Hi! My name is Rafa. I’m from Jamaica Estates in Queens. My parents are originally from Bangladesh. As of now, I’m undeclared, but I’m leaning toward the pre-law track. I’m a baking fanatic, but cleaning up afterwards deters me from making my blueberry cupcakes as often as I’d like to.
This winter, my family and I went to Jerusalem, which in itself was a glistening, tranquil museum of a city. Unfortunately, The ambrosial sound of Jerusalem echoing with church bells and calls to prayer is only footsteps away from neighboring regions overwhelmed with conflict.
As we visited a particular city on the outskirts of Jerusalem, a souvenir shop caught my eye. Juxtaposed against the rutted streets and corroded buildings stood a souvenir shop with window displays glistening with ornate vases and plaques made of mother of pearl. As my family and I entered the store, we were greeted excitedly by store personnel. My family and I were treated as if we were the only customers in the store; in fact, we were.
Shelves were lined with cosmetics enriched with dead sea minerals and silver replicas of the holy city of Jerusalem. I drifted my hands through tubs of pocket-sized treasure chests made of camel bone. As a woman delicately fastened a sterling silver bracelet onto my wrist, I marveled at necklaces made of blood coral and opal shimmering behind display cases. As I casually browsed through dresses in vibrant shades of pink, red and blue, an employee warmly described how an 80-year-old Palestinian woman had hand-embroidered the intricate designs onto each of the dresses. She described how the cross-stitch patterns were particular to the community of Hebron; every pattern served as a representation of the city’s deeply-rooted traditions and intimate community.
Even though the merchandise was of superlative quality, from the windows of the souvenir shop, I could see the jarring realities of life in the West Bank: a dilapidated city on the verge of economic collapse. It pained me to think that an increasingly exacerbated conflict has impaired commerce and tourism within Hebron. The splendor of their heritage was left neglected simply due to the instability of the region. Despite living in the center of conflict, the opulence of Palestinian culture was cherished within the walls of the homely souvenir shop. I was left overwhelmed by the resilience and vitality of the shopkeepers, continuing to pursue their livelihoods even as the world turns a blind eye to the deplorable conditions in the city of Hebron.
Rafa Sattar
rsattar14
Jamaica Estates
