Israel: the land of cultural complexity

On April 18th, Israel will celebrate its 70th year of independence. But the history of its people dates back over 5,000 years. It is one of constant struggle and survival. The country, roughly the size of New Jersey, with only 8.5 million people (equal to that of New York City), is internationally known for both its culture of togetherness as well as long-standing conflict. My tour guide of Jerusalem’s old city described the country perfectly. Israel is a country full of complexity, she said.

Israelis are a multi-ethnic group composed of different origins and religions. Judaism, Islam and Christianity are the main religions. Israeli Jews, the largest ethnic group, may be of Asian, African, European, North American, South American or Israeli descent. I met several whose families originated in Morocco and Yemen. Not all Jews are Israeli and not all Israelis are Jews. Israeli Arabs, by definition, may have origins in any number of the 22 Arab states. Most, but not all, Arabs are Muslim. And most, but not all, Palestinians are Muslim. Sufficiently confused?

After my tour of the Old City of Jerusalem ended, I found my way back to the Jewish Quarter. A friend of my Jewish family in the US recommended I visit his friend, a local who worked in the Old City. His name was Abir and he owns an oil press gallery at the junction of the Jewish and Muslim Quarters. I managed to find Abir quietly sitting at his desk in the gallery where, from floor to ceiling, a diverse collection of oil paintings were displayed. Upon learning his good friend Buzz sent me, Abir’s face lit up with a smile. He invited me to sit and offered me tea. For the next forty-five minutes, he shared stories about his life and his family.

When I told him I was traveling the world for a year, he raised one brow skeptically and said, “you too?” His youngest daughter has traveled the world for the last four years and is now in Indonesia. “It’s enough. She should come home.”, he declared. But it was clear how much he admired her spirit from the way he spoke about her. With great pride, he also shared that his oldest daughter is the right hand to one of the candidates for prime minister. Both were brave and successful women.

I inquired about his name. It sounds more Arabic than Hebrew. As a teenager, Abir’s mother walked from her native country, Uzbekistan, all the way to Israel. She settled in Jerusalem. He started his career at a young age in the diamond industry, traveling across the world for work, including to India. “Indians are very clever people. I went there to teach them about diamonds. And now look at them. They are the world leaders.”, he boasted. Apparently, over 80% of the world’s diamonds are now polished in India. 

After making more money than he knew what to do with at a young age, he bought the property that is now the oil press gallery in the Jewish Quarter. Forty years later, Abir is a well-respected figure in the Old City. His muslim colleagues next door often come to him for mediation when they have business disputes. From the way he warmly welcomed me, I could see that he is a friend to all people.

At the end of our conversation, he gave me his card and told me to call him if I need anything. As I was walking out, he casually said, “You know, I’m thinking of selling everything I own and buying a backpack.” I smiled and said, “Well, then maybe I’ll see you on another side of the world one day. Toda and Shukran.”, and I waved goodbye.