Palestine: Activities


Figure 1.--Here we see Children flying a kite in Jaffa about 1920, only 2 years after World War I and the transfer of power to the British. They are Muslim children who are accordibg to a Palesitinian source celebrating the Eid holiday. We think that means Ramadan. Notice the many boys wearing fezes. One boy wears a sailor suit.

We have begun to aquire some information on the activities pursued by boys in Palestine. The primary activity throughout most of history was work. Boys except for a small upper and middle class worked. This began at a very early age and was primarily farm work as Palestine was an agricultural society even by the mid-20th century. Abd this began at a very early age. Young boys might work as farm workers, peddlers, messangers, sheaprds, waiters, water carriers, and much more. We see this very clearly in the photographic record. This was in part because until the late-19th century there were few schols for Muslims boys to attend, and none for the girls. Christian and Jewish boys were more likely to attend school. The Ottomans began opening schools, but only in its final years (late-19th century). Large numbers of Muslim boys did not begin attending schools ntil th Mandatory period (1918-48) when the British built a comprehensive free public school system. Religion was a major ctivity for children of all three faith communities (Chrstian, Jewish, and Muslim). The importance of Palestine in the modern era is to a large extent is due to its religious significance. It is astounding to think how three of the world's great relgions are attached to Palestine in a major way. Two of the world's great relgions (Judiasim and Christianity) were founded there and the reglion has a major Islamic site. One wonders how this could be the case. Logically it seems unlikely. We suspect that the location of Palestine astride trade routes and the resulting intelectual cross-fertilization was a powerful factor here. Several holidays are celebrated in Palestine. Until oartition they were religious holidays as Palestine had no national tradition. We don't have much information on play activities yet, but it is an area of interest. We do see some youth groups, mostly Scouts and Guides, but the YMCA was also active.

Work

We have begun to aquire some information on the activities pursued by boys in Palestine. The primary activity throughout most of history was work. Boys except for a small upper and middle class worked. This began at a very early age and was primarily farm work as Palestine was an agricultural society even by the mid-20th century. Abd this began at a very early age. Young boys might work as farm workers, peddlers, messangers, sheaperds, waiters, water carriers, and much more. We see this very clearly in the photographic record. The economy was not productive enogh to afford a comprehensive public school system.

Schools

This was in part because until the late-19th century there were few schols for Muslims boys to attend, and none for the girls. Christian and Jewish boys were more likely to attend school. The Ottomans began opening schools, but only in its final years (late-19th century). Large numbers of Muslim boys did not begin attending schools ntil th Mandatory period (1918-48) when the British built a comprehensive free public school system. Religion was a major ctivity for children of all three faith communities (Chrstian, Jewish, and Muslim). The history of Palestinian education is complicated because so many empires have controlled Palestine not only in ancient times, but in medieval and modern times as well. The Caliphate controlled Palestine with the Arab outburst fro Arabia. As far as we know the only schools were those attached to moaques. There was also a brief Egyptian period. While the mosques controlled education, the number of children receiving an education were very limited. The Ottomans conquered the Levant (16th century). They introduced the Empire-wide school system which was not just limited to the mosques, but still quite limited. Standards were not equal to the developig schools in the West. While the Caliphate had some important institutions of non-religious learning, nothing like the developing universities in the West existed in Palestine or anywhere else in the Ottoman Empire. The British seized Palestine in World War II (1918). Mandatory Palestine lasted only 30 years. The United Nations partition led to the First Arab-Israeli War As a result, the term Palestine took on a whole different meaning. Before Palestine was a geograhic/political term for the southrn Levant, a part of the Ottoman Empire with a majority Arab population (Muslims and Christians) and Jews. Palestinian now became Arabs of both Islam and Chrstianity, although in recent years the Muslim Arabs have taken to driving out the Christian Arabs. Palestine became the areas that both Arabs and Jews claimed and fought. Israel was founded as an independent country. The rest of Palestine was annexed by Egypt and Jordan.

Religion

The importance of Palestine in the modern era is to a large extent is due to its religious significance. It is astounding to think how three of the world's great relgions are attached to Palestine in a major way. Two of the world's great relgions (Judiasim and Christianity) were founded there and the reglion has a major Islamic site. One wonderss how this could be the case. Logically it seems unlikely. We suspect that the location of Palestine astride trade routes and the resulting intelectual cross-fertilization was a powerful factor here. This would be amazing enough in such a small land, but all three religions focus their attention on a small area of Jeruselum--explaining why the status of that city is such a difficult political issue.

Holidays

Several holidays are celebrated in Palestine. Until partition they were mostly religious holidays as Palestine had no national tradition and was a province of larger empires. We are not sure about public holidays during the Ottoman and British mandate era. There are currently some thirteen public holidays. They include New Year's Day (January 1), Deir Yassin Rememberance (April 19), Night of the Prophet's Ascension (April 24), Labor Day (May 1), Ramadan (variable), Eid al-Fitr--of Ramadan (variable), Eid al-Adha--Feast of the Sacrifice (variable), Independence Day (November 15), Islamic New Year (November 26), Muhammad's Birth (November 30), and Christmas (December 25). Islamic and some Christian holy days are national holidays. The exact dates of the Islamic holy days change every year and are celebrated according to clerial pronouncement based on the appearance of the moon and the lunar calendar. There are now also a few national public holidays with a secular focus. In the case of all national holidays, it is the National Authority that declares them. However, regional authorities can also declare local or ad hoc holidays. Indepemence Day celebrtes the Palestinian Declaration of Independence which was written by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish and proclaimed by Yasser Arafat (November 15, 1988).

Play

An importnt part of chuldhoof is play. The pverty of Arab Palestine and the need for children to work of course limite both the time available and the ages in which children could play. It was, however, not absent. Middleclass children far more than the rurl peasantry had time to play. We don't have much information on play activities yet, but it is an area of interest. Her we se children in Jafa flying kites about 1920. We believe they are Arab children, but we are not sure.

Youth Groups

We do see some uniformed youth groups, mostly Scouts and Guides. We do not yet have much information on youth movements in the Middle East, including Palestine. We have some limited informtion on the Ottoman era. Scoyting activity began during the last years of the Ottoman era (1912). There was limited youth group activity. We also have begun to work on youth groups during the British Mandate period. There was a very significant expansion of youth groups during this period. The British significantly expanded the state school system. The British involvement in Palistinian education meant that Palestine had the strongest Scout movemenent in the Middle East. And Arab Muslim Scouting troops were organized in many of the new schools. A factor here was the very active youth group programs pursued by the Jews in Palestine. We have some limited information about Palestinian Scouts. The YMCA was also active.







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Created: 6:10 AM 11/7/2017
Last updated: 10:20 AM 11/8/2017