Vision, or Lack Thereof

By Brielle Goodman
Johns Hopkins University
(KOACH-On-Campus Editor)

When I first went to Jerusalem three years ago, I had mixed feelings of many sorts. I felt that it was a magnificent, historic location. I was struck by the preservation of the remnants of societies from centuries passed. And yet, I also felt that it was a city like any other city. So many people say that as soon as you step within the city limits of Jerusalem, you feel complete. I did not feel that immediate completion. I did not feel that my world suddenly made sense and my life suddenly had purpose. Most of the city was like the rest of Israel. The shopping was cool, the cabs were like most others in the rest of the country. And yet, as I walked through the alleys of the old city, I discovered a very, very unique culture. It didn't have anything to do with being Jewish. It didn't have anything to do with being in the city that held such power so many centuries ago. It had to do with the fact that people of so many different heritages could live together in relative harmony. The Arab Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. OK, so some Christian Arab offered to buy me for five and a half camels, but other than that, the whole city was truly charming.

The charm of Jerusalem, for me, isn't so much in its history, but rather, it is in the fact that the majority of the time (especially in the Old City), people of extremely different backgrounds co-exist relatively peacefully in a very small area. The culture of the Old City is different from anywhere else that I have been and I find that fascinating. Outside those old citadel walls, however, most of it is pretty generic.

Personally, I found the Western Wall particularly offensive. The fact that the section that women are allowed to go to is so small and the fact that one who is not Orthodox is looked down upon – these are more than troubling. To me, they are not okay in the least. Are we not all the children of God? So how is it that some are "better" than others? I respect the observances of other people, but can't they respect ours as well? I have plenty of questions that are unanswerable.

Overall, I think Jerusalem is a beautiful city, and I hope to go back over and over again. However, I know I take a very unconventional view of the spirituality of Jerusalem. I love Israel and I most definitely feel a special connection with it. Jerusalem takes on more meaning as part of the larger whole.

[Posted 7/13/04]