END OF VISIT – BEGINNING OF A JOURNEY
Text & photo: Lydia Aisenberg

At the end of June we bade farewell to Yale University Political Science student Danielle Gilbert who was in Israel for 5 weeks conducting research work in the local village of Barta'a.

Danielle, who volunteered last summer in Givat Haviva's Jewish-Arab Center for Peace, penned work on the 1949 Green Line divided Wadi Ara village of Barta'a after having been set the task of writing a paper on 'nationalism' as part of her university course.

As a result of the drawing of the line on the map by representatives of Israel and Jordan meeting on the island of Rhodes in l949, part of the village became annexed to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the other part fell under the State of Israel.

Yale University staff were impressed by the story of Barta'a village - and by the way their student had presented the dilemmas of an extended family split in to 2 different countries - and in conflict at that – resulting in Danielle receiving a fellowship grant to carry out further research on west and east Barta'a.

With a ready prepared Arabic language questionnaire for the local residents – nearly all of whom sharing the same family name, Kabha – Danielle very quickly got down to work on both sides of the village interviewing the Kabha clan, and a few of the non-Kabha's to be found in the village. In present times the residents of East Barta'a are situated in an area between the Israeli side of the security fence and the Green Line complicating matters even more.

Danielle interviewed the locals in their homes, offices and shops, mostly small businesses lining both sides of the main road running from West Barta'a over the Green Line ('67 border) and through the West Bank east side.

Well received by the locals, some of whom quite fascinated as to why an American student would be interested in them and their village, Danielle has now returned to the United States with a pack of answers to plod through, analyze and once more, write up a paper.

It might well be that with her returning home Danielle has finished this particular visit, but quite clear to everybody that the bright, intelligent and highly capable student is about to embark on a long academic journey.

We at Givat Haviva's International Department are delighted at having been able to assist Danielle and look forward to being of further assistance in the future.

And to Danielle – Kol HaKavod and come back soon!
For Part 1 click here
Last Update: