This city tour, organized jointly by WBC and Holy Local Aliens, had neither a single guide nor a pre-determined route. It was created by its participants, who were asked to suggest places and sights connected to Europe. The twenty participants gathered on October 30th at the YMCA, opposite of the famous King David Hotel. These two locations where the first out of eleven places along the route through the Old City, Nevi’im Street, Me’a She’arim, the City Center and Nachlaot.

Ten of the participants presented to us the locations they have chosen and explained their historical, cultural and personal backgrounds, as well as the reasons they relate these places to Europe. The history of the Jaffa Gate area reflects European Influence – from Roman times up until the 20th century. The New Imperial Hotel right behind Jaffa Gate is located where one of the tenth Roman Legion was based; a column with a Roman inscription can still be seen in the courtyard. In 1898, Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II visited Jerusalem and stayed at the Grand Hotel with his wife Augusta Viktoria. European banks, tourist agencies and post offices were located in the vicinity of the gate. After the British took charge of Jerusalem on December 9th 1917, General Allenby walked through the Jaffa Gate.

Right behind Jaffa Gate is the Armenian Quarter, where the participants where welcomed by Malkon, an Armenian resident of the Old City. He explained about the European origin of the Armenian people, their religious history and the genocide they were subjected to in 1915. He also invited us to this home, where we had snacks and personal conversations.

We left the Old City through Damascus Gate and stopped at the German Schmidt School before we walked down the most European and international street in Jerusalem: HaNevi’im, the Street of the Prophets. As Jerusalem expanded outside its walls during the mid-19th century, HaNevi’im Street became home to consulates, hospitals and hospices, as well as notable private homes such as the Tabor House, which was built in 1882 by German archaeologist, missionary and architect Conrad Schick.

Ruth, one of the participants, introduced us the first European Jewish Hotel in Jerusalem: Hotel Kaminitz, hidden in a backyard near Davidka Square. Apart from a few spooky stories, the hotel is also known for Theodor Herzl’s one-night stay in 1898; as the Kaiser’s entourage had taken up every available guest room, Herzl had no choice but to spend the night in the corridor of the hotel.

At a Russian grocery shop near Mahane Yehuda Market, Sasha, another participant, introduced us to post-soviet shopping culture. For many immigrants from the former Soviet Union, this weekly shopping trip connects them to their past, with shelves stocked with dried mushrooms, Russian beer and sweets, and even pork sausages in the fridge. The last stop on the tour was the Greek synagogue in the Greek neighborhood of Nachlaot.

The participatory tour formed new connections between its participants. They changed their roles during the tour, from a speaker to a listener and vice versa. By sharing oral history, people did not only connect to the places and sights, but also to each other. The participants shared, networked, discussed and exchanged. This also allowed underrepresented narratives to surface and challenge the dominant discourse which shapes places and the city.

 

Corona, Economy, Unions: The Effects of the Pandemic on Israel

 

For our partners from the Hans Böckler Foundation, we hosted and organized an online seminar titled “Corona, Economy, Unions: The Effects of the Pandemic on Israel”. Usually we would have hosted the annual study trip of the Hans Böckler Foundation, which of course had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Hence, in order to stay in touch with our partners and learn about the current situation, we organized a digital alternative. The first part was an overview given by Tobias Pietsch, WBC’s Project Manager, on the general situation in Israel which these days is affected by by the Corona-crisis, the protest against the government and Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as the normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

During the second part, the 65 participants had the chance to discuss with the panelists and ask their questions. Dr. Roby Nathanson, CEO of MACRO – The Center for Political Economics, criticized the government for not including economic measures in its crisis management, and provided detailed data on how the pandemic is affecting Israel’s economy and labor market. Bernhard Schulz, Head of Labor and Social Affairs at the German Embassy Tel Aviv, explained his perspective on the crisis management and how it effects his personal and professional life. Peter Lerner, Head of the International Relations Division of the Histadrut, highlighted the import role of unions in this crisis. He described how the Histadrut managed to save jobs and ensured safety and security for workers.

(16. September 2020)

 

An Online Lecture by Dr. Elazar Ben-Lulu on the Anthropological View on Gender, Sexuality and Religion: Intersections, Challenges and Contradictions – 29 August 2020

 

In his online lecture on gender, sexuality and religion, Dr. Elazar Ben-Lulu from Ben Gurion University gave insights into his research exploring religious rituals, and invited us to think about social values, cultural norms and human behaviors.

Dr. Ben-Lulu explained that when we look at worshipper’s religious performances, we realize how much our body is a dominant actor in spiritual and religious experiences: by standing, sitting, touching or clapping, as well as other physical gestures, we deliver symbolic messages regarding God or community. Thus, the positionality of the body in the ritual structure is intersected with gender and sexualities matters.

Throughout history, gender and sexual issues such as homosexuality or sexual harassment were excluded from the religious sphere and discourse. Today, however, diverse liberal religious communities around the world invite members to celebrate their sexualities or other gender and bodily experiences. In this contemporary postmodern era, people have the opportunity to reconnect to their body and sexuality by using sacred texts, material objects and political items.

Feminist, LGBT and queer calls challenge the patriarchal realm and expose creative means to renew traditional customs, and create new ones. This egalitarian mission, which has crossed boundaries, cultures and societies, sheds light on religion as a social construction, and discovers new attitudes toward our own body as well as “other” bodies.

Dr. Ben-Lulu’s lecture was accompanied by texts, photos and video materials, and raised questions by the online audience about the relevance of rituals in today’s daily life, with a special focus on the latest developments in Israel.

 

Studying Jerusalem with Students from the Givat Haviva International School

 

While most of the international students of Givat Haviva International School (GHIS) had to return to their home countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we decided to organize a study day for the remaining students. In order to learn about history, cultures, religions and narratives, we began our tour on the Mount of Olives. The group included Muslims, Jews and Christians from all over the world, many of them visiting Jerusalem for the first time. During our visit to churches, mosques and synagogues, we collected the stories of the various locations, their meaning and connections to the different religions. In the lush green garden of the Austrian Hospice, we tasted some delicious pastries and coffee before enjoying the amazing view from the rooftop. In Abu Tor and at the Willy Brandt Center, we focused on the mixed neighborhood and cross-border encounters, which also sparked a discussion on the interactions in the International School.

 

 

New cooperation with Holy Local Aliens

Building bridges across borders

 

I: Meteor Showers  in the Negev Desert. 

In August, we launched a new cooperation with Holy Local Aliens. They are a community of locals (and non-locals) in Israel and Palestine, meeting to explore and build bridges across borders. As mid-August happened to be the peak season of the Perseid Meteor Showers, we decided to organize a trip to a famous spot for stargazing: the Ramon Crater in the Negev Desert.

One of the participants – Marianna – described the group in the following words: “There were people from Israel and Palestine of course, as well as Argentina, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Canada, and probably other places that I forgot. My favorite part about these trips is the people“. The group consisted of 30 people –10 Israelis, 10 Palestinians and 10 Internationals. As the bus took off for the 3-hour drive from Jerusalem to Mitzpe Ramon, talks and discussions commenced. Ruth, co-founder of Holy Local Aliens, introduced the two-day program, while Roque, an Argentinian astronomer, offered explanations on meteors, stars and planets, and Palestinian participants proudly presented their university system to the Israelis in the group.

Our first stop was at the Black Hebrews community in Mitzpe Ramon. The community, also known as African Hebrew Israelites, came from the United States to Israel in the 1960’s, but their roots are in Liberia. The community has become mostly known for their healthy holistic lifestyle: all members are vegan, and refrain from eating meat, dairy products, and foods with chemical additives. We met Britney and Yatibia who are running a vegan restaurant in Mitzpe Ramon, where we tried delicious vegan bacon, salads and sandwiches. Yatibia elaborated on their way of life, their Jewish roots and beliefs, and their struggle for acceptance and recognition by the Israeli society and government. Most members of the Black Hebrews community are not citizens of Israel, the group was granted permanent residency status only by the end of 2003. As the warm and interesting encounter with the family came to its end, we headed off to our camp at the center of the crater.

Astronomers from Mitzpe Ramon brought telescopes to the crater, through which we could watch Mars, Venus and Saturn, and a few star constellations. While sitting or lying on the ground under the impressive Milky Way, dozens of meteors drew their tails on the dark canvas of the night sky in a spectacular show. As the joint program ended, small groups gathered to get know each other better, discussing or taking pictures beneath the stars.

The night we spent on the camping mats under the stars was quite short, as we got up the next morning for a sunset hike. A short bus ride took us up to the visitor Center of Mitzpe Ramon, where we were welcomed by a few snoopy wild goats (Nubian Ibex). As we walked along the edge of the crater, the sun rose above and created beautiful silhouette pictures of the group. Walking along the cliff of the crater towards the Camel Hill on the other side of town, we did some more activities to get to know each other and learned about personal backgrounds and motivations to join the trip. As it got much too hot for any outdoor activity, we headed back to the bus and drove to one of the many unrecognized Bedouin villages in the Negev. As there are no roads or signs that lead to these communities, the 12-year-old son of Salman showed us the way on a quad bike. Salman hosted us in the community’s main tent and explained about their lifestyle, culture and struggles with the authorities. Even though they have been living with their flocks in the desert for generations, the government does not recognize their villages and wants them to relocate into modern towns and cities. This is the reason they lack basic infrastructure and municipal services. Salman showed us how to make Bedouin bread in the ashes of the fireplace, and the traditional coffee that is key to Bedouin lifestyle.

After we enjoyed a delicious and fresh breakfast, we split into mixed groups for a workshop on how we imagine life to be on a different planet. Some of the fictive communities decided to live in matriarchal societies, others to overcome capitalism and abolish clothing sweatshops/factories. Most had creative and smart ideas on how to deal with the Covid19 crisis, and everyone imagined their planet to be a more equal, fair and just place than it is in our contemporary realities.

II: Sunset Hike around Nabi Musa

The second cooperation with Holy Local Aliens led another group of 30 people – from Palestine, Israel and allover – to Nabi Musa. This site, in the West Bank near Jericho, is believed to be the tomb of Musa (Moses). After visiting the part that was mainly built between 1470 and 1480, Ibrahim from the village of Khan Al Ahmar took the group on a hike in the desert. On the way, we stopped for a Bedouin dinner and enjoyed the view of the sun setting down over the desert.

Part of the program was a Qui-Gong practice, lead by Muad. One participant, Dori Bisk, reflected on the experience in a poem:

We stand in a circle

Arabs

Jews

The tips of our hands

Like the peaks
Of the mountains
Reaching for the
Pink purple skies
Of a setting sun
Ibrahim
Led us through the desert
Muad
reminded us to breathe
Inhale
Exhale
In groups of fours
And fives
We find
We have more
In common
Than we realize
We all like cats
We all speak English
We all love green
We all love the desert
We all love travelling
We’re all from Jerusalem
We’re all not from here
We laugh
We smile
We share food
Basil
strums the oud
Maram
sings
Others happily join in
We sit around a burning fire
Under a star-sparkling blanket
Of darkness
Arabs
Jews
Not us
or them
Me
or You
But one
And the same

 

(written by Dori Bisk)

 

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