Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Tango for Peace

Immediate Release by AP*

This morning at sunrise in the Old City of Jerusalem, a Palestinian and a Jewess ascended the Temple Mount and proceeded to dance a tango counterclockwise around the Noble Sanctuary. The couple, Mo Salaam y Ahava Levi danced in a close embrace style known as milonguero or salon. Their tango was accompanied by la musica of orquesta Edgardo Donato. The tangos were heard emanating from an iPod attached to a small speaker. The tanda included Triste Amanecer, Mis Pesares, Se Va La Vida, Te Busco, y La Melodia del Corazon. The couple had danced a full circle around the dome by the end of the set and completed their tango para el amor y la paz prayer. Imams and Israeli Police surrounded the two at Ground Zero but hesitated to interrupt their dance. In fact, they seemed to be mesmerized by the swirling man and woman/Muslim and Jew who were no longer two but a perfect ONE. A peace and utter calm descended upon the area during and immediately following the dance. A few moments later, all mayhem broke loose until the couple danced one final song, which again captured the imaginations of all present and put an end to all the loud clapping and shouts of otra más. Mo y Ahava danced with all their souls to Fue Mi Salvación and during this tango, Imams and Israeli police were seen embracing each other to copy several movements of the dancers including a secada, an ocho cortada, and a cunita.

Tomorrow morning, the matter of beginning a mixed milonga for Muslims and Jews on the Temple Mount will be negotiated. It is further rumored that Catholics,+ Pagans, Hindus, Zoroastrians, Buddhists and Baha'i will also be allowed to dance. At the moment, authorities are not willing to permit Atheists or Nuevos on the sacred grounds of the Viejo Ciudad.

+for whom the dj will also play the tango La Novena
*a punto.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice sentiment. However, if you're going to describe your vision about overcoming ethnic and religious differences, you may want to choose your words with more care.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/jewess

Lexa Roséan said...

Well, Boris, I've been a Jewess all my life and never had a problem with that. The term is also often used poetically and this is the sense in which I meant it. Someone should update dictionary.com because the term is definitely NOT derogatory, especially when used to define oneself. thanks for your feedback.

Anonymous said...

You're welcome. It's your blog so write it in the way you think is best.

I assure you, though, I do not read blogs looking for words to dispute. I thought that the connotations of the word "jewess" clashed rather harshly with your intended benign use of it. I checked dictionary.com to verify that I'm not completely crazy.

I won't bother arguing my point, but if you'd like to test your theory about the current popular use of this word, try using it in conversations.

In either case, it would be nice to see your vision realized.

Lexa Roséan said...

Ah, it would be great to see the vision realized. And it would be great to clear up the negative connotation of the word 'jewess'. Now that you have pointed out the controversy, I will use it more and more often in conversation and writing. Like the word, 'witch', it deserves to be understood with a benign intention. :)

Unknown said...

I just disvovered this! I had that thought as well! Tango for peace...can we make it happen???!!!