1913: Seeds of Conflict

Historical Characters

Wasif Jahariyyeh

Wasif Jahariyyeh

Wasif Jawhariyyeh, a Christian musician was born in the old city neighborhood of Saadiya in Jerusalem and was a famous composer, oud player, poet and chronicler. His diaries provide a record of urban daily life in the city during the late Ottoman period.

FROM THE FILM …

In the evening, people would sit outside under kerosene lamps, smoking water-pipes and listening to the phonograph, or to singers and artists visiting Jerusalem.

Jahariyyeh (Arabic): I clearly remember those days and nights. The city of Jerusalem was glowing with lights, as every house, shop and street was lit with lanterns. They cheered, danced and sang national anthems that stirred our souls till dawn.

SOURCE:
Storyteller of Jerusalem: The Life and Times of Wasif Jawhariyyeh, 1904-1948, Edited and introduced by Salim Tamari and Issam Nassar, Olive Branch Press, 2014