CrossFireArabia
Reem Arkan writes: This is my new painting, titled “This Orange Is Mine.” It depicts a woman who holds Jaffa in her eyes; she plays music so that the homeland will not fade from memory; her features reflect the weariness of the Palestinians, and the oranges hold the warmth of homes that have vanished. The oud is not merely a musical instrument, but the voice of the land as it strives to remain alive. This painting does not simply depict a woman, but a homeland struggling to be remembered
CrossFireArabia
From Summer Madness (Janoon Saif)
I copied this beautiful message from someone. Humanity is not about religion, color, country, or language. Humanity is about feeling another person’s pain as your own. It is about helping someone even when you get nothing in return. In a world where people are busy proving who is right, humanity is choosing to be kind instead of cruel, silent instead of hateful, and helpful instead of selfish. We all are fighting battles that others cannot see, so a little respect, a little patience, and a little compassion can save someone’s heart. If we cannot change the whole world, at least we can change the world for one person. Real humanity starts when we stop judging and start understanding.
CrossFireArabia
The Za’atar Coffee Shop was located at the first entrance to Damascus Gate on the right. It closed in the 1970s and no longer operates as a coffee shop today, but it remains immortalized in Palestinian memory through the famous play “Za’atar Coffee Shop” by the Jerusalemite artist Hussam Abu Aisha.
The sketch was by Shihab Qawasmi taken from the book in Arabic “Old Professions in Palestine and the Arab World” Chapter on Service Professions Related to Food and Drink. For more on coffee shops and their role in the Jerusalemite cultural scene, see the link by Professor Malek Zabalh.
