By Tim Franks
BBC News, Jerusalem
JERUSALEM'S 40 LANGUAGES
Bernard Spolsky has a wonderful roof terrace. Squeezing past the potted lemon trees and up the small cobbled dome that covers the ceiling below, your gaze can sweep from the Dome of the Rock to the grand Hurva Synagogue.
Prof Spolsky has lived in the Old City for almost 30 years.
For him, the pleasure lies not just in the sights, but the sounds. He is a linguist.
When he and a colleague started to document the languages used by residents of the Old City, they began by using letter-coding.
The alphabet, though, was not enough.
"We suddenly realised we were running out of letters," Prof Spolsky recalls. "We had to use a double-letter system. here were 40-50 languages being spoken."
The Old City may be a tiny space of one sq km but it has long exerted a tremendous pull on religious communities across the world.
In his book, The Languages of Jerusalem, Prof Spolsky quotes James Finn, the British Consul in Jerusalem in 1853: "Jerusalem [has] an unequalled field for languages. Venice and Constantinople might produce as great a diversity of tongues… but certainly not the depth of tone and historical value attached to those in Jerusalem."
Nearly 150 years later, Prof Spolsky sees more and more cities around the world becoming multilingual. But for him, the Old City of Jerusalem remains the template.
THE OTHER'S LANGUAGE
The question is how far those people within Jerusalem, and more broadly within Israel and the Occupied Territories, want to speak each other's languages.
In the past, there has been a clear incentive: money.
Sometime between 1820 and 1824, Rabbi Israel ben Samuel from Shklov (in present-day Belarus) wrote, in a letter from Jerusalem: "As for us Ashkenazim, the Biblical saying, 'he hath made me dwell in dark places', was fulfilled. For we do not know the language, and we are all broken paupers." (From Spolsky and Cooper, The Languages of Jerusalem.)
That language was Arabic.
"Let's think of Northern Ireland. They spoke English on both sides. That didn't make them friendly. Language follows rather than leads. It's sad"
In the teeth of opposition from some rabbis, the British Jewish philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore pushed hard, in the middle of the 19th Century, for the Jews of Jerusalem to learn Arabic and European languages.
That opposition continues, in some quarters, today.
Arabic is one of Israel's two official languages. But it was only this week that the education ministry was forced to backtrack on a decision not to include Arabic in the required secondary school curriculum.
It had been a failed attempt to create a curriculum that would have appealed to the ultra-Orthodox.
And there is the anecdotal evidence. Israelis will tell you that increasingly fewer children and university students are learning Arabic, and of those who are, fewer are taking it seriously.
Prof Spolsky recalls one of his doctoral students going, as he was wont, to a left-wing "Peace Now" demonstration.
The student began chatting, in fluent Arabic, to another demonstrator. The student's friends were aghast, and pulled to him one side.
"Don't do that," they hissed at him. "People will think you're Shabak (from the intelligence service)." The reason? The wide assumption is that young people would only have that standard of Arabic if they were working for the military or the security services.
TALKING AND TALKING
There is a similar picture among Palestinians. Yasser al-Khateeb runs a centre for academic and vocational training in Hebron.
A dwindling number of his students are choosing to learn Hebrew. The reason echoes from that letter of the 1820s.
"These days people prefer to learn English rather than Hebrew. In any case, they find English easier"
There had been a great incentive to study Hebrew when there was a much bigger chance of securing a job the other side of the Green Line, inside Israel.
But after the eruption of the second Intifada, at the start of the decade, the Israeli government erected the separation barrier and checkpoints, which have heavily curtailed movement into Israel.
"These days," says Mr Khateeb, "people prefer to learn English rather than Arabic. In any case, they find English easier."
Mr Khateeb and Prof Spolsky agree that it is a shame that fewer people are learning the language of the other side.
But, tellingly, they also readily concede the limits of that ambition.
"Let's think of Northern Ireland," Prof Spolsky told me. "They spoke English on both sides. That didn't make them friendly. Language follows rather than leads. It's sad. I'm someone who encourages language-learning. But being able to speak someone's language doesn't make you like them."
Mr Khateeb puts it in similarly stark terms.
"Even if I spoke Hebrew, and tried to communicate with Jews, the other side is solid," he said. "The other day, there was what, the 20th meeting between Abbas and Olmert? They talk and talk, and it's utterly useless."
Here are some of your thoughts and comments on Tim Franks' diary:
I spent two years with US Peace Corps in Tunisia and learned the local dialect. Reactions at a non-Muslim American speaking Arabic ranged from suspicion in a few rare cases to absolute amazement and appreciation for the effort. English may be enough to get by almost everywhere you go but if you want to feel like you're home you have to learn the local language.
Dan, Newmarket, NH USA
RE to Michel's comment, from my experience people who have visited many countries of the Arab world unhesitatingly state that Syria and Syrians were more friendlier and hospitable to foreigners than any Arab country including Egypt and Lebanon.
George, Laval, Canada
I lived in Egypt for 13 years from 1943 to 1956 but sadly had to leave because I am Jewish. I learnt to speak the simple street Arabic. When I visit Israel I speak Arabic to Israeli Arabs. Their reaction is usually a big smile and they seem to appreciate the effort.
Elly , Zurich, Switzerland
Note to Sara Cohen: the caption with the photograph clearly states "After 1967, the Israelis added the Hebrew"
Dave Sills, Calgary, Canada
Dear Alex, to generalize: just as Western people fear the Arab world in general, I guess some people in the Arab world are also wary or suspicious of expats who study Arabic. I sure hope you are enjoying the experience, although allow me to say, (more generalizing) that Lebanese or Egyptian people are much friendlier than Syrians, especially towards foreigners. Regards,
Michel, Cairo, Egypt
I was amazed to see your decription of the road sign in the picture. It is certainly not Jordanian. They destroyed Jewish holy places and would not have written in Hebrew on top of the Arabic name. Who exactly would they have written the Hebrew for as Jews were expelled from the old city? It is similar to the mandate signs that usually had English on top. The sign shown is post 1967 and Israeli. Arabic is one of the official languages of Israel. I suggest a more sensitive approach to the truths of this region.
Sara Cohen, Jerusalem, Israel
I agree with the article's argument, and will add that economic interdependency, which should help build a more favourable environment for peace, depends to a large extent on the capacity of peoples to communicate. Beyond speaking though, what is needed is for people to reach into each others' cultures. And it seems to me that there are deliberate attempts from both sides to close that window. Years ago, Israelis could watch Arab films on national television - these, and almost every Arab-related programme on television, have been cancelled. And it is increasingly rare to find Israeli films in video stores in Ramallah...
Mohamed, Middle East
Taking into account that Arabic is an official language of The State Of Israel, then it is the fault of the Ministry of Education that learning the Arabic language is not a must in the schools curriculum.
Ralph Phillips, Rishon Le Zion, Israel
As an Israeli Arab I speek both Arabic & Hebrew fluently, in fact both languages are very similar anyway. Many Jews in Israel were from the Arab world and speak Arabic too. All street and road signs in Israel are in Hebrew, English & Arabic, I pray that one day the Arab nations especialy those that border Israel especially Gaza will include Hebrew on their signs as this gesture would do so much for reconciliation, recognition & peace between our two Middle Easten peoples.
Mookie Fallah, Herzalia, Israel
I use to live on a street round the corner from the road in the picture. Despite speaking English, Hebrew and Arabic (though not Palestinian Arabic), and being able to read Syriac on the churches I felt the linguistic division you commented on in your article. However, it is not as entirely divided as one would imagine from the interviews in the article. Different languages are used differently in Israel. To cross a linguistic division, which I managed to, requires a strong desire, and some part of the place are linguistically homogenous. I love learning Arabic and met loads of young Jews learning it, but I doubt I will need it for day-to-day usage should I return to Israel. Perhaps the future is not as gloomy as people think if Israel and the Arab world improve their relationship first.
Daniel Isaac, London
When I lived in Ramallah between 1980-1991 I taught myself to read Hebrew. TV was a big help also, I watched as many Jewish dubbed cartoons as I could: GI Joe (Action Force or Khokh Hamakhetz in Hebrew), Cops (Shutrim in Hebrew) and even the Jewish variety show Ze o Ze. I used to travel as a boy via taxi alone to Jerusalem from Ramallah and I would go to the West side (the Jewish neighborhood) to the Hameshbeer dept store. Buy jelly donuts. Ask for the time. And eat at Richies Pizza. All while ordering in Hebrew! Even with limited Hebrew I loved it and felt totally welcome. It was sad that when the first Intifada came around 1989, I was told to not let the Israeli soldiers know I speak Hebrew because they would take me away. That made me sad, because I never wanted Palestinians and Jews to fight especially cause I saw that both sides have wonderful things to offer.
Abraham H., Santa Monica, CA
I agree that knowing the enemy's language won't help the peace process. On the contrary, I slept better before I knew what they say about us in the news. However, Hebrew language helped consolidate Israeli society in its early years. I'm glad we didn't choose English as our language although it's easier.
Moti, Israel
As one who speaks only English, I did learn the Arabic for "Thanks" - Shukran. This worked fine until I said it when passport control at Tel Aviv airport gave me back my passport after the customary inspection. Shukran? Who, what is this person? Where has he been? There followed two hours of questions, questions, questions. How many people in Israel did I know? What were the names of the places I'd been to? Why did I go to Bethlehem? Why did I not go to the basilica in Bethlehem? What was the name of the coach driver who brought us (Pilgrims) to the airport? etc.
James, London
NOBODY finds English easier to learn than Hebrew. That's absolutely ridiculous. English is a notoriously difficult language to master. Hebrew, on the other hand, has some fundamental similarities to its sister Semitic language, Arabic that make it easier for Arabs to learn. The main reason for interest in English is that it is spoken in many places abroad.
Shlomo Blank, USA
'The wide assumption is that young people would only have that standard of Arabic if they were working for the military or the security services. ' I completely agree with this. I am a British expat living in Aleppo working, studying, enjoying the Arab way of life. I studied Arabic at university, so I am able to communicate well and am learning the dialect quickly.
Every time I meet officials I have to pretend I can't speak Arabic. Even the general public can't understand why I might choose to live here. It's amazing: I would have never expected such a reaction. Trying to understand the has just lead me to be accused of being a spy. I am even accused of being Jewish, though I can't speak Hebrew and know next to nothing about the religion and far too little about Israel itself. Why is their so much suspicion in the world?
Alex, Aleppo, Syria
I have lived in Israel for over 40 years, and speak several modern European languages as well as fluent Hebrew. Many years ago, I started to learn spoken Arabic from Jews who fled from Arab lands when persecuted there in the 1940's. I also learned to read and write Arabic at local evening classes. However, as a woman, it was improper for me to chat to Arab workers when they were working in my neighbourhood - before the intifadas ruined normal interaction. Recently, when I wished to improve my knowledge I found that in today's climate there is a distaste and general lack of interest because of the murderous behaviour of our Arab neigbours. Local classes are not now available as there is "no demand".
Meira, Israel
I very much enjoyed the column, I'm a great admirer of Spolsky's book and I'm delighted to see a distinguished linguist so prominently featured.
Lawrence Rosenwald, Wellesley USA
No, languages won't automatically end wars, but perhaps they can prevent them. I think they would encourage mutual understanding if they were enforced enough by both sides. If you have 5000 Israeli kids and 5000 Palestinian kids speaking each other's languages, they can't all be spies. I think they would both appreciate that someone from the other side is actually interested in them.
Sawsan, A.D.
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