Reactions to Readings: 10

"The concept of Jerusalem as an open city negates the existence of any deep division in Jerusalem."

I definitely do not consider Jerusalem an open city. Maybe my opinion will change once I go, but that's doubtful. The western wall is proof enough how deep seated the roots of separation in Jerusalem are. And the wall that is under construction? I don't characterize those attributes as "open".

PYALARA seems like a wonderful program. I am not familiar with the human service organizations in Israel, however, it is nice to see that Palestinians see the importance of youth. In my opinion, the youth in this country tends to slip through the cracks and there aren't many people who are willing to do anything about it. This is one of the main reasons I am a Family Studies major. It's very sad to see youth not realize their full potential and fall into crime, drugs, violence, etc. Specifically for Palestinian youth, the idea of leadership is so important. I bet this organization is making a big impact on youth and helping them figure out their voice is important and meant to be heard.

It's important for me to understand how much of a ripple effect this conflict has. It effects everyone. The last article, the overview of the political context and developments, really made that clear. The rate of unemployment really struck me. Sometimes unemployment can affect the psyche of young people. Again, the PYALARA program helps offset these negative effects.