Chama Mechtaly — Using Art to Deradicalize the Middle East
In this episode of All About Change, Shama Mishali shares her experience growing up in a Muslim-Jewish household in Morocco during a period of increasing religious extremism. Born to a Muslim mother and Jewish father, Mishali discusses her journey from feeling like an outsider in Morocco to finding acceptance in the United States, Israel, and eventually the UAE.
The conversation explores how Mishali's background influences her work as an artist and entrepreneur. After facing censorship in Morocco over artwork incorporating Jewish symbols, she relocated to the UAE where she launched initiatives including her jewelry line "Moors and Saints" and the Emma Lazarus Institute. Through these projects, she works to bridge cultural divides and promote dialogue between the Middle East and the West.
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1-Page Summary
Shama Mishali: Moroccan Jew From a Muslim-Jewish Family
Born in 1992 in Casablanca, Morocco, Shama Mishali grew up in a unique household with a Muslim mother and Jewish father. While her home life embraced religious diversity, she faced growing religious extremism and intolerance in the broader Moroccan society of the 1990s and early 2000s.
Struggle With Identity and Belonging
Mishali's mixed heritage and Jewish identity often made her feel like an outsider in Morocco. She found her first real sense of belonging at Brandeis University in the United States, and later in Israel, where she witnessed the harmonious coexistence of Hebrew and Arabic cultures.
Censorship and Artistic Expression
In 2015, Mishali faced significant censorship when Moroccan authorities shut down her exhibition featuring artwork that incorporated Jewish symbols, particularly a Moroccan flag with the Star of David. Under threats of imprisonment, she was forced to remove her work. These experiences led her to relocate to the UAE in 2016, where she could more freely express her artistic vision.
Promoting Diversity Through Art and Entrepreneurship
Mishali channels her experiences into various creative and social initiatives. Her jewelry collection, "Moors and Saints," combines Jewish symbols with Moorish design to celebrate the region's diverse cultural heritage. She founded the Emma Lazarus Institute, which bridges media-policy gaps between the Middle East and the West, focusing on de-radicalization and counter-extremism efforts.
Finding Acceptance in the UAE
After facing repression in Morocco, Mishali found a more welcoming environment in the UAE, particularly during the country's 2019 "Year of Tolerance." This enabled her to launch her jewelry line at the Dubai Design Fair and freely exhibit work celebrating Jewish history and symbols. Despite ongoing resistance from some quarters, Mishali remains committed to promoting cross-cultural dialogue and understanding through her interdisciplinary approach of art, entrepreneurship, and advocacy.
1-Page Summary
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Actionables
- Explore your heritage through creative expression by starting a personal project like a scrapbook or a blog that celebrates your own cultural background. This can be a way to connect with your roots and share your unique story with others, similar to how Mishali used her art to express her identity.
- Foster cross-cultural understanding by initiating conversations with people from different backgrounds in your community. You can do this by joining or starting a book club that focuses on literature from various cultures, which can serve as a springboard for discussions about diversity and acceptance.
- Support de-radicalization efforts by educating yourself on the topic and then informally sharing what you've learned with your social circle. This could involve reading books, watching documentaries, and then discussing the insights with friends and family to spread awareness about the importance of counter-extremism initiatives.
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Shama Mishali: Moroccan Jew From a Muslim-Jewish Family
Shama Mishali, with her unique heritage and upbringing, provides a powerful testament to the complexities of religious diversity and identity formation in Morocco, marked by experiences of otherness and intolerance, but ultimately leading to a sense of belonging and integration.
Shama Was Born In 1992 In Casablanca, Morocco to a Muslim Mother and Jewish Father
Shama Mishali was born on July 4th in Casablanca, Morocco, spending her early life amid the cultural interplay of her Muslim and Jewish heritage. Her mother hailed from northern Morocco and practiced Islam, while her father, an ethnic Jew from the south, married into the Muslim faith.
Shama's Experience With Religious Diversity in Morocco Was Complicated By Rising Extremism and Public Intolerance
Shama's upbringing was in a household where religious diversity was a fact of life, but not without hardship. Outside the tolerance of her home, she often grappled with the rise of religious extremism and public intolerance pervasive in Casablanca during the 1990s and early 2000s. Contrasting with the secular environment fostered by her father, influenced by French laïcité, Shama felt the sting of restriction and intolerance in the world beyond her doorstep.
Shama Mechtaly, reflecting on her familial background, recalls how her parents’ generation spoke of Muslim-Jewish coexistence with a sense of nostalgia, a stark difference compared to the increasingly anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiments she observed in her own time. Consequently, Morocco's younger generations have been led to believe their identity was intrinsically Muslim and Arab, erasing the country's rich Jewish history.
Shama's "Otherness" and L ...
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Shama Mishali: Moroccan Jew From a Muslim-Jewish Family
Additional Materials
Actionables
- Explore your family's cultural and religious history to better understand your own identity. Start by asking relatives about their experiences and beliefs, and research the cultural practices of your ancestors. This can help you appreciate the diversity within your own family and see how it has shaped who you are.
- Create a personal 'identity map' to visualize the different aspects of your identity and how they intersect. Draw a large circle on a piece of paper, and within it, write down aspects such as your ethnicity, religion, hobbies, and values. Connect them with lines to show how they relate to each other, which can help you see the synthesis of your identities, much like Shama experienced.
- Engage with communi ...
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Shama's Struggle With Extremism and Censorship in Morocco
The Moroccan artist Shama faces censorship and threats from authorities for incorporating Jewish symbols into her artwork, which she argues reflects the cultural diversity of her homeland.
Young Artist Shama Censored, Threatened by Moroccan Authorities For Artwork With Jewish Symbols
Jay Ruderman brings to light the controversial incident involving Chama Mechtaly's artwork in 2015, which became the subject of censorship by Moroccan authorities due to its representation of Jewish symbols, particularly the Star of David.
Exhibition in 2015 Shut Down For Moroccan Flag With Star of David
At a solo exhibition in Casablanca in June 2015, Mechtaly encountered censorship firsthand when her artwork featuring the Moroccan flag with the Star of David was removed, causing the exhibition to be shut down. She received threats from the Ministry of Interior, warning her that she could be jailed for defamation of a national symbol. Undercover and actual police were present creating a very tense environment. The authorities objected specifically to her artwork depicting the Moroccan flag interlaced with a Star of David and pressured her to take it down, under threat of incarceration.
Censorship in Morocco Pushed Shama to Vocalize Erasure of Jewish and Minority Identities
These experiences made Mechtaly increasingly conscious of the growing influence of fundamentalist groups in Morocco and the wider erasure of indigenous and Jewish identities in the Middle East and North Africa. She highlights that the green Star of Dav ...
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Shama's Struggle With Extremism and Censorship in Morocco
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Actionables
- You can explore the history of your own or another culture's symbols by creating a visual timeline that includes significant emblems and their meanings. Start by researching online or at your local library, then use a poster board or digital graphic design tool to visually map out the evolution of these symbols, noting any changes in meaning or appearance over time.
- Engage with diverse narratives by reading books or watching documentaries about minority groups in different societies. Look for works that focus on the experiences and contributions of these communities, and after each book or film, write a reflection on what you learned and how it broadens your understanding of cultural diversity.
- Support artists who face cen ...
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Shama's Promotion of Diversity, Tolerance, and Peace in the Middle East Through Art and Entrepreneurship
Shama Mechtaly, through her artistic and entrepreneurial initiatives, champions the cause of diversity, tolerance, and peace in the Middle East and North Africa.
Shama Reclaims and Celebrates Diverse Cultural Histories and Indigenous Identities of the Middle East and North Africa Through Art, Jewelry, and Advocacy
As someone who resonates deeply with the indigenous and Jewish history in Morocco, especially in the Atlas Mountains and Amazigh heartland, Shama talks about the importance of recognizing the Jewish indigenous past which has often been erased. In light of the peace deals from 2020 and onwards, she expresses hope for a revival and growing curiosity about Morocco's rich Jewish heritage.
Her experience in Israel was transformative, where she appreciated seeing the diversity of the Middle East and North Africa preserved. In a form of resistance and storytelling, Chama Mechtaly paints Amazigh Jewish women to bring to the forefront narratives that have been marginalized.
Shama's "Moors and Saints" Jewelry: Inspired by Moorish Architecture, Jewish Symbols, Promoting Religious Tolerance
Mechtaly’s artwork and jewelry collection, "Moors and Saints," reflects her dedication to showcasing the region's cultural diversity. This collection, often featuring Jewish symbols such as the Magen David and integrating Tifinagh, Arabic, and Hebrew scripts, aims to tell the story of deep indigenous legacies and promote religious tolerance.
An unidentified speaker highlights Shama as the founder of Moors and Saints, a fine jewelry company that draws inspiration from Moorish architecture and design, sourcing influences from Spain to Mexico and India. Specifically, the collection showcases the Jewish communities from the East and intertwines Jewish symbols with Moorish design, such as a piece inspired by a mosque with a Magen David, which was built by a Jewish architect from Iraq.
Shama Founded the Emma Lazarus Institute To Bridge Media-Policy Gaps Between the Middle East and the West, Focusing On De-radicalization and Countering Extremism
Shama's Emma Lazarus Institute Hosts Summits With Experts to Promote Peace and Integration
Shama Mishali has initiated the Emma Lazarus Institute for Liberty and Tolerance, coined as an action tank. The institute's mission is to ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Shama's Promotion of Diversity, Tolerance, and Peace in the Middle East Through Art and Entrepreneurship
Additional Materials
Actionables
- You can explore cultural diversity by creating a personal art project that reflects various cultural influences in your community. Start by researching the history and art of different ethnic groups in your area, then create a visual collage, a series of paintings, or even a digital art piece that combines elements from these cultures. This not only increases your appreciation for diversity but also serves as a conversation starter with others about the importance of cultural understanding.
- Engage in interfaith dialogue by joining or forming a book club focused on religious texts and cultural stories from different faiths. Select books that offer insights into the traditions and beliefs of various religions and invite members from different faith communities to participate. Through these discussions, you can foster a deeper understanding and tolerance of religious diversity.
- Support initiatives that aim to bridge cultural divides by volunteerin ...
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Challenges and Opportunities For Shama: Censorship, Threats, and Welcoming Environments in the UAE
Shama Mishali, an artist and entrepreneur, navigates through challenges and embraces opportunities as she advances her mission of promoting diversity and inclusion, specifically Jewish culture, in the Middle East.
Facing Censorship in Morocco, Shama Found More Openness For Her Work Promoting Diversity and Jewish Inclusion in the UAE and Gulf
Despite not discussing her Moroccan experiences during the provided conversation, Shama Mishali has exhibited her work in four continents, marking her as a globally recognized artist. After facing repression in Morocco, Mechtaly observed more inclusive practices and rhetoric emerging from the Gulf, particularly in the UAE.
UAE's 2019 "Year of Tolerance" Enabled Shama to Launch Moors and Saints Jewelry and Exhibit Jewish Heritage Art
The UAE's declaration of 2019 as the "Year of Tolerance" proved beneficial for Shama Mishali. During this time, she successfully launched her "Moors and Saints" jewelry line at the Dubai Design Fair, where she was able to exhibit her collection that celebrates Jewish history and symbols freely and openly. Comments from an unidentified speaker suggest a connection to In5 in Dubai, indicating an environment conducive to the promotion and acceptance of Moors and Saints jewelry in Dubai and possibly across the UAE more broadly.
Shama's Work Faces Resistance From Those Erasing Minority Identities, but She Remains Committed to Cross-Cultural Dialogue
While Shama Mishali’s interdisciplinary use of art, entrepreneurship, and advocacy is not directly discussed in the transcript, it is implied that her initiatives serve to counter extremism and promote peace within the region. Mechanically moved to the UAE in 2016, suggesting that her work since then has contributed to building bridges in the Middle East.
Shama’s Inte ...
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Challenges and Opportunities For Shama: Censorship, Threats, and Welcoming Environments in the UAE
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Counterarguments
- The UAE's "Year of Tolerance" may have been a strategic move to improve international relations rather than a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Promoting Jewish heritage in the UAE could be seen as part of a broader political agenda to normalize relations with Israel, which may not reflect a true acceptance of Jewish culture in the region.
- While Shama's work is commendable, it might not be enough to counter deeply rooted extremism without broader systemic changes and government support.
- Engaging with Middle Eastern countries to bridge cultural gaps is important, but it should not overlook ...
Actionables
- You can explore art from diverse cultures to broaden your understanding and appreciation of different heritages. Start by visiting local art galleries that feature international artists or search for virtual exhibits online that showcase art from regions like the Middle East. This exposure can help you recognize the value of cultural diversity and the role of art in promoting peace.
- Consider purchasing or promoting products that embody cultural fusion and tolerance. Look for small businesses or online platforms that sell items created by artists from various backgrounds, similar to Moors and Saints Jewelry. By supporting these businesses, you contribute to a market that values inclusivity and helps bridge cultural gaps.
- Engage in conversations with peers about the import ...
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1-Page Summary- Shama Mishali: Moroccan Jew From a Muslim-Jewish Family
- Shama's Struggle With Extremism and Censorship in Morocco
- Shama's Promotion of Diversity, Tolerance, and Peace in the Middle East Through Art and Entrepreneurship
- Challenges and Opportunities For Shama: Censorship, Threats, and Welcoming Environments in the UAE
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