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Books About Jerusalem
Review by: Maha Salah
Born in Jerusalem on February 25, 1929, during the British Mandate of Palestine, the author, Issa Boullata, a prominent 
Palestinian scholar, writer and translator of Arabic literature living in Montreal, shares with us a memoir of his childhood living in Jerusalem in the years before the Nakba in 1948. According to Boullata: “No year is burnt into the memory of the Palestinians as deeply and as painfully as 1948.” However, despite all the tension that preceded the Nakba, Boullata paints a vivid, beautiful, and unique image of what it was like to be a boy in Jerusalem between 1929 and 1948 in a skilfully written memoir that is such a light read it leaves the reader hungry for more.
The book consists of seven chapters varying in length, the longest of which focused on his time in school when he attended the Christian College Des Frères. In another chapter, he focused describing the Old City. I found this to be nostalgic for those who have lived or visited Jerusalem and insightful, informative, and luring to those who dream about Jerusalem or wonder what it would be like to visit. I especially connected to the book as a Jerusalemite myself who has spent many summers there with my family and even lived there for a year. I have also heard countless stories from my grandfather about his childhood in Jerusalem and Boullata’s writings reminded me of his stories.
Boullata begins his memoirs by talking about his roots in Jerusalem, not only his ancient roots in the Land of Canaan, but more importantly, the roots that connect him to Jerusalem through his memories and life experiences, which have defined his identity, culture, and who he is today. He also gives us some background information on his family, mentioning that his paternal grandfather, who died before he was born, was a master mason who built monumental edifices that still stand in Jerusalem.
He was especially close to his paternal grandmother, and notes that his paternal aunts and uncles, and extended family is spread across the globe, some still in Palestine, while others are scattered in the US, Europe and the Arab world.
His maternal grandfather was a reputable goldsmith and the last Palestinian to be buried in the Orthodox Cemetery in the Nabi Dawood neighbourhood in 1947, before the Israelis took control of the area, but he did not know his maternal grandmother as she died before he was born.
His next chapter focuses on the “lady teachers” that taught him in primary school. Throughout his book, Boullata pays tribute to all of his teachers, naming most of them by name and how they have impacted his life; it is so heart-warming that after all these years, he remembers every detail about his teachers and friends from school, even giving us details about where some of them have reached in life. In this chapter he recalls the happy years he spent in primary school, between playful learning and his budding love for reading, and praises his female teachers who impacted his school life and nurtured his love of school.
The third chapter is titled Turbulent Times and it sets a different tone to the book. In this chapter, Boullata begins to show the tensions that were bubbling underneath the surface before 1948. During this time, the armed Arab rebellion began against the British Mandate, and although Boullata was a young child, he and his siblings sensed that things had changed, despite the fact that their parents sheltered them and provided them with a stable home.
Their home, along with the homes of many other Palestinians, was ransacked by the British army and he witnessed his father being dragged away in his pyjamas with shaving cream still on his face. He also lived through the Arab strike, and describes the hardships they experienced; praising his mother for always making the best of their provisions and food shortages, always making sure every family member was properly fed and satisfied.
As a nine-year-old boy during this time, he noted that he was fully aware of the significance of these events, but he kept up with the military advancements, as it was what the adults mainly talked about, and he witnessed an exchange of fire between a Palestinian rebel and British soldier. This period was not only turbulent, but traumatic and marks his realisation of the tension in the city.
In his fourth chapter, Boullata refers to himself as a bookworm, and shows how his love for reading and literature grew. He talks about the various librarians who helped and guided him to love books, which later became not only his passion, but source of livelihood as an Arabic literature university professor.
His fifth chapter is dedicated to the description of the Old City; it pays homage to the city where he grew up. I believe that this is the chapter most people will connect to, as its descriptiveness gives us a sense of nostalgia; a feeling most Palestinians feel when thinking about their homeland, whether or not they have ever visited. When reading this chapter, I felt like I was there, having breakfast with his family, walking down the cobblestone streets, hearing the merchants conversing with their customers, and experiencing Easter in the Old City; his description is truly remarkable.
His final chapter marks the time of the Nakba; the year that changed the lives of millions of Palestinians. This chapter gives us a real glimpse into how the tension that lasted all those decades finally exploded and how it impacted everyone’s lives at the time, and continues to affect generations of Palestinians until today. He even gives examples of the significance and effect it left on members of his family who were forced to leave their homes and either become refugees in Palestine or neighbouring countries, or to immigrate to Western countries, each going their separate ways.
I believe he was able to perfectly sum up what the Palestinians are experiencing in his final chapter when he said: “There are still more thousands who own no land and, like me, have not even lost their homes, Yet they feel the injustice resulting from the Nakba as strongly and as deeply as all the other Palestinians, because, like them, they have lost the dignity of having a country of their own, of being citizens of their own state, and of living a life of free human beings with all the inalienable rights that out to be theirs. They suffer and they remember.” These simple words carry a lot of meaning and weight and I would consider them the perfect answer to those who cannot understand how many Palestinians can love a country they have never seen.
In short, this book is a touching recollection of a Jerusalemite’s childhood, in which he gives us a glimpse into the pre-Nakba period, when people of varying religions and cultures co-existed in harmony. It gives us hope that one day, peace can be achieved and that, one day, the suffering and pain of the Palestinians will come to an end.
Source:
http://www.palestinebookawards.com/
acob J Nammar’s new memoir is an account of growing up in Jerusalem before, during, and after the Nakba. 
It addresses the lives of the Palestinians who remained in the Israeli-occupied part of West Jerusalem after the Nakba, remarkably free of bitterness. His account describes what it is like to be marginalised in your own country, and to lose everything you have.
Source:
http://www.palestinebookawards.com/
Edited by Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi
“Jerusalem is Arab nationalism’s bride”; so wrote the Iraqi poet Muthaffer Al-Nawwab. Indeed, the city holds a lofty place in the concept of Arab identity, yet it is also a place that has seen more than its share of strife and contention. 
Yet as Arab Jerusalemites are increasingly persecuted, and as the attempts to pull Jerusalem further away from the Arab World continue, the city’s iconic status only grows in the eyes of all Arabs – be they Christian, Muslim, or secular. This bond is as intangible as it is incontrovertible, making it difficult to define and examine.
The Arab League named Jerusalem its “capital of Arab culture” for 2009, and although Israeli occupation authorities have, predictably, intervened to prevent and disturb celebrations in the city, Jerusalem remains a unique place whose people and visitors reflect diverse dynasties and cultures.
Culture is the embodiment of identity – it is how we define ourselves and our place in the world. The aim here is to present a vision of culture in the Holy City, as manifested in the accomplishments of selected writers, artists, teachers, and all others who have made the city of Jerusalem and Palestinian culture what it is today. Thereby the celebration of culture is not limited to local Palestinian or Arab culture but considers also the achievements of others since this particular city, throughout its history, has embraced so many different peoples, religions, languages and ideas, all which legacies of artistic expressions of all kinds.
Jerusalem is first and foremost known around the world as a Holy City. To be sure, it acts as such for millions of Arabs, both Christian and Muslim, as well as Jews. For Arabs the city is Al-Quds, “The Holy.” It is the site of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, “The Farthest Mosque”, as well as of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, in addition to dozens of other sacred sites. Holy places dot the city’s landscape, and millions of visitors each year are drawn by its mystique of history and sanctity.
This juried exhibit features works by twelve artists in a variety of media that speak to Jerusalem’s complex historical, religious and emotional significance and consider the need for a just and peaceful solution to the conflict, recognizing the rights of Palestinians in the city.
Still, Jerusalem is much more. For many Arabs and Palestinians Jerusalem represents the symbol for loss and hope of recovery, which has been expressed in poetry, paintings, and other forms of expression through the last decades. It is a living, breathing city with a remarkable history and a vibrant Arab culture. Arab Jerusalemites are a resilient and striking people living among an amalgamation of international influences. The heritage and history of Jerusalem can be overwhelming at times. The beginnings of the Islamic Empire can be found within the walls of the Old City, for example, and such historical significance can be both a burden and a blessing. Yet the importance of the cultural and historical aspects of Jerusalem in the eyes of Arabs as a whole cannot be overstated. The writing, painting, and other forms of expression that have been produced with Jerusalem in mind are a testimony to its centrality in the hearts and minds of the Arab world.
Unfortunately, the narrative of Jerusalem is one that is rife with conflict. The city today is not one of peace; it is one of separation, racism, and hostility. Jerusalem has been reduced to a political pawn, a final status issue that lies at the heart of the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict but that no one is ready to touch for fear of throwing the tenuous peace process into further doubt. Yet, the difficulties that surround access and rights in the city for Arabs have only increased their desire to maintain it as a part of their lives. This sentiment is especially true for those Palestinians who live so near and yet are kept away just the same. The world must realize that Jerusalem should be a free and open city, not an oppressive border town where an entire swath of its inhabitants are discriminated against.
In the end, culture is about our interactions with our environments, our fellow men, and ourselves. Arabs have a bond to the city that is different than connection held with any other city in the world. Mecca and Medina are holy sites whose political implications do not match those of Jerusalem. It is an international city, and the interactions between such disparate populations are evident in the streets of Jerusalem everyday. These days, though, that coexistence is rare. There is no cooperation in terms of urban planning, architectural integrity, or culture. The stark contrasts that have resulted prevent Jerusalem from being a single, cohesive entity. Rather, it is a divided city, and it remains to be seen whether this disunion can ever be reconciled.
Arabs have a long history of bringing culture and prosperity to the Holy City, and it is important to go beyond simple reminiscing and instead look at what those contributions have meant to Jerusalem and to the Arab World at large. Just as Arabs have had a profound effect on the city, the city has done the same in return.
Neither the Palestinians’ dispossession and dispersal into various cultural realities, nor 62 years Nakba and assaults on and oppression of Palestinian education, journalism, literature, art, symbolism and folklore, have succeeded in destroying the determination of the Palestinian people to resist through culture, preserve their identity and heritage, and protect their roots. As a result, it is a great diversity of styles, genres and media that characterizes Palestinians’ artistic expressions.
On the occasion of Al-Quds – Capital of Arab Culture 2009, PASSIA has produced this compilation of aspects of culture in the city in a bid to present the rich Arab-Palestinian culture between ancient heritage and modernity and to expand knowledge of the cultural diversity of the Palestinians. In addition, this publication features not only Palestinian-Arab poems and poets, authors, painters and other artists, but also acknowledges other international literary or art pieces that have been inspired by this unique city. The aim here is not to present an exhaustive survey but rather a representative overview of artwork celebrating Jerusalem’s universal and thus international unique characteristics as well as cultures all over the world together with the rich Palestinian culture in Jerusalem.
Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi
Jerusalem
Source:
http://passia.org/publications/Jerusalem-of-art/intro.htm
Review by: Jessica Purkiss
The Storyteller of Jerusalem is a remarkable and unique memoir of the life and times of Wasif Jawhariyyeh, a talented composer, oud player, poet and chronicler from the Old City of Jerusalem. 
The memoir is a collection of observations, notes on his personal life and recordings of historical moments in Jerusalem’s history. Spanning over four decades, they cover the city’s most turbulent changes.
His account takes us from the Ottoman period into the era of British control, and the lead up to the establishment of Israel, covering the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians, known as the Nakba. Through his writings we gain an insight into the changing Jerusalem as it grows outside the confines of the city walls and passes hands. We are offered intimate glimpses into these times and the characters that shape them.
Jawahariyyeh writes in the foreword: “I am no skilled writer, famous historian, or experienced traveller. I am simply a civil servant who was forced out of school by the First Great war. But I feel compelled to document situations, surprises, and incidents which emerged in my life during the Ottoman and the British periods in my country of Palestine, some of which are amusing.”
In this admission lies the beauty of the memoir. It is not a memoir of a member of high society; Wasif is immersed in all strata’s of Jerusalem life and his heart seems to beat with the city. Born to Jiryus Jawhariyyeh, a mukhtar (communal leader) of the Eastern Orthodox community and a member of Jerusalem’s municipal council, and Hilaneh Barakat, the daughter of Andony Barakat, who belonged to one of Jerusalem’s Arab Greek Orthodox families, he is not from the wealthiest of families but enjoys the connections of his father when times are hard.
It is during his boyhood that Wasif constructs his first instrument from an empty can of Easter egg dye, inserting a wooden stick into which three nails were hammered and a piece of string tied to them. It begins his love for music, a love which is threaded throughout the book. Wasif gathers the music from the people he meets, from the fields and from the streets. In the process, we learn about the sounds of Palestine’s past, their meaning to local people and their shifting roles as the region undergoes huge changes.
Jerusalem now stands carved by the separation wall and expanding settlements, controlled by a policy which allows free access to the city for one people but not for another. Jerusalemites have been fractured and scattered. The beauty of this memoir is that it offers us a glimpse of a time when communitarian values threaded Jerusalem’s people together and builds in anyone that reads it a yearning for the Jerusalem of Wasif’s boyhood.
Source:
http://www.palestinebookawards.com/
Throughout its history, Jerusalem has been not only the religious center for the three monotheistic faiths, but also an important political and cultural focal point for its inhabitants. 
Having withstood numerous wars and battles over the years, the city still remains the heart of Palestine and at the core of the unresolved Arab-Israeli conflict.
Since the occupation in 1967, consecutive Israeli governments have zealously pursued a policy aimed at changing the city’s Arab character and ‘Judaizing’ East Jerusalem to create a new geopolitical reality that guarantees Israel’s territorial, demographic, and religious control over the entire city. Over many years and in violation of international law (especially regarding the transfer of civilians to occupied territory), Israel has expropriated huge areas of land in occupied East Jerusalem and built a series of settlements. At the same time, they have deprived Palestinians in the city of their rights to build housing and infrastructure and the provision of proper services.
In recent years, increasingly elaborate Israeli strategies have been introduced to consolidate exclusive control and claimed sovereignty over Jerusalem, and which make any negotiations on sharing an open city almost meaningless.
Jerusalem is a very complex city and the realities of the situation on the ground make it a powder keg, not only in national-political terms, but also socio-economically. Israeli policies impact on every aspect of the daily lives of Palestinians in the city.
This reader is intended to shed light on Israel’s ongoing plans and policies aimed at further strengthening its grip over the city to the detriment of the Palestinian population. It provides a brief overview of the history and the religious, legal and demographic aspects of the Jerusalem question, demonstrating in detail the geopolitical means employed by Israel to ensure that the city can never be “shared” along any lines, and hindering any Palestinian plans to develop Arab East Jerusalem and declare it the capital of a future Palestinian state. Chapters cover issues of residency rights and housing, examine the situation in the Old City, and discuss negotiations with regard to Jerusalem. Israeli municipal policies implemented in the city are detailed, as well as the current situation in the educational, health and economic sectors.
In light of this information, in conjunction with the building of the separation barrier and demographic developments, one wonders if and how Jerusalem can ever be a peaceful, open, shared city. Intervention is urgently needed by the international community to protect Palestinian rights in the city and help to ensure that all residents enjoy the same rights, dignity, and welfare.
Dr. Mahdi Abdul Hadi
Chiarman of PASSIA – Jerusalem
Source:
http://www.passia.org/
Jerusalem is never far away in Sweden.
In fact, it is just next door for many Swedes.
Our long country is dotted from north to south with villages, hills, moorlands, mills, meadows, and mountains that have borrowed their names from the faraway Holy City. 
In all, thirty-eight “Jerusalems” are registered in the Swedish Place-name Register. There is even a “Joy of Jerusalem”. And then we have one city, the fifth largest, Jönkoping, which is known as “the Jerusalem of Sweden”, because of its many free churches and reputation as a place largely inhabited by religious people.
The Jerusalems of Sweden are – with some exceptions – situated in the four counties surrounding Stockholm. A thousand years ago this region, with Uppsala as its centre, was also a battleground for the power struggle between the old pagan beliefs and new Christian teachings. When members of the Swedish nobility embraced Christianity – not firmly established in the whole of Sweden until 1160 – the dream of Jerusalem also came into being.
The most pious among them decided not only to name a Swedish hill or settlement in honour of the Holy City but also actually to visit this cradle of the new religion, and so embarked on the long and dangerous pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Source:
http://www.passia.org/
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