Arts .. Cuisine .. Families .. Holidays .. Perfumes

من فيض مشاعري

2010-09-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

من فيض مشاعري

خالص عزمي

الأعظمية .. وذاك قرص الشمس يتحاور معها مودعا والصبية الذين ما زالوا يمرحون في ازقتها يلوحون لها وهي ترسل حرير خيوطها الذهبية ردا على تحيتهم

لقد تعود اطفال راس الحواش ؛ والسفينة ؛ والحارة ؛ وراغبة خاتون ؛ والنصة ؛ والشيوخ .........أن يحتفلوا باللعب ؛ والتقافز ؛ والصراخ احيانا ؛ بينما سماعات جامع ابي حنيفة النعمان تنقل حفل المولود النبوي الى ابناء الأعظمية وظيوفهم . اما العوائل القريبة من ساحل دجلة فقد اتخذت اماكنها على كورنيشها الهاديء من زاوية الجسر الخشبي القديم في محلة السفينة حتى نادي النداء الاجتماعي الذي لايبعد كثيرا عن المقبرة الملكية . بينما تتولى عوائل البيوت القائمة على ذلك الكتف الأنيس من تلك المحلة ؛ بتقديم ما يتناسب وكرم الظيافة الى ذلك الحشد من الأسر الزائرة التي تنصت بخشوع الى المنشدين وهم يصعدون أصواتهم عاليا بأشعار تمجد وتشيد بهذه السيرة العطرة . اما الطقس فرقيق المطلع ؛ ونث الشواطيء يزيده عذوبة وميسرة في الجلوس لساعات متأخرة ؛ ذلك أن الأمان والإطمئنان وصيغة اللقاء وما به من حميمية تضفي كلها على الحاضرين حالة من الرغبة الملحة بالتواصل مع تلك السويعات السخية بالود والهناءة .ا

في الأماسي القمرية الصيفية : تنطلق عادة زوارق الشباب بألوانها الزاهية من جسر الاعظمية حتى جسر الصرافية وبالعكس وعلى جنبات أكثرها هواة العزف وقراءة المقامات المناسبة : كالاوشار ؛ والبهيرزاوي ؛ والجمال ؛ والخنبات ؛ واللامي الخ في حين تكون ضفاف دجلة عامرة بالجراديغ التي تحتشد عندها موائد عشاق السهر والطرب والحوارات الأنيسة ؛ من الذين يتلقفون ما يجود به مغنو تلك الزوارق من فصيح الشعر و بعض الزهيريات : ليرددوا بعد تسليم المقام ما تنطلق به حناجرهم من بستات تتلائم وتلك المقامات مثل ( يازارع البزرنكوش ؛ وعسَنّك ؛ وعلى شواطي دجلة مر ؛ وغنية يا غنية ؛ ويانبعة الريحان ؛وخيه لوصي المار ؛ والليلة حلوه وجميله ... وغيرها )ا

لقد كانت الأعظمية موئلا لمختلف طوائف العراق وملله ونحله ؛ وقد سكنها عدد كبير من أعاظم الشخصيات البارزة آنذاك في الطب والأدب والفن والهندسة والقانون والعلوم والوعظ و أقطاب السياسة ( رؤساء وزراء ؛ ووزراء ؛ وسفراء ؛ وقادة احزاب ومحافظون وقضاة وغيرهم) ؛ بالاضافة الى انها كانت مصيفا يعتد به لكثير من العوائل التي لم يكن يطيب لها السفر الى مسافات بعيدة بغية الإصطياف ؛ لهذا كنت تجد في تلك الفترة الزمنية مقاهيها ونواديها تجمعا لعدد وفير من فئات النــــــــاس ( وعلى مختلف الأهواء والمشارب ) حيث تلتقي كلها في جو من المحبة وصفاء الروح . اما المجالس فقد كانت هي الأخرى ملتقى كبار رجال الفكر والأدب والشعر والفن والقانون ... الخ حيث تتلاقح بها الافكار وتنشد القصائد ؛ وتلقى المحاضرات وتتواصل المناقلة في الحوارت الهادئة وغيرها ؛ وعلى ذات المستوى ايضا كانت تقام معارض الفن التشكيلي لتتدفق بالوانها أو تزهو بمنحوتاتها وخزفها في اركان عدة من هذه المدينة الخلابة .كما كان للمسرح في بعض قاعات المدارس والمعاهد والنوادي الإجتماعية حضور واضح وتأثير مباشر على رواده الكثر

ومع ان أسواق الأعظمية على تلك الايام ؛ كانت بسيطة في مظهرها الا انها في ذات الوقت ؛ كانت غنية بموادها التي تعطي صورة حقيقية عن خيرها العميم ورخص اسعارها ؛ لذا فقد كنت ترى المتبضعين وهم يمثلون مختلف سكان المحلات وكأنهم في كرنفال عفوي لاتقف أمام تواصل عطاءه أية عوائق او موانع ؛ لقد كانت تلك اللقاءات قريبة جدا من صورة واقعية لتجمع اسري واحد

في الصباح الباكر ايضا ؛ ترى افواج التلاميذ والطلبة وهي تتوجه الى مدارسها او كلياتها او معاهدها ؛ ولم اشاهد طيلة مكوثي هناك ان أمّا راحت توصل طفلها الى مدرسته خوفا عليه مما قد يتربص له ؛ ذلك لان مثل هذا الخوف لم يكن له أساسا أصلا ؛وعليه فقد كان اعتماد الأطفال على أنفسهم مغروسا في طباعهم ؛ ولم يكن ذلك الاعتماد المباشر على النفس عفويا بل كان نتيجة للشعور بالأمان والإطمئنان

اما حديقة النعمان فمع كونها صغيرة بمساحتها ؛ الا انها كانت متنزها عامرا تملأ حواشيه واركانه العوائل عصرا مع كل متطلبات النزهة والترفيه الإجتماعي ؛كما كانت السينما الوحيدة المجاورة لها هي الاخرى موضع اقبال جمهرة من الناس على عروضها المتواصلة . اما النادي الاولمبي في ساحة عنتر والذي اشتهر بأبهته وأناقته وهيبته ؛ فقد كان موقعا متميزا من المواقع الرياضية والإجتماعية والترفيهيه ؛ وقد كان لأعضاءه دور هام في تفعيل الحركة الرياضية والثقافية والاجتماعية لا على مستوى مدينة الأعظمية وحسب بل على مستوى القطر بعامة .ا

لقد سقت تلك النبذة المتواضعة المشرقة ـــ وهي غيض من فيض ـــ لأنتقل منها الى عرض لقطات سيئة سجلتها عدسة الوقائع اليومية لما حل بالاعظمية ؛ تلك الزهرة اليانعة العطرة ؛ من لحظة نزول قوات الاحتلال الغاشم على تربة الوطن الغالي مرورا بمآسي السنوات السبع العجاف وحتى يومنا هذا :ا

جدران عازلة وفاصلة للمحلات والازقة والبيوت ؛ بطول خمس كيلو مترات وارتفاع ثلاث امتار ونصف المتر على الاقل .ا
إهمال كامل للمدينة ؛ حيث ترى الأزبال والنفايات مكدسة بشكل مقزز في الأزقة والطرق العامة .ا

إنقطاع كبير في التيار الكهربائي ؛ وتوقف المولدات الخاصة عن التغذية لنفاذ الوقود .ا

إنقطاع ماء الشرب عن البيوت لايام كثيرة دون اية معالجة فورية لذلك

منع التجوال اولا ؛ ومن ثم مداهمات واعتقالات عشوائية تطال الاسر كافة صباح ومساء

أعمال عنف مبرمجة و مدمرة تستهدف البيوت والمحلات ودور العبادة في مختلف بقاع الاعظمية .ا

تعمد أحداث نقص كبير في الأغذية والأدوية وفرض حصار يومي خانق بطرق واساليب مختلفة .ا

صعوبة التنقل من والى الأعظمية ؛ لإنقطاع المواصلات وتوقف وسائط النقل

إنهيار تام لأقسام الطواريء في المستشفيات والمراكز الصحية في الأعظمية والتوقف عن قبول الحالات المرضية العاجلة ؛ مما اضطر العيادات الخاصة كافة لاستقبال المراجعات الطارئة كخدمة انسانية لتلافي تلك الازمة الحادة .ا

ان كل حرف في هذه الكلمة ينزف ألما مدمى من فرط ما أصاب مشاعري من احباط غمره الحزن على ما حل بتلك المدينة الوديعة النبيلة المتسامحة من أذى وحشي مدمر؛ ولقد سبق لي ان أتيت على وصف لجزيئات من شروره في مقالين سابقين نشرا لي على نطاق واسع (+) .ا

ان الأعظمية التي عرفت بشكيمتها وعلو مكانتهاعلى المستويين التأريخي والمعاصر ؛ سوف تنفض ــ لاشك ــ عنها غبار الظلم الهمجي الذي أصابها ؛ وستعانق شمس الحرية ثانية ؛ كما فعلت في كل أدوار مسيرتها الشجاعة ا الشماء .ا
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شارع عمر بن عبد العزيز ـ نشر بتاريخ 24/4 / 2006 ؛ ومحلة السفينة والاجتياح الاخيرنشر بتاريخ 17 /5 / 2006

Brilliant Cartoon on Capitalism

2010-07-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

Since June 28, 2010 when the video clip was posted on Youtube, there have been more than 350, 000 viewers.

The video shows an interesting description of capitalism by David Harvey and a brilliant cartoon techniques. . . I am Jealous -:):)

Wafaa' Al-Natheema

Outstanding From China - محمد القبنجي الصغير

2010-07-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

A great seven-year old opera singer from China

This talented singer reminds us, Iraqis, of renowned maqam singer, Mohammed Al-Qubbanji

Parts of his singing resembles Arabic maqam singing, particularly that practiced in IRAQ

يذكرنا هذا المبدع الصيني بالمقامجي العراقي محمد القبنجي

أرجو مشاهدة الأغنية الى آخرها والإنتباه الى حركة يدي المغني ورأسه

والى مقاطع من أغنيته التي تماثل بعض المقامات العراقية

The Arabic Language

2010-07-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

"Whether Arabic possesses all those merits which are being so bountifully bestowed upon it by its zealous defenders is a matter of personal bias and, to a certain degree, even an academic topic. What remains certain is that, in a way, it is a privileged language. It has lived for one millennium and a half essentially unchanged, usually gaining, never completely losing. Venus-like, it was born in a perfect state of beauty, and it has preserved that beauty in spite of all the hazards of history and all the corrosive forces of time. It is true that there was not always that Praxitelean limpidity of line about it. Figuratively speaking, it has known its Gothic, its Renaissance and its Baroque periods. It has known austerity, holy ecstasy and voluptuousness, bloom and decadence. It exuberated in times of splendor and persisted through times of adversity in a state of near-hibernation. But when it awoke again, it was the same language. The fact that Arabic long survived and still had the vitality to burgeon a new might be due to religious and social factors, but the quantitative ability to expand and the qualitative capacity to attain perfection and to maintain its essential characteristics are merits of the language exclusively."

Jaroslav Stetkevych, an emeritus professor of Arabic at the University of Chicago

Arabian Perfumes

2008-09-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

by Sumaiya Ali

Something that captivates our mind, rejuvenates our senses and bestows a feeling of freshness and energy just through its aroma is Perfume. It also finds numerous depictions in the Hadiths of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

Born with spicy and herbal flavors, the Arab fragrance grew to discover the sweet flowery scents of Saffron and Rose. Further with the discovery of woody oils like Sandalwood and Agarwood (known as Dahnel Oudh) a tantalizing new era was begun. Since then the Arab perfume industry has evolved and made certain changes to accommodate the varying tastes of their clientele.

Syed Junaid Alam

Celebrated by the names of 'Junaid for Perfumes' and 'Attar Al Bahrain', Syed Junaid Alam WLL is the oldest and largest manufacturer of perfume in the GCC and has three perfumery units in Bahrain. Founded by Syed Junaid Alam the brand,which began as a small shop in the Manama souk at the beginning of the 20th century, has transformed itself into a scentsational trendsetter with more than 120 retail outlets spanning the Middle East, Pakistan, Turkey and with plans to spread out to North America and the Far East.

The brands of Junaid Perfumes are sold exclusively at its outlets and also include solid and oil perfumes, Bakhoor and Bridal Gift sets. Among the perfumes produced are Banafsaj Baadiah, Lamsat Dhahabiya and Fanan which is the first shimmer based perfume in the Gulf. “Apart from that we also have introduced gel based fragrances that not only appeal to the women of today but also to youngsters," says Mr. Hamad Fuad, Director Sales and Marketing.

"Each product is carefully developed that reflects its name and is in accord with its design, colors and aromatic characteristics, resulting in a distinctive brand," informs Mr. Hamad. Junaid Perfumes outlets in Bahrain can be found at Manama Souk, Bab Al Bahrain, Sheraton Mall, Riffa Souk, Isa town Mall, Seef Mall, Al Aali Complex, Muharraq Souk, Hamad Town Souk, Riffa Bukuwara, Sitra Mall and City Centre.

Reehat Al Atoor

Inspired by the Arabic culture on his arrival to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Mr. Rajesh Khanna set up Reehat Al Atoor in 1989 as a pastime which flourished into a family business over the past two decades. This perfume house, based in Salmabad, produces traditional as well as international scents and a combination of the two. These perfumes derived from the natural essences reflect the Arab culture and heritage from its flavor to the finished packaging. Maraya (meaning mirror in Arabic) is their latest French flavor and comes with a total mirrored finish.

With exclusive showrooms at Sheraton Complex, Dana Mall, Gold City and Riffa Bukuwara, Reehat Al Atoor has also been successful in unveiling its own line at the Bahrain Duty Free in 2001 and exporting its products to Russia in 2008. Every few months there are product launches and the company plans to set up a larger plant to satisfy the growing demand of its consumers. Newly appointed General Manger Mr. Shahnawaz, with extensive experience in the Business Expansion of Perfumery in the Middle East aims to increase the outlets in Bahrain to 10 by the end of the year and expand to the Gulf Council of Countries (GCC) over the next year.

The company owns more than 100 brand names and sells well-known perfumes as Oudh Al Mumlika, Turath, Dahne’l Oudh, Durrat Al Bahrain (Arab and Oriental), Déjà vu (French), Fidha (French) and Majmoo’athal Bahrain. Reehat Al Atoor also operates two Jeweler subsidiaries in Bahrain by names of ‘Jewel House’ and ‘Jaff Jewelers’ that specialize in Diamond Wedding Sets and Long earrings (Chandeliers). They also sell precious stones like Sapphire, Emeralds, Rubies and semi-precious stones like Amethyst, Topaz, Turquoise, Citrine etc.

Amouage

The House of Amouage was founded 25 years ago by the late Sayyid Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi on the request of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the ruler of the Sultanate of Oman, to reflect the wonderful heritage and traditions of his country for creating the finest, exotic and unique perfumes and for giving them as gifts to honored guests. Traditionally offered by the Royal family and senior Government Ministers of Oman to heads of state during official visits Amouage also has a stellar following around the world including Royals, global leader and some of the most celebrated names in entertainment and sports.

The Amouage fragrances use a number of significant indigenous ingredients like the finest Silver Frankincense, which grows only in the Dhofar Mountains in Southern Oman. The incredibly rare Omani Rock Rose, which flowers for the briefest of periods each year in the mountains of Jebel Al Akdhar. The first Amouage fragrance was created by French Master perfumer Guy Robert who scoured the world for the finest ingredients, over 120 of which were used in his masterpiece ‘Amouage Gold’ which still is Amouage’s best selling fragrance.

Amouage currently includes fragrances, a Bath and Body Collection, an entirely new Home Collection of parfums d’ambience and the latest fragrances inspired by the Rose ‘Lyric Woman’ and ‘Lyric Man’.

Ajmal

Having been in the fragrance business for 56 years Ajmal was primarily based around Oudh and its varying uses within the realm of perfumery and its primary fragrance range consisted of mainly oriental concentrates. Sarah, launched in 1992, was the first product of its kind to successfully blend eastern and western elements together and is till date used as a benchmark in creating fusion blends. There are other classics like Dahn Al Oudh Moattaq, Dahn Oudh Al Shams to name but a few.

With over 100 outlets in the Middle East, Ajmal was amongst the first to successfully introduce Dahn Al Oudh and Mukhallat in a spray form in 1987. It was the only perfume company to be listed in the ‘Forbes Arabia Top 40 Arab Brands’ in 2007 and was placed at 23rd position. The verdict was based on consumer perception as well as the ability of the brands to adapt to the rapidly changing environment. Ajmal takes care of the environment and involves in human welfare too.

Outlets of Ajmal can be found at Seef Mall, Bahrain Mall, Sitra Mall, Gosi Complex, Bab Al Bahrain, Riffa, Muharraq Souk and through retailers like Carrefour, Lulu hypermarket and other major retailers within Bahrain.

Designer Shaik

Designer Shaik Inc. is a luxury brand company involved in the designing, outsourcing and production of its own high end fashion products that reflect the rich cultural heritage of Mystical Arabia. Established in 2002 the company has headquarters in Bahrain with a network of registered offices in North America, Europe and Asia headed by the CEO and Founder Mr. Mohammed Al Asfoor. It produces a line of perfume for both women and men, along with fashion accessories, jewellery and watches and mainly markets to the Middle East & Europe.

People buying a Designer Shaik product feel they are buying a piece of ancient mythical Arabia. The beautiful and sensuous fragrances include the Opulent and Chic range with the purest essential oils from France blended with exquisite elements from Arabia. These Arabian scents are hand made using the finest and rarest of ingredients

Designer Shaik has a range of perfume gifts by the name of ‘Jewellessence Blue’ which is a fusion of jewels and essences and the handcrafted elements make them artifacts to be cherished and admired for centuries to come. Designer Shaik perfumes are available at Bahrain Mall, Seef Mall, Bahrain Duty Free and Al Hawaj outlets.

Perfumes are known by ‘notes’ as in music: The Top, the Middle and the Base Notes. The top note is the one that is sensed immediately on application and the middle note is what remains when the top notes evaporate. On the disappearance of the middle notes what lingers is the Base note, which along with the middle note represents the core aroma of the juice. As a result it takes an approximate of 10 to 20 minutes to know the exact scent of the perfume.

Perfumers go an extra step in trying to emotionally connect with the wearer by distilling each kind of personality into a perfume. It is said and known that scent triggers memories, so how will you choose to be remembered?

Sumaiya Ali is an Indian freelance writer and a chemical engineer living and working in Bahrain. She has freelanced for two issues of the Bahrain based magazine 'Woman This Month' in the September 2008 issue in which this article was published.

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Another short and interesting reading on Arabian Perfumes focusing on some Saudi Arabian perfumes written by Wafaa' Al-Natheema can be accessed here:

http://zanjabeel-saffron.blogspot.com/2006/12/arabian-perfumes.html

Meeting with Actor Shammi Kapoor in Mumbai, India

2008-07-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

After few phone calls, Mr. Kapoor and I fixed a day and place for our meeting: Friday, December 14 at 4 pm at the Taj Mahal Hotel. I think it was a mistake to meet at this hotel. It was far from where I was staying. I witnessed for the first time in my life, the worst traffic jam ever. When I completed the interview with dear Shammi and headed back to meet my friends, it took the taxi driver two hours and some minutes to arrive at the hotel where they waited to make it more convenient for me and closer from the Taj Mahal Hotel than Santoshi's apartment!!

Regardless of that, my meeting with Shammi Kapoor was the highlight of 2007 and the best thing that ever happened to me since the departure of my beloved father, Mahmoud, on July 24, 2006. Putting in mind that Shammi was one of three men, besides my dear (paternal) uncle, Dawood, and my father, who put a smile on my face and filled me with warmth as a young child growing up in Baghdad, IRAQ.

At the instance of his entrance to the hotel restaurant pushed on wheel chair, I ....

The story continues here:

http://mango-sari-sitar.blogspot.com/2008/06/meeting-shammi-kapoor-in-bombay-india.html

Subhi Anwar Rashid

2008-05-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

Subhi Anwar Rashid
Iraqi Scholar

by Wafaa' Al-Natheema

The first time I heard about Subhi Anwar Rashid was from the late Allen Svoboda when he (Allen) used to live in Houston, Texas. We were talking about Iraqi maqaam music and he suggested that I read Subhi. A. Rashid’s book entitled, “al-alaat almosiqiyya almosahiba lilmaqaamil iraqi,” or “The Musical Instruments Accompanying Iraqi Maqaam,” which was published in Baghdad in 1989. Allen made a copy of the entire book and mailed it to me in 1991. At that time, I was researching history of music in general and of Arabic and Iraqi music in particular.

Rashid was to me the unknown scholar with whom I began my journey of music learning and with other scholars such as the British Henry George Farmer in 1991.

The second time was in 1995 when his name was mentioned to me as an excellent source for music history. Then thirteen years pass by and I see his name a third time at the library of congress. That was in January 2008 when I was researching for Arab women musicians in pre-and-post Islam. When I did the search in the library’s data, I got the following titles;

“tareekhul mosiqa al-arabiyah,” or “The History of Arabic Music,” published by SKD Bavaria & Handel GMBH in Germany, 2000,
“tareekhul Oud,” or “The History of Oud,” published by dar alaa addine in Damascus, Syria, 1999.
“moujaz tareekh almosiqa wal ghinaa al-arabi,” or “The Summary of The History of Arabic Music and Singing,” published by dar ashu’oon athaqafiyya al-amma in Baghdad, Iraq, 2000.
“madkhal Ilaa tareekh alghinaa,” or “Introduction to the History of Singing,” published by dar alaa addine in Damascus, 2000.

Unfortunately, I could not find the final book on the history of singing at the library of congress, which I needed for my research. This was one of the reasons that prompted me to contact him besides the fact that I saw his phone number and address listed in one of his books, which gave me an incentive to call him, along with finding a very interesting reading about the history of the word “Arab” in one of his books. I said to myself it is time to contact him.

After locating Subhi's number and phoning him, we agreed that I interview him on the phone. I began this habit of phone interviewing people after the death of my utterly missed father, Mahmood. I called few of his old-time friends (until I see them in person and hopefully interview them face to face) to learn about his past and theirs while working or studying with him.

Subhi Anwar Rashid was born in al-Athamiyya area of Baghdad in 1928. He began his music studies in 1950 at the Institute of Fine Arts, but did not complete it. Then earned a law degree from the University of Baghdad.

In 1963 he completed a Masters Degree in Archaeology at the Free University of Berlin and in 1966 he obtained his Ph.D. in archaeology from Frankfort University. While in Germany, he did an extensive research on history of music and has written many articles and books on the subject matter.

Between 1966 and 1983, Dr. Rashid held various positions; the Dean of the Institute for Music Studies, Director of the International Center for the Studies of Traditional Music and President of the Committee of Historic Studies in the Arab League’s Commission on Music. He retired on October 15, 1983.

From my phone interview with him, I learned that after obtaining the Ph.D., he returned to Baghdad in 1966 and became the director of the National Museum of Baghdad and was simultaneously lecturing on history of music at Baghdad University.

According to him, the most important book he had written was, “tareekh almosiqa al-arabiya, assullam almosiqi, al-iqaa wal alaat,” or “The History of Arabic Music - The Musical Scale, Rhythm and Instruments,” which was published in 2000 in Germany.

During the interview, Rashid mentioned his first published book in Arabic,
“tareekh al-alaat almosiqiyya fil iraq alqadeem,” or “History of Music Instruments in Ancient IRAQ,” published in Beirut in 1970. Later in 1975, he published in Baghdad a book entitled, “al-alaat almosiqiyya – al-usoor al-islamiyya,” or “Music Instruments – Islamic eras,” and “almosiqa fil iraq alqadeem,” or “The Music in Ancient Iraq” in Baghdad in 1980.

Subhi Rashid began writing and publishing in German language before publishing in Arabic. His first published series by UNISCO was a collection of images on the history of music in Mesopotamia. It was published in 1984 in Leipzig and was translated to Japanese language in 1985. Later, he participated in a well-known German series, Handbook of Musicology in 1989.

Subhi left Iraq for Germany on July 12, 1990 accompanying his German wife, son and two daughters. He then taught one semester at Leipzig University and continued researching and publishing articles and books as well as participating annually in the Arabic Music Symposium at Cairo.

Our edited phone interview can be viewed here in Arabic language with some English translation of what was being said by S. A. Rashid as well an English description on the right side of the youtube screen:

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

Note 1: The definition of “Maqaam” is an intervallic relation of tunes within a fixed order. In singing, it has its rules with regard to the kind of lyrics each maqam is required to include as well as a structure of how it should begin and end.

Note 2: I use a different system of English transliteration of Arabic. So if you are searching for the books mentioned above, you may find them with slightly to significantly different transliteration.

Note 3: The Publications of Dr. Subhi Anwar Rashid in German Language:

Books

1. Mesopotamien. Musikgeschichte in Bildern, Bd. II, Leipzig 1984.
2. Die Musik der Keilschriftkultur. Neues Handbuch der Musikwissenschaft. Bd. 1, Die Musik des Altertums, Laaber-Verlag 1989.

Journal Articels

1. Neue akkadische Leierdarstellungen und ihre Bedeutung für die mesopotamische Musikgeschichte. Sumer, Journal of Archaeology in Iraq. Vol. XXIII, 1967 No. 7 II.
2. Zur Datierung der mesopotamischen Trommeln und Becken. Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie, Bd. 61, Berlin 1971.
3. Umdatierung einiger Terrakottenreliefs. Bagdader Mitteilungen, Band 6, 1973.
4. Untersuchung zum Musikinstrumenten Assyrien. Beiträge zur Kulturgeschichte Vorderasiens. Festschrift für Rainer Michael Boehmer, Verlag Philipp vom Zabern. Mainz 1995.
5. Mesopotamische Musikinstrumente im Spiegel der Glyptik. Altertumskunde des Vorderen Orients. Band 7 (Vom Halys zum Euphrat), Ugarit Verlag Münster.
6. Bedeutung und Ursprung der Laute. Damazener Mitteilungen Band 13, Verlag Philipp von Zabern. Mainz 2001.

Only in India

2008-04-21T16:17:00.000-07:00

Comment by Wafaa' Al-Natheema

It is truly amazing how men insist on masculinizing everything in their language. The last line in the picture above reads; "But this connect between man and nature is unparalleled." It should have been accurately written as "But this connect between woman and nature is unparalleled."

First it is a woman who is feeding the animal, not a man.

Second, the vast majority of men have no such relation with nature. They inflicted chemical and nuclear bombs and waste (from their factories) as well as wars and destruction on nature, not to mention converting so much landscape and trees to concrete buildings with paved streets for cars emitting toxic fumes.

Here is a video clip of a baby and a Cobra, must watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-_LE9ztjNo

سلام خياط ورشاد سليم

2007-10-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

سلام خياط و رشاد سليم

إلتقيت (أنا التي أسكن في الولايات الأمريكية) اليوم الجمعة المصادف الرابع والعشرين من آب عام 2007 بالصحفية سلام خياط التي تسكن في لندن والفنان رشاد سليم الذي هو الآخر يسكن في لندن ، فكيف حصلت هذه الصدفة وهذا اللقاء الطريف ومياه المحيط تفصلنا ؟

كنت قد إضطررت أن أضع تلا من الأوراق والكتب على الأرض قرب ملابسي المعلقة مؤقتا لحين يأتي الوقت المناسب لترتيبهم ومرت أكثر من شهرين ولم يأت هذا الزمن المناسب ، فصار لزاما علي قبل حوالي ثلاثة أيام أن أغير موضعهم ثانية لأضع في محلهم جرارات بلاستيكية لحفظ الهدوم ، فجلبت هذا التل قرب تل أقدم من الأوراق والظروف البريدية المكدسة إلى جانب سريري ! فصار التلان وكأنهما نوطتان لمعزوفة واحدة . ولمناسبة ذكر المعزوفة والعزف كان كتاب سلام خياط المعنون "معزوفات" هوسبب اللقاء بيني وبين سلام خياط ورشاد سليم .ا

أفقت اليوم الجمعة في السادسة صباحا من حلم ( نسيت كل تفاصيله بعد ساعتين) فصرت أتقلب يمينا ويسارا وأنا مازلت في الفراش وإلا بنظري يسقط على كتيب صغير عليه كلمة "معزوفات" وإسم سلام خياط على الرغم من أنه كان محشورا بين كتب التاريخ والسياسة . فلكوني لا أحب أن تكون وجبة فطوري تاريخا وسياسة فرفعت كتيب سلام خياط بين يدي بدلا عن الكتب الأخرى ، فلعادتي أقول إن حدث و أفطرت بتلك المواد الجدية التي ترفع ضغط الدم "يافتاح يارزاق مازلت أحاول الصحو" وكأني أولول تاريخا وسياسة على الفطور ؟

فتحت الكتيب وإلا بإهداء مكتوب بخط سلام خياط تكتب فيه " للعزيزة وفاء مع التحية . سلام في 5 أيلول 1993 " ، فتذكرت سفرتي الأولى من الولايات الأمريكية الى لندن بعد أن سجنت خمس سنوات كنت غير قادرة فيها على السفر بسبب بطاقة الإقامة الخضراء التي صرت أسميها فيما بعد بطاقة الإقامة السوداء . بعد أن تمت الموافقة لإعطائي الإقامة في شهر نيسان من ذلك العام وبعد أن حاضرت لمدة ستة أسابيع في إعدادية فيليب أكزتر أكاديمي في صيف ذلك العام سافرت إلى لندن في أيلول لرؤية والدتي وأخي وبعد حوالي ثلاثة شهور سافرت إلى بغداد لرؤية جدتي وغاليتي نظيمة وأبي الحبيب . والإثنان تركوا حياتنا هذه إلى غير رجعة. وفي تلك الزيارة إلى لندن قررت مقابلة بعض النساء العراقيات وإجراء حوار معهن لنشره في النشرة الرباعية التي كنت أصدرها في بوستن باللغة الإنجليزية آنذاك . كان من بين النساء اللواتي أجريت معهم مقابلة صحفية المعمارية زهاء حديد والباحثة الإجتماعية سناء الخياط والتي أصدرت كتابا عن نساء العراق . وأيضا تمكنت من الوصول إلى الصحفية سلام خياط وقابلتها في قهوة عزاوي . لا أذكر الآن كيف تمكنت من الوصول إليها ولكن لقاءنا في القهوة لم يؤدي إلى مقابلة صحفية فلم ترض بأن أسجل لها اللقاء

صوتيا (كما أفعل مع الآخرين) ولكن تكلمنا في أمور عامة وبخصوص ذكرياتنا بالعراق حين كانوا جيراننا في

دورالضباط (الأربع شوارع) قرب اليرموك .ا

كل ذلك عصف ذاكرتي وأنا لم أقرأ بعد سوى الصفحة الأولى التي كتب عليها الإهداء . ثم طويت الصفحة الأولى لأفتح الثانية وإلا بي أقرا بأن رسوم الكتاب قد صممها رشاد سليم . فقلت مع نفسي < أها> ، هذا الذي إلتقيته في أيلول آخر من عام 2006 ! وتمر فكرة ‘كم هو العالم صغير‘ في ذهني . ألتقينا أنا وهو مع عراقيات أخريات وخطاط عراقي للبحث في أمور فعل مشروع فني (ومشاريع أخرى) لمساعدة العراقيين و للأسف لم يثمر هذا اللقاء شيئا .ا

وفي الصفحة الثالثة من الكتيب كتبت سلام إهداء " إلى سيدي العراق ومولاتي البصرة " ثم في الرابعة خطت المقدمة لتقرأ " أبريء هذه المعزوفات من مظنة أن تكون شعرا .. إنها مجرد عزف على أوتار اللغة .ا

سلام 4 أيلول 1985 لندن " . وهكذا واصلت قراءة صفحات الكتيب وأنا مازلت مستلقية في الفراش حيث أتممته بأقل من نصف ساعة ، ليس لأنني طرزانة زماني في القراءة بل لأن الكتيب كان مزريا لصغر حجمه كما نقول حين نريد المبالغة .ا

الذكريات التي سبحت بها قادتني كالمخدرة [بشد وفتح الدال] بإتجاه الحاسوب لأدون ما مر بذهني في ساعتي الصباح وقبل أن أغسل وجهي وأفطر ، يافتاح يارزاق . ا

القارئة (والقاريء) التي ترى إستعمالي للضمير المؤنث بجانب إسم سلام الخياط المذكر عجيبا تفعل ذلك لأنها لاتعرف بأن سلام خياط إمرأة وإن إسمها الحقيقي سليمة وعلى ما أذكر أنها كانت خريجة حقوق وعندما إتجهت للصحافة ولمعاناتها في المحاماة قررت تذكير اسمها لكي تؤخذ بجدية وتحترم وتروج كتاباتها أكثر . شخصيا أنا لم يعجبني هذا الغطاء المفتعل بتغيير جنس الإسم لأنني لم أكن أرى تحيزا واضحا في مجال الصحافة في العراق وحده بل في العالم كله ولأنها بتغيير إسمها تكون كما لو استسلمت للمشكلة وحتى ساهمت في استمرارها. عندما شهدت وعاصرت هذا التحيز والإحتكار الذكوري وهو إلى حد لا يطاق قررت أن أغير اسمي لأحمل اسم جدتي (أم والدتي) التي ربتني واعتنت بي طوال سنين عيشي في العراق وليس اسم جدي (أبا والدي) الذي لم يعرفني حتى بمصاصة وكان قاسيا على زوجته وأولاده (بما في ذلك أبي) ، فلماذا أبقى حاملة اسم جدي ولم إنسانة مثل الصحفية سليمة تغير اسمها الى اسم ذكر؟ هل في ذلك عدالة ؟

كانت سلام (سليمة) خياط تسكن وعائلتها في بيت قريب جدا من بيتنا الذي كنا نؤجره من مالكه بشير الطالب الذي لا أعرف فيما إذا ما يزال حيا أم لا ، حيث سكنا فيه حوالي سنتين ثم تحولنا الى السكن في بيتنا (الذي بني

مابين 1967 و68) في اليرموك . كانت سلام تعرف بهواياتي الكتابية وبحبي للأغاني والأفلام الهندية وأنا طفلة وكان هذا من بين ماتكلمنا عنه عندما التقينا في لندن في أيلول عام 1993. أعتقد بأنها رفضت أن أسجل المقابلة معها لأنها كانت في نوع من العتاب وإنقطاع الزيارات مع والدتي وربما لأنها خشيت بأنني أستعمل أجوبتها المسجلة صوتيا إستعمالا لغير غايته المنشودة ، فاكتفت بإهداءها لي ببعض من كتبها وبشرب القهوة معي والتكلم عن الماضي الذي بدا أجملا من الحاضر حيث الحروب والحصار الجائر والموت .ا

كل هذا وأكثر هطل على ذاكرتي بعد أن وقع ناظري على كتيبها "معزوفات" وقد أعجبتني فيه بعض رسوم رشاد سليم خاصة على الصفحات السادسة والخامسة والثلاثين . ففي الأخيرة تكتب سليمة (سلام) خياط خمسة كلمات

فقط : "السماء غائمة وروحي مبللة بالمطر" ، يرسم رشاد هذه الكلمات بطريقة مشابهة لأحدى لوحات مديحة عمر

التي للأسف توفيت قبل حوالي سنتين. كما وأعجتني المعزوفة اللغوية التي كتبتها سليمة في صفحة 56 :ا

"سرق .. حوكم وتبرأ ، غش .. حوكم فتبرأ ، كذب .. حوكم وتبرأ ، قال كلمة .. أعدم "

فاسم أبي رشاد سليم والإسم الحقيقي لسلام هو سليمة وألتقيت بهما في شهر أيلول وفي لندن وكانا سوية في مشروع

نشر واحد وهو الكتيب "معزوفات" ولم يثمر لقائي بهما شيئا ، صدفة هذه أم أن المتشابهين أربعون !ا

////////

وفاء النظيمة كاتبة و ناشطة تسكن في الولايات الأمريكية وتنتج حاليا فيلما وثائقيا عن حياة ورئاسة الرئيس العراقي السابق عبد الرحمن عارف . للتعرف على إنجازاتها وكتاباتها يرجى زيارة البلغ المعروف

http://zennobia.blogspot.com/

ملاحظات :ا

سفرتي الأولى إلى لندن كانت في عام 1978 ولكني كتبت أعلاه أن سفرة عام 93 هي الأولى لأنها كانت بعد حبس دام خمس سنوات لم أستطع فيه السفرخارج الولايات الأمريكية بسبب أوراق الإقامة .ا

Shammi Kapoor on 07, 07, 07

2007-07-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

The Saturday I Will Never Forget

By Wafaa' Al-Natheema

Advertisers in the USA few days before today were cheering and hooraying about the luck one may have on a date when all of its three digits are SEVEN repeatedly. So they were advising people to buy this or that on this day or even gamble. Although I am not superstitious, I considered today, Saturday, July 7 a memorable day: The famous Indian star and actor, Shammi Kapoor, called me all the way from India.

Until Friday, May 25, I was under the impression that Shammi Kapoor, was no longer alive, thanks to a piece of news given to me by a close friend whom I usually entrust and take for granted as a reliable source. But my coincidental search of Hindi films and actors, brought me to the realization that Shammi Kapoor is actually alive.

His website http://www.junglee.org.in/sk.html gave me so much information about his life and career and provided me with his personal email address. So I sent him an email on May 25 and received a prompt reply on Saturday, May 26. I did not believe my eyes. I originally thought that the website was maintained by a fan or one of his family members.

After one month and ten days of correspondence, I received his greatly appreciated call today, Saturday, July 7, 07. It was a very dear call knowing I have admired him since the age of four. When he explained his health situation having to go through dialysis three times per week as the reason behind his delay in responding to some of my emails, I felt a sense of connection with him hearing his honesty and modesty considering his fame and glamour in the late 1950s and 1960s.

India has created some kind of an agony in me as I have been dreaming to visit it since childhood. Now I wish that it be more than just a visit. I hope to participate in a conference or a festival or have a job for a couple of months. I am working tirelessly to see how I can join a group of activists, teachers or artists to visit India or be hosted by them while in India. I feel a spiritual connection and a need to visit India especially after the horrific war on Iraq and the psychology with which I am living as a result.

Shammi Kapoor was one of three men who brought smile to my face and filled me with pleasure and/or hope as a young child besides my late uncle, Dawood (d. 1965) and late father, Mahmood (d. on July 24, 2006). Watching him perform (and seeing some of the old Hindi films in general) brings so many sweet memories from my early childhood. I remember when I was four to six years of age, nobody dared to say a negative word about Shammi in front of me. I would be crying or protesting in disagreement. This gesture was considered cute by adults, so they enjoyed teasing me purposely to watch my entertaining parade:):)

In the near future and in memory of my father and his eldest brother, Dawood, I will write a lengthy memoir entitled, "The Three Men Who Made Me Smile as a Child - Uncle Dawood, Father Mahmood and Shammi Kapoor"

It will be a wonderful adventure and experience for me to visit India and see Shammi Kapoor. He will be 77 years old on October 21.

(*_*) Don't forget to click on all "Shammi Kapoor" words.

Wafaa' Al-Natheema's New CD

2007-03-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

When Gibberish and Uniqueness Intermarry

By Rita Cohen-Sharaf
Written in October 2005

“Halamanteeshi” is Wafaa’s new and first CD title featuring her poems in English and songs in Arabic. The CD is a unique production that mesmerizes and makes the listener want to repeat it over and over again. Its uniqueness stems from the fact that Wafaa’ produced her singing as a wonderful collage of her children songs and “Halamanteeshi” poetry of the past with her vocal interpretation of the present. Her songs and poetry at age four were collaged uniquely with her current singing. She also beautifully mixed her singing with that of her deceased uncle, Dawood Salman. His outstanding voice was recorded briefly once shortly before he was killed in a car accident in 1965.

Between the ages of three and five, Wafaa’ used to make up poetry and recite it in a similar way to that performed by Arab poets. The difference is that her poetry, although rhymed beautifully, it was meaningless. Her uncle (on her father’s side), Dawood Salman, called it Halamanteeshi poetry. Halamanteeshi was the term he created to mean gibberish. For Arabic speakers, the ‘H’ in Halamanteeshi is the Arabic letter ‘Haa’ sister of ‘khaa’.

In 1964, Wafaa’s father and uncle decided to record family members’ voices at home on reel tape and send it with a friend to two family members (Wafaa’s uncles) who were studying in Moscow at that time. It was in this historic recording that both Wafaa’ and her uncle, Dawood Salman, performed songs and poetry. In 2000, while hosting her radio show at WZBC in Newton, Massachusetts, Wafaa’ transferred that reel tape to Digital Audio Tape (DAT) and later in 2002, she converted it to a CD. Then, came the birth of a unique idea by Wafaa’ to produce this CD in memory of her eldest uncle, Dawood Salman, and her youngest uncle, Majid Salman, a soldier who was killed in July 1988 during the last month of the Iran-Iraq war.

The CD’s poems on war and peace as well as few humorous short thoughts intelligently written (in English) and beautifully recited by Wafaa’ are a MUST HEAR. No words can express the richness and diversity of ideas in these wonderful poems. Her recitation is accompanied by violin, piano and jazz saxophone, making it a spiritually intoxicating production.

The CD includes Iraqi children and folkloric songs as well as lullabies performed by Wafaa’ in Arabic language in addition to an English song (from a poem written by Wafaa’) vocally interpreted and sung by Veronique Epiter, a French-American singer.

Following the hate crimes that immediately occurred after the September attacks in 2001, Wafaa’ lived in a different mode. The affect of the “war on terrorism” era forced her in 2002 to be somewhat anti-social and to regularly write poetry, prose and essays. It was also an era in which Wafaa’ no longer listened to Arabic and English songs. “I don’t like to listen to songs in languages I understand. I can’t stand listening to meaningful songs anymore. They are all a cliché, either about love, pain, nature or nationalism. Song lyrics offer nothing new,” said Wafaa’. She began to listen to voice interpretation of anything but meaningful words; to music only or to songs in languages she did not understand. This mode brought her closer to and made her appreciate her childhood “gibberish” poetry, which she beautifully incorporated in her singing performance of tracks 3 and 4.

With the exception of two Iraqi children songs and one folkloric song, all songs and poems in the 12-track CD were written and composed by Wafaa’ Al-Natheema. Wafaa' performed two of the CD's songs at the Peace Festival Beyond the DMZ in South Korea on August 26, 2005.

To purchase the “Halamanteeshi” CD, to set up an interview or to invite Wafaa’ for a poetry recitation (in English and/or Arabic), please contact the Institute of Near Eastern & African Studies (INEAS) in Cambridge, Massachusetts at INEAS_1994@yahoo.com, (617) 86-INEAS (864-6327 ext. 3), http://www.ineas.org/

CD cost: $15 + $2 S/H in the USA, Canada & Latin America
+ $3 S/H in Europe
+$5 S/H in Asia/Africa/Australia

Mail checks to:
Institute of Near Eastern & African Studies (INEAS)
P.O. Box 425125
Cambridge, MA 02142 USA

Rita Cohen-Sharaf is a free-lance writer and poet living in Canada with her husband and two teenagers. She can be reached at Cohen_sharaf@hotmail.com

Arabian Perfumes

2006-12-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

By Wafaa' Al-Natheema

Since my boycott of western/American products in 2001, I have been enjoying the use of Arabian oil perfumes tremendously. They are in many cases more delicious, long lasting (because of their oily textures), more affordable and elegantly packaged than many of the western popular brands. Unlike the common spray perfumes and colognes, oil perfumes also have no health hazards.

If you know someone in Saudi Arabia and/or the United Arab Emirates (UAE) or if you plan to visit any of these countries, make sure to buy some of these precious perfumes. They make excellent gifts. Both Gulf countries produce an exquisite array of oil perfume variety.

The few Saudi brands I 've been using are Warda, Jathibiyya, Tayf, Alwazir and Al-Haramayn. The latter I use occasionally because it has a strong fragrance of which three or four drops are sufficient and suitable for a cold winter weather. The other brands are not only delicious, but relaxing.

Once in a gathering, an American woman whom I've met for the first time inquired about the perfume I put on with an admiration look on her face while inhaling the fragrance. It was the Saudi oil perfume Jathibiyya, which means 'attraction'. She had no idea that Saudi Arabia produces perfumes. Of course she was not the only person to inquire about these elegant fragrances whenever I use any of them.

Personally I am very interested in exploring the history of perfume making in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Arabian-Persian Gulf States. I hope to reach as many Arab experts in this field as well as companies that produce these delicious perfumes to educate the public about the history of perfume making, perfumes' brands, styles and cost as well as the stories accompanying them. I also wish to make some of the Arabian oil perfumes available to communities in the USA.

To contact me for information regarding Arabian Perfumes or companies making them, please email me at aboutfromiraq@yahoo.com WITH MANY THANKS.

Hanukkah Notes

2006-12-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

Hanukkah Notes
By David Shasha

1. The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, a Hebrew word meaning “to dedicate,” is a minor Jewish festival with no Biblical source.

2. Hanukkah is a historical holiday that commemorates the Jewish defeat of the Seleucidite Syrian Greeks in 165 BCE by a priestly family called the Maccabees. These Maccabees sought to defeat not merely the Greek occupiers, but to defeat their Jewish acolytes, the so-called “Jewish Hellenizers.”

3. Our rabbinic sources have not preserved any legitimate historical information for us. But the rabbis do set out the legal requirement of the holiday, a single prescription to light candles for eight nights, in the Tractate Shabbat of the Babylonian Talmud. This legal discussion, our only “official” Jewish source for the holiday, is in essence appended to a much larger discussion of the intricacies of lighting candles for the Sabbath.

4. Our historical source for the holiday is the apocryphal Book of Maccabees 4:52 ff. where we read of the Maccabean rededication of the Temple on 25 Kislev, the traditional date of Hanukkah.

5. The rabbis who canonized the Hebrew Scriptures at Yavneh circa 100 CE neglected to include the Book of Maccabees in their Bible. There are many ways that we might speculate on this excision of the Maccabees from the Masoretic Bible.

6. The rabbis saw the Hasmonean dynasty as usurpers to the Priestly offices in the Temple. The Hasmoneans were country priests who did not come from the Zadokite lineage and took it upon themselves to lead the rebellion against Antiochus and the Syrian Greeks. From the rabbinic point of view, whatever positive gains were gained by this defeat of the Seleucids was negated in the very strict literal sense of Jewish law regarding priestly succession as elucidated in the rabbinic sources.

7. We can then examine the Hasmonean lineage and its impact on the Jewish culture in Pharisaic and post-Pharisaic Judaism. The first Hasmoneans by and large stayed true to the Jewish legal traditions along the rabbinic model. But as the generations went on, the Hasmoneans continued to garner more and more power and forgot the traditions that stirred the rebellion in the first place. At the nadir of Hasmonean power, the usurpation of the throne by the Idumean pretender Herod, who was technically a member of the Hasmonean clan as he married into the family, capped off what was by then many decades of Hellenization by the Temple priests.

8. So it should be noted that the rabbis were less than thrilled with the physical specimens of the Hasmonean dynasty who populated the Temple precincts in their own day. It would then make sense for the rabbis to seek to expunge the historical record of the Maccabean revolt and the reasons for the celebration of the Hanukkah holiday.

9. But the rabbis could not eliminate a holiday which had popular roots among both the Jewish masses and the priestly elite. Hence, they developed a hagiographic tale of a cruse of oil that was found amidst the Temple relics that was the only “pure” oil that could be used to light the Menorah, Hebrew candelabrum; according to the rabbis the oil, a one-day supply, lasted for the eight-day rededication ceremonies.

10. The story of the cruse of oil knowingly obscured the historical underpinnings of the holiday which, in addition to the Book of Maccabees sources, appears in Josephus’ Jewish Antiquities Book 12, Chapter 7. Our historical sources tell us nothing about the cruse of oil but do tell us a good deal about the Maccabees and their war against the Syrians.

11. The rabbis, as is known, were split over their own thoughts and desires about Jewish national independence. There was a faction led by R. Akiba that continued to struggle for Jewish independence while another group, led by R. Yohanan Ben Zakkai, sought to make peace with the occupiers and develop a new Jewish national life based upon study and practice of the written and oral traditions of the Hebrew faith. According to this model the Jews would live at peace with the Romans in exchange for their religious freedom and communal autonomy.

12. The Hanukkah commemoration, a clearly nationalistic holiday, a holiday that was more political than spiritual, was muted within the rabbinic liturgical calendar. The rabbis were deeply concerned with the restoration by the Maccabees of Torah study rather than political independence. The rabbinic Hanukkah is a contemplative holiday that highlights the warmth of family ties and the freedom afforded by the Maccebean revolt for Jews to live in religious freedom.

13. With the dual emergence of new trends in the modern period; Jewish nationalism in the form of Zionism and the increased attention paid by Jews to Gentile-like behaviors and assimilation, the holiday of Hanukkah, a relatively minor part of the Jewish liturgical calendar as we have said, takes on a newly significant role.

14. For the Zionists, the Maccabean revolution was an alternative historical model to the standard narrative of the rabbis. In the Macabees, the Zionists found a valid historical model on which to base their own Judean nationalism. Rather than maintaining the codes and beliefs of the Talmudic sages, the Zionists re-formed a “new” Jewish “nation” upon “invented traditions” that were deeply informed by the Maccabean paradigm.

15. In the Zionist narrative the Hellenizing Maccabees were expunged and the Nationalist Maccabees were valorized. The movement which led to Herod and the eventual destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 CE was blanked out, as was the paradigm shift of R. Yohanan Ben Zakkai and the emergence of a new humanistic Judaism based upon the collection of the source traditions during this period of the written and oral traditions in the forms of the Masoretic Scriptures and the Mishnah, leading to the magnum opus of this rabbinic formalism, the Babylonian Talmud.

16. Zionism saw itself as heir to the Maccabeean revolution and not to the rabbis. The quietism of the rabbis was eliminated in favor of a new aggressiveness that thought little of the religious and cultural implications of this realignment of Jewish life. Zionism was an attempt to restore national life to the Jews at the expense of the religious imperatives developed in the Diaspora by the Jewish Sages.

17. The increasing level of assimilation by Jews into Gentile society has made Hanukkah a holiday meant to match up against Christmas, a central Christian holiday that forms, with New Year’s Day, the very core of Christian self-definition. Over the past century, Christmas has taken on mammoth proportions and has served to drive the engine of modern Western consumerism.

18. Thus, Jews who felt ill at ease with their own faith turned to Hanukkah as a “twin” holiday to stand up next to Christmas.

19. So, in summation, Hanukkah is a very minor Jewish holiday that has been obscured by the way in which Judaism has used the historical source materials and by the manner in which the Jewish rabbis sought to impress their own stamp upon the conceptualization of the holiday. Modern Jews have reframed the holiday and have given it new meanings not originally inherent in either the historical or the religious sense(s) of the commemoration transforming Hanukkah into a “major” Jewish holiday.