Museum of the Seam

Thanks to one of our fellow travelers, Ron, we visited the Museum of the Seam.  From 1948 to 1967, the house was used as an Israeli Military Outpost.  The post was situated on the seam line between Israel and Jordan, across from the Mandelbaum Crossing, which was the only crossing point between East and West Jerusalem.  The museum was established by Raphie Etgar as a site for peace and tolerance.  Raphie guided us through the current exhibit, Heartquake since it's more famous, Coexistence, is on tour.  The exhibit was moving.  For example, a video showed a series of people reacting to something.  Was it a funeral or a tragic scene didn't matter but you saw how it affected everyone.  Another showed a figure lying on a table with large hands over the body.  Were the hands there to help or hurt? After viewing over 35 paintings, sculptures or video representations, you found yourself on the roof of the museum looking out to see the differences between East and West Jerusalem.  While both sides are now under Israeli control, you can only imagine the arbitrary line that once divided the city.  The final exhibit was a children's play swing erected on the roof railing. Here you saw a safe child's play toy swinging precariously over the edge.  No easy answers.  

NOTE 1:  When Raphie heard that we had gone to the desert to tour and study, he expressed the view that there was nothing there.  Boy was he off base!