One hundred and thirty years ago, Mark Twain visited the land of Israel. Traveling far and wide, he jotted down his impressions along the way in what would eventually become "The Innocents Abroad." But despite the seductive trajectory of his peregrination, Twain's remarks reveal just how suspect several of the Old World's supposed pleasures really were. Twain described Jerusalem like this: "Lepers, cripples, the blind, and the idiotic, assail you on every hand, and they know but one word of but one language apparently -- the eternal 'buksheesh.' To see the numbers of maimed, malformed and diseased humanity that throng the holy places and obstruct the gates, one might suppose that the ancient day had come again, and that the angel of the Lord was expected to descend at any moment to stir the waters of Bethesda. Jerusalem is mournful, and dreary, and lifeless. I would not desire to live here." Long before the Holyland case unravelled, there were those who chose to manage the city's affairs using bribery and "buksheesh" -- which, in the Middle East, roughly translates to tipping or political bribery. Add to Twain's depiction the biblical Prophet Isaiah's Jerusalem lament: "Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts" (Isaiah 1:23) and the picture becomes quite dismal, saturated in sorrow and despair. The strange characteristics regaled by Twain are still relevant today among those who suffer "Jerusalem syndrome" as they wander the city. Yet, nobody who spends time in Jerusalem today can avoid marvelling at the last century's profound developments. Jerusalem went from a small, derelict town choked between walls and ruins and steeped in a volatile and seething social environment to Israel's largest city, with flourishing high-tech and tourism sectors and a fantastic construction boom happening right in the shadows of Herod's building projects. Next to the Holyland towers -- an ugly stitch in Jerusalem's otherwise perfect skyline -- developers are working on the Jerusalem Arena, a huge sporting complex that will become Israel's largest. Alongside highway improvements and a new train line, several artistic and cultural hot spots are flourishing, as well as diverse sports events. Such attributes -- along with Jerusalem's ancient treasures -- are both a source of pride and livelihood. Indeed, the city often feels more congested than holy, rife with conflict, disputation and useless feuding. Jerusalem's epic past guides the city, not one individual leader. Defining its agenda are King David, Jesus and the Prophet Muhammad, not today's denizens. Often, perhaps too often, the city bounces back and forth between Neturei Karta demonstrations and protests at the Karta parking lot, between the Jerusalem pool -- controversial for its Shabbat hours -- and the case of the Jerusalem mother who was starving her child. But even those who deny its unification cannot deny the city's unique character. The tensions and schisms have gone hand in hand with the city ever since ancient days and make for a one-of-a-kind lifestyle, a "Jerusalem mixed grill," which provides the city with an incomparable ambience. Indeed, there is a price we pay for living all together now. The diversity is a blessing, but it also presents a daunting challenge, for both its livelihood and the city's residents. Only patience and tolerance, setting aside hatred and fostering mutual respect, crucial for prolonging Jerusalem's existence, will ensure its future development, prosperity and uniqueness.
Jerusalem's diversity -- a boon and a challenge
מערכת ישראל היום
מערכת "ישראל היום“ מפיקה ומעדכנת תכנים חדשותיים, מבזקים ופרשנויות לאורך כל שעות היממה. התוכן נערך בקפדנות, נבדק עובדתית ומוגש לציבור מתוך האמונה שהקוראים ראויים לעיתונות טובה יותר - אמינה, אובייקטיבית ועניינית.
