Friday, September 29, 2023

Crossing Borders: the Search for Dignity of Palestine

 

Crossing Borders: The Search For Dignity In Palestine

Christa Bruhn
Little Creek Press, May 20, 2023, 506 pp
$28.95, Paperback, $9.99 Ebook, $42.95 hardcover


About the Book
In her debut memoir Crossing Borders: The Search for Dignity in Palestine, Christa’s journey of curiosity beginning in Jerusalem and Gaza while studying abroad in her father’s homeland of Germany at the tail end of the Cold War. Christa’s experiences open up a world of joy and heartache that transforms into a lifetime pursuit to make a difference in a land two peoples call home. Through Christa’s unique perspective as an American and mother of three Palestinians, we become familiar with both current and historic challenges Palestinians face living in the shadow of the State of Israel. Christa poses thought-provoking questions that are a test to us all as we collectively grapple with how to come together in a place that is increasingly divided in the mind and on the ground.

My review
Bruhn’s lengthy memoir covering some three decades of passionate relationship with the country of Palestine is thought-provoking. A German proverb she quotes about picking your hero and picking your villain aptly applies: rights and wrongs are not respected in the Question of Palestine.

Told first person travel memoir, educational experience, and marriage, Bruhn is suited to share her view of the intimacies of life of modern Palestine. Straddling the fence are her three children born in the States but holding Palestinian credentials. Each lengthy stay in Palestine throughout the years to observe, learn, gather information for her advanced degree, or plant roots is a challenge to make a difference both in the lives of the Palestinians and those who monitor the “situation.”

With plenty of angst and blame and constant “what if” sprinkled in with the obvious love and joy and recipes and culture in general, the story is not a casual read. I often wondered how the author would view life if she had gotten caught up in a different aspect the national heritage of the geographical region. Muslim, Jewish, Christian has become a national political identity, not a profession of belief, especially to this generation. One thing for sure is that there has been a lot of undignified actions performed on behalf of religion. Hopefully Bruhn’s story and plea for understanding and respect can help bring dignity back to the table.

Recommended for those who want to learn more about Palestine from an inside view.

About the Author
Christa Bruhn is an American author, photographer, and culinary artist with a lifelong passion for peace and justice. She is the daughter of a German immigrant raised under Nazi Germany and the mother of three Palestinian Americans. She holds degrees in International Studies (BA), Middle Eastern & North African Studies (MA), and Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis (PhD). She has published academic work on Palestine, peace education, and diversity and led and participated in roundtables on the future of Palestine and Israel. She splits her time between her home in Madison, Wisconsin and Jalameh, Palestine.

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