Reading Response, Chapters 1-4

I realize that I misinterpreted the syllabus update, so here is my response to the first four chapters of Karen Armstrong's Jerusalem.

One of the first things that struck me about Armstrong's recollection of the history was her discussion of sacred space.  Throughout this year, I have spent much time learning about what defines sacred space.  I think it's really important that she brought up this idea that these ancient conceptions are still very much pertinent to the history of Jerusalem, and that this history even affects people who do not consider themselves religious.  It is the history that makes this place sacred.  Without understanding the history, one does not have an understanding of the holiness of this place.  However, if one were to be completely unaware of anything about the city of Jerusalem, one would not be able to understand the holiness.

In the first chapter about Zion, I really enjoyed when she was talking about how the ancient peoples were searching for "lost wholeness" of the Garden of Eden in the place where they lived, and that she compared it to how in modern day people seek out this peace in art, drugs or sex.  I thought it was an interesting parallel to draw, and I think the idea of Jerusalem encompassing this ancient idea makes a lot of sense.

While I was reading these stories, I was imagining that I was back living in those times.  Were these ancient people that we consider holy now be considered holy outside the light of monarchy?  Also, would these people be considered holy today?  I also began to think, did the people living there ever imagine that their presence in this land would be so heavily sought after in the present day?  What was happening for them was probably just as political as it is now.  We have talked about in class how we have to separate politics from religion, but has that ever actually happened?

In my life and in present day Judaism, the idea of tzedakah is something that is very evident.  The literal translation of the word is charity, but that word extends to social justice and also the idea of tikkum olam, or repairing the world.  This idea is omnipresent in not just Judaism, but many religions, specifically Christianity and Islam.  The fact that this idea dates way back to this time in history is fascinating.  It is amazing how long human beings have understood the importance of helping each other and the world itself.  However, in this time I believe that we have forgotten this in this struggle.

In my studies, I have never ventured this far back.  I also found it interesting that apparently Judaism was not always a monotheistic religion.  I question this.  I personally wonder why in all of my time as a Jew and being involved in many aspects of my religion I have not run across this.

However, much of what we read was familiar to me.  I have heard many of the stories, especially of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and so on.  I am very curious to continue reading into the later history, or the history of how Palestinian ideas came to be.