From Jerusalem
My name is Jamie Michaels. I'm a seminary student at Pacific School of Religion and joined this delegation after my partner took the journey a year and a half ago. I'm 26 years old, female, Christian, white, a US citizen, and a first-time visitor to Israel and Palestine. I tell you this because even after so little time here, it is so clear to me that who I am and where I come from so deeply impacts perspective. Today was our first full day in the country: and we PACKED it full! We spent most of the day in the "Old City," visiting holy sites from the three Abrahamic faiths. We visited the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque, holy sites for Muslims. We visited the Kotel, formerly the "Wailing Wall," a holy site for Jews. And we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchur, a holy site for Christians. We sat on the steps of the temple mount, the old platform built by King Herod, and talked about archaeological excavation and the history of this Holy City. We went to Hadassah Hospital and saw some beautiful stained glass windows made by Marc Chagall. And this evening, we listened to stories from a representative of "Other Voice," a group working toward active listening between Israelis and Palestinians living along the Gaza border.
What has hit me so far is the vast array of meanings this city - this land - has for people, and how the stories we tell about it impacts our understanding about the truth of the land. My friend Staci preached a sermon recently where she talked about "narratives masquerading as truth," that is, stories we tell ourselves, whether they are true or not, that become truth because of how they impact our perception. I have held this idea in my head while we are traveling: What stories have I told myself about this land? How are those stories making truth for me? What other stories might be true?
Behind me as I type this in the cafe are two young Israeli citizens whose conversation I can't help overhearing. The conversation is very complex, and I couldn't pretend to do justice to it here. They move between English and Hebrew, so I only understand about two-thirds of the conversation. The young woman, an Arab Israeli, recounts her experience being profiled, and harshly questioned, embarrassed, and made to feel ashamed by Israeli Defense Forces with her younger brother at the airport. She talks about how much she loves her country, how she cannot imagine living anywhere else, but how frustrated she is with the fear-based policies of her government. "What does Israel need to do?" her Jewish conversation partner replies, "what do we need to do?" She tells him, "Israel needs to start with the little things. Not the big, difficult things, but the little things that have come knocking on its door." I think about how this conversation is similar to those that must be happening all over the US among young people involved in the "Occupy America" movement. I think about how even the "Occupy America" movement has a different significance to me here, amongst an occupation of a different kind. I feel glad that young people here are engaged in similar conversations. And I hope that more conversations, more stories, more listening, will engender more understanding, more stories, more truths. I am so glad to know we have only just begun this journey. Until next time,
Peace, Salaam, Shalom.
Jamie
