The Exploitation (?) of Jerusalem: "Tourists" by Yehuda Amichai

 In Wednesday’s discussion of “Tourists” by Yehuda Amichai, my group’s discussion pertained mostly to the question of what the author wants from tourists. We deliberated over whether Amichai is angry at the tourists themselves, or rather the system of tourism that Jerusalem is trapped in. Anger is maybe even expressed by the fact that Jerusalem has and is being used solely for its religious relevance, with no regard to Jerusalem’s present day life. Regardless, Amichai’s unsettledness is derived from a singular root; the attitude put forth toward Jerusalem. 

There is a very obvious and prominent tone of aggression, or anger, directed towards tourists in Jerusalem in this poem. My group debated over the source of this aggression, and thought that maybe it is directed at the tourist’s conduct at these holy sites. However, upon reflection, how are visitors supposed to act at the Wailing Wall? Are they supposed to laugh and joke with their groups? Is it not appropriate to “put on grave faces,” out of respect for its religious and cultural significance (Amichai ll. 3)? Maybe Amichai is simply upset that this energy is only invested in the Old City, in the mementos of what Jerusalem used to be. Can these tourists not appreciate the life that the people of Jerusalem live now? Jerusalem did not crumble when Rachel or Herzl died, and the community that continued to thrive should be honored. The city reaches beyond the bounds of the four quarters; it bleeds into the surrounding vicinity, giving life to what is the New City. Amichai is stressing the importance of appreciating the fact that the Jewish continued to flourish after these portentous events in these sacred spaces. Yes, the Holocaust Memorial and Ammunition Hill can be sacred spaces. Yes, they deserve respect. Yes, they report the history of a people and what they experienced, and that is important and relevant to appreciate the life Jewish people live now. But that is the point; there is a now, and Amichai wants tourists to know that and engage in it. The tension suspended bet
ween respect and transparency when it comes to engaging in the Old City restricts tourist’s ability to appreciate it fully; how can one immerse themselves in an experience if they cannot be vulnerable in those spaces? 

Amichai’s response to seeing these tourists interact with his home is stressful. One of my classmates brought up his own experience in Jerusalem visiting what he believed to be a sacred site, and witnessed locals drinking beer and smoking weed in the same place. There is more to Jerusalem than its religious importance; it still lives on just like other places, but that also doesn’t diminish its religious significance either.