About “Tolerance” and tolerance in a museum.
Every Friday, when I am in Jerusalem I meet my friends at “La Belle” a pub located in Rivlin Piazza. Situated in Center Jerusalem the place overlooks at the East the Independence Garden. Jaffa Street, the old neiborghood of Nahlat Shiva, the famous Ben Yeduda street are a few minutes away.
Our table at “La Belle” is an exiting cross section of my Jerusalemites. Nurit the school teacher (of Turkish origin), Shimi, a painter of Ethiopian origin and his British wife, Sara a sales women and a sabra, the one eyed Hans, a land surveyor of German origin who married a Jewish wife and lives in the town, Steve, a British Jew who is the Reuter correspondent in Jerusalem and many others are joining our table , week by week.
We are sharing a few pints, cracking jokes , greatly enjoying our life in this battered city. The owner, Avi, after more than 25 years is one of us.
Now, in between our place and the Independence Garden a fence was raised hiding a new building site, the place where the Center of Human Dignity of Jerusalem – The Museum of Tolerance- will be build in the next few years, an investment of 150 million dollars.
The famous architect Frank O. Gehry is in charge with the design.
A week ago Sara said that this word should be eliminated from the dictionary. I laughed and then I had second thoughts. Indeed, to tolerate someone means that the one who tolerates is in a superior position, a better position than the tolerated one …
Indeed, if our table at “La Belle” is the friendship itself, equality and share of our love for the city, no one at this table agrees with the need and opportunity to build this ridiculous “Museum of Tolerance”. I do not know who was the first coming with this great idea. Olmert, when he was the Mayor of Jerusalem, one of the American friends of Jerusalem who dreams of a plaque over the main entrance with the name of the donor, I do not now.
I could not believe when I was told that someone at the Municipality of Jerusalem , gave the example of Bilbao, how a dying city was “put on the map” by the great architect Frank O. Gehry… The same for Jerusalem… Jerusalem and Bilbao! My God!!!
When the digging started, an old Muslim cemetery was discovered on the site. Lucky guys, they found Arab bones and not Jewish, because one has not the right to move Jewish bones.
Yes indeed we need a Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem. Cause you close in museums extremely rare items. And tolerance is so rare in my town, we have to put it behind glass and steel doors.
Now, if you want to find more about this planed museum go to:
http://www.museumoftolerance.com/site/c.juLVJ8MRKtH/b.1353937/k.537D/
Center_of_Human_Dignity_of_Jeruselum.htm
Enjoy!
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