Christmas in the Holy Land – Not what you imagine

 

[Santa at the beach*]

The Middle East has this sometimes-nasty tendency of rendering clear terms complex . Nothing is simple, even holidays. For example, in Europe and North America (Canada, Mexico AND the United States), South America and many countries in Asia, people and business are in the Christmas cycle of purchasing gifts and food for the holiday, finishing projects before the office closes and making final preparations for the seasonal trip or family visit. Outside, in the Canada, the United States and Northern Europe, it is quite cold, even snowing, adding to the seasonal feeling and complicating all driving. Those cheery pictures from Christmas movies have an element of reality.

Alas, in the birthplace of Christianity, the reality is rather different in terms of weather and holiday feeling. First of all, Israel is “enjoying” a rather balmy December, around 22C (in the 70’s in Fahrenheit, with nary a rain cloud, not to even mention snow flake, to be seen. It is true that December can be cold in some years but “cold” is far above zero here. As for Christmas, aside from in the Christian villages of Israel, a traveler in Israel could be forgiven for not realizing that Christmas is in a few days as there the TV channels are not broadcasting any ads urging you to purchase this or that annd Christmas music  is as common as Artie Shaw clarinet solos. Admittedly, the Russian retail chains do have various Christmas decorations on sale, including chocolate Santas, but that touch is far from omnipresent. On the other hand, Jews, Christians and Muslims all enjoy the star of Hannukah, the suvgoniot, fried jelly donuts, and enthusiastically discuss the price of commercial ones and the recipes of home ones. I personally feel that latkes, potato pancakes, are a more justified calorie intake but as they say in French, chacun son gout, to each his own. In short, Christmas in the Holy Land is quite different than elsewhere.

That said, Christmas in Israel is an opportunity for tourists. The warm weather allows comfortable touring throughout the country and even getting a tan on the beach. Try that in Germany or the UK. If you want to purchase anything, stores are open as usual. The tourist can get a few minutes of “Christmas” atmosphere by going to the German Colony in Haifa (recommended) or Abu Gush or Nazareth in the Galilee. This year Hannukah and Christmas are basically at the same time, allowing visitors to enjoy the Jewish candle countdown during the eight days of the festival of light. Children can experience Festivigal, an Israeli long-running children’s music show that runs during the holiday. For those scrooges seeking a non-holiday atmosphere, Israel is perfect, how ironic.

Businesses trying to function during the December dead day may find Israel is a source of relief. Except for Christians on December 24-25 and those going on vacation, all service providers are on a “business as usual” mode, meaning it is possible and even convenient to find any service you want. Sunday is even a standard working day in Israel, rendering the weekend much less catastrophic. You can say that one person’s holiday is another person’s opportunity.

For those with a historical, spiritual or religious bent, a trip to Israel can provide fascinating perspective on the past and present in terms of the complex relationship between ethnicity and faith. In the Middle East your tribe is your religion. While people enjoy cross-cultural friendships and some people are of mixed religions, when matters get tense, as does happen from time to time, you trust “one of our own”. It is possible to see this dynamic in any mixed village or city, including Jaffa (Yafo), Haifa and Rami. Faith in the Middle East is not merely matter of religion but also and possibly more importantly of personal identity. On the bright side, msot of the time Israel shows what happens when people respect each other’s faith and do not impose their own. All religions, including Christianity, are thriving. That message is relevant for the whole world. Thus, Israel provides a unique view of the world some 2000 years ago as even now at least in terms of social interaction.

So, a trip to Israel in December can be shocking, entertaining and/or educational, depending on the person’s expectations. The atmosphere of the holiday season in the Holy Land is certainly completely different that of Europe and North America. On a positive note, it is less kitschy and much warmer, temperature-wise at least. Those seeking professional services at a non-holiday rate during the last week of September should definitely consider a provider from this region. Finally, those seeking understanding of the origins of Christianity and tensions of the modern-day Middle East should definitely see it with their own eyes. Israel is not what you imagine. If you cannot make this year, have a happy holiday however you celebrate it.

* Picture captions help the blind fully benefit from the Internet.

Picture credit

Jerusalem of gold, copper and light

Trump’s controversial announcement to move the US embassy to Jerusalem has elicited a larger than usual number of skew comments.  What I mean is that the various reactions do not relate to the same Jerusalem although the name of the city is the same.

To explain, to religious and ideological Jews, Jerusalem is the soul of Judaism, the basis of the faith, and is symbolized by the Wailing Wall and Temple Mount.  Without Jerusalem, Israel has no anchor for existence. While this image is very strong and commonly felt even by non-religious Jews, it ignores many facts. A Jewish state without Jerusalem in ancient times did exist when there was a split between Judah and Israel. Secondly, administratively and population wise, East Jerusalem is more Jordanian/Palestinian than Israeli.  Many of its key institutions are directly or indirectly run by Amman, including the educational system and Waqf. Despite the fact that Jerusalem was united more than 40 years ago, it remains a divided city.

That does not mean that the official Muslim portrayal of Jerusalem is any more accurate. In the eyes of many Muslim, Jerusalem is the city from where Mohamed rose to heaven. Its holiness is symbolized by the Golden Dome Mosque, Al-Aqsa. Jewish control of the area represents a spiritual threat to the religion as a political threat to the Palestinians, who also consider Jerusalem as their religious anchor. This approach ignores the fact that the mosque is build on the ruins of a church, which is built on the ruins of the two ancient Jewish temples, which was built in the area conquered by the Jewish King David from the …….  There is no certainly no clear Muslim or even Arabic title to this land. Moreover, the Koran does not even directly mention Jerusalem, although the city may be referred to indirectly. Thus, to claim that Jews have no title to the city is ridiculous.

The “neutral” international attitude to Jerusalem is muddled. Jerusalem has an important place in Christianity. Yet, Christian access is not threatened either by the former or new US position. More importantly, the world is bewildered by the fervency and lack of rationality in regards to any discussion regarding the city’s status. Thus, it prefers to bury the issue under the carpet and allocate to later discussions between the disputing parties, who so far cannot agree on far simpler matters. On the other hand, like any fundamental dispute, the status of Jerusalem and its holy places will continue to heighten tensions to everybody’s loss. It is a bit of a Gordian knot. It is often forgotten that Jerusalem is not only a symbol but also a real city with people trying to cope with a complicated geographical, architectural, political and social structure.

My view is that fundamentally Trump’s declaration and eventual implementation changed very little. In any case, the US Embassy would be located in West Jerusalem. This move would not in fact prevent the Palestinians from having their own state and making East Jerusalem their capital if such a solution is ever agreed upon. The facts on the ground should (but do not always) determine the reality.  The two state solution is theoretically possible with Jerusalem as a divided city, albeit not necessarily according to pre-1967 borders on the condition that freedom of religion for all is maintained and the parties can agree.

Yes, I know the John Lennon song Imagine comes to mind, hopefully or cynically. In any case, we need a bit of Naomi Shemer‘s light to enter the Middle East and allow people to live their lives in peace. Let all of us pray to the peace of Jerusalem, whichever city you have in mind.  If we can make that happen, anything is possible.