In her article Researching East Jerusalem Suad Amiry quotes an ancient Talmudic proverb that states, "When God created the world, he created ten portions of beauty. He gave nine to Jerusalem and one to the rest of the world." Whether I see an image of the Dome of the Rock or people praying at the Western Wall, I am always affected by Jerusalem's beauty. Even though I have never visited Jerusalem, I feel a strange attachement to this place. I currently tell people that I am "Jewish-ish" when anyone asks me about my religion. When I was younger I was more of a practicing Jew--I went to high holiday services, until 7th grade I attended Jewish schools, I had my Bat-Mitzvah when I was thirteen, and on the occassional Shabbat I would eat Challah and light the candles. As I grew older, my connection to the Jewish faith started to fade. I stopped going to high holiday services and my family no longer said the motzi before we ate dinner. Even though I'm not currently a practicing Jew, I still have a connection to the Jewish faith and culture. I still wish my family a Happy Rosh Hashanah, I eat Hamentashen around Purim, and I occassionally light the Menorah candles on Channukah. With this connection to the Jewish faith comes an attachment to Israel and Jerusalem. I have conflicting feelings about Israel. Even though I believe that the Jewish people need a homeland in Israel, I do not agree with many of the actions of the Israeli government. When I think of the Israeli-Palestenian conflict, I feel angry, confused, and hopeless. I can't conceptualize peaceful or fair solutions. In this class, I hope to learn more about the issue from multiple perspectives. When discussing the conflict in Israel with my family and Jewish friends, I am angered by the common opinion that Israel can do no wrong and Israelis are the only victims in this violent conflict. In conversation, I often feel like the Palestenian perspective and trauma are completely ignored. I'm looking forward to studying Jerusalem through an ethnographic perspective. Jerusalem is so rich in culture, history, and religion. Despite all of the violence and hatred that occurs in the city, Jerusalem is a sacred space. In a place where people from three different monotheistic religious feel so close to God, why can't they act a little more Godly? After Amiry quoted the Talmudic proverb in her article, she wrote that the quote should have stated, "When God created the world, he created ten problems. He gave nine to Jerusalem and one to the rest of the world." Even though I want to learn more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I hope that this class will help us uncover the beauty and richness of Jerusalem and Israel despite its problems. Despite the conflicts, Jews, Christians, and Muslims continue to love Jerusalem and practice their faith in this ancient city. People wouldn't have such strong feelings about Jerusalem if it wasn't so sacred. I want and need to visit Jerusalem. When I read Professor Horowitz's description of cross cultural contact in Jerusalem("French croissants have been localized and can be found on sale on Salahadin Street laced with the herb za'atar; Eastern European gelfite fish showed up next to Middle Eastern kubeh dumplings at a Kurdish Jewish bar mitzvah"), I was ready to hop on the next flight to Israel!