Reading Response # 2

The article written by Reba V Rubin titled, "Jerusalem The holy City Through The Ages," was a great article for me to read. Coming into this course I knew next to nothing about the history of Jerusalem. Rubin did a wonderful job of providing a background about Jerusalem and was able to help give me a basic understanding. I had always heard the names and phrases of David, Abraham, Solomon, Judah, Assyrian Empire, and Sennacherib, but never knew the precise significance of each character. It gave me a new appreciation for Jerusalem and all the history that has engulfed it over the years. Before reading the article I was unaware that the Jew's who were populating Jerusalem were made up of three subgroups: "native-born, Arab-speaking Jews, Ashkenazi, or Western, Jews, and Sephardic Jews, refugees from Spain. It showed me that the diversity that exists/existed in Jerusalem runs much deeper than Israelis and Palestinians. Even within single religions, much diversity is present.

In "Jerusalem Then And Now," by Mick Dumper I learned even more history about Jerusalem. Who knew that Jerusalem's population varied depending solely on the fresh water supply. I was shocked to hear that Jerusalem sits high upon a mountain range, surrounded by the valley on its west side. When I imagine Jerusalem in my head I picture a very flat, dry land. Additionally, the article provided a great introduction to the three main divisions of people who occupy Jerusalem; the Jews, the Christians, and the Muslims. The article inspired me to pick up our book, "One City, Three Faiths" to inquire more about the rivalries that existed between the religions. I can't help but become intrigued by quotes such as "As they jockeyed for demographic dominance, squabbled over administrative power, and enlisted foreign states for diplomatic and military support...". I thoroughly look forward to studying this topic as the course progresses and to discussing any relevant issues pertaining to the conflict amongst the various groups of people.