2 Blogs for Day 3, by Simone Zimmerman, UC Berkely ’14 & Evan Kelner-Levine, Yale ’12
The Tension in the Dream, by Simone Zimmerman, UC Berkeley ’13
A Single Line, by Evan Kelner-Levine, Yale ’12
For more photos, click here.
The Tension in the Dream
Today our group continued on our wild journey through generations of Israeli history and a wealth of different cultures and national narratives that are all essential pieces in the giant puzzle that is Israel.
We started our morning meeting with historian and founding Kibbutznick Muki Tzur. Muki described life on the kibbutz pre-1948, the growth of pre-state institutions, the relationship between studies of Judaism and socialism, and early Zionist ideology. We started on Kibbutz Ein Gev, moved to watch a video about the famous poet Rachel Bluvstein, and finished our morning with him at a beautiful cemetery overlooking the Kineret, the sea of Galilee, where Rachel and other famous Israelis are buried.
Muki sees Israel as a project very much still in its building process, and tried to imbue in us the values of hope and creativity as we looked towards the future. He said to reject loneliness and victimhood, for Zionism was in born out of the desire to overcome Jewish suffering, and thus the Israeli project should be self-empowering and freeing, not defeating and constraining.
I’ve been thinking about that throughout our time here, and the tension between that vision and the narratives of fear and loss and suffering on both sides that so shape this conflict today. So much of what I see us doing on this trip is holding together that loss and that dream, the beauty of this place and the suffering of this conflict.
It was fitting that our day would end tonight as our bus pulled up to the Haas Promenade for a view overlooking all of illuminated Jerusalem. The view is spectacular, to say the least. Idan, our tour guide, shared tales of the Jewish connection to Jerusalem, concluding with the song Jerusalem of Gold by Naomi Shemer, which she read in English and played for us in Hebrew.
The beautiful golden dome of the Temple Mount, Haram al-Sharif, stands out in the center of the city that has been at the center of our religion for two-thousand years, and we reminded ourselves that this city is not only holy for us but for others as well. From a distance may look like one united city, but it is in fact divided, not only between East and West but also lying at the heart of so many of Israel’s deepest and most painful struggles, which we are about to seriously wrestle with over the next few days. We reflected together on how the beauty of the moment existed alongside the knowledge that we were standing in the heart of East Jerusalem, what Palestinians consider the capital of their nation. We were moved by the words of Jerusalem of Gold, but were reminded of Amos Oz’ reflections — included in our massive reading packet for this trip — that even imbedded in that beautiful song are problematic claims as to who and who is not recognized in this holy city.
At the close of our first full day together, J Street U Daniel May shared with us the vision that guided the creation of this trip, which is to cultivate:
First, an appreciation of everything that is Israel. From the realization of the geographic proximity of Damascus to Haifa, to the unique Jewish traditions of Tsfat, to the task of reconciling Israeli and Palestinian national narratives, there is much from just the first couple days that has already deepened our appreciation of this place.
Second, a deeper understanding of the profound struggles at the depth of Israel’s soul as a Jewish and democratic state. While our bus driver insisted that only someone born here will ever be able to understand this country, and that we, as American visitors, had no legitimate purpose in even being here, and Ami Ayalon joked that no two week trip can lead to understanding given that after several generations Israelis — and after two thousand years of living here, Jews — still do not understand this place, I know the learning we’ve all done over the last 48 hours has challenged many of our preconceptions.
Third, a sense of responsibility in becoming personally involved and invested in Israel and the region. Today alone, we engaged with a pioneer, a warrior of the state, and with activists. As aspiring peacebuilders, we have already been given so much to challenge us, and we have barely chipped the surface. I feel a tremendous amount of responsibility already, and a tremendous amount of privilege for being able to participate in this journey with J Street U. I’ve been to Israel many times in many different capacities, but this is my first trip where I am finding that I can, without contradiction, bring together my deep love for this country with my deep commitment to exploring the toughest challenges facing Israel today.
Simone
Simone Zimmerman
UC Berkeley ’13
June 16, 2011
A Single Line
I have been doing a lot of listening.
It is of course impossible for anyone, regardless of their identity or which “side” they’re on, to have a concise opinion about all the conflict in Israel / Palestine. Amongst all of the talking, though, on this my second day ever in Israel, I’ve found that many of the people we’ve met with have at some point delivered a single line that, though still an inadequate summary, nonetheless manages to capture and symbolize who they are and where they’re coming from. Here are three from today:
“Honestly it does not concern me.” — said one young Israeli Arab grassroots activist, when asked what she thought of the argument that historical persecution of Jews justifies the existence of Israel as a Jewish state. She went on to explain that although she felt bad for past Jewish suffering, she did not think it represented any valid justification for the Zionist movement that has in turn caused suffering for her and her people.
“As much as this hurts me and represents an enormous compromise, I’m willing to admit that the Jews need a homeland in Israel. But I cannot accept a Jewish state that treats its Arab minority as second-class citizens,” said another young Israeli Arab grassroots activist moments later.
“You must understand that I’m not taking this position because I care about Palestinians. Honestly I don’t care about them.” – said a retired high-ranking Israeli military leader, after explaining to us that he saw a fair two-state solution as the only way to preserve both Israel’s Jewishness and its democracy.
This region has millions of voices as varied–and as resolute–as these. If there’s one thing that is unequivocally clear to me after just two full days here, it is that absorbing and processing this cacophony could fill up a lifetime.
Evan
Evan Kelner-Levine
Yale ’12
June 16, 2011
