A brief report about my experience in the Holy Land, December 2, 2004
By Skip Schiel
Being my support and clearness committee (and a few carefully selected family members and friends), I thought you might be wondering how I’m doing. Aside from what you’ve learned from my weekly paired photos emails, and any perusing you’ve done of my website, here’s a rundown of how I am.
First, I’ve completed two photo activities, Birzeit University and the Right to Education Campaign which collapsed so sadly at the end of October, and now the Ecumenical Accompaniers for Peace in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), which might end soon. For EAPPI I photographed each of the teams (Ramallah, Jerusalem, Nablus, Hebron, Sawahreh, Bethlehem, and Jayyous—maps at the links below) in their various activities and provided rudimentary photo training. In addition, while in Hebron I connected with Christian Peacemakers Team ( CPT) to do the same. I might continue with the next cycle of EAPPI teams but I’ve had no confirmation yet.
Second, nearly all the inquiries I’ve sent out since last January offering my photography in exchange for covering my personal expenses during the photo period have drawn virtually no positive response. Or some: ranging from the maybe to the give me a call and we’ll set something up (with nothing resulting). I have hopes of working with Zochrot (who organize tours of destroyed Arab villages, mostly for Israeli Jews), CPT (this is very promising, they’ve invited me back to their new “outpost” in a small rough village south of Hebron, Twani, where two of their members were assaulted by American English speaking settlers), and the Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem who are organizing events for the Christmas season.
The lack of acceptances puzzles me. Is it the Occupation dropping blankets of doubt and suspicion on so many initiatives? Is it, in the Israeli case, an abundance of qualified photographers in country? Could it relate to my effort to work with both Israelis and Palestinians? Who knows? I could speculate endlessly. I am deeply disappointed.
Third, I’m based in Ramallah, renting a small apartment at the Friends Lower School for a small but draining monthly fee of $200. I’m photographing at the school, and have offered photo workshops which have yet to find takers. I find this most nourishing, and for those interested, I can send an essay I wrote recently about my many surprising Quaker connections in Palestine.
Although I have faith that I can remain here for my planned period, September thru January, my visa expires in mid December. In the next few days I hope to renew it, but this is dicey, one of the manifestations of the struggle. What will I tell the Israeli officials if they ask, why are you in Israel?
My story-- a good part of the truth and an alternative plan if I can’t continue volunteering my photography-- is that I’ll be in Israel (and limited parts of Palestine) to visit and photograph the holy sites, both Jewish and Christian. I’ll stay with friends and in guest houses and hostels. In large part, this is to fulfill a commission from my church in the United States, the Religious Society of Friends, Quakers.
Since entering the country in mid September, I’ve visited Jewish friends, gone to a number of key sites, including Jerusalem, Bethlehem (for a brief visit to the Church of the Nativity) and Hebron (where I joined an Israeli Jewish tour group). I’ve resided in Ramallah, renting an apartment at a Quaker school ( Friends School).
I need more time in the country for the Galilee, Sinai desert, Masada, River Jordan, Jericho, and routes and stops of Abraham, Joseph, and others. Plus I’d like to be in Bethlehem during Christmas. I intend to continue visiting friends, especially Jewish and Christian ones. I plan to make a slide show of the holy sites, showing how intermingled Judaism and Christianity are, and show this slide show to members of my church community throughout the United States.
That’s the story, part fact, part expediency, part fantasy. When I departed home, Louise offered me the wish that I’d find the truth of that story.
So, I’ve done something, something minor, made a batch of photos, wrote a few words, put up a few images and stories on my website, provided some material to a few organizations, taught a little photography, and learned a lesson or two. How long I can sustain this and what it all means is for the realm of mystery.
I end with two dialogs, elicited by my good South African f/Friend Jeremy Routledge of the EAPPI. He invited all participants to visualize a transformed Palestine and Israel thru an imaginary dialog. “Try it twice,” he said, “and bring the dialogs to dinner at Pizza Romo after the pilgrimage on December 2.” Here’s what I wrote:
On the train from Ramallah to Jerusalem
Two young men, Cain and Able, are riding on a commuter train between Ramallah and Jerusalem--no checkpoints, no wall, no blockages of any kind.
Cain says, “I remember when I traveled with my parents between Ramallah and al-Quds ( Jerusalem) when I was growing up. A service taxi from Ramallah to the Kalandia checkpoint, the fear I felt facing the soldiers. I recall one time when my father was turned back, I and my mother were allowed thru, we waited in the rain on the other side for the soldier’s decision. I cried as I waved goodbye to my father.”
“And now,” Able replies, “we ride this train for 20 minutes and we’re at Damascus Gate, far different from the old days when this trip took one to two hours, two taxis, plus the long wait and humiliation at the checkpoint. Now the train drops us off and the al-Aqsa mosque is another five minute walk.”
In the sky above Hebron, having just taken off from the Hebron airport
A family, father Hani (Palestinian), mother Nora (US Jew), daughters Rula and Rivkah, on their way home to Ramallah after visiting Hani’s family in Twani, a small village south of Hebron.
Rula exclaims as she looks out the small plane’s window, “This view is gorgeous. Look dad, the Ibrahimi mosque, the line of tourists waiting to get in. I can even see kippahs on some heads, head scarves on most of the women.”
And Rahim replies, “Did you notice on the other side, the synagogue side, that old men in kaffiehs and young girls in long dresses (the fashion for Israeli Jewish women) are mixing together on the steps to the synagogue?”
Thanks for your clearness and support and love, especially for your messages. I hope your lives are fulfilling dreams.
--Skip
For good maps of the region that I’ve been in:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/gazastrip.html
The photo is from yesterday’s haircut. A Friends school student asked me that afternoon, prior to the haircut, with my hair sticking out very fashionably I thought, what happened to your hair? Suggesting I’d improve my looks considerably with a haircut. Promptly I had it done, by the father of one of the students, for a mere 25 shekels, or $5.50. This haircut is a work of art, I told the barber.
Recent photos from the Levant: Nablus, Mountain of Fire
schiel@ccae.org
www.teeksaphoto.org