Tariq Nassar: Ex-‘haredi Muslim’ changing Jerusalem through bees, placemaking
After meeting the founder of Muslala, which fosters urban agriculture in unused spaces, Tariq Nassar sought to do the same to east Jerusalem.
By Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman, Erica Schachne
Jerusalem Post
February 17, 2024
Excerpt:
Then he met Matan Israeli, an artist and founder of Muslala. Israeli is known for organizing community events on neglected west Jerusalem rooftops, fostering urban agriculture in unused spaces. Nassar was struck by how Israelis’ work mirrored his vision for finding spaces in east Jerusalem. Visiting Israeli’s rooftops, Nassar realized he could do the same in his community, leading to the Sinsila Project’s founding. Sinsila means “agricultural terraces” in Arabic.
Nassar was then introduced to Israeli biodynamic beekeeping expert Yossi Aud.
“He’s interested in saving the bees. I am not interested in that. I was more interested in how much honey these bees could make and how we could get the Arab women to learn how to keep them.”
Nassar posted on social media and sent WhatsApps to community centers across east Jerusalem. The response by the Arab-Israeli women was striking. He and Aud selected 15 women to learn how to become beekeepers; they met at a local community center. Then, at night – you can only transport bees, sleeping, in the dark – he and Aud delivered boxes of bees to these women, who began making honey, selling it, and changing their lives.
“It is really easy to say but tough to do,” Nassar admits. “For almost a month and a half, we drove these hives to the women every two days.” (He was stung at least 10 times, but “for the greater goal.”)
Those 15 women have become hundreds across the city and other Arab cities and towns throughout Israel. Moreover, it is profitable. The bees produce top-quality honey, sold in various markets throughout Israel. The women keep 75% of their profits, and 25% goes back into Sinsila to train other women and develop new projects for them and their children.
