Questions

1. Do you see a more accepting environment emerging among very religious populations along with the more modern trend of society becoming more and more accepting of the LGBTQ population? Does this differ between Muslims and Jews?
2. Is there any particular way that is most effective when appealing to very religious people that causes them to be generally more liberal regarding LGBTQ issues? Does this differ between Muslims and Jews?

Questions for Jerusalem Open House

1. There are many ultra-Orthodox men and women who may be closeted homosexuals, is there a safe environment in Jerusalem, or in all of Israel for that matter for them to come out and remain members of their religious groups?
2. Are there any existing laws in Israel that protect minority groups like homosexuals, or African refugees? 

Questions for Jerusalem Open House

1) What are the biggest issues facing Jerusalem/Israel's LGBT community today?
2) Does your work touch on Muslim/Palestinian LGBT individuals?

Questions for Jerusalem Open House

1. Will Jerusalem's location (as a city within the Middle East) affect the level of tolerance which can be demonstrated through the revision of law?
2. Who do you find your audience to generally be? Is there one sub-group within Jerusalem that is more receptive to your message than most?

Questions for JOH

In your opinion, when will Israel's laws be amended to recognize same sex marriage?

What is the biggest obstacle your organization faces to effectively advocating for your constituency?

Questions for Jerusalem Open House

1. In city rife with divisions, what do you see as the biggest hurdle to be crossed before the LGBTQ is fully accepted?

2. How does Jerusalem's place as a deeply religious place for three major faiths affect the opinions of the local people about the LGBTQ community?

Questions for Open House

1) With Israel being a religious state, what is your biggest obstacle in overcoming the divide between religion and LGBTQ acceptance?

2) I think it’s often easy for those that identify as LGBTQ to shy away from religion given the non-acceptance religion presents. In what ways do you see those who identify as LGBTQ embrace religion regardless of its condemnation of them as individuals?

Questions for Jerusalem Open House

1. What do you see as the future of the LGBTQ movement in Israel and Palestine in countries with such strong religious ties?

2. Do you see daily discrimination against the LGBTQ community within Jerusalem, or are most people accepting/tolerant?

Questions for Shabbat of a Lifetime

1. What is the experience for the guest and host when the guest is not Jewish? Have you ever had Palestinian or Arab guests?

2. When celebrating the sabbath with tourists, what is the most influential or memorable moment for both parties?

Questions for Speakers from Shabbat of a Lifetime

1. What do you feel is the most rewarding aspect of this program? 
2. Does Shabbat of a lifetime attract mostly those guests who are familiar, at least to some extent, with the tradition of Shabbat, or do you find that a majority of the participants are coming to be educated?

Questions for Shabbat of a Lifetime

1. Have any Jews criticized or questioned your intent/purpose with this program? Does anyone feel misrepresented, wrongfully monetized, spoken for, etc?

2. Beyond exposure to Jewish life and cultural immersion in something very foreign to most non-Jews, what is your purpose with this program? Is there a political side to it or is it mostly cultural?

3. How do you see cultural diplomacy tying in with political diplomacy?

Questions for Shabbat of a Lifetime

1. Who has been your most interesting shabbat guest, and what made the evening so interesting?
2. Shabbat in Jerusalem is a unique and moving experience for me as a Jew, yet I struggle to find the same connection to shabbat outside of the holy city. What is it about Jerusalem that makes the Holy Sabbath, even holier?

Questions for Shabbat of a Lifetime

1) What is the most prominent demographic group that participates in your dinners?
2) What brought the people listed in your "meet our team" page together with this idea? In broad terms, what identity group of Jerusalem would you say they represent?

Questions for Shabbat of a Lifetime

1. Have your dinners been able to bridge any gaps within the conflict between Israel and Palestine in creating a forum for dialogue and understanding?

2. Have you ever encountered hostility from guests for political reasons?

Questions for Nathanel Cohen

1) With over 4500 guests from 44 countries having entered your homes, surely there have been some dynamic cultural differences/barriers/(mis)understandings. Do you personally have an vivid memories of dinners that were extremely successful or not as successful?

2) How do you think being located in Jerusalem enhances the experience for your guests?

"Promises" Documentary

Hey everyone! I found a copy of "Promises," the documentary about Israeli and Palestinian children that we talked about today in class. I think it's too big to post on the blog (plus that would probably be a copyright issue), so if you'd like a copy, comment here with your email address (Gmail please! I have to upload it to Google Drive because of the file size) and I'll send it to you!

Rachel

Museum on the Seam Questions

1. Which exhibit do you believe has had the most profound impact on the public? Are there any exhibits that you have considered removing due to a negative impact?
2. Do your advertisements/propaganda for the exhibits change based on your audiences, or do all groups of people see the same exhibits (explained and described in the same manner)                                                                                     *I'm so sorry these are late!

Questions for Museum On The Seam

1. What goes into choosing the wording of captions of items on display at the museum?
2. How do you believe art can help heal the wounds that exist between Jewish and Arab populations of Jerusalem 

Museum on the Seam questions

1. Do people have difficulties connecting or relating to your exhibits? How so? How is each one made accessible to people who may otherwise be closed to the statements that the exhibits are trying to make?

2. How have peoples' reactions to the exhibits changed over time with the ebb and flow of violence between Israelis and Palestinians?

Questions

1. Has there been any resistance to the work of the Museum?

2. As a place where controversial issues are omnipresent, how do you tread the line between thought-provoking and offensive?

Questions for Museum on the Seam Staff

1) In what ways do you think the Museum's exhibitions have changed public perceptions/discussions on issues related to human rights and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

2) What is the most represented demographic among visitors to the museum? Young students, or older adults? Why do you think this is?

Questions for Museum on the Seam Staff

1. Have your efforts to focus on the similarities among those who live within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict manifested itself in any kind of social change outside of the museum, or are your efforts strictly focused on exhibitions?

2. It says that you used to have a permanent exhibition on the reunification of Jerusalem. What do you/the museum as a whole foresee as the future for Jerusalem in terms of reunification?

Questions for Museum On The Seam Staff

1) How does the museum's location as both a former home and later army outpost aid in raising controversial social issues for public discussion?

2) What is the von Holtzbrinck family’s connection to the museum? Why do they continue to support the museum?

Questions for Dr. Nassar

1. How can we use media nowadays to change perceptions around the conflict and create an environment culturally and politically that is more conducive to peace?

2. What was one time in your studies when your thoughts/beliefs were seriously challenged by a photograph? How did you explore that challenge to your convictions?

Questions for Dr. Nassar

1. Can you please elaborate on what inspired Western travel to Jerusalem during the 19th century?
2. In your article The Biblification of Jerusalem you discuss how the United Kingdom supported the Jewish community's return to zion because their Anglican church did not have a foothold there. Can you please explain this more?

Questions for Dr. Nassar

1. The following is a quote from your essay that struck me and I was wondering if you could elaborate more on the impact that the early images of Jerusalem (and lack of focusing on its inhabitants) had on Zionism: "This ‘amazing ability to discover the land without discovering the people’, to use the words of Beshara Doumani, may very well have paved the way for the emergence of the popular mythical image of Palestine as a land without a people, which became a slogan of the Zionist movement half a century later."

2. How did the early images of Jerusalem and Palestine in general encourage the expansion of colonialism in that area, if at all?

Questions for Dr. Nassar

1) How do you see contemporary photos of the conflict publicized in western media contributing to the progress (or lack thereof) of obtaining understanding for Israelis and Palestinians as human beings, rather than simply actors in a long-term conflict?
2) How far do you believe photography can go as a tool for understanding? What determines the limitations of knowledge one can obtain from viewing a series of photos?

Questions for Dr. Issam Nassar

1. Is there still a significant demand today for photographs that support a Christian perspective of Jerusalem?

2. To what extent, if any, is the lack of human subjects in 19th century photographs of Jerusalem explained by the fact that inanimate objects were easier to photograph back since exposure times were relatively long, requiring human subjects to sit still for a long enough time to produce a clear image?

Questions

1. Do you think that the Western media today continues to paint an inaccurate picture of Jerusalem as European photographers did in the nineteenth century?

2. Is the image of a "Biblified" Jerusalem still present in the minds of Westerns today?

Questions for Dr. Issam Nassar

1) Were there any attempts by the Palestinian people to counter the depictions of them and their city? For instance, were there any prominent Palestinian photographers who tried to construct a different narrative of the city? Or were Palestinians not aware of this "Biblification" of Jerusalem?

2) You wrote in your piece that "the photograph is a tool of power and authority by which both the photographer and the viewer through their gaze conquer the world of the subject and assign meanings to it." How do you see this playing out with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Questions for Dr. Issam Nassar

1) I think Jerusalem is all too often pictured as a location with religious significance rather than a home to its ~800,000 inhabitants. Do you think the city every has the chance to overcome this image/fascination?

2) On the same note, do you think Jerusalem is viewed as a global city or is it viewed as more of a "second-class" city?

Final Project

My initial idea for my final project is to research street art and graffiti in Jerusalem. I will try to present y research in either a powerpoint or prezi presentation.

Questions for Betty Herschman

1) Given your background in advocacy, which forms of communication do you feel are most effective in combating the prejudice and misunderstandings surrounding the conflict?
2) What do you believe the first step to peace is? Does it begin with a compromise from both sides--can it begin with the efforts of one side? Will that be sufficient foundation for peace talks?
3) Recently in class, we have discussed public perception (in Jerusalem) of John Kerry. Can you discuss how you believe Kerry's efforts have or have not made a difference on the road to peace?

Betty Herschmann

1. For those of us interested in small-scale conflict resolution, relationship-building, and diplomacy (for example, on a college campus), what advice can you offer in terms of knowing where and how to devote resources of time and energy? I am in the position of being a Jewish, pro-Israel, Zionist-identifying student, but I am appalled at the current state of Israeli politics (settlements, etc). I am part of on-campus efforts to bridge communication gaps between pro-Israel students and pro-Palestinian students, but it is incredibly difficult to facilitate conversation when the word "apartheid" is attached permanently to the word "Israel"--when people are adamant about this affiliation and refuse to discuss, what more can we do? What are the most effective ways I can advocate for the existence of Israel while acknowledging that serious change in Israeli policy is needed?

2. What specific programs do you suggest getting involved with (for a summer volunteer internship or immediately post-graduation) in order to gain experience in this sort of conflict resolution? שלום עכשיו, Seeds of Peace, בצלם, etc?

Questions for Betty Herschman

1. What is one of the most notable achievements that Ir Amim  has accomplished?

2. From your encounters as Director of International Relations and Advocacy for Ir Amim, do you often see that Palestinians have different wishes to solve this conflict than the Israelis? Or do they all share the same wish, perhaps to live in peace among one another? 

Questions

1. What has been the most successful project of Ir Amim to date? What made it successful? What does it tell us about future projects for Ir Amim and future steps towards peace?

2. As Director of International Relations & Advocacy, how do your experience with those not from Jerusalem differ with those of the residents?

Questions for Betty Herschman

1. What socioeconomic institutions has Ir Amim been able to help successfully create in Jerusalem? Also please elaborate on other economic development projects in East Jerusalem.
2. Some argue that under  Western Israeli rule the Old City has lost much of it's prominence. Do you believe this is the case? What can be done to rewaken the Old City? 

Questions for Betty Herschman

1. Do you think a divided Jerusalem or a united Jerusalem, under one government, would be more more conducive to peace?

2. Depending on your answer to the previous question, what is the likelihood of there ever being an agreement on who should govern a united Jerusalem? If you think a divided Jerusalem is a more likely solution, what is the likelihood that either side will agree to the city remaining divided?

Questions: Dr Tamari

1. Where is the Arab Jew today, if anywhere? Are they more Arab now, or more Jew?

2. Does Shami remain forgotten? Do you think that his writing and perspective would have a constructive place in current peace talks?

Questions for Dr. Tamari

1. In your essay, you say that "Sociologist Yehouda Shenhav argues that the return to Zion meant little to them.... The move to Palestine (before 1948) was seen not as a move to Zion, but as a move from one area of the Arab world to another, and thus was not considered to have any ramifications in terms of sacred geography." What exactly changed the mindset of Zionists today who are focused on the religious aspects of Zionism? And, by extension, the support for Zionism by fundamentalist Christians who claim that their support is founded upon religious purposes?

2. Your essay makes it clear that Jews, Arabs, and Arab Jews coexisted peacefully as indigenous peoples, at least for a period of time. Why was Zionism, as opposed to Jewish migration into the region, seen as a necessary move? Or was it not necessary?

Questions for Dr. Tamari

1) In your opinion, do differences between Mizrahi and Ashkenazi Jews play a major role in shaping the social dynamics of contemporary Israel/Jerusalem?

2) Has the perception and social status of the Arab Jew improved or deteriorated over time?

Dr. Tamari

1. The development over the past 100 years of rival narratives/competing strains of nationalism between the Jews/Israelis and the Arabs/Palestinians/Muslims (I am not equating all of those terms with the use of the slashes, simply grouping them for the context of this question) makes it difficult to see a future of peace for the two nations. How can we take this understanding that the two parties have narratives fundamental to their identities that are so problematic/at odds and still see a path to peace (a rather generic and cliched question, I know, but it's the one I see as most worth asking)?

2. The last sentence of your piece on Ishaq Shami says that "he could not dissociate from [the Hebronites & the Jewish people] as victims, nor could he overcome the shattered hope that there was room for reconciliation as the two communities were driven toward irresolvable nationalist polarity" is heart-wrenching and perhaps a hint at what your response to my first question will be. Are the two nationalisms, that of the Jews/Israelis and that of the Palestinians, irreconcilable? Why or why not? The strongest strain of each one basically depends on the phasing out of the other, but there are more accepting forms of each, as well.

Questions for Dr. Tamari

1) How has your time spent on the refugee committee in the multilateral peace talks shaped your view on the effectiveness of dialogue as an avenue to peace?
2) How do you believe your personal history with the region plays a role in your research? Does it play a role?

Questions for Dr. Tamari

1) Do you associate zionism with colonialism? Or are is zionism a distinct term influenced by other European principles?

2) What future plan for Jerusalem best encourages coexistence among Jews and Palestinians?

Questions for Betty Herschman

1) What sorts of constraints, if any, does the Israeli government impose on NGOs dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

2) Can you tell us more about the legal work that Ir Amim has engaged in? Do you see the Israeli legal system as being biased against Palestinians? What is the solution to this?

Questions for Betty Herschman

1) As mentioned in one of the pieces on Ir Amim's website, a true solution is not going to come to Jerusalem until the three elements of the conflict (religious, political, and municipal) are addressed along with allowing all residents to express their historic, spiritual, national, and cultural identities. Do you see any of these elements or aspects of identity as more or less important than the others? Or do they all pull equal weight? 

2) With your work tied to Jewish identity, in a modern context, do you see the bonding agent between Jews across the world as more of a cultural, religious/spiritual, or historic connection? Similar to my first question, do you think any of these forces prove stronger than the others?

Questions for Dr. Tamari

      1) You mention the crucial role language must have played in the formation of identity in your piece “Ishaq al-Shami and the Predicament of the Arab Jew in Palestine” – do you see this is a theme that goes beyond Israel/Palestine?

2) You also make note of the fact that the concept of Arab Jews is seen as an oxymoron yet should be no different than that of the concept of American Jews. In your opinion, does history or the present-day situation make this more of a difficult concept? Could it be seen as ignorance?