Jerusalem Notebook

Blog Posts

The Many Missions of the Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)

Since 1991, the Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC) has tackled discrimination and violence against women within Palestinian society in East Jerusalem and beyond.

Who Are the Palestinians of Jerusalem? Perspective: Our Roots in Jerusalem

Unlike other nationals, we Palestinians are expected to keep proving our Jerusalem roots to people whose only aim is to delegitimize our presence here.

Precarious Status Four Days in Jerusalem

Journalist Daoud Kuttab returns for a brief visit to Jerusalem, the city where he was born and raised, and shares his reflections on his experiences.

The West Side Story The Nakba as Experienced by a Jerusalem Child

The trauma of losing home and familiar ways of being in the world lingered with author Nina Bazouzi Cullers for decades after her family left Qatamon for the Old City. A book review.

The West Side Story An Israeli Prime Minister Now Lives in the Villa Salameh in West Jerusalem

Yair Lapid, Israel’s 14th prime minister, controversially moved into Villa Salameh in Talbiyya, the former home of exiled Arab Jerusalemite businessman Hanna Salameh.

Who Are the Palestinians of Jerusalem? Creator of Long-Beloved Children’s Puppet among Hundreds Facing Expulsion in Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood

Music educator and puppeteer Yacoub Abu Arafeh uses creative education to serve society and confront challenges, including those facing his own neighborhood, targeted for forcible expulsions. 

Determined to Stay—A Deep Dive into the Nightmare That Is Childhood in Silwan

Silwan’s children are systematically attacked and terrorized to pressure families to leave the area, but the community is rallying to protect them. A book review.

The West Side Story Karmi Memoir Tells Jerusalem Story of Loss and Rediscovery

A woman’s attempt to reconcile her English and Palestinian identities leads her to Jerusalem to search for the Qatamon home her family left in 1948. A book review.