Reem Natsheh - A Memory Of A Smell

The main aim of this project is to show the connection between me and the smell that have always been linking me to my dear beloved Jerusalem. It’s more like the issue of a memory and how can a smell connect us to things and even revive a memory. Walking down by Jerusalem streets, there’s this smell, a smell that gives me this strange feeling inside. I don’t know how to describe it, a feeling that is a mixture between happiness and sadness, satisfaction and disappointment, freedom and slavery, history and present. As I start my day preparing myself to go out, standing in front of my house, a couple of Israeli military soldiers are walking down our street, giving me the feeling of shouting in the louder voice that I have “leave us alone, those are our streets, our country and our Jerusalem that you are polluting by your hatefulness, and your stupid wars”. A fresh breeze hit my face reminding me to smile, “ keep calm I say to myself” as I look down the street facing Jerusalem I think to myself it’s only five minutes until I meet the crowded streets, until I meet the historical walls, the smells and the memories as well. And yet five minutes are separating me from my indescribable strange feeling.

As the bus drops me off, I start to walk, observing every single move, hearing every single sound and before even noticing it, the smell starts to occupy me. It’s the smell of ka’k, Jerusalem ka’ek, and once again the feeling comes to me, in those first moments of this feeling I feel happy, satisfied I can smell freedom, history and I can tell, yes I am in Jerusalem. As I keep walking and come closer to the ka’ek this feeling inside of me keeps me satisfied, the irresistible smell of ka’ek makes me want to buy them all, the smell takes me to another world and another time, it makes me wonder what time does the bakery workers wake up every day in order to make all of this ka’ek. Which takes me back to my grandfather, he used to be a baker, and no wonder ka’ek brings me all this satisfaction, as a child my grandfather used to award me a piece of ka’ek made by him for well behaving .

I continue walking, the smell is still occupying me, as my eyes still observing everything I see this little booth containing every kind of delicious food, I pause for a while and think to myself “is it really the smell of ka’ek that brings this feeling inside of me, or those memories that comes within the smell brings me this feeling? “ as I continue walking passing by the booth and leaving it behind me, I become more convinced that this booth, the smell of ka’ek and the steps I take while walking, without them I would not feel the same towards Jerusalem, I would not feel my identity and somehow a part of my memories would be missing, I realize those little simple things are what keeping me remembering many little important things. And as this moment comes to mee, my happy satisfying feeling starts to turn into sadness and disappointments, what if this time comes and I would be no longer able to walk in Jerusalem streets? What if these booths are being removed by Israeli’s? And what if I am not allowed to enter Jerusalem ever again? What if those memories suddenly faded? A part of me and my life will surely be missed and lost forever.

I prepare myself to walk down in the old city. I stop for a while in front of Bab Al Amoud gate, staring at the historical wall wondering how many battles where fought here at this gate and how many people lost their lives trying to enter the city. Our ancestors fought their battle for us, in order to live a decent life.. But then the smell comes again but this time it’s mixed with blood smell, the thoughts of the battles and al intifada brings me automatically the smell of blood, the feeling of freedom and as they say it you can smell freedom in the air.

In the old city, it’s where all my memories meet together, the smells are mixed between ka’ek, coffee, pickles, olives, zatar and many other spices. Together they must form a great image, a great memory but unfortunately at this time I cannot smell anything but occupation, I cannot deny that the smell is amazingly irresistible but the smell of occupation over comes every single smell. Seeing the old city crowded with Israeli militaries, Israeli Jews civilians is ruining this feeling inside of me. “Hold on I say to myself, you can still smell the ka’ek cant you? You must smell it, feel it and fight for your memories, because at the end there’s nothing left but our memories and smells. And after all I can still look at the sky, close my eyes and imagine my Jerusalem without those occupiers; after all I can still look at the sky …”

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Ruba Imam- Bethany, A Lost Town Behind The Seperation Wall

This project examines the effects of the separation wall on tourism in Bethany, as well as its effects on the social and economic aspects of the town. It tries to show these effects through comparing the situation before and after building the wall, supporting the claims and examination with numbers that prove the dramatic changes that took place. Collecting information was based on interviewing souvenir shop owners whose shops are located in the area behind the wall and who are part of the citizens that have been affected by the wall. The project takes the form of personalizing Bethany that narrates its own misery and struggle with the wall.

I am Bethany, a lost town behind the separation wall. Once, I was a place that everyone likes to visit; I used to be the present of a holy past, I used to be an important touristic site where Jesus Christ brought life back to a man called " Al Eazar", who is believed to be one of God's messengers.

One day, something happened that led to change in the narration of my history; the Israeli occupation built a high separation wall. I no more became the second stop for tourists who visit Jerusalem. I no more became easy to reach despite the fact that I am one of the nearest towns to Jerusalem. Instead, I became the last stop for tourists in Jerusalem.

After building the wall many changes happened. Not only my life and the ability to move and travel freely has been violated, but also the change included the lives of those who love me, especially the life of my residents. An atmosphere of sadness and disappointment came upon them. You can see this in the eyes of a souvenir shop owner who, since building the separation wall, had to change his job at times when tourists were not able to visit.

I am Bethany, I am the wretched city. Although many souvenir shops are located precisely behind the wall where a church also stands, a distance was created by the wall between tourists and the holy sites that tell my story. The story of the place that is, ironically, the nearest in the town to the wall! This separation wall detaches tourists from the places they need to visit in Palestine.

The percentage of the tourists that visit me has become less by 70% after building the wall and all the barriers. Before the Second Intifada, 10,000 tourists used to come to Bethany during certain holy occasions. As for the present time, less than thousand tourist visit during these occasions. Moreover, in the period of 2000 until 2006 souvenir shops were closed because of the political situations that affected tourism.

I am Bethany, I am the wretched. I became only a past without any present manifestations or signs of life. My religious significance became something from the past. The Past has been buried in the remains of the old houses that one can see in the touristic site, and its glories has become imprisoned behind the grey separation wall no matter how much people try to keep it in their minds. For the souvenir shop owners, going back to the lost past and living in the glory of the old days became nothing but a dream.

Kamilia Abualhaj- Atlas of Senses

Atlas of senses demonstrates observing our senses on the way from Ramallah to Abu dis with a timed map on each point,the hour drive to Abu dis can be long and annoying whether its the smells, sounds, or the stuff we see along the way that can be bothering that makes it tiring and not the time it self.Some things along the way can be provocative to any Palestinian citizen whether a passenger or the driver. Seeing check points and settlements and settlers in the early morning can be a very frustrating way to start your day with. Which makes the 1 hour ride feels like a 5 hours drive. I started my journey at 8 in the morning, in the taxi's garage or station Time - 8:30 In the Mujamma3- Sounds: taxis beeping, taxi drivers shouting for their destination Smell: Coffee, fuels, smoke Leaving the taxi's station From the Mujamma3- Al manara square Sounds: guy selling tea, cars, little kid crying, Fairouz on the radio Smell: Fresh bread, toasted coffee beans, taste: xl sight: cars, passengers, lions on the manara, lines on the atm machine

Qalandia Sounds: annoying music from the radio, a girl on the phone, taxi driver talking to the guy next to him Smell: old books, girls perfume, sewage, dust Taste: none Sight: traffic, graffiti on the separation wall, guys from the camp trying to organize the road, trash on the road, rocks and burning buildings from a previous demonstration

Qalandia- Jaba3 Sight: guy selling vegetables, a small car selling tea and coffee, broken cars, dead dogs, Jaba3 checkpoint, israeli soldiers Touch: seat belt Jaba3- Hizma I also explore the experience of the enigmatic land behind the check point of Hizma, and how all the passengers start looking right for the cars entering Jerusalem every time we pass by. Where the check point also projects this isolation between us and the occupied land. Smell: dust, sweat Sight: check point in Hizma, separation wall, yellow plate cars in traffic Sound: disturbing radio presenter with a weird squeaky voice

Jericho st- Sight: beautiful nature, cars lining up behind a slow truck, Bedouins Smell: smell of a hot breeze, car exhaust Sound: people exhaling

Ezariye- Taking off the seat belts, showing the domination of the Israeli's over us not only the land. Sight: settlements, a piece of Jerusalem Sound: coins to pay for the taxi, sounds of seat belts being taken off Smell: sewage, animals, vegetables

University - Time : 9:15 Senses: Gone.

Mark Samander - Point of views dedicated to better tourism

Mark Samander

Point of views dedicated to better tourism

This Project is meant to show the different life styles of different people. The five maps you are going to view are the following:

1-The original map of Ramallah,

2-a map highlighted by a 16 year old male student studying the Friends Boys School and a citizen of Ramallah. (Light Blue)

3-a map highlighted by a 23 year old male college student studying at Al Quds University and a citizen of Jerusalem City. (Dark Purple)

4- a map highlighted by a female tourist accommodating at “Plaza Hotel” 35 years old of Scottish origins residing in England. (Orange)

5- a map highlighted by a 39 year old female “Customer Service” staff at one of our national Banks (Respectively, she did not want me to give the name of the Bank).(Green)

The recording of the path starts out at exactly 3:20 pm on a Thursday where all of the above, with respect, leave work, school, hotel, or a bus station and head for downtown Ramallah. The duration is from 3:20 till 6:00 pm. Purpose: There are three main purposes to the project:

-To view where local citizens find leisure and main attractions enable to upgrade the roads and provide better services. Also to try and include Police stations, post offices, medical services etc…

-To view where a foreign tourist finds leisure and main attractions enable to provide perfect services and to upgrade the roads, transportation and information needed, also to keep an eye on the local business or shop owners to maintain a fair trade prospect.

-To view where a local and a foreign tourist places that are not attended by them enable to form a committee of development by local authorities and try to tackle what is hurting the street’s or community’s economic and attractive purposes, this way more opportunities are given for the local community to invest in and make a good profit because more attraction is being directed to them due to the improvements or attraction sites built by local authorities.

*The qualities of the paths are not as great as they should be due to the lack of an official map of the Ramallah Down Town area. *All Rights reserved to the Friends Boys Administration (Map resource)

Dear Dr., I'm Saja Surkhi , it's my final project http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNQc3EfR8AU&feature=youtu.be Thank you

Mutaz Ayyad, A Story Of Place

'A story of place' is a small movie  about Bethany Ras Al-Bustan Before and After the Separation wall.

Nicole Kasbary- Panopticon Checkpoint.

Nicole Kasbary

Professor Alessandro

Human Geography

19 May 2012

                                                 Panopticon- Checkpoint

            Jeremy Bentham was an important English reformer during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, where he developed an architectural plan for an ideal prison that he called the Panopticon. Panopticism is a style of supervising the individual and making him follow and obey to the system. This prison would consist of a circle of individual cells surrounding an observation tower. Each of the cells would open toward the tower and be brightened by its own outside window. A single guard in the observation tower could keep watch on many prisoners--each of whom would be individually secured and locked down--without himself being seen. This leads the prisoners to not see their supervisors, which they will undertake that they were being watched at all times, even if sometimes they are not ("Panoptical Power in China", 1).

The Panopticon was designed to exploit the power of a control, superintending gaze upon an obvious society of inmates. The purpose of the Panopticon was not so much to punish wrongdoers, but as to prevent wrongdoing by engaging prisoners in a field of total visibility in the anticipation that the possibility of continuous surveillance would serve to restrain the inmates (Foucault, 1980). Therefore, through self-policing, scrutiny would become perpetual and pervasive in its effects, even if it was not continuously exercised. There was never a definite top position of the guard, but all the prisoners would feel as if they are being monitored. It is for this reason that this disciplinary device is so effective. The Panopticon serves as a tool for discipline and a laboratory of power ("Panoptical Power in China", 2).

This idea of the panopticon was later more discussed by Michael Foucault. was a French post-structuralist born in the year of 1926. He was a homosexual and died of AIDs in 1984. His most interests were in literature, politics, and psychology. Foucault’s most noteworthy book was The Subject and Power where he gives his own ideas and thoughts of power and the panopticon. He expressed that the panopticon was a generalizable model of the functioning of power in modern disciplinary societies. It was not only useful for prisons, but included hospitals, the military, schools, factories, and business. The concept of hierarchical surveillance usually plays a prominent role in emerging a kind of creative and self-disciplined workers and capitalists ("Panoptical Power in China”, 3). Pictures are displayed below of what an ideal panopticon tower looks like.

Figure1

Figure 2

The use of panopticons and the theory of power are seen throughout the ideas and concepts of Michael Foucault. Moreover, the panopticon plays an important role where the government is trying to take over the people. These two great ideas have changes the way people view the world. The world is not a safe place; we are either being controlled against our free will, or observed by a scrutiny government to insure people do not make any wrong doings. Power and the panopticon illustrate how related they are, how they play in each other’s role, and how it cannot be stopped and overcome (Foucault, 1977).

The idea of the panopticon can be found in today’s modern society especially in the country of Palestine. Panopticons are portrayed everywhere from cameras to checkpoints. Everyday for the Palestinians is their ideal of being watched, not only by the government but by the Israelis. Checkpoints are found all over Palestine and they all contain a watch tower. One significant checkpoint I pass through everyday is the way to my university from Wadi El-Nar. The idea in the situation here is that the Palestinians are being watched by the Israelis while passing through the checkpoints. Yet, sometimes inside the watch tower there might not be a guard, but we have that tendency to think that there is. This would lead us to behave in a specific way, for instance, by not moving in a suspicious way and not looking directly at the tower. My project portrays exactly that, the idea of the “eye” watching you at all times through the lens of a map. My map depicts the way of Wadi El-Nar and how the tower is watching you and where. The map will illustrate photos and show exactly where the tower can see the taxis and the people. This idea was very compelling for me because I got to see the idea of the panopticon in my daily life.  

This concept of the panopticon is very cruel and gives an impact on people. It would make the world behave and know that they cannot do anything wrong, because if you do severe consequences are issued. Panopticons are modules that we tend to go through everyday and it controls us without our knowledge. The world is not a safe place; we are either being controlled against our free will, or observed by a scrutiny government to insure people do not make any wrong doings. Power and the panopticon illustrate how related they are, how they play in each other’s role, and how it cannot be stopped and overcome.


Nicole Kasbary.

Work Cited

·         Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison (A. Sheridan, Trans.). New York: Vintage. (Original work published 1975)

·         "Panoptical Power in China".123HelpMe.com. 16 May  2012 <http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=26108>.