Week 10 Discussion Response

This is a picture from the Miss Israel pageant and Jewish women of different backgrounds are represented here, so I thought it was a fitting picture.

Since it's been a while since we've had a discussion, I really enjoyed talking with you all today! The readings that we've done since our last discussion have been some of my personal favorites, so hearing other people's perspectives on things was fabulous and refreshing.

I was glad we had the opportunity to discuss different identities. I didn't know until today that there was more tension between Mizrahi women and Palestinian women than with Ashkenazi women. This was kind of sad to me, as both Mizrahi and Palestinian women experience a very different, more difficult struggle than Ashkenazi women. It's always disheartening to see any group (in this case women of the region) divide on classist lines, as it's merely an issue of status as opposed to a deeply rooted, fundamental difference in ideas. I find the lack of understanding and unity to be the product of society, as most social issues are. This leads me into a discussion of our conversation with Galit Hassan-Rokem.

Speaking with Galit Hassan-Rokem, she mentioned something very interesting: her name sounded Mizrahi, so she was often mistaken as being Mizrahi, despite being Ashkenazi. This makes sense, as her last name sounds very Arab (when was the last time you heard someone with the last name of Hassan and not immediately associated them with Arabic?). But that assumption of someone's identity can change the way you view them. Mistaking someone's identity isn't necessarily a problem. It happens all the time, the issue is usually rectified after a conversation, and people move on. But considering the experience of Mizrahi women, and the interactions between Mizrahi and Ashkenazi women / Mizrahi women and Palestinian women, this misunderstanding could present a problem. As we found out this week, the tension can often be visible in every day experiences in Jerusalem. I would be interested to know if Galit experiences different treatment regularly when people become aware of her name.

"All of Israel is part of the occupation. I am also part of the occupation." When Galit first said this, I was taken aback for a moment. In political situations, I don't like to think that people are simply born as a part of something, especially not part of such a big problem, without choosing it (whether under pressure or not). Of course people are born into all sorts of issues, but whether or not they consider themselves part of the issue is an entirely different matter. I reflected on this more later and it definitely makes more sense. Living in Israel would require one to be part of the problem. They participate in government-funded programs and activities, which perpetuate the occupation. However, I'm still not sure I agree with her statement (and I want to hear what other people think about this). People don't really have an option when they are born and raised in a particular area. So long as they are not making the problem worse, and even taking steps to alleviate an issue, they are not part of the problem. Galit herself is an activist who speaks out against the occupation. While she participates in government-funded activities and programs, she is also a citizen of a country and should be able to enjoy life comfortably without feeling like she's a part of something that she protests strictly by virtue of living where she lives. Maybe she meant something more by what she said that I'm not touching on here, but again, I'd love to hear what everyone thinks because that specific comment was definitely the most striking part of the video conference for me.