and a lasting appreciation for the arts.
My favorite quote is from the Tony Award winning musical RENT “forget regret of life is yours to miss.” Rent is a powerful story that tells of the struggles of young adults. It conveys a powerful yet timeless message of love, acceptance, and equality. Below is a video clip of my favorite song form the musical.
The short documentary titled Jerusalem: Gates to the City was a film that gave a better understanding of the way in which life is divided in Jerusalem. By portraying both the Arabs and the Jews separately the film gave insight into the definite division of the city. Both groups were shown in daily life to depict them as individuals not as enemies. I enjoyed the fact that the movie generally strayed from the topic of conflict and depicted both sides while doing so. I feel the film correctly displayed the two distinct sub-cultures of Jerusalem while maintaining a neutral point of view.
I find the title interesting because it is addressing the fact that there is a clear division between the two distinct religious groups. In the past it was common for major city to have a gate as the main entrance to that city. However, the title of the film refers to more than one gate by using the plural form gates. This form is used because Jerusalem is one city that is divided into two distinct sub-cities. The film followed this thought by displaying the two sub-cities as cities of their own.
With all of the turmoil created in the Israeli Palestinian Conflict, the arts have seemed to flourish as a means of expression as in many other turbulent periods throughout history. It is somewhat disturbing to think that such greatness in self expression can come from such horror.
Music - Oren Lavie a new artist hit the scene this year with his first single “Her Morning Elegance.” The Tel Aviv-born singer and songwriter never expected to become a viral sensation. On the infamous sight YouTube the video has received over four and a half million hits on YouTube.
Theatre - The theatre realm is even expanding. This year 13 fringe awards were awarded to Israelites. To name a few…
Best Play- Tzavta's Hatakala (The Mishap);
Best Director- Shai Pitovsky for Tzavta's Hatakala
Best Actor - Lavi Zitner for his role in Tmuna's Romeo and Juliet;
Best Actress -Adi Bielski for her role in the Givatayim Theater's Israeli Love Story
Dance - Modern Dance has grown in many aspects since it became main mainstream in the Post-war era with the help of Jerome Robbins, a well respected choreographer in the dance world. Robbins choreographed shows like West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof. It is not just Russia that is know for its dance capabilities anymore, Israel is quickly become a center for dance. This fall Israel's leading contemporary dance company,Batsheva Dance Company, performed at The Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University. It has been stated in many publications that the Batsheva Dance Company is arguably one of the top modern dance companies in the world.
“Those who wish for peace should pray for war…” Well, that was the bold statement made by the new Israeli Foreign Minister today during his first day on the job. The new Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, gave a very disturbing speech that seemed to have set the Peace negations back.
Check out this article published in the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/world/middleeast/02mideast.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast
