jim ridolfo » language

The rhetoric of coexistence on Rechov Sumsum (Israeli Sesame Street)

ridolfo — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:01:34 +0000

This week the Forward has an interesting article on how the producers of Rehov Simsum (רחוב סומסום) are attempting to present a fresh image of Jewish-Arab co existence, as well as a broader image of modern Israeli diversity. Grover, a curious and blue American muppet, wanders with a little girl into the Old City while military helicopters circle overhead. While filming the segment, Israeli riot police were making the usual number of arrests by the Al-Aqsa mosque. I wonder: how will little Grover try to explain such a complex political-religious situation to a new generation of Israeli youth?

The rhetoric of place: Terezin concentration camp

ridolfo — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:03:06 +0000

Yesterday I took the bus from Prague to the Terezin (Theresienstadt) concentration camp. The camp is famous for its infamous role in Nazi propaganda films. Hitler portrayed Terezin to the world as an idyllic, hospitable village for its Jewish prisoners. The reality, of course, was far from the case. On the one occasion when the Red Cross was allowed to visit Terezin, the Nazis made the Jewish prisoners dress up in the costumes of everyday Czech life: bakers, candy shop owners, etc. The ruse worked, and the world remained fooled for several more years.

Two things struck me on my visit to Terezin. The first was perhaps unintentional, but in the middle of a former execution field there are fruit bearing trees. The pears were ripe for the picking, and on the ground yellow jackets swarmed around the fallen fruit:

The second, and for me the most disturbing modern aspect of Terezin was not the souvenir shop, I had expected the existence of such an oddity, but the cafe and restaurant. While the restaurant wasn’t a corporate establishment by any means, I still felt that its very existence poses a contradiction to the otherwise memorial atmosphere of the camp. Do tourists really need to eat… even in the middle of a concentration camp?

What do you think?

Samaritan research trip update

ridolfo — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:38:12 +0000

Michael McLeod and I are currently meeting with the Samaritan (Shomronim) community, living in both Holon, Israel and on Mount Gerizim, West Bank as part of our NEH-funded research project. We’re doing interviews with members of the community about what they want to see in an online archive, and how they currently use digital technology.

Priestly blessing over a 14th century Samaritan Pentateuch, Mt. Gerizim

The first part of our work began on Sunday, May 24 when we met with the leadership of the Samaritan community in Holon. After lunch we left Holon with Benny for Ben Gurion airport where we met Gus Walen and his son Eddie. Gus is the great-grandson of EK Warren, who was a benefactor to the Samaritan community in the early 1900s and who donated the MSU-held Samaritan manuscripts to the university upon his death. We then left the airport with Gus and Eddie and drove to Mount Gerizim in the West Bank, the home of the majority of the Samaritan community as well as their most important holy sites. Once we had safely arrived on the mountain we engaged several members of the community in brief usability interviews where we inquired into their access to and experience with digital technologies as well as their personal and social use of their sacred texts.

The next day (Monday, May 25) we had a series of meetings with many members of the community. The beginning of the day was spent touring the Samaritan village, including their school and their museum, where we we gained some insight into how Samaritan children acquire their literacies and the extent to which ancient texts form a core part of Samaritan identity. We were taken on a tour of several Samaritan holy sites, including their pilgrimage trail inside the remains of an ancient Byzantine fort. We met with their religious leader, the Samaritan High Priest Elazar ben Tsedaka ben Yitzhaq, who gave us significant insight into the community’s drive to preserve their sacred texts as well as a tour of his personal library. From there we were graciously invited into several community members homes, where we were able to discuss their family histories and how their texts are passed down from one generation to the next. We gained important insight into not only how their personally-held ancient manuscripts (many of which are older than anything in the MSU collection) continue to be used in rituals, but also how those texts are stored and maintained and how they are passed from one generation to the next.

Our work with the community will continue later today (Tuesday, May 26) when we will conduct formal interviews with several members of the community in Holon. We have been moved by the hospitality of the Samaritan community. They have opened up their homes to us and we are grateful for their continued support.

For photos of our trip, view Jim’s Flickr collection, Mike’s Facebook albums (group one and group two), and follow our Twitter stream.