JITLI: cordova

cordova

We reached Cordova before evening. We crossed the "El Cabi r"river , which still has an Arabic name. The bus stopped near the city walls and we walked to the Maimonides hotel.
It was Friday so we quickly prepared ourselves to "Kabalat Shabat". In an interior yard of Maimonides hotel the Jitli group, Jewish and Muslim teenagers, had Friday Jewish ceremony to receive the Shabat. We heard Shabat songs, we blessed the bread and the wine. That ceremony touched me very much maybe because of the symbolic place and time.(Cordova, Maimonides hotel, Rambam city, the Mosquita).
After we ate, we went to the Jewish museum in the old city, its name is
"Casa de sefarad" . There we had a culture night. Each community made a show that characterizes its people. Segev Shalom teenagers dramatized a story that was taken from a new book collection of Bedouin legendry from the Negev. San Diego teenagers showed the history of the Jewish community in the last hundred years. Shaar Hanegev teenagers showed episodes from the Israeli army that emphasized the great difference among the Israelis and that the army is the only place that unifies them together. Laquia teenagers danced a Debbka, a beautiful dance. The mood after the performances was high and we did not stop singing and dancing.
The next day we returned to the "Casa de sefarad", there we heard mini concert of Mohamed Akel and local musicians. We listened to ancient Andalusia music. Then some actors from our staff represented us some famous persons from Cordova history: Rabbi Moshe Ben Mymon - Harambam , Eben Rashid a muslin philosopher.
Then we were divided to four groups and every group prepared a video clip. The scripts represented the life in Cordova in the golden age., and the problems and dilemma from that time.
In the evening we had flamenco show with the Shosi Israeli group and even safir from Shaar Hanegev danced a beautiful flamenco dance.
In the time we were in Cordova the pictures and the video clips tell about the wonderful events much better then the written words.
After we visited the Musquita , a church that was the greatest mosque in the world, and after the meeting between the Spanish foreign minister and Mr. Gary Jacobs in Cordova, I fantasized that the Spanish foreign minister would promote a historical movement to compensate people of the world. That he suggests that Spain will give the Musquita back to the Muslims and the building will be a mosque again (compensation to Muslims) that the Jewish people can build a magnificent synagogue in the temple mount (compensations to Jews) and Jerusalem will be an international city.( compensations to Christian people). I know that it is fantasy but what you think? Will movements like this upgrade peace?
More questions:
A. Is shared culture - Jewish Muslim possible today? As it was in Cordova in the golden age?
B. Is creating a shared culture like it happened in our culture night in Cordova a significant step to make people from different cultures feel closer?
C, Isn't Cordova an excellent example of honoring different cultures? Keeping history? National pride based on accepting the other?
Think and give your comments

13 video clips about cordova spain activities,
1. Pictures from the 2 days in Cordova

youtube address

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mlm2Nz4iNI

2.Shabat at Maimonides hotel

youtube address

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ4r0UBg1_I

3. Culture Night

youtube address

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtQqs4DhKJM

4.Culture Night San Diego Show

youtube address

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KciLEqRlwG0

5.Culture Night Segev Shalom Show