Reading Response 5

I found chapters 8-10 in Karen Armstrong's book quite interesting.  In chapter 8, opening pages struck me. She talks about how the Romans had taken over Jerusalem, and how the Jews were being stricken of their religious practices.  These pages really put into perspective what these people were going through.  She talks about how symbolic the Temple was, saying "The Temple had represented the heart of the world's meaning, the core of the faith.." After the Temple was destroyed, it was as if most Jews had lost their faith because it was so central to their religion and their beliefs. The Temple seems to me like the heart of their faith, and without it they could not properly practice their beliefs.  It is encouraging to know that the Jews did not abandon their faith, and fought to keep their beliefs and practices alive.

Another part of the reading that I found interesting were the photos that were included. It was refreshing to get to see colorful pictures rather than just reading page after page.  Seeing these pictures also helped me better understand the geography and architecture of Jerusalem, as well as some of the cultural aspects. It also helped me see how beautiful of a city Jerusalem really is, and that it is full of life and culture. Since our group is doing our project over the culture of the people, I feel like these photos will be helpful when it comes time do to research and put our project together.

Weblog Journal 2

Before I give my opinions on the Arab-Israeli conflict and how to solve it, I would like for everyone to know that I have very minimal knowledge, if any, on this subject. I grew up in a non-religious household--I've never gone to church on a regular basis, nor do I hold any truly strong beliefs when it comes religious topics.  Because of this, my views on this topic may be very broad compared to most of you.  I have gathered from being in class that a lot of our fellow classmates have a much deeper understanding and knowledge of this conflict than I do, so I look forward to learning more about it by reading what everyone else has to say.

In my opinion, I believe that the Arab-Israeli conflict is so deep-rooted that I do not believe a true solution to the problem will ever occur.  As we can see from past attempts at peace, either side (or both) tends to reject whatever resolution may be drafted.  Because control has gone back and forth between Arabs and Jews, it is hard to divide out the land between the two without conflict over which part truly belongs to each group.

If each side would focus on their commonalities instead of what makes them separate from eachother, I believe this would be a good start in trying to come to some sort of compromise.  Both groups of people have inhabited this 'Holy Land' for a very long time, and they both have strong religious beliefs in that.  Like I said previously, this conflict is so deep-rooted that it may seem impossible to focus on anything other than the conflict itself, so this may be an impossible feat.

I also think that this conflict has been something that has been looked over by most of the world lately.  Everyone knows about it, but I feel as if the majority of national governments that have any sort of political power have not really tried to help the groups sort out the conflict. Maybe more international participation can somehow help the sides come to a compromise as well.

These suggestions are by no means a solution to the conflict, but I believe starting small is a good step to take.  If somehow both sides can see their similarities, and with the help of other foreign governments, I think that some sort of compromise may be attainable, but I do not believe that a true solution and lasting peace will ever be reached.

Reading Response 4

The chapter titled 'Exile and Return' was a very intriguing chapter by Karen Armstrong.  One thing that struck me was when she talked about how Ezekiel and how he creating a 'new sacred geography.' I found it interesting that when constructing the replica of Solomon's Temple (which had been destroyed) he surrounded the Temple buildings with 'two walled courts.' She speaks of how holiness and God began to be separated from humans at this point.  I found this interesting because before reading this I had never imagined these religious ideas being thought of as 'equal' to humans. 

Another part of the reading I found interesting was how the Tobiads tried to force the people of Jerusalem to get rid of their old and storied customs and embrace Hellenism.  I feel as though this is just like any other part of the world when it comes to colonization.  When the people of Jerusalem felt threatened, they clung even tighter to their religious practices.  

I think that is one of the main reasons why people feel the need for religion to have some sort of presence in their life.  When a group of people is presented with conflict, they seek comfort in knowing that something of a 'higher power' will see them through their problems.  Having these beliefs instills faith in the fact that even if their customs and cultures are stricken from them, they will still have their faith in whatever higher being they believe in, and no one can take that from them.

Reading Response 3

After reading the first four chapters of Karen Armstrong's book, I have gained an even better understanding of Jerusalem and its history. Prior to taking this class, I had little to no knowledge of the city, so I feel like this book will really help me gain a better understanding.

One thing that really stuck out to me in chapter one was how easily something could be named 'holy'.  The book talks about how anything "the unknown, the alien, or even the perfect seemed to.... point to something other than themselves." One question that has always been in the back of my mind is how certain objects become the symbol of a religion, and learning this has been insightful.  This makes me wonder why and how certain objects become so symbolic, more than just because they're "alien".

Another interesting fact I came across while reading was the conflict of what the bible says about Jerusalem versus what some archaeologists believe.  The book says that the first mention of Jerusalem is viewed as "enemy territory" but some archaeologists believe otherwise, finding little to no evidence of any type of conflict. This makes me wonder how those living in Jerusalem, as well as any religious scholar, feels about this revelation.  

This reading talks a lot about the cities and the conflicts surrounding religion. I find it ironic that there is so much violence that revolves around religion. I was not raised in a very religious household--I never went to on a regular basis--but I always associated religion with peace, and something that was helpful to people, not something that caused so much conflict.  I realize that many wars and conflicts have arose because of religion other than the one surrounding Jerusalem, and I wonder why this is the case. Do people use religion for power? Or because they fear others' religious views? Or because maybe they fear that if there are other beliefs then theirs may not be legitimate? I am curious to know the true reasons behind these conflicts, and not just what we see on the surface.

Weblog Journal Assignment 1

After the first week of this course, I feel like I have already learned a lot about Jerusalem, the culture, and the conflict that surrounds the city.  Before coming into this class, I had very limited prior knowledge of Jerusalem, but after spending only a few days with my classmates, I found it very beneficial to hear their insights and knowledge on this topic. Professor Horowitz also explained some interesting facts, elaborating on the festival that was supposed to occur in Washington DC.  It helped me gain an understanding of how difficult it was to properly represent both Palestine and Israel. Along with listening to my classmates and Professor Horowitz, reading the different views on the history of Jerusalem also helped me to better understand this topic.

To me, this class is very unique.  This is the first time I've been in a class that uses video conferencing extensively, and I also find that working and learning alongside another class at a different university will be very beneficial.  Overall, I think this class will be very interesting and ensightful and I am excited to dive deeper into the topics we have just started to discuss.

In-Class Recap

During class, we discussed different topics that we could use for our final project.  It was enlightening to hear about all of the different ideas that were talked about.  It was helpful to hear everyone's thoughts, because many of you have much more knowledge on Jerusalem than I do, and I learned a lot just by hearing everyone's ideas.  I think that overall, everyone had great contributions to this discussion and we have some great ideas evolving for our projects.

Reading Response 2

"Jerusalem Then And Now" by Mick Dumper really gave me some insight on Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It was nice to get a history of Jerusalem and the reasoning behind why both Israel and Palestine have conflicting opinions when it comes to the city.  I also found it interesting that Dumper says that nothing will be resolved without international pressure to come to an agreement. I agree with this because without this pressure, I don't believe that either side will negotiate with the other. The second reading, "The History of Jerusalem", was also interesting. It gives an Arab perspective, and I found it interesting to see how these two sides differ in their opinions of Jerusalem. I also found it interesting that there was an agreement to divide Jerusalem after the 1948 war, but was not put into effect. This makes me wonder how different Jerusalem would be if this agreement had been acted on. "Jerusalem: The Holy City" also had a very good history of Jerusalem and the conflicts that have risen.  It is astounding to really put into perspective how much change Jerusalem has gone through over the years.