Special Digest: HUJI Confessions [1]

#0202_A_View_From_West_Jerusalem
#0202_A_View_From_East_Jerusalem

"Ok, after seeing a few posts relating to language, for example, 'why are there no Hebrew posts on the Arab page?', I would like to say that I, as an Arab student studying in the Hebrew University, have got no problem speaking Hebrew. I can even speak Hebrew all the time.

I worked at a customer service center, and you don’t know how hard it was for me to speak for six minutes without making any mistakes. People would swear at me, or laugh at me, but nowadays I manage…What I wanted to say is that you don’t know how hard it is for many people to speak a different language.

It’s true that we live in a country where the official language is Hebrew, that we learn Hebrew, and speak with you in Hebrew, but not all of us can conduct a lengthy conversation, or write a confession in grammatically correct Hebrew.

[…] “Why do I need to learn Arabic in the Hebrew University?” Reading this sentence really pisses me off…Honey, we have to speak Hebrew with the professors in the University, we have to study and take exams in Hebrew! But we certainly do not have to speak Hebrew all the time. Our mother tongue is Arabic, and we preserve our language as a minority.

[…] At the end of the day, we’re all students, and cousins [2] before that lol. Happy Holiday, my friends."

[Selected Comments:]

– "You’re not a cousin, you’re a sister. You explained it beautifully."

**
"I am an Arab student from a relatively religious family. I’m in love with a religious Jewish man and have been for a few years. He loves me too.

Lately, it has become terribly difficult for us. Our families both think that we have reached the age for marriage, and both our families believe in arranged marriage. He’s smart, very accepting, and suits me even though we come from very different backgrounds, especially when it comes to politics.

I’m very frustrated and don’t know if we both have the strength to fight society, the system, and our families. Especially for me: I might get murdered because of this…Why do things here have to be this way?"

[Selected Comments:]

– "It’s hard, very hard even, but possible. I also did something that my family strongly opposed. When I was still an Orthodox Haredi divorced woman, I dated my current partner, a Christian Japanese man. I know how hard it can be, but also that it’s worth it. I’d happily lend a sympathetic ear, if you need to share."

– "It breaks my heart to say this, but nothing is worth compromising your personal safety. If the consequences include a real threat to your safety, give it up."

**
“I wonder if on the parallel Arabic Huji Confessions Page there is a rivalry between the Mt. Scopus Campus and the Givat Ram Campus [3]…Are there any Arabic speakers here that can tell us more?”

[Selected Comments]:
– “Hahaha, to be honest, not really…The page administrator is really great, he
always comments on the posts with jokes in order to foster a casual, fun tone on the page. Most often the ‘confessions’ are about relationships. For example, who has a crush on who or ‘how to take the first step’ when asking someone out. On the other hand, sometimes people raise really important and interesting issues, like the difficulties students have, especially in their freshman year. In the responses there is a lot of discussion and support. The posters also talk about feminism, what women find attractive in men and visa versa, and other topics which I don't think are easily talked about in public. For example, love between a Muslim and Christian, between an Arab girl and a Jew, homosexuality and more…Of course, there are other topics and a lot of jokes that the [Arab] sector identifies with.”

– “There are wars between the Sunnis and the Shia”

– HUJI Confessions, Hebrew Page

#0202_A_View_From_East_Jerusalem

“Before we start our confessions for today I would like to say that last night I opened our cousins' page, which is very unlike me. As expected there is a post about us, the Arabic confessions page.

They were asking if there is a rivalry between students at the Mt. Scopus Campus and students at the Givat Ram campus on our page, like they have. What got my attention was a great comment that truly expressed our attitude towards that whole post, and it is a great way to continue our journey after reaching 10,000 confessions.

#You_are_on_fire_bro!”[Selected comment:]

– "You are famous now Mohamed Azaizy."

– HUJI Confessions, Arabic Page

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0202 Editor’s note:
[1] Confessions pages are used by students to anonymously post their secrets and confessions to their respective communities. They are a tool for students to express their beliefs, emotions and troubles without fear, due to the anonymous nature of the posts.
[2] The poster is referring to the tradition that Jews are descendants of Isaac, and Arabs descendants of his brother Ishmael. Palestinians also often refer to Jews as “cousins” since both Arab and Jews consider themselves descendants of the Prophet Abraham.
[3] The Hebrew University Mt.Scopus campus is dedicated to the Humanities and Social Sciences. The Givat Ram campus which is located in the center of Jerusalem, facilitates the study of the Natural and Computer Sciences and Mathematics.

#University #Relationships #0202pov

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