i went muhajiba style (wore a headscarf) to al-quds, jerusalem, this last wednesday. interesting experience that i might have to try again--i think i went too trendy (haha) on wednesday, it looked more like a fashion statement than hijab. regardless, it did provoke different social responses from people. if i assessed the experience accurately, it seemed as though the men were more respectful towards me (no cheesy pick-up lines or unrelenting stares), and people seemed to receive me more as one of them. not that they hadn't previously received as a part of the community, but while wearing hijab, people seemed more willing and wanting to embrace me as a non-foreigner. more on that once i try it again.

as for jerusalem, the instance i walk into the old city, i feel a strange sense of belonging and familiarity which i cant quite describe or articulate fully. i do know that i love the old city, it feels like home, but i also know that the social aspects of life there leave much to be desired...the racism that exists towards palestinians would be intolerable, and the israelis enjoy legal liberties that aren't granted to its palestinian-israeli citizens. aside from that though, the raw beauty of jerusalem is to be rivalled and i wish that it was not crowded with its various man-made problems.

last week, when volunteering with the girls from the refugee camp, i brought in my i-pod and played 'somewhere over the rainbow' for them. i had typed up the lyrics leaving some of the words missing so they could fill in the blanks. they were so funny, when they first heard the song they kept shouting "we can't understand anything!! i dont know ANY of the words!" so i sang along and after a few minutes, they were singing along with me...if only i had had a camera. i want to try and get them to memorize the song so that i can take them somewhere to perform. i would truly love to take these girls as many places as possible while i'm here because i know that opportunities for them come once in a bluemoon, if ever; however, money does create some barriers unfortunately. i want to take them to jerusalem because many of them have never been and i know that once they reach the age of 16, they will not be allowed to go. it's a nice little law that the state of israel has imposed on the palestinian people--jerusalem is illegal territory for palestinians unless you have an israeli i.d. card which very few possess. so im crossing my fingers that something can work out-i know that it'd be an experience that many of them would remember for the rest of their lives. i'm pretty sure that 90% of those girls will never have the chance or means to travel outside the west bank or even the refugee camp.