Exploring Culture Through Literature in English

Romi

I grew up in a Russian home, with two grandmothers. They were persecuted by the authorities in Russia because of the fact that they were Jews. In my Israeli / Russian house it was expressed in a lot of things … I heard three languages, Hebrew, Russian and Yiddish. There are many names of food I could only say in Russian, All the blankets they brought from Russia (because they thought they are going to live in the dessert and there is nothing here) always had a pot of soup or a pot of porridge. Fear of hunger, fear of the cold, extreme concern for everyone, fear of being left alone, were all symptoms of people living on the side of fear and constant existential threat. These are the people I lived with, I was privileged to have them shape my identity

Nada Hussein

Since my childhood and until now when people ask me about my family name and I tell them that it is “Hussein”, they do not know the fact that I am from the Arraba town, and they think that I am from the village of Deir Hanna because, the Hussein family in Deir Hanna is famous and somewhat large, but when I tell them that I am not from Dair Hanna they surprised then they ask me where are you from.  I tell them that I am from the Arraba town.  Originally, I belong to the Kanaana family, but within large families, there are also very small, branched families, so not much is known about them, especially people who live outside Arraba, so I had to explain this situation about families so as they don’t confuse my true identity.

Byan Murad

I’m Byan Murad from a small village called Bou’ena Nujedat, my mother from another village and this actually was a little bet confusing me when I was a little girl, I wasn’t really know where I am from, am I from Bou’ena or From Mashhad which is my mother’s village. also other people were confused because of my accent and how I talk was different from Bou’ena’s way, some letters were different and also some words. Everybody was telling me that I should not talk like that because I am not from Mashhad, and this was really confusing me until I started to grow up and talk on my own way. Yes I am from Bou’ena but also I can talk in another way with some different words because at the end I am talking Arabic so if I am talking like Mashhad of like Bou’ena it shouldn’t be a problem.

Amal Arian

As a girl who grew up with three big sisters, and two brother, I remember playing with my brother’s games – WWE dolls and so on until a friend of mine told me I shouldn’t be playing with boys’ games.  I asked my friend, “Why?” Because you are a girl, she said, but I kept playing.  At that point I realized I was a girl and there were some expectations of me, but again, it didn’t affect me, and I kept playing every game I love

Rotem Shvili

During my childhood, I was a very calm girl and a sleepy one.

I think that the fact that I did not get emotional from many things as children usually do, made me the person I am today.

I am a quiet person who talks only when I have to. I do not care about things that have not any direct impact on me – bad and good thing. I do not get nervous quickly.

Moreover, My family name is “Shvili,” which directly makes the other person think that I am Georgian. Which I am not.  My family name influenced me a lot during the years until I accepted it after I graduated high school.