Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on September 15, 2013 by Candace Mittel
As a current resident of Jerusalem, I crave to understand the Whats and Whys and Hows behind the faces I pass by every day. What is life really like here? I mean, let’s get down to it. How do you coexist in one of the world’s most disputed and contested over cities? Practically, how? Where do you come from? What brought you to Jerusalem? The majesty and allure of this city that I feel every day – do you feel it too? Tell me. Why is Jerusalem your home?
You will find in my blog, Jerusalem Medley, an assortment of stories. The good, the bad, the charming, the unpleasant, and the extraordinary. Jerusalem is a medley of humanity – of nationalities, religions, ethnicities, personalities. Each individual is his or her own narrator, and the words here absolutely belong to them. I have rearranged words, here and there, reorganized so that sometimes a sentence that was said to me at the start of the interview will appear last, or the other way around. But I have not rearranged letters. I have not created words that were not spoken to me. Some interviews were conducted in Hebrew, and for those you will find a note that the monologue has been translated. And unfortunately, subtleties often dissipate through the translation process. But isn’t any encounter with an Other a translation process? In any case, I have done my best to keep things pure.
So read on. And realize that the streets, wherever you may be in the world, are constantly spilling stories that are longing, waiting to be told. If only you ask.
Writing: Candace Mittel
Email: candacemittel@gmail.com
Photography: Itai Joseph
Email: itai@u.northwestern.edu