Culture shock is an inherent part of studying abroad, but some countries induce a bit more of a shock than others. Jordan is one of those countries. As a country in the center of the Middle East, Jordan’s culture is largely shaped by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Being a Jew, therefore, has proven to be a difficult (but enlightening) part of my experience.
Jordanian history has a large part to play. First, well over half of the country is Palestinian, which means most of the people in Jordan have a personal stake in the conflict. Second, unlike many other countries in the region, Jews have never lived in Jordan. In Jordan, most have never interacted with Jews, save through the media and hearsay. To many Jordanians, a Jew equals an Israeli equals an Israeli soldier who was responsible for the deaths of innocent people in Gaza or who bulldozed a cousin’s house in Ramallah. Therefore, there’s very little wiggle room in conversations when it comes to my heritage.
While some of my close Arab friends know that I’m Jewish, it is not something I share with many. While I have never had anti-Semitic rhetoric directed at me personally, it’s difficult to spend a full day without hearing a remark or two.
In a recent conversation with a cab driver, our discussion quickly turned toward politics – he wants Palestine back. According to him, the Israelis don’t want peace. “Look at the war in Gaza,” he exclaimed, “the Jews killed lots of innocent women and children. The Jews are responsible… By the way, what do you think of the Jews?”
The most difficult conversation took place on my way back from Israel. I had spent a long weekend in Haifa visiting a close friend. Returning to Amman, the conversation with my taxi driver quickly turned political. He told me about his relative – a suicide bomber who killed a few Israeli soldiers. He didn’t think that there are any good Jews; he believed that every Israeli can be targeted. I was at a loss for words.
These types of conversations occur regularly, but it’s almost impossible to get into them – by the time we’ve begun, I’ve almost reached my destination. But they still reflect a lot about the conflict, like the inability of many Jordanians to distinguish between Jews and Israelis, and the obvious political disconnect between the average Jordanian and those making policy in the political sphere.
At soccer games, a popular cheer is “Uchtik Sharmuta, Abuk Yehudi,” or, “your sister is a whore, and your father is a Jew.” From what I understand, the educational system has changed after peace was established with Israel in 1994. But there is still a very ingrained understanding of “the way things are.” And while I don’t agree with them, I can understand why many Jordanians are unable to reconceptualize the qualities of a Jew or an Israeli. Every time fighting breaks out, the media in the Arab countries is just as effective at providing a perspective that emboldens their own national narrative as the Israeli media is.
I haven’t had all bad experiences. I once spoke with a cab driver who lived in Israel during the ’80s and ’90s, spoke Hebrew and told me that every country, including Israel, has a few bad people, though the majority are fine. I’ve had great conversations on religion, politics and culture with my Arab friends who know I’m Jewish. I’ve had an opportunity to teach my friends about Judaism and Israeli perspectives. To most, I’m the first Jew they’ve ever met. On the whole, this level of people-to-people dialogue is alarmingly nonexistent. Perspectives will only change if people are willing to look beyond their television sets for an understanding of the world.
Ari Gore is a junior government and politics major. He can be reached at arigore@gmail.com.