8/31 | Jerusalem: The First Full Day

Jerusalem is an incredible city with so much to offer, yet its future is in jeopardy because of its troubled past.  Jerusalem, although united following the 1967 Six-Day War, is separated into two parts: East and West Jerusalem.  West Jerusalem is the territory Israel held following the 1948 War of Independence.  It is predominantly Jewish and not in dispute.  East Jerusalem, however, is what Jordan held (this was before the creation of the Palestinian Liberation Organization) after 1948 and is mostly Arab Muslim.  Mount Scopus, which houses the main campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was an Israeli enclave within disputed East Jerusalem.  Although that does not mean much in this interconnected city today, it has had major ramifications in the past and will continue to do so in the future.  After the War of Independence, Israel managed to hold on to Mount Scopus.  Unfortunately, the Jordanians made it very difficult for Israelis to cross through to the small enclave, and it was largely neglected except for a small police presence.  As a result, both the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and neighboring Hadassah Hospital were moved to secondary locations in the neighborhoods of Givat Ram and Ein Kerem respectively.  After the Six-Day War, both institutions were moved back to their original location and their secondary locations were made into satellites.

A map of the line between East and West Jerusalem.  Although a united city under Israeli control, Google Maps reflects the international perspective, which sees the situation as in dispute and therefore unchanged from the time of the Jordanian occupation.  Mount Scopus can be seen in the dotted lines to the right, while West Jerusalem  is everything past the dotted line to the left.

So why does this matter?  It really shouldn't; the Arabs have lost every war they have aged to try and get Jerusalem back.  This means nothing to them, though.  The Palestinians have declared East Jerusalem as their intended capital.  If the situation resorted to the way it was, as they wish, Jerusalem would again be divided.  No longer would the Old City be open to people of all religions.  Mount Scopus would again be separated from the rest of Israel.  The flagship institution of the Zionist movement, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, would be strangled once again.  During orientation today, the speaker had an interesting quotation.  "Most nationalist movements focus solely on their militaries.  Zionism is different because it put its main focus on learning."  Founded by such greats as Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, and Chaim Weizmann, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Mount Scopus is a premier school in Israel.  Without a negotiated agreement, the Palestinians would strangle the Hebrew University of Jerusalem just as the Jordanians did from 1948 to 1967.  This may seem like a total assumption, but the Arab neighborhoods surrounding the school, like Issawiya and Abu Tor, are very hostile towards Israel and can be dangerous.  In fact, we were told to avoid them at all costs.  The harsh reality facing the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, especially with the Palestinian's unilateral declaration of independence looming in September, is not evident from its beautiful campus.  While we were told all about the political situation, it was not a major focus.  In fact, it is a non-issue to most people.  It is a real testament to the Israeli people that their most beloved institutions can be under threat and yet to most, it is nothing to worry about.

The Dome of the Rock is in clear view from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.  Guess I'll have front row seats to whatever happens following the Palestinian unilateral declaration of independence this September!

The Mount Scopus campus is much larger than American University and much more complex, too.  It consists of many buildings, many of which are terraced and lead to other poorly marked buildings.  Finding the Boyer Building, where the Rothberg International School is located, seems nearly impossible!  There is a lot more exploring to do, especially on the grounds outside of the buildings.  One area features different gardens with plants that represent each of Israel's regions, while another features the amphitheater that hosted the university's founding ceremony back in 1918.  There is so much more to see; fortunately, I have four months!

The breathtaking view from the amphitheater where the Hebrew University of Jerusalem founding ceremony took place in 1918.

Today, most of the day was spent on the main campus.  In the morning, I had to take a placement Hebrew essay that I feel very good about.  A few hours later, we had a walking tour and an orientation session.  Both were just very generic sessions on getting to know your school, important to me but not interesting enough to write about.  Following this, a group of people went out for dinner at a Burgers Bar before going out for the night.


The night is when things got real interesting.  A few people found out about an outdoor festival happening at the old train station in downtown Jerusalem.  Seeing as we had nothing else to do, a group of us decided to go.  Getting there was quite a challenge.  First, we waited for the bus for about 45 minutes before it came.  Then once we got on the bus, we had to figure out where to transfer.  Eventually, we made our way to the festival, which looked like a crowded mob of Israelis dancing, drinking, and just having a good time.  There were drinks to taste, stalls to peruse, music to listen to... a lot of fun!  Getting home was absolutely miserable, though.  We decided our best bet was to find Ben Yehuda Street, which is the main thoroughfare for nightlife in Jerusalem.  Unfortunately, we were many miles away with little clue where we were.  Somehow we managed to make it to the Old City, but nobody could point us in the right direction of Ben Yehuda Street!  Confused and annoyed, we finally caved and took a cab back.  The cab driver ripped us off but it was worth it to be back in a familiar setting!  Lesson learned for the future, I guess.

The outdoor festival I attended.  So many Israelis!

On a side note, as we were walking up a street, we encountered a man who said he was from Germany on a vile, anti-Semitic diatribe.  I am not sure why he would come to the world's sole Jewish country to hate on Jews, but it was quite shocking to all of us.  It's sad to think that hatred of that kind is alive and well, and you can find it where you least expect it.