Writing on Muslim-Christian Relations, Interreligious Dialogue, & Islamophobia
As I finish up my writing about Jordan and Palestine, I’d like to share some final snapshots.Faces My host mom, who walks by my room and says a cheerful “Keefik ya Jordan?” after a long day at work. My baby sister, who sits on my lap, pressing the tops of my fingernails and squeezing the skin between …
Continue reading "Things I won’t forget (“Peeling Oranges” final installment)"
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. (Mark 16:1) I press my face against the pink, veined marble slab, smeared with a fragrant oil that lingers on my neck and hands. As I push myself from the …
Jerusalem: Good Friday, and the first day of Passover. Just before midnight, beneath a full moon and the shadow of the Western Wall, pigeons and crumpled prayers snuggle between cracks in bricks. I sit nearly alone in the women’s section, except for a few Jewish ladies whose covered heads rest against the wall, their eyes …
Continue reading "Midnight in Jerusalem (“Peeling Oranges” Series)"
(My spring break spent in Jerusalem and Galilee provided me with many images that I hope to share through my Peeling Oranges series.) Outside the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, I sulk in a mix of frustration and guilt, wanting to participate in the centuries-old traditions and services that originated in this city. On Palm …
Continue reading "Kisses on Palm Sunday (“Peeling Oranges” series)"
Written November 2010. Today, Muslims are celebrating Eid al-Adha, the holiest holiday in the Islamic calendar. It is similar to Christians’ Easter celebrations, in that it is the most important holiday of the year, yet the worldwide festivities and preparations are less extensive than those during the month of Ramadan (which is similar to Christmastime …
JORDAN DENARI DUFFNER 