Egypt revolt strangely missing Israeli element

January 31, 2011 by · 2 Comments
Filed under: A New Reality, coexistence, General, Life, News, Politics, War 

A demonstrator in Cairo - where's Israel? (Photo: Melanie Lidman)

The whole scene being played out in Egypt has left Israelis feeling quite uneasy.

Notwithstanding unfounded rumors that President Hosni Mubarak might find refuge if he flees his country in Tel Aviv, or fear of what an Islamic takeover of Egypt will mean for our southern border and future ties with the Arab country we’ve had a peace treaty with for over 30 years, the most glaring element of the whole revolt is how little Israel has to do with it.

As Herb Keinon wrote in The Jerusalem Post on Sunday, “for the tens of thousands of protesters who took to Egypt’s streets over the weekend, defying the curfew and calling for the departure of President Hosni Mubarak, Israel and the Palestinians were simply not on the agenda.

“And the same was the case during the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia earlier this month, and in the demonstrations intermittently taking place in Jordan, Yemen, Algeria and Morocco. No cries of death to Israel, no signs to “lift the siege” of Gaza, no chants against housing projects in Ariel.”

Melanie Lidman, the Post’s report in Cairo, wrote that anti-US and anti-Israel sentiment is growing over those country’s lack of overt support for the popular uprising. But from an Israeli perspective, it’s refreshing to have demonstrations and riots in the region that seemingly have nothing to do with us.

Which doesn’t diminish our vested interested in what transpires an iota. While the anti-government, pro-democracy demonstrators are demanding Mubarak’s ouster, there’s the extremist Muslim Brotherhood just waiting for a vacuum to rush in and turn Egypt into another Iran, this one with borders abutting Israel.

No matter how it turns out, one thing is clear. Settlements, Jerusalem and Israel’s policy on Gaza are not the main issues threatening stability in the Middle East.

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Nostalgia Sunday – Egypt Under the Stereoscope

January 30, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, General, History and Culture, News, Nostalgia Sunday, Politics, Religion, Social Justice, Technology, Travel, tv 

In December, one spark caused the dry underbrush that had amassed for years beneath the Carmel Forest trees to burst into flame. Similarly, the tinderbox that is the wild, wild Middle East has combusted spontaneously. Except that spontaneity would imply surprise. Although we Israelis are watching the events in Cairo unfold with no little anxiety, (our hope is that the “cold peace” with Egypt will stay intact), it would be a mistake to think that anyone here is entirely surprised. We just thought it would happen a bit differently.

One element that has proved surprising is the enormous amount of credit being attributed to social media, via the Internet and cellular, for driving events in both Tunisia and Egypt — and who knows where else in the near future. Given that, it might be nice to take a look back at the high-tech of 100 years ago: stereoscopy.

As written in a previous column, stereoscopic technology comprised two separate images printed side-by-side, mounted on cardboard and peered at through the lens of a stereoscope viewer. It sounds primitive by today’s standards but the impact of this form of 3-D photography was great. Take, for example, this description of what would today be called “e-learning” as written in 1905 by Prof. James Henry Breasted, Professor of Egyptology and Oriental History at the University of Chicago:

“Heretofore I have never been able to find any books or material which could furnish graphic reproductions of the remains still surviving in the ancient lands of the East… It was, therefore, with peculiar satisfaction that I made the acquaintance of this system of stay-at-home travel, the great merits of which are but beginning to be appreciated. By its use an acquaintance can be gained, here at home, with the wonders of the Nile Valley, which is quite comparable with that obtained by traveling there.”

The full text of Prof. Breasted’s book, Egypt through the stereoscope: a journey through the land of the Pharaohs, complete with stereoscopic images, may be found online. Meanwhile, here is a small selection of images from Cairo as it was 100 years ago.

“Cairo, home of the Arabian Nights, the greatest city of Africa, northwest from Saladin’s citadel to the Nile”

“A ‘Ship of the Desert’ passing the tombs of by-gone Moslem rulers, outside the east wall of Cairo”

“The great Nile Bridge at Cairo open for the passage of the daily fleet of cargo boats”

“The Holy Carpet parade with the Mahmal, before the departure of the pilgrims for Mecca, Cairo”

“The magnificent jewelry of the Pharaohs (Queen Ahhotep, 17th century B. C.), Cairo Museum”

We can only hope that the looters who broke into the Cairo Museum this week didn’t get to these. They did enough damage by tearing the heads off two mummies and breaking many other irreplaceable items.

In closing, here’s one that’s not from Dr. Breasted’s book but a must-share nonetheless: a stereoscopic image by the Keystone View Company entitled “The Graf Zeppelin’s rendezvous with the eternal desert and the more than 4,000 year old pyramids of Gizeh, Egypt” that documents the 1931 event. There’s nothing we in the West love more than a picture that fits our technology leapfrogging ideal and this one is an absolute wow.

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When birthright met the IDF

January 30, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, coexistence, education, General, History and Culture, Israeliness, Life, Travel 

The reunited cousins

Here’s a slice of synchronicity courtesy of an Israeli/American intersection that took place last week.

Daughter Sarit serving in the IDF was in Jerusalem for four days as part of a commander’s course – her unit visited historical sites in the Old City, educational facilities like Yad Vashem and had classroom time at the hostel they boarded in near the Holocaust museum in the neighborhood of Bayit Vegan.

Returning to the hostel after a day’s activities, the soldiers encountered around five groups of American college-age youth here on their Taglit (birthright) trip who had just arrived at their Jerusalem base, the same hostel.

Amid the culture clash and the general excitement among the American kids at seeing live Israeli soldiers in their midst, Sarit happened to notice a familiar face in the crowd.

“Melissa!” she shouted. And a young woman looked over and screamed “Sarit” and they ran to each other in embrace. Melissa is Sarit’s cousin from Long Island, the daughter of my wife’s first cousin. They had spent some time together a couple summers ago, and had kept in touch via facebook.

We knew Melissa was in the country and were planning to see her the following night, but we had no idea at that point where she was staying in Jerusalem. A quick call home from Sarit with a “guess who I just saw” informed us as to her whereabouts.

Like Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, of all the youth hostels and hotels in Jerusalem, the two cousins from Long Island and Jerusalem had to walk into the same one.

They spent the evening catching up and introducing their respective friends to each other, integrating the young Americans and Israelis. For both sides, it was likely an interesting education and one that will do wonders for understanding their shared and disparate cultures and backgrounds.

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Jeff Goldberg on his Israeli vacation

January 30, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Entertainment, General, History and Culture, Holidays, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness, Life, Pop Culture, Travel 

I don’t know about you, but it’s now February and I’m dying for a vacation. That doesn’t mean there’s any in the offing, unless you count an upcoming weekend away at my sister’s house. Even if there were one in the offing, where would I want to go? I’d probably settle for a weekend in a zimmer up north, or a quick getaway at the Dead Sea. Over to the U.S.? Not happening. Then again, as I’ve learned in my 15 years here, taking a vacation in the States, my native homeland, is not necessarily a vacation. In fact, even when I’m there, I’ve gotta get away to really get away.

Jeff Goldberg on 'Meet the Press'

Which is why I was curious to hear what Atlantic Monthly correspondent Jeffrey Goldberg would have to say about taking a vacation in Israel, the region to which he takes many of his work trips. As he told Da’at, a Jerusalem tour company, he relishes his private relationship with Israel, and with many friends who live here, back from his days in the army and working for the Jerusalem Post.

“My relationship to Israel is different than my relationship to politics or the government of Israel,” says Jeff. “Israel is the Jewish homeland and I belong to a religion that is based partially on territory, on a specific place. The politics of the moment have to be immaterial to me when I take my children to Israel and explain what it means.”

And so, when he and his wife bring their three kids here, as they do every couple of years, they focus on fun and not “too many ancient Nabatean ruins.”

“These kids haven’t been to Yad Vashem,” says Jeff. “They’ve been to various ruins, but their idea of Israel is the beach and [chocolate café] Max Brenner and clothes shopping. For my son, it’s the IDF museum and crawling around on tanks. It’s not hard to do because Israel is a fun place. It’s floating in the Dead Sea and eating ice cream. I don’t want the heaviness to weigh them down.”

I like that sensibility. It’s also a good reminder that when I need a vacation, all I really need is a day in Tel Aviv. It’s a brain break.

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Foto Friday – Behind the Urban Outfitters Scene

January 28, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Art, Blogging, Business, design, Entertainment, Foto Friday, General, Pop Culture, Travel 

A few weeks ago, Jessica reported that Urban Outfitters had come to Israel for a catalogue shoot. Urban Outfitters has since posted a sneak peek on Facebook at their Early Spring line, which includes some gorgeous shots of some equally gorgeous people making our drab winter surroundings that much brighter.

Along with the fashion shots, there are also some interesting artistic ones as well. That’s because three of the models — Coco Young, Marcel Castenmiller and Jonas Kesseler — are also photographers in their own right. Urban Outfitters who, despite their retro aesthetic, are ever on the cutting edge, asked the trio to document their Israel experience with a Behind the Scenes look.

The result: “Their photos reveal the little unexpected moments that make a trip special – snacks, late nights and the people that you meet for a second but will remember forever.”

The full exhibition is posted on the Urban Outfitters blog, along with interviews with the artists. Coco Young said that the Dead Sea was one of the trip’s highlights.

Photo by Coco Young

She also kept an eye out for unusual fashion statements.

Photo by Coco Young

The Dead Sea was also a highlight for Marcel Castenmiller but his favorite part of the day, he said, was “Getting back to the hotel room and staying up late with Coco and Jonas drinking wine.”

Photo by Marcel Castenmiller

And the absurd little details of a country where a kitchen clock gets tied to a street lamp — for heaven knows what reason — didn’t escape his notice.

Photo by Marcel Castenmiller

Jonas Kesseler said the funniest moment of his trip was arriving at the airport only to be strip-searched on his way into Israel. Glad to hear he kept a sense of humor about it. Certainly, that wit is reflected in his work.

Photos by Jonas Kesseler

Kesseler’s website, by the way, features a photo and drawing essay about his “wandering the endless streets of Tokyo”. Here’s hoping that a new edition — the lighter side of coming hard up against the finite borders of our little country, perhaps? — will turn up in the near future. As for Urban Outfitters, a radio commentator put it best today when he said, “Next time you come, please could you bring a branch of your store with you, too?”

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