Hit Play "I Heart Hamas" Reframes Palestinian Identity

An interview with Jennifer Jajeh

"It has been important for me to shake up peoples' notions of who a Palestinian woman is," says Jennifer Jajeh, the brains and talent behind the one-woman play I Heart Hamas: And Other Things I'm Afraid to Tell You.  Jajeh wraps up a two-week run at the Bedlam Theatre on the West Bank of Minneapolis this weekend with four more shows.  Despite the title, I Heart Hamas has less to do with the democratically-elected militant group than with one Palestinian-American's unique, enlightening struggle against misunderstanding and injustice.

Using slides, music, storytelling, pop culture and live theatre to explore often hilarious themes and events, the show has built buzz and garnered rave reviews in San Francisco, New York, and now the Midwest.  I asked Jennifer some questions about the Palestinian struggle and her experience.

Jajeh interviewed on KFAI's Catalyst | IHeartHamas.com | Buy tickets via Bedlam Theatre | Final MPLS Shows: Thurs.--Sat. 7:30pm, Sun. 4pm | Related @ Indymedia.us: Activist Coalition Tells Israel Ballet: Don't Tiptoe Around Apartheid

Especially here in the Twin Cities, many anti-occupation actions have been led by anti-Zionist Jews (IJAN-TC, along with Mizna, co-hosted the opening night of I Heart Hamas at the Bedlam). Do you think explicitly Jewish anti-Zionist organizing is effective?

JJ: Yes, I definitely think that having progressive members of the Jewish community working alongside Palestinians for justice and human rights is effective. I've been very inspired by the work of IJAN here in the Twin Cities, and their work with other groups like Minnesota Break the Bonds and the BDS campaign is reaching and educating a much broader audience on the issue.

Last week in Bilin at the weekly border demonstration there, activists painted themselves blue and re-enacted James Cameron's popular movie Avatar. Although Avatar seems to have an anti-imperialist message, clearly that hasn't soaked in to the majority of the moviegoing public. At what point do theatre, film or other art forms go beyond simply telling an entertaining story, and begin to tangibly affect lives?

JJ: It has always been the role of artists to shake up perceptions and question the status quo, as well as to entertain. I think getting people engaged, educated and emotionally invested on a personal level is extremely powerful and the first steps to opening people up to other ways of discussing or approaching an issue. It's not until people really understand and connect with another perspective will things begin to change on the ground.

You mentioned that you've received positive reviews, audience turnout and press coverage in New York, San Francisco and now Minneapolis. Has there been any sort of backlash to the show anywhere?

JJ: I'm more shocked than anyone at the outpouring of positive support both from the press and from audiences. People really connect to the journey I take in the show, and can see their own lives and experiences reflected in my search to make sense of my hyphenated and often complicated identity. I think the humor in the show really helps to draw people in and explore the issue of Palestinian identity in a way that is both irreverent and refreshing.

As far as organized backlash, I'm not aware of anything. That being said, there are always crazies lurking in the background and some of them have contacted me. It has mostly been limited to harassing emails and online posts.

I heard you speak on Lydia Howell's show about Hamas being a metaphor for how people react when they discover your identity as a Palestinian American. In what ways does that metaphor play out for you?

JJ: Just the word "Palestinian" garners a certain reaction out in the world, and it is very often a negative one. It was difficult especially as a kid who just wanted to fit in and be like everyone else. There were always questions and uncomfortable comments that were often very derogatory or hurtful.

It was frustrating as a 10 year old to be expected to have debates clarifying Palestinian identity, politics, and the facts behind the misperceptions. Honestly it made me just want to disappear and blend, to distance myself from an identity that felt so confusing and carried so much weight.

Is that still frustrating for you? How do you try to not be a representative of All Things Palestinian?

JJ: Yes, it is. I state very clearly in the show that I'm not speaking for all Palestinians or as the "average Palestinian" because I'm not even sure there is such a thing. My hope is that the show provides a window into the experiences of ONE Palestinian woman, and if I can get an audience to hear me out and relate to my life then it gives me hope that they'll be interested in going deeper.

You also stated on Lydia's show that you're always asking, "Do I out myself, or do I choose to be quiet and not make waves?" And it sounds like, thankfully for us, you mostly choose to make waves. What makes you decide to say what you really want to say rather than "play it safe"?

JJ: I wanted to reframe the conversation around what it meant to be Palestinian in a way that made sense to me and reflected my own experiences which were often hilarious, unconventional and unexpected. It has been important for me to shake up peoples' notions of who a Palestinian woman is, and what her experiences, thoughts, desires might be. There is so much misinformation circulating and if I can help people to become more educated, or even just more compassionate about another human being's struggles and daily reality then I feel like I have done an honest day of work.

So finally, what advice would you have for other young women of color who may be experiencing the same misinformation and confusion while trying to create a better world?

JJ: There are a lot of people who are hungry for more information, and have no idea where to look for it. Consider this your opportunity to flesh the issues out for other people and provide some much needed perspective.