One component of Palestinian culture that has fascinated me for quite some time is none other than tatreez, or Palestinian embroidery. As a lover of history, over the years I’ve gradually noticed my natural tendency to gravitate towards the traditional attires of any given culture I happen to be engulfed in at that moment. There may be various reasons as to why I was unaware of Palestinian embroidery for a long time, but its ‘discovery’ has enlightened me as well as allowed for comparisons with other traditional attires as well (ie: Incan, Mayan, African, and Russian traditional attires, to name a few). There is something about exploring the indigenous attire that really seems to transport you back in time by connecting you to the history and culture.

One of the popular designs of Palestinian dress is a long black thob (robe) with a mostly red flower pattern, along with a few other colors like blue, yellow, green, etc., which I saw worn quite often while in Jerusalem and the Occupied Territories. There are of course other dress colors and pattern designs which may be specific to different towns, such as Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, etc. For instance, I have seen robes in white and blue originating from Ramallah (some pictures can be seen here) but black was the only color I saw worn during my stay.

Why the interest in traditional Palestinian embroidery, and other traditional embroideries for that matter?

For starters, the amount of time and work that it takes to make these dresses, decorations and accessories—handmade at that—definitely gets my utmost respect. In a world where almost everything is mass produced somewhere in a foreign factory, the thought that someone made your garment by hand can be very humbling. Also, depending on which garment you may be wearing, it could reveal a lot about you by appearance alone (ie: age, marital status, family/tribe/town origin, etc.). Thus in this sense, traditional attire can sometimes feel more personal than our modern-day attire, at least in the sense that we often choose not to reveal certain personal information through our clothing. Of course, I note that that is not to say that all thobs worn are this ‘revealing,’ especially nowadays. One can wear a black thob with flower pattern all over it, without it revealing said personal details. I suppose it all depends on how ‘authentic’ you want your dress to be, and what you want it to reveal about you.

Also, a detail I like to remember is the fact that there are no differences between Christian and Muslim dress patterns, as they have never been religious in nature. Given that Christian and Muslim Palestinians have lived side by side for centuries, the religious difference had never made itself apparent via clothing. Christian elements do appear in Palestinian embroidery made specifically for the home, and as such many—if not most—Christian Palestinian homes tend to have embroidered scenes from Jesus’s life hanging up on their walls.


*Edit to the above*: apparently that statement might not be completely accurate, at least in terms of the garments made in the past (think early 1900's and prior). I've talked with several people confirming that the garment patterns were specific to different towns, and seeing as religion was a defining factor, it was also incorporated into the clothing. It might be that these days, the dresses are less specific—or not as intent on specifying religion seeing as the majority of Palestinians still living there are now Muslim, and thus perhaps making the Christian population almost "too insignificant" to differentiate from—rendering that distant and perhaps almost forgotten information somewhat confused and/or mixed up.

It has been a dream of mine to have my very own custom-made Palestinian thob someday. Being vertically-challenged prevents me from going to fairs and simply snatching any of the dresses they have on display, as much as I’ve wanted to. Therefore, it has been and will remain a goal I will work towards, since I have heard they can cost anywhere from $400-$600+ depending on the specifics. Yes it may seem like a high price, but knowing what it entails, it’s one which I will gladly pay when the time is right. J

Here are two pictures displaying Palestinian embroidery taken on June 18, 2011 at the Bethlehem Fair Trade Market and a list of some books on Palestinian embroidery, as well as websites of interest:

Books:

Art of Palestinian Embroidery by Laila El-Khalidi

Embroidery from Palestine by Shelagh Weir

Palestinian Costume by Shelagh Weir

Palestinian Embroidery Motifs: A Treasury of Stitches 1850-1950 by Margarita Skinner, Widad Kawar

Threads of Identity: Preserving Palestinian Heritage by Widad Kawar

Traditional Palestinian Costume: Origins and Evolution by Hanan Munayyer

Traditional Palestinian Embroidery and Jewelry by Abed Al-Samih Abu Omar

Websites: 

http://palestinianembroider.tripod.com/

http://palestinecostumearchive.com/

http://www.palestineheritage.org/Costumes.htm

http://www.tatreez.net/

List of worldwide collections of Palestinian costumes: 

http://web.archive.org/web/20061114140432/www.palestinecostumearchive.org/collections.htm 

After spending 3 months in Jerusalem, it’s only natural that I’ve done and observed many things of both religious and secular natures. A byproduct of visiting for a substantial amount of time entailed observing the fashion trends of both Arabs and Israeli Jews, and reflecting on how, at least in some ways, they can be representative of culture and lifestyles.

One trend that sparked my attention involved make-up. A common trend I've seen during my stay—on both Arab and Israeli women-- is that of wearing one eyeshadow color on the eyelid and a different color eyeshadow/liner on the waterline/bottom lash. Clearly, it's one obvious way of wearing two different colors on your eyes at once. For some reason the bottom lash colors I've seen worn often happened to be bright blue. I’ve sometimes seen green, but very often bright blue or turquoise. Since I'm familiar with Arabic/Middle Eastern style make-up and have seen this trend in Arabic wedding and beauty magazines, it may be this influence at work on typical Jerusalemites. They might also be more up-to-date on the European trends than say, the US which—at least in my opinion—sometimes seems more resistant to and less adventurous with foreign fashion influences than other parts of the world.

Another make-up trend I've noticed is... 'straight' eyebrows. By that I mean eyebrows that are drawn/styled almost as a 'straight' line above your eye, instead of having an eyebrow that 'curves' above your eye. I'll admit I'm not a fan of this type of eyebrow, nor do I think it's very flattering, but I’ve definitely seen it a lot during my trip. I've seen it both on people and also in many popular Arab and Turkish-but-dubbed-in-Arabic TV shows. Why?! I have no clue... 

I was also surprised to see a lot of colored hair on Arab women because I assumed it would be deemed too provocative (given it is a more conservative society), especially when the most popular color at the moment happens to be… red. I knew blonde is (and always has been?!) also popular (gah!), but red is what I saw the most, worn by both stylish older women and younger ladies. They sure proved me wrong! I'll admit I often rejoiced when I saw just natural, super black long hair... but I’ll have to say that part of the fun of being a woman is the ability to play with your look if you so choose.

In terms of shoes, I've seen pretty much a lot of the same trends the US has like flats, platforms, heels, boots, etc. But what surprised me was still finding pointy-toed shoes... Wasn't this the trend a few years ago? Or is pointy-toe considered a classic that will never go away?

Now for the clothes. In terms of clothing, I found Arab women to be very feminine and colorful. And it makes sense when I recall the amount of times I've been teased for wearing even just a black t-shirt: "black?! why black?!,” I’d get asked. If only they knew back in the Bay I often wear entirely black outfits; makes sense to me! But mostly, I was reminded how much black is perceived as a mourning color and as such, it’s understandable that some cultures limit the use of that color in their everyday attire.

On the other hand, I saw the Western influence on typical secular Israeli women in that they also wear a lot of black. At Israeli malls and on a daily basis, I’d see working women wearing all-black outfits, just like any American or European would do.

Maybe it's my European upbringing, maybe it's American influence, maybe it's that black never goes out of style and is rather forgiving... but really for me black has always been a default, or most importantly, a color I enjoy. But I’ll admit that after being there for 3 months, I did ask myself a few times if I was indeed wearing ‘too much black.’ Ah, the power society has on you… I like to think my wardrobe is pretty balanced, and at the very least, being surrounded by people who favor colors over black provided me with a different perspective. One which I gladly admit did rub off on at me at least a little bit. J

One thing I found fascinating was the way I saw both religious Arab and Israeli Jewish women incorporate fashion and color in their religious attire. Almost always, I’d see some black combined with colors throughout the outfit: veiled, but colorful and stylish in heels, or Israeli Jewish woman in long skirt with colorful make-up. One of my favorite memories I have involves a woman I once saw who was religious, but who was dressed in such a way that by appearance alone I couldn’t tell if she was Muslim or Israeli Jewish. It was only the spoken Hebrew that I heard as I passed by that revealed her identity. This moment was memorable because, aside from the fact that she was both beautiful and religious, it reminded me of how sometimes similarities can overcome differences between different religious groups. Although it’s clear that religious Muslim and Israeli Jewish women don’t dress the same way, both groups emphasize the importance of covering their hair and wearing loose skirts/loose garments which can at times make the identities blur, as it did in the instance I mentioned. Obviously, this may be more likely to happen in an area where both Arabs and Jews interact, such as in an Israeli mall. It’s a given that in Arab areas you can assume the women are Arab because Israeli Jews do not go there, so there won’t be any ‘confusing the identities’ there. In any case, in both Muslim and Israeli Jewish groups of women, I saw traditional religious attire worn as well as incorporation of fashions into religious attire.

There are a few things I noticed that were particular to Eilat. I definitely saw the ‘beach babe/boy’ trend there, complete with super-brown tanned bodies (which I doubt were all natural tans) and gratuitous tattoo displaying. Women wearing Brazilian bikinis on the beach and at swimming pools were also a common sight. This may testify to the area’s extreme heat, but I think it also highlights the (some say ‘extreme’) laid-back attitude and Western flavor.

Needless to say, I saw a variety of things pertaining to fashion and appearance during my stay. Some attires were secular and fashionable, some more religiously traditional while others defied traditional definitions of religious garb.

Clearly, it can be hard, if not impossible, to identify the sole authority on religious attire and to determine how fashion may—or may not—affect it. Personally I believe that that is for each individual to determine and to apply to their life in the way they best see fit. In my experience, I saw the variety as source of inspiration, and I definitely enjoyed the visual elements that testified to the ‘desert life’ influence, such as harem pants, loose skirts/garments and magic carpet-like shawls and scarves (and yes I did bring a few back home with me; thank you Old City merchants!!).

As my experience reminds me, if one thing is sure, it’s that fashion can allow a person to explore different areas of their identity, or simply to reinforce the aspect(s) of their identity they deem most important in their life.

I returned yesterday to Jerusalem after spending 4 days in Eilat, Israel. Eilat is Israel's southernmost city with gorgeous beaches and triple-digit weather. Basically it seems to be the place where everyone goes to to escape from work and responsibilities for a few days.

After about 4 hours cramped in a car, we arrived in Eilat in the evening and were greeted with pool-friendly weather. Since I went with 3 family members and a friend of the family who go every year, they had already decided to rent an apartment for our stay. This made it more economical when we split the cost by 5 people instead of staying at a hotel. We stayed at the Royal Park apartments, which were nice and had a big swimming pool. The apartment itself had 2 rooms: a living room connected to a kitchen and a bedroom. Two people stayed in the living room and three in the bedroom (each had their own bed). And of course there was a bathroom. The place wasn't big at all (going by "California/US standards") but it definitely fit the bill for the few days we were staying, and also for the fact that we spent most of our time outside the apartment. 

Of course, for additional savings, we came prepared: enough food was brought to last 4 days, as well as cups and plates much like when you go camping. Thankfully, we also found a local place to buy very well-priced foods. It is really ridiculous how high the prices were in Eilat, but also how much they differed depending on location!! (which seems to be the case all over this country...!?). Most of the food we ate that week-end consisted of hummus, 2 different kinds of salads, eggs, sausage, bread and soda for breakfast, and barbecued chicken, kebab meat, onions, hot peppers and again that salty "100% fat" that everyone seems to love, for dinner. Cocktails were consumed all throughout the day as well. Again, eating that way for a few days felt great, but it's definitely not a diet you'd want to keep going much longer than that!!!

Eilat is pretty small, so I'd say the things you can do can be limited and you only need a few days to really see and know what Eilat is about. There is one mall with 3 floors, and right outside there is a boardwalk filled with shops. I'd say the shops are definitely catered to tourists, but you can also find cute beach-friendly clothes at bargain prices. I found a pair of very cute (even if 'exaggerated') harem pants for only 50 shekels (about $13). Bonus that the material is cotton, which is always what I look for when purchasing clothing. If you go to the regular or more high-end shops, the prices are "Eilat prices" AKA, very high. IE: someone bought ONE bar of soap for 6 shekels (about $2) when in Jerusalem I bought 6 soaps for 15 shekels (around $4). 

In the evening, you can enjoy one of the many 'cafes' that line the beach, many with low seats that you can sit/lie down on while you have a drink just literally a few steps away from the water. I had never seen bars/cafes with this kind of outdoor seating and I must say it was so lovely and relaxing!! All throughout the city, music was blasting from one corner to another, well into the night (I could still hear it blasting around 3am when I once fell asleep at the apartment LOL). There is definitely a 'party vibe' to the city and I think most people come to Eilat for that. I heard that there are dance clubs but sadly I did not see or visit any of them. Bars and shops stay open until pretty late so that you can enjoy drinks and being out in the hot weather well into the night.

Aside from 'doing the drinking thing,' Eilat also has water activities, amusement parks and aquariums that you can enjoy. When at the beach, we decided one day to pay a fee and do 3 water activities, which included lying down on an inflatable 'bed' which, attached to a boat, basically pulled us through the water and tried to make us fall off. I don't know the name of this activity but it was my favorite, and so much fun!!!! The second activity was similar, except you'd sit on an inflated banana and get dragged through the water. I learned that keeping your balance in the water while sitting is very difficult indeed! LOL Finally, we kayaked for some time as well. We got a good arm work-out, and came out of the water red from the sun and covered in a 'white film,' thanks to the Red Sea's saltiness. On another day, we visited Coral World, which had different exhibits such as sharks, turtles and stingrays, rare fish and red sea reef. It was entertaining, but small in my opinion. We had planned on visiting King City (which was close to where we stayed), but when we got there we were told we only had one hour until they closed, so we skipped it. The sight of that massive orange structure standing in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere was unlike anything I had ever seen. Something about that orange color... or was it the architecture?! Not sure...

One thing I sensed about Eilat is that it seemed to have a bit of a "hippie" vibe. I saw many shops with rasta-like themes, and a few times when we hung out at the beach I heard songs that basically sounded like Jewish/Israeli reggae. I saw tons of people with tattoos-- and of course that's not to say that they were all from Eilat-- but judging from some of the tans, they definitely could have been. Seeing tattoos definitely stood out to me since 1. you rarely see them in Jerusalem and 2. I hear it's looked down upon by religious Jews, and that there is a tradition that says that a tattooed Jewish person can't be buried in a Jewish cemetery. Maybe tattoos are becoming part of the mainstream in Israel as well? In any case, Eilat's hot weather allows everyone to show off their body art (and hot bodies!!) if they are so inclined. 

Another thing I definitely noticed was the city's prominent Russian Jewish presence. Most places had Hebrew and Russian signs, which testify to that. The apartment we stayed at also had a lot of French Jews. I would say Eilat did not look particularly 'diverse' as most people there were Jewish. Jews from different parts of the world indeed, but mostly Jews nonetheless. Saw maybe 5 Arabs and a few Africans (who themselves also could have been Jewish...). And this detail only underlines part of the political situation in Israel. Seeing so few Arabs only reminded me that many Arabs--with the difficult issue of identity being what it is--are not allowed in Eilat due to its proximity to Egypt and Jordan. For many Arabs, permits are issued for other parts of Israel but Eilat is the one forbidden location. 

What did I enjoy? It was definitely nice to get away from the city (Jerusalem) for a while, and see something new. Of course it was more laid back in Eilat... the things you do are limited and very relaxed! Spending your day mostly drinking and swimming is not going to be a source of frustration, so what is there to complain about? LOL The scenery... definitely gorgeous. Eilat is bordered by Egypt in the south and Jordan to the east. I definitely loved swimming at the Red Sea beach (even if the water was cold and salty!) and contemplating swimming straight across to Aqaba's shore, staring right at me... Yes, I was googley-eyed, remembering that scene from "Lawrence of Arabia" with T.E. Lawrence and his Arab troops capturing that port city... How could I not be?! *sigh* 

Driving back through the scorching desert, my imagination roamed, filled with images of camel-riding people trekking through the never-ending vastness...
And I was reminded that I love me an air-conditioned car indeed!!!!

Eilat: simple, layed back, hot, somewhat cliche in some ways... but definitely to be experienced. 

SPF 45+ sunscreen mandatory. +

Since I came to Jerusalem last month to witness all the Palestinian Christian Easter traditions, I had my share of church/mass experiences. By blood, my family is Russian Orthodox, but being that they live in an Arabic-speaking country, it makes sense that they might like to go to the Arab Orthodox mass, which is in Arabic. Linguistically it makes little difference for me as I speak neither Arabic nor Russian (sadly!). Although they are both Orthodox churches, albeit of different ethnic groups, some aspects stood out to me during these frequent April church visits.

The first thing that comes to mind when I compare both churches is the way people dress when attending mass. Going to Arab Orthodox mass puts little limitation on what you can wear. Of course, you'd figure not to wear things that are too revealing, but in terms of pants or skirts and which colors, pretty much anything goes. Some like to dress up, wear a variety of colors (brights and patterns too) while some are more casual in jeans and flats. 

In Orthodox churches women are supposed to cover their hair slightly, as a sign of modesty, but it was not made a requirement when attending Arab Orthodox mass. I saw some wearing it (usually older women), but I'd say most didn't. 

For Russian Orthodox church, ladies have to wear a long skirt and cover their hair. There is no exception to this rule. I had gone to Russian Orthodox mass at the Mount of Olives on the Eve of Easter, so I chose to wear black. However, I saw most women wearing pretty much neutral colors, and a lot of flower-patterned scarves on their head. I had visited the church before Easter, and I was surprised to find that at the entrance of the church was a wooden 'box' that had tons of apron-like long skirts ready for you to wear in case you didn't come wearing one. As I wasn't wearing a skirt on that day, to enter the church I wore one of these briefly while inside, and I wore my sweater's hood too (since I didn't have a scarf then).

Another detail that stands out is the way the mass is carried out. In Arab Orthodox church, depending on the day, the masses are usually rather brief (1.5 to 2 hours). There is seating throughout the church and most people sit until a particular passage referring to God or Jesus comes, at which point people will stand for the passage. On the other hand, Russian Orthodox masses seem to be longer (the one I attended was 4 hours! But it was Easter Eve at the Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension after all...), and sitting is usually a privilege left for older people. Basically, you stand for the duration of the mass. The seating I saw on Easter Eve was very limited, and the concept was the same in that when certain passages come, people stand. 

A third detail I noticed involves socializing/behavioral aspects. I got the impression that going to church for Arabs is a very social event, with people greeting each other, kids everywhere (loud and quiet ones), and sometimes even some minor chatting on the sides. When mass was over, people would linger around and say hello to one another. Basically, it was rarely 'silent as the grave' when attending a mass.

I definitely noticed a difference when I entered the Russian Orthodox church. As I entered and heard a priest singing in a low and consistent voice, I immediately remembered how beautiful that traditional singing can be in those churches. It was for the most part very quiet, dark (the only lighting was from candles) and whispering seemed to be at a minimum. Aside from nuns in black attire moving about at times, and of course people blessing themselves, there was limited movement. I remember one brief moment, when the choir of nuns were singing. It sounded so angelic and I felt so still that for a few seconds, as I closed my eyes and said a prayer, I actually felt like I was the only person there... Then someone passed by me and I was back in 'the real world.' (*Sigh* It's fine... that moment was enough to have made this long night worth it.)

Of course I could be wrong, but I didn't sense that there was as much interaction between people here as in the Arab Orthodox church. There could be different reasons for that. Could be some people were Russian tourists visiting for Easter, maybe some are more reserved or simply don't know anyone else who is attending. At Arab Orthodox church it seemed everyone knew each other, which would obviously explain increased interaction. 

Basically, in terms of 'rules,' I'd have to say that the Russian Orthodox church is stricter than the Arab Orthodox church. It's not a question of right or wrong; they're just different. The point is not to portray one as 'better' than the other; I was just reflecting on how they may or may not be alike. I'm glad to have experienced each so that I increase my knowledge and experience of each side and in some ways, of the cultures as well.

+

On Saturday April 16th 2011, I made my first visit ever to Ramallah. Although we didn't hang out in the streets of the city, driving through gave me a good idea of what to expect. We headed to the Ramallah Cultural Palace to watch a passion play, with the leading role of Jesus being played by a good friend of the family's cousin. The center itself was very nice and is located on a hill, right near Mahmoud Darwish's burial place. Inside, the auditorium was quite huge. To my pleasant surprise it was packed, and some people weren't able to have seats, so they just sat on the steps to watch. The play was really well done, and the cast ranged from teenagers to early 20-somethings. At times they used some of the instrumental music from Mel Gibson's movie, but the play consisted of Arabic songs at almost every major scene of the play. After about 2 hours, some stayed on to take pictures with the cast, but for sure it was the main character getting all of the attention. As it was dark when we came out of the center following the play, that is when I was able to notice some aspects of Ramallah. 

Historically Ramallah was a Christian city, and I was told my Palestinian family was originally from there before they moved to Jerusalem. The city now has a Muslim majority with a remaining strong Christian minority. Nowadays, Ramallah is seen as the center of economic and political activity in the areas under the Palestinian Authority. It's also known for its cafes and nightlife, and that became quickly obvious with all the young people hanging out in the streets, almost everywhere really. However, it's also known for its crazy traffic, and even though it may be easy to get into Ramallah,most people complain about having to wait hours at the check-point to leave the city. It may also be perceived as a somewhat 'turbulent' city at times, especially when I hear stories of clashes between Palestinians and soldiers at check-points, with guns firing and family members of mine being caught literally in the middle of this, yet thankfully able to drive away from the clash... Eeeeeh!! 

Of course I don't believe that paranoia does much good to one's life, but it just reminds you to be safe and to be aware of your surroundings, which is important no matter your location. In the time that I'll be here, there are some plans to spend more time there and do a bit of exploring.

Some pictures of the play:

There is currently a 'festival' going on here that I won't be able to attend, but has been of interest to me. It's called the Palestine Festival of Literature. They are basically events happening in different cities throughout Israel. What I didn't know is that the same festival is also happening for Israel, called International Writers Festival of Israel. I got an e-mail today reminding me of their events, and I ran into a New York Times article that discusses how both sides are ignoring each other's festivals... =( 


In terms of going to some of these events, it's not always as simple as you'd think. There is crazy traffic here and sometimes roads are closed off. Finding parking can also be a challenge. I will say that I feel there are at least quite a few things to do, if you make an effort to look for them. A few days ago, I attended a concert at the YMCA as part of the Jasmine Festival (basically a spring festival of classical, jazz and world music). It was nice to see such talented young people play (teenagers!!!) as well as the pieces played by their instructors. It was just something different to do and check-out here, which I thought was nice. 


I've also caught a glimpse of Israeli nightlife, and I must say I was quite surprised because it reminded me of Rome and Paris on warm spring nights. What I saw involved streets crowded with young people, drinking, smoking, eating and talking way louder than they should or need to (LOL!!!). Guys dressed in whatever, while most girls were looking their hottest and you almost feel that's kind of unfair (haha!!!). Eyes searching each other, trying to figure out 'which group they belong to,' which languages they speak? A few drinks more and it seems no one cares anymore... I'd label the feel as chilled and relaxed, and if sitting outside in the slight breeze may be bothersome, that is nothing their super strong drinks won't make you forget real fast... 

I'm aware that none of this sounds terribly 'religious' or Easter-like in nature. However, I think that highlighting some cultural aspects are just as important and interesting as any other. What I'm drawn to is the mix of religious/spiritual with the more common and mundane aspects of life. At what point do you draw the line between your spiritual self and material self? Is this even possible? Does going out and 'getting crazy' mean that you can't be a deeply spiritual person? Does shutting yourself off from the world automatically result in you being a better, kinder, more loving person? I realize different things will suit different personalities best, so perhaps it's up to each of us to figure out where we stand. +

Palestine Festival of Literature link:

http://www.palfest.org/index.html

New York Times article link: 

Israelis and Palestinians Hail Writers of the Word, Just Not With One Another

Jasmine festival link: 

Jasmine Festival program