Old City Lights

Old City of Jerusalem Light Show

History, We Think

Even if I wasn’t a liberal, the current dialogue of right wing Jewry would certainly turn me away. Israel is the Jewish state, and Judaism has always taught me, above all, to be a person who cares deeply for others. Jewish values stress creating a more equal, loving, and united world. Why else would there be Jewish organizations dedicated to helping others in times of need – in Darfur, New Orleans, Haiti, Russia? We as a people pride ourselves on standing up for the downtrodden. Why then, does this ideal shrivel and die when it comes to the people being persecuted in Israel?

The Jewish people have issues with past and present. We’re told to remember our past, so we do. Every hateful remark is reminiscent of the Holocaust, the Romans, Esther’s Persia, Egypt. It is our duty to remember the past, so we better not let anyone else forget it.

This sacred history comes with selective memory. Presently, three Israeli teens were kidnapped and killed. Instead of remembering the horror every morning during the last surge of war and terror, the right is calling for new bloodshed. There’s a quote that claims that “when ‘they’ love ‘their’ children more than they hate us, there will be peace.” The same could be said for “we” and “ours.”

Israel and the Jewish people do great deeds when the rest of the world calls. They react quickly and efficiently, and with great success. They do amazing things. All in the present tense. When it comes to looking at the past, we would honestly rather forget. But we’re told not to, so we don’t. Or at least, we don’t forget history from our own point of view.

There were people living in Israel before England mandated it to the Jews. Plain and simple. There were people whose lives, homes, families, and livelihoods were taken away as the Zionistic settlers assumed responsibility of the land. The people who didn’t succumb got angry. The people who lost everything took drastic measures.

Yes, it is true that from the start, Israel was hated by everyone surrounding it. Yes, it is true that they had every right to self-protection. And yes, it is true that Biblically and historically, the Jews had been in the land long ago, and had been sent away brutally by our own oppressors.  And unfortunately, the clincher; it is true that there are people living right next door who do not want Israel to exist. That doesn’t excuse how they were treated in the past, and based on their history, that explains many of their justifications for how they are acting now. If the Jews have a right to act and make decisions based on our history, shouldn’t everyone?

The Native American Indian tribes succumbed quietly to smallpox and settlements. Now, there is a beautiful culture that is ravaged by alcoholism and poverty. English turned American settlers could justify the takeover in whatever way they chose – the land was mandated to us, these are backwards people in need of modernization, we could use the land better, we need the resources, they can keep moving west, we need a safe space for our own.

It all sounds a little too familiar.

Jews and Israelis become frustrated at the rest of the world for penalizing Israel and site the numerous amazing things Israel has done for other peoples and places. Why is it okay to stress human rights for everyone, but ignore the suffering of innocent children across the city? Why can we condemn Russia for its actions and remain complacent with our own victimization of another race?

The “other” is not in the clear. The “other” is too deeply influenced by extremists and hatred. Whether this hatred is a product of belief and dogma, or a different point of view towards history, or a combination thereof, there is no justification for taking an innocent human life.

There is also no justification for kidnap and murder. There doesn’t need to be an excuse for pain and sadness. History though, is not a “pick your own path” story. History cannot be altered based on the events of the present. We cannot mourn three boys and forget about the thousands of young people killed all over the world, yes, young people including the 1,518 plus Palestinian children who have been killed since 2000. To say that to spill blood means to spill more blood is not avenging anyone.

No one is innocent in this situation; there are Palestinians celebrating the death of Israelis, and there are Israelis celebrating the deaths of Palestinians. Also, it is imperative to remember that when one person who is a member of any group says something, it is not necessarily the opinion of others in the group. Ultimately, when we persecute the people in Israel, we are not doing our duty as Jews. We might remember a past, but we are not remembering the past. And that’s scary, because we’re much too close to repeating it.

Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade

Upon my first visit to Israel in 2007, my family visited Tel Aviv. A recent Bat Mitzvah, I didn’t know much about the city besides the air conditioned, yet dull, Independence Hall, and the sweltering but stunning beach along the Mediterranean Sea. “Mom,” I announced, as we walked along the urban sidewalks, “this isn’t Israel! It’s a little Jewish Manhattan!” My family laughed, and we spent the evening comparing the city to Manhattan, or better yet, Miami.

Seven years later, I have embraced the opportunity to come back to Israel, this time as an adult in both the religious and legal sense. I’ve grown from a perceptive yet unknowledgeable pre-teen into a young woman committed to learning everything there is to know about the country of my people. Learning means working to understand, but it also means having the ability to disagree and to advocate for change. For this reason, I decided to intern at Shatil, a project of The New Israel Fund, the leading organization for social justice and human rights advocacy in Israel.

Over the years, the more I learned about Israel, the more I realized how similar the United States and Israel really are – and not just in terms of their thriving coastal metropolitan areas, but in terms of areas that are not yet truly democratic in two democratic countries. In the United States, slowly but surely, gay marriage is being brought to the forefront of government legislation. Nineteen states and Washington DC have legalized marriage between two people of the same sex. The reason why the entire country has not yet legalized the action is not entirely clear – for a country based on the Separation of Church and State, a lot of the reasons seem pretty religious.

Israel though, is a different matter. It is actually a country rooted in religion, Judaism, and the ruling of the country includes the traditions and morals Judaism entails. For this reason, the Israeli government has not yet legalized Gay Marriage – based solely on literal interpretations of ancient Jewish law, gay marriage would not be allowed.

Jewish law though, is not what makes Israel so attractive as the Jewish state. Based on my Diaspora Jew interpretation, Jewish morality and understanding, the empathy that brings Jews close, and banding together as a united persecuted people, is what draws Jews from all over the world to Israel. Jewish tradition requires one to be kind to their neighbors and their self. It promotes tolerance and understanding, and celebration of a joint history.

This type of Jewish morality is what could be found at the Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade. On June 13, over 120,000 Israelis and visitors swarmed the streets of Tel Aviv in order to band together as one to promote the simplest of human rights: love.

We are told to love countless times in the Torah, and at the Tel Aviv Pride Parade, advocates of love joined in from all over the world in order to celebrate the ability to love, as well as to remind the world that not all those who love can be formally joined legally. In entirely positive speeches, posters, chants, and actions, the people at the Tel Aviv Pride Parade promoted their belief that love is love, and those who love should have the ability to guarantee it in the eyes of the government.

The parade, which I had the pleasure of attending, was the most colorful display of people I had ever seen. Not only was everyone dressed in crazy colors, waving rainbow flags, but people from every continent were represented, showcasing the beautiful diversity that Israel should be proud of. Some wore skirts and long sleeve shirts, some wore bikini tops and bottoms, and some dressed as fairies, gladiators, and Greek gods, but all were there to sing, smile, and celebrate freedom of love.

The most inspiring part of the parade was a double-decker bus with people dancing on top, inside, and on either sides of the vehicle. These people were, by far, having the most fun. The sign on the bus read “Havruta – Religious Homosexuals in Israel.” Havruta, I learned, is the largest organization for religious gays in Israel. The Havruta website states that, “We believe that achieving our goals will not just benefit religious gays but also the entire religious public and promote an improved and more just society for all.” Havruta emphasizes the Jewish ideal of acceptance, tolerance, and promoting a more equal society for everyone who calls Israel home. Havruta believes in love and freedom, and that everyone deserves a combination of both.

Havruta is only one of the many Israeli LGBT organizations that are have participated development consulting organized by Shatil and the New Israel Fund. Bat Kol, an organization for religious lesbians, emphasizes a similar message as it supports tolerance among the religious community. The Israeli Gay Youth Organization, in addition to Israeli Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Association allows for LGBT Israelis to find a support network. Aswat: Palestinian Gay Women was formed to empower and promote the rights of Arab lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual, transgender, and intersex women who live in Israel and the Territories. Aswat provides a safe environment for these women and strengthens their voice in Arab and Palestinian society. Israel AIDS Task Force assists with testing and prevention of HIV/AIDS. These groups each work diligently to strengthen their voice to promote Israeli tolerance, equality, and love.

The energy was powerful and uplifting. After speeches and chants, the entire crowd walked together through the streets of Tel Aviv under colorful flags, cheered on by tens of thousands of spectators. There were floats and performances, and finally, at the end of the long march participants found themselves on an enclosed grass space next to the sea celebrating with food, drinks, memorabilia, and live music. The togetherness and unity celebrated at the parade highlights the best of what Israel’s democracy has to offer.

At one point, the DJ silenced the music to call out over the massive crowd; “Hello Tel Aviv! We are so happy you are here. We love you. We love you – we love you whether you are gay, straight, or trans. We love you no matter where you are from. Here, we accept you. Here, we have pride!” There was an uproar of cheering, and the music started again. I grinned – excited to be back in Tel Aviv, and this time, fully understanding just how special, and unique, Israel could be.

Tunneling

Crack

imagining my neck snapping when I don’t look
directly in the right direction of the oncoming car,
and maybe he isn’t imagining his life spreading out like this
barely lit road either, maybe he’s waiting for
his own tone and depth of his own eternal noise,
but for me, there’s an exact sound that I haven’t yet heard,
a bloody crack that I don’t hear because it’s my own twigs, the ones
that haven’t yet grown far away enough from their roots,
never will, my own neck rounding the circle to see
a traffic light and a car and a light and blare and the crack

maybe he’s not a he, but a she, maybe she’s my mom who
I’m going to pick up and drive home without the crack,
and if there’s a crack, how will she get home,
how will she manage to swim up to the surface as the windshield starts to break
from the water pressure as I plunge into the Hudson without her? what will she
think when she hears her very own crack, not quite as fleeting, sharp
pitched as mine, but a more beating crack, ephemeral, constant,
daily at the same time at this traffic light and intersection?

needing the crack to open up and start it’s gaping hole in the
middle of my leg, my body is breaking up away from my eyes
and it could all shatter to two pieces or a million depending on
the reflexes of the man or woman facing me in the eyes
as I wonder if his life is spreading out along the waves as
mine has been for years, a rampaging wave of rhythm with a
melody that can only be heard on the damnedest, deadest of
ten degree frozen tree January nights

I just want to die to the beat of this song

Joynting Elements (The Gash)

Pencil on paper. Drawn for class; Feminist and Diasporic Performance Art. Prejudice and anti-feminism/equality is the deep gash in society that encompasses and controls us. It was around before us, but we can possibly do something to stop it. We can create or destroy, but we have to assume power and gain education. It also alludes to the mental illness and self image issues that are associated with feminism and women.

Feminism Discussion Needs Clearer Definitions

Last Friday, there was a really awful anti-feminist piece written in my school newspaper. I took it upon myself to reply, and today, was published. This is a free standing article about what feminism truly is, but if you’re interested in seeing the original article, it’s linked. Enjoy!

There’s a bit of a misrepresentation and misunderstanding surrounding the opinion of students at this University in regards to the topic of feminism. As the feminist that I am, I wish to enlighten not only the author of the editorial entitled “I Am Not a Feminist,” but also many other misinformed students.

As any typical college student doing web research would do, I’m going to quote my favorite free information-providing website: Wikipedia.

“Feminism is a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment. A feminist advocates or supports the rights and equality of women.”

Wait. That can’t be right. It didn’t say anything about bra-burning, man-hating or establishing dominance as the stronger sex!

Maybe that’s because … that’s not what feminism is. Or about. Maybe it’s encompassed those attitudes at times, but that’s neither the mindset of every feminist nor the ideals of the group as a whole, especially within a movement that is always changing. The reason why this belief in gender equality is called feminism is because, for the most part in our society, women are more downtrodden socially, politically and economically. The ideology takes the name of the group being oppressed, although does not, anywhere, claim that men have it entirely easy.

Maybe “oppressed” isn’t the right word either. Women can vote, we can drive, we are technically free to wear whatever we want and speak our mind. We are free to go to college and work hard to land the jobs that we have pursued. However, as of September 2013, white women, in America, the wealthiest demographic, only make about 76 cents for every dollar men make. This is for myriad reasons, one of which being that women don’t feel that they can land higher jobs that have historically been reserved for men, and therefore, might not try.

These numbers are based on income averages, and we must take into account that some women work less due to parenting. However, more fathers are taking time off to stay at home with their kids, but they are still made fun of and criticized for performing a job that isn’t “manly.” Men, in feminism, are being given more rights, too — the right to go grocery shopping, to participate in women’s studies classes and clubs and to not go to the gym. The right to express themselves in a way that they believe suits them — just as women do.

As of now, we still haven’t had a female president or vice president — maybe because she wasn’t the proper person for the job, or maybe because a large portion of the country thinks that a woman will decide to go to war once a month when she gets emotional. Feminism believes that a woman should land a job based on her qualifications.

To address the social aspect of feminism’s definition, we must look directly back at some claims and examples that were made in the recent article. Just because sexual assault and rape are not commonly reported occurrences in Binghamton does not mean that this country does not have a problem. 89,000 people reported rape in the U.S. this year, and on average, 60 percent of rapes go unreported. On the list of the countries with the highest amount of rape, the U.S. is listed, while India is not. In too many countries, being gang-raped and murdered happens repeatedly and constantly. Women are accused by safety professionals that their clothes or lack thereof are the reasons they were raped.

In the past, we have not been taught to feel good about our bodies. Dove and Aerie, as mentioned, have made their campaigns because of the increasing strength of the feminist movement. If women had always been praised for being whoever they were, in terms of clothing, body type and makeup, the unique progressiveness of these campaigns wouldn’t need to be acknowledged.

We’re getting there, and being able to state your mind is a great start — but first, it is important to understand the implications and definitions of your beliefs. You’re a feminist if you believe in equality for both men and women, and that’s why more of you are feminists than you think.

— Naomi s a sophomore double-majoring in English and marketing.

 Editor’s Note:

Columnist Anita Raychawdhuri’s original piece is here.

Opinion Columnist Julianne Cuba’s response is here. 

Why I Need Feminism: Sherlock Version

*Contains Spoilers *

I think all BBC fans can all agree that the finale of season three of Sherlock was a whirlwind. There were new characters introduced and plots demolished, all over the span of one episode. Although I felt that the season developed and occurred too quickly, it was beautiful, and it was excellent, and especially from a feminist perspective.

We met two important new female characters in this season of Sherlock, and were blown away with the development of another. Now, to be clear, feminists aren’t looking for every character and every form of media to be blatantly about women. What is needed though, is proper representation. There was crucial character development as well in the characters of Sherlock, Mycroft, Greg Lestrade, and John, but they have the character development that comes from being in the inner core of the main protagonists. It was going to happen anyway. As a show that centers around the Victorian works of Sir Conan Doyle, it is going to be a heavily male-oriented cast. Their characterizations are always improving and becoming more intriguing, and this can leave a viewer wondering why women of the media aren’t treated in the same way.

Stephen Moffat, the writer of Sherlock, as well as Doctor Who, does not always prove himself as a friend to his female viewers. Although he gives his female characters intricate backstories and personalities, the feel of the show is largely oriented to a sense of male superiority. (For example, The Doctor is shocked and worried in his start of the 11th doctor that he has long hair and could be a woman.)

This is why this season’s Sherlock is so special to it’s feminist viewers. Not only were strong female main characters developed, but also the side ones.

First of all is the new main character, a woman we know as Mary Watson. The viewers came into the season only knowing that she had been there for John in the two years Sherlock had been dead. We soon get to know her for who she is; witty, loving, accepting, and tough. She is not jealous of John and Sherlock’s relationship, in fact, she loves it. We soon learn about her complicated back story, but do not feel for her as a villain or victim. We simply want her to do her thing, be herself, and get back to being the woman we’ve come to love, a woman who adores her husband, and is concerned with what he thinks of her, but also knows how to take care of herself.

Next, I want to talk about the woman who inspired me to write this post in the first place. She was new to the show this season too, and first appeared as the Maid of Honor at John and Mary’s wedding. Janine befriended Sherlock early in the second episode, and served as a companion for the entire wedding. She accepted him for who he was and saw that he was not going for her in a sexual way, and accepted it with humor and wits. She was friendly and accepting of a person with different needs, and ended up providing Sherlock with a mostly enjoyable, if not simply different, experience.

In the third episode, His Last Vow, we are shocked to learn that Sherlock and Janine are dating, affectionately giving each other pet names. Sherlock, to the viewers, was obvious; he was doing it for some reason. Indeed he was, Sherlock was using Janine to get into the office of her boss, and fully intended to play her, even into marriage.

From the beginning of this thread, I  was appalled. Janine had been such an intelligent and accepting character in the episode before. She knew that Sherlock wasn’t interested in her sexually, and instead approached him as a friend and match approver. There was no way this relationship was real, even from her end.

I was right. Janine was actually using Sherlock as well. She sold stories about him and their love life to tabloids in order to gain money and fame. When she goes to visit Sherlock as he is recovering in the hospital, he is proud of her, and maybe in awe. He didn’t see it coming. She out-Sherlocked Sherlock.

I brought up the episode via text message with a friend who also watched and enjoyed the show. This friend and I have had many arguments over the nature of femininity being more than wearing dresses. However, I was still shocked at our text message conversation.

Me: What did you think of Janine?
Him: I think she was just there. Not much to her
Me: There was so much to her though! The fact that she was doing basically the exact same thing to Sherlock as he did go her!
Him: They didn’t reference her at the end though.  Idk
Me: So?
Him: Idk unless she’s gonna return later on. I mean I guess it’s possible .
Me: She has the makings of a diabolical villain!
Him: Or, she’s out of the show

I was angry by the end of the conversation. Any character, male or female, who displays the integrity of one such as Sherlock or Janine does not deserve to be overlooked. Janine’s presence in one and a half episodes served to create and characterize a woman who brought Sherlock to his knees, in more ways than one. Male viewers often forget that their favorite male supporting character is a form of comic relief with little substance. Yet, when a brilliantly intelligent woman shows up with a minor, yet important arc, she is forgotten.

I then turned the conversation to the returning female character, Molly Hooper. I don’t need to speak much about her evolution: she transformed from a demure and obsessive co-worker to a woman who stood up for what she knew was fact, worked hard to get over her obsession, all while maintaining loyalty and gaining strength. Additionally, she did this over the course of three seasons, and it was realistic and believable.

I brought Molly up to the same friend. He maintained that the slaps were poorly done. I maintained that the slaps were not the important part; it was the development around them. He agreed, probably to shut me up.

Either way, I knew that this conversation was not unlike others that many male viewers of Sherlock were having around the globe. Characters such as Janine and Molly do not deserve to be pushed aside, because even as minor characters, they represent so much. Television needs more supporting, realistic women. They don’t have to be the main character. They just need to show the unique and stunning complexity that each woman contains, and deserves to be displayed.

The Solitude Man

ink on lined paper, collage

A Vitruvian Man, an Invisible Man, an Illustrated Man for our time

Book Review: And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

I was a huge fan of The Kite Runner. I also loved A Thousand Splendid Suns. However, the brilliant Afghan writer Khaled Hoesseini failed to impress me with his most recent saga, And the Mountains Echoed.

And The Mountains Echoed is a cross generational tale concentrating on the people who all cross each other’s lives in some way, whether in Afghanistan, Paris, The US, or Greece. The book was broken into many sections, each on focusing on one particular story, typically over the course of many years or even a lifetime.

I was not a fan of this method. The stories were rushed and exceedingly lacking in detail. They were often written in a “telling voice” as opposed to a more professional “showing voice,” a voice which Mr. Hosseini has proved that he has, and has used in his other novels. In the other books, Hoseeini was able to provide so much Afghan history, lessons on the Islamic religion, and even Farsi and Arabic. In this book, he focused too much on cramming in too many characters in too small of a space.

The book started with the story of young Abdullah and his little sister, Pari, who is sold by her father to the wife of her uncle Nabi’s employer since he cannot take care of her. Pari and Abdullah grow up separately, Pari unaware of her brother’s existence, and Abdullah always missing her, even naming his own daughter after her. Over the course of the book, in between Pari and Abdullah’s beginning and end, the stories of acquaintances and family members take over, detailing the history during some of the toughest time in Afghan history. Women’s rights, child abuse, suicide, poverty, and family are all explored and exposed in the novel.

However, while they are artfully designed and explained, none of them are touching enough, merely because they are not focused on. Hosseini spent too much time exploring the many characters, and was not able to give the reader enough time with each of them and their problems. That being said, it was still entertaining, and a book I could not put down.

Plot detail exploration: Suicide

In each of Hosseini’s three books, a relevant character commits suicide. This left me wondering about the nature of suicide in Afghan culture, as well as in Hosseini’s mindset. After a quick internet search, I did not find anything relating Hosseini or his family members to the act.  However, I did find that 95% of Afghanistan suicides are women, and this rate is even on the rise. However, according to the World Health Rankings, Afghanistan’s suicide rate is low, only 4.1%. (Although many other Middle Eastern countries were also low on this list, which leads me to believe that the amount of suicides may be misreported by those who do not wish others to know. Another option is that the suicide rate has lowered significantly since the occurrences detailed in these books.)

With all of this information, it is still fascinating that Hosseini has used this commonly as an “out” for his characters. It stands to show the impact of certain horrors of a life in a country that had been stuck in its past for so long.

While this book was nowhere near my expectations, it was still a good read, and as always, enlightening for young Americans on the recent history of Afghanistan. Hosseini’s history and experiences lead him to write books rich with culture, and unfortunately, sadness.  I look forward to reading whatever saga he comes up with next. Also, I have not yet seen the movie version of The Kite Runner, but I believe that And the Mountains Echoed would make a great movie, especially with the large amount of inter generational connecting stories that have been produced recently.