Jerusalem Festival--From the National Mall to Dunn Meadow

Studying the history of Jerusalem has taught me that people from all three monotheistic faiths have STRONG attachments to this holy city. Throughout history people have been willing to die for Jerusalem. These strong attachments foster strong opinions. Many people are unwilling to consider the beliefs of the other. In 2011, the Jerusalem Project faces the same challenges that the Jerusalem Festival faced in 1993. In her essay Dialogue as Ethical Conduct: The Folk Festival That Was Not, Galit Hasan-Rokem explains that while planning for the Jerusalem Festival, "negotiations between the Palestinian and the Israeli research teams moved in complex circles touching questions of belonging, identity, lawful claim, inherited ownership, continuity, uniqueness of sentiments--of each of the national entities represented. One has to keep in mind that whereas mutual recognition was not yet achieved on the political level, the project itself could not exist unless based on such an assumption." The Jerusalem Project works to promote dialogue at a time where certain Palestinians and Israelis deny each others' right to exist. When one refuses to recognize the other, the possibility for dialogue is destroyed. Through education, the Jerusalem Project promotes tolerance and understanding amidst intolerance and hatred. Conflicts and challenges abound when discussing such contentious issues. The Project creates a space where people can gather information from multiple sources, study different opinions, and form their own beliefs concerning Jerusalem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In Suad Amiry's article Researching East Jerusalem, she writes, "I saw in the Jerusalem Festival a valuable cultural venue to promote understanding, respect, and mutuality between our two peoples. For only through cultural events can people relate on an equal bases and see the human face of the Palestinians, who have for too long been deprived of telling their own story directly. At the root of the Jerusalem Festival was the principle of equal representation, parity, and mutuality between Israelis and Palestinians." These same principles are inherent in the Jerusalem Project. Through promoting dialogue and understanding, the Jerusalem Project develops life-long advocates for peace. As a student, I am so proud to participate in the Jerusalem Project. Writing in the blogs has been a freeing way to explore my own thoughts about Jerusalem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The video conferences are a valuable opportunity for me to learn from knowledgeable experts and caring people who experience this conflict in their daily lives. In class, we are able to engage in respectful dialogue and discuss our own unique opinions. Thanks to the Jewish Studies Program and the Center for the Study of the Middle East, we were able to attend the Dualing (Dueling) Narratives With(In) Israeli and Palestinian Jerusalem workshop with presenters who are committed to the Project. The Jerusalem Project should be brought to every campus and it should be a required credit for all students in Israel and Palestine. I am so grateful to be a part of the Jerusalem Project. Lets bring the Jerusalem Festival to Dunn Meadow!