Film Library: Middle East

NO CHILD IS BORN A TERRORIST (00:21:23)

• JUNE 2007

Zacharia Zubeidi, head of the al-Aqsa Martyrs brigade in Jenin, has survived four assassination attempts by Israeli forces. While interviewing him, I expected to be gunned down at any moment.

WELL OF MEMORIES (00:05:19)

• JUNE 2007

Nothing brings back the spirit of youth and joy like music. Spend an afternoon with Charles Annenberg Weingarten and the elderly Alzheimer's patients at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, where all it takes is a cherished song to energize the room and bring the crowd to its feet.

RABBI TEACHER (00:04:38)

• JUNE 2007

What does it mean to be Jewish? Rabbi Engelman, Director of the Yakar Study Centre in Jerusalem, agrees with philosopher Jacques Derrida that to be Jewish is to always seek that meaning. He brings Charles Annenberg Weingarten to a yeshiva to meet these "eternal students" as they study the Talmud — the book of Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history — and open a traditional scroll of the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.

THREE MOSQUES (00:06:03)

• JUNE 2007

Join explore founder Charles Annenberg Weingarten as he ventures to three of the holiest places on the planet: the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (known as the Blue Mosque), the Grand Mosque of Mecca, and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. At the Dome, he stands where Muslims believe Mohammed once ascended to heaven; many Jews believe it is the rock from which stemmed all of creation.

PROTEST OR PUNCHES (00:04:09)

• JUNE 2007

In the Palestinian refugee camp of Baqa'a lives one of Jordan's greatest athletes. "Faraj the Boxer" trains at the Baqa'a Boxing Club with other local youth, but unlike most, he has Olympic potential. Join the explore team as they visit the gym and learn how Faraj struggles to live down the consequences of one very controversial decision.

A PLACE OF LIGHT IN THE DARK (00:06:26)

• JUNE 2007

Meet Lydia Mansour, a remarkable woman who was struck blind by measles at the age of two and went on to found the Peace Center for the Blind in Jerusalem. At the center, those that have lost their eyesight are taught valuable skills like knitting and reading Braille. They are introduced to a whole new world of opportunities and a bit of light is brought into their darkness.

THE ART OF HEALING VIOLENCE (00:09:09)

• JUNE 2007

Taught how to express their feelings with shapes and colors, the children at the Queen Rania Family and Child Center in Jordan use paint, brushes, and paper to build confidence in their emotions and discover their dignity and identity. The art program, along with other activities such as group yoga and drama class, teaches the children to trust themselves, and builds the self-confidence necessary to deal with traumatic experiences like child abuse and domestic violence.

GUARDIAN OF THE BLUE MOSQUE (00:03:16)

• JUNE 2007

Istanbul's 400-year old Sultan Ahmed Mosque, otherwise known as the Blue Mosque for its blue-tiled interior, is one of only two mosques in Turkey that has six minarets. Before the public address system was introduced, muezzin, or prayer-callers, would climb the narrow spiral staircases five times a day to announce the call to prayer. But when Charles Annenberg Weingarten tries to replicate their ascent, he has an unexpected encounter in the dark stairway.

GOD IS A CIRCLE (00:07:30)

• JUNE 2007

The great religions teach us how to show compassion both to God and to fellow human beings. Explore went to Saudi Arabia and discovered how Islamic concepts of giving alms (charity) and the pilgrimage (journey) to Mecca give a unique perspective on the life and work of the people at the Help Center and the Disabled Children's Association.

THE HOUSE OF WHEELS (00:02:28)

• JUNE 2007

Being a child with special needs is difficult. Being a parent of that child contains even more unique challenges, most of which we cannot imagine. At House of Wheels in Jerusalem, parents are given a much-needed weekend to rest and relax while the kids are at the center, engaging in social activities and feeling free to be themselves.

ROCKY DAWUNI - JERUSALEM (00:04:59)

• JUNE 2007

Reggae rock star Rocky Dawuni pays musical tribute to Jerusalem, a holy place cherished by many. Experience Rocky's vision of peace and harmony as he walks the streets, witnessing the beautiful faces and places of this ancient yet modern city.

THE SWORD AND THE MEDIA (00:02:18)

• JUNE 2007

While traveling through Jordan's vast desert, Charles Annenberg Weingarten is invited into the home of a wise Bedouin man. Listen as the man gives his simple explanation of how Islam's message, once spread by the sword, can now be shared through a tool of peace.