Jerusalem-USA

Jerusalem, Ohio

2011-10-23T11:25:00.024+02:00

Jerusalem resident Joy Yontz is a fifth grade teacher. She invited her students to photograph their Jerusalem, a town in an agricultural area in the rugged hills of eastern Ohio. Their photographic sequence begins and ends with images titled "Good morning Jerusalem" and "Good night Jerusalem." We see children's views of their rural town: rooster announcing dawn, entrance to Jerusalem, Amish buggy on a rainy day, snowy day, old school, Jerusalem post office, quilt barn, pumpkin harvest, painted pumpkins on Miss Clevenger's porch, Allison showing her goat at the county fair, tractor, Jim riding his horse Penny, and wild turkeys in a corn field.

Jerusalem, Ohio
by Jerusalem Resident Joy Yontz

History
The first house was built in 1825. By 1847, there were only three residences in the area that was to become Jerusalem. The Quaker religious group built a church and named it Jerusalem. It is thought that Jerusalem (the town) was named after the church. The Quakers moved from the area and about 1860 the building was remodeled and used as a hotel. The Ohio River & Western Railroad went through Jerusalem until forced out of business in 1931 by a combination of automobile competition and the Great Depression. There are no signs of the railroad left in the small village.

The People and Families of Jerusalem: As of 2010 Census
There are an estimated 161 people in the village corporation limits; 1,079 people with a Jerusalem address. About 61% of adults are married. Approximately 79% of housing in Jerusalem is owner-occupied. 93% of the residents drive to work. The following statistics are based on the population with a Jerusalem address: Total Population 1,079 - Male, 538; Female 541; Median Age 37.4; Race - White 1,051, Black or African American 9; Indian American 2; Asian 14; Hispanic or Latino 1; Average family size 3.09; Occupied housing units 401; High School Graduate or higher 604; Bachelor’s Degree or higher 80; Speak a language other than English at home 6.

School
The first and only school in town was built in 1884. It was a two story frame building at the west end of Church Street. That building was replaced in 1920 with a three room building. Jerusalem had a high school until 1929. Elementary students continued to attend the Jerusalem School until the fall of 1958 when they were transferred to Beallsville Elementary School. The building now serves as a Community and Recreation Center.

Churches
The earliest records found of the Church of Christ date back to about 1907 when meetings were held in the homes of members and then in one of the rooms of the Jerusalem School. They purchased a building lot in 1912 for $150. The congregation still worships in the building on Main Street. Beginning in 1852, Methodist services were held in the private residence of Jacob Lawrence. They purchased a building in 1960. In the past few years, there have been several Amish families move into the area. There is now a large population of Amish and they travel to each other’s homes to worship.

Economics
There is a dairy farm on the west side of town. The surrounding rural area also has many farms where dairy cattle, beef cattle, goats, and produce are raised. The public water system, Switzerland of Ohio Water District, has an office in the corporation limits. They serve the town’s people and any others who have city water in the surrounding area. However, many people still have their own private water wells to supply their homes and farms with water.

The people of Jerusalem are either self-employed or work at the coal mines or steel mill. Ohio Valley Coal and Century Mine are employers of a large number of residents; they are both located within 5 -10 miles of the town. Ormet, a steel mill, is located along the Ohio River. The only other employer, which is within close proximity of the town, is the local school district, Switzerland of Ohio Local Schools. This is the only school district in Monroe County and also includes part of Belmont County. It is the largest school district in Ohio, geographically, has 2 high schools, 1 pre-K/12 school, and 5 elementary schools. The children in Jerusalem, Ohio attend Beallsville Public School; a Pre-K to 12th grade building with under 400 students.

Recreation
Jerusalem is a very small, rural village and the largest city is an hour’s drive. However, the Switzerland of Ohio Country Club, along with Wilson Lake, is about ½ mile from the east side of town. It offers the residents an opportunity to enjoy a round of golf and/or a day of fishing. The residents who enjoy horseback riding, rodeos, and mutton busting spend many hours at the Grizzle Ridge Arena.

During winter, sled riding, ice skating, and snow days from school are fun for all. Many participate in the different hunting seasons: deer, turkey, raccoon, mink, muskrat, beaver, rabbit, squirrel, and goose are a few. The summer months bring the county fair for the 4-H groups. Children and adults enjoy the week of taking their animals and/or projects to be displayed and judged. This is the beginning for many who will become our future farmers and veterinarians. Others learn the importance of other topics from money management to computer graphics.

Participate in Creating jerUSAlem-usa

2011-09-13T20:49:00.011+03:00

Jerusalems in Rhode Island, Utah and Michigan

Everyone with a camera is invited to be part of this jerUSAlem-usa participatory art project. Send your photos as jpg images of life in the many places called Jerusalem in USA to melalexenberg@yahoo.com. Also tell us the story of how the place got the name "Jerusalem."

Locations of Jerusalems in USA
Jerusalem, Alabama, [Place] is in Lawrence County; location is 34°42'18"N 87°13'37"W
Jerusalem, Arkansas, [Place] is in Conway County; location is 35°24'17"N 92°49'0"W; Zip Code is 72080
Jerusalem, Georgia, [Place] is in Camden County; location is 30°58'41"N 81°50'45"W
Jerusalem, Georgia, [Place] is in Pickens County; location is 34°26'30"N 84°34'56"W
Jerusalem, Maryland, [Place] is in Baltimore County; location is 39°27'46"N 76°23'22"W
Jerusalem, Maryland, [Place] is in Frederick County; location is 39°31'27"N 77°34'49"W
Jerusalem, Maryland, [Place] is in Harford County; location is 39°27'46"N 76°23'22"W
Jerusalem, Maryland, [Place] is in Montgomery County; location is 39°9'33"N 77°24'23"W
Jerusalem, Michigan, [Place] is in Washtenaw County; location is 42°16'29"N 83°58'55"W
Jerusalem, New York, [Township] is in Yates County; location is 42°37'13"N 77°8'35"W; Zip Code is 14418
Jerusalem Corners, New York, [Hamlet] is in the Town of Evans in Erie County; location is 42°40'93"N 79°00'98"W
Jerusalem, North Carolina, [Place] is in Davie County; location is 35°48'54"N 80°30'57"W
Jerusalem, Ohio, [Populated Place] is in Monroe County; location is 39°51'6"N 81°5'33"W
Jerusalem, Ohio, [Village]; location is 39°51'N 81°6'W; Zip Code is 43747
Jerusalem, Rhode Island, [Place] is in Washington County; location is 41°22'36"N 71°31'5"W
Jerusalem, Tennessee, [Place] is in Lincoln County; location is 35°14'36"N 86°47'4"W
Jerusalem, Utah, [Place] is in Sanpete County; location is 39°33'50"N 111°39'25"W
Jerusalem, Vermont, [Place] is in Addison County; location is 44°10'11"N 72°58'15"W
Jerusalem, Vermont, [Place] is in Windsor County; location is 43°50'18"N 72°46'27"W

Jerusalem, North Carolina

2009-10-31T19:09:00.005+02:00

About the photographer: Maria Howard is a studio art major at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina studying photography with Professor Leo Morissey.

Jerusalem, Michigan 4

2009-10-29T11:06:00.007+02:00

Jordan Long traveled with his friend Cranbrook MFA student PD Rearick to Jerusalem, MI, where he photographed Tillie Whit in her sunflower field, with her dog Bucky, her home and backyard swing. He wrote how he was blessed to have met such an amazing lady who lives in one of the five houses in Jerusalem, Michigan, and had been to the original Jerusalem in Israel.

Jerusalem, Utah 7

2009-10-26T20:33:00.006+02:00

Snow College photography student Molly Davis wrote:
A long, dry, dirt road led up to the town. There were old decaying cabins and sheds, log cabins, and tiny houses where the people lived. A car came down the dirt road with a lady wearing a pink hat and pink lipstick. She introduced herself as Laura Phelps, “Mayor” of the town. She was sweet and excited about the JerUSAlem-USA project when we explained it to her. She told us about the history of little Jerusalem that was established by her great-grandfather.

Walking down the road was a man in his flannel shirt and worn out jeans with his eight-month-old Great Dane puppy. You could hardly call her a puppy. She was huge. The man was in the process of training her. Her jumping all over the place scared me. The man, who did not want to be identified, told us about his great-great-grandmother and how she lived in the broken down blue bus in his shed. He then left to help his neighbor with a farming project. The farming equipment was painted in beautiful bright colors, which was humorous because the town itself was very dry and bland with green trees and hills behind it. I felt a sense of beauty there even with the “No Trespassing” and “Keep Out” signs.

Jerusalem, Michigan 3

2009-10-22T16:41:00.010+02:00

About the photographer: Ginger Owen is Assistant Professor and Area Coordinator for Photography and Intermedia at the College of Fine Arts of Western Michigan University. She photographed Jerusalem, Michigan, a dart road street about a mile long with less than 15 houses on the street. It is surrounded by corn fields and farmland.

Jerusalem, Michigan 2

2009-10-22T16:22:00.008+02:00

About the photographer: Paul-David Rearick is a MFA student of photography professor Liz Cohen at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. He photographed the main road through Jerusalem, Michigan, one of five houses in ‘downtown’ Jerusalem, the foundation of the creek mill, and Ms. Tillie Whit and her dog Bucky.

Jerusalem,Utah 6

2009-10-22T15:54:00.008+02:00

About the photographer: Heaston Dahl is a photography student at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.

Jerusalem, Utah 5

2009-10-22T11:44:00.014+02:00

Karen Everitt is a student of photography professor Amy Jorgensen at Snow College.

Professor Jorgensen wrote to Mel Alexenberg: "I showed your blog to my Snow College students and they were all very excited about participating. Though the majority of them are from rural areas of Utah, most were unaware of the existence of a Jerusalem, UT. They've spent the last few weeks visiting Jerusalem and documenting their experiences. It's been a great project for them to explore an unfamiliar rural town and make connections with the broader global community."

Jerusalem, Utah 4

2009-10-22T09:44:00.004+02:00

Cynthia Glad is a student of photography professor Amy Jorgensen at Snow College where she is majoring in art. She is a 38 year-old mother of six who interviewed and photographed three of the families living in Jerusalem, Utah. Cynthia lives in the town of Moroni only a five-minute drive from Jerusalem.

She wrote: “I found as a talked to the residents, they were excited as well. I think this gives one more human connection to the rest of the world that sometimes these little places are lacking. They are happy and content in their lives, secluded for the most part by choice. But to know that there are people just like them in communities across the USA and in Israel is eye opening. Even though the initial connection is linked only by the name of their community, they will find other similarities with the people and lives of those other places. It makes the world a little smaller. Kind of like Disney's ‘It's a Small World After All.’

One couple spent many years taking their children ‘to the farm’ on weekends and holidays. When the father retired and sold his chiropractic business, they went to the farm to live. They own several acres and have a gigantic garden. There are bags and boxes of fruits and vegetables throughout the kitchen, as well as bottles and racks of dried and processed foods. The night I visited with them, the pressure canner was busy at work on the stove. All these are signs of the efforts they have put into the land and the reward for their hard work. They have one pasture that every evening fills up with about a hundred deer. They lead a busy life that at the same time carries a sense of quiet. The land that Jerusalem, Utah, sits on has been in the mother’s family since the mid 1800’s when the first settler Lawrence Christensen moved there. Laura Phelps, another great-granddaughter, says of her great-grandfather, ‘Someone asked him the name of his little town and he said, Little Jerusalem. It has been Jerusalem ever since.’ Of the six homes in the community, one is vacant, two are “move-ins” and the other three have family ties with Lawrence Christensen.

Jack Bailey drove by in his truck. He is the great-grandson of Lawrence Christensen. He was born and raised in Jerusalem. His family home had burned down many years ago. He now has a home that sits on many acres and is nestled against the mountain where he raised his kids. Jack is 82 years old and has been farming all his life. Jack has only about 30 head of sheep left on his farm. He said, ‘I’m about ready to give it up.’”

Jerusalem, Utah 3

2009-10-22T09:35:00.007+02:00

Kylee Jasper, a Snow College art student wrote:
Being a Utah resident my whole life I did not know that a Jerusalem, Utah, existed until about a month ago, even though the town was established in 1871. When first venturing into this unknown place the impression it gave was: Jerusalem, Utah – rural community, northwest of Moroni, Utah, consisting of six occupied homes. I decided to explore these two obvious elements, rural community and the limited number of homes.

Rural community: early rising, empty fields, odor, stray cats, and privacy. During the three times I went there to shoot, I only saw three people. One man came out to let his dog take care of some business as he questioned me about being there. After answering his questions, he politely excused himself and went back to the comfort of his isolated home.

An hour had passed when I saw a teenage girl come out of the same house and walk to the corner of the only intersection of the town. Moments later, I turned around to face the one road that leads into the town and saw a Northern Sanpete High School bus. The nearest high school to Jerusalem is in a town called Mount Pleasant, two towns over. I was surprised that a bus traveled that distance for one student. I later approached this student, Alex, on another day while she was skipping out on a day of school. Alex repeatedly voiced her opinion on everyone in the town calling them crazy, as well as telling me that everyone in Jerusalem has gone to jail at least once. That put an interesting twist on the sweet, quaint Jerusalem that I had been photographing. She then gave me permission to come in to photograph whatever I pleased, as she went back to play on the Internet.

A man drove by in a truck, not changing pace as he passed. I watched him stop at a house that the owners no longer occupied and were not allowed to rent out because of a black mold outbreak. The driver got out of his truck attached a metal grid panel to the ball hitch of his truck leaving a trail of dust from the dirt road behind him

While getting to know Jerusalem, the structures in it became more intimate. My favorite house is the first house you see as you enter the town. The same home that Alex and her father live at. I was drawn to this house from the beginning but as I walked around to the back of the home, I found it more interesting. This house must have gone through quite a few remodels because the front of the home is white stucco with turquoise trim and the back is wood. It seems as though everyone in Jerusalem takes what they have and utilizes it to its fullest. The buildings in Jerusalem tell the history of the town. There are barns that are slowly collapsing and some old homes that have been kept up. Alex also told me that most of the people who live in Jerusalem or their families have always lived there, except for her and her dad who moved in when she was in elementary school. It sounds as though no one comes in and no one comes out.

The solitude and distance from civilization of the town reflects the people perfectly. It is quiet in an eerie kind of way. Being there early in the morning not hearing anything besides the shutter release on my camera kept me on edge. I did not know why I felt so uneasy about being in this small town. However, after replaying what Alex said in my head I started to wonder if I subconsciously picked up on the abnormalities of the locals. Or it could possibly be that I have seen too many horror movies with the setting being in a small quiet town. After getting to know this quiet town, I am leaving Jerusalem, Utah, viewing it as an even more mysterious place than I did before.

Jerusalem, Utah 2

2009-10-21T16:46:00.012+02:00

About the photographer: Katelyn Wegner, Professor Jorgensen’s student at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, expressed her enjoyment at having the “opportunity to explore this neat little town.”

Jerusalem, Utah 1

2009-10-07T08:57:00.021+02:00

Jerusalem, Utah, is in Sanpete County, 103 miles south of Salt Lake City and 7,013 miles from Jerusalem, Israel. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Jerusalem, Utah, is designated as a 'Populated Place,' an area with clustered or scattered buildings and a permanent human population that is not incorporated and has no legal boundaries. Its elevation is 5,925 ft./1,806 m. (more that twice the altitude of Jerusalem, Israel, at 2,490 ft./757 m.).

Mel Alexenberg’s question to John Telford: I read with great interest and enjoyment the recent interview with you in MormonArtist in which you talk about your spiritual and contemplative experiences in Israel creating photographs for your book In the Footsteps of Jesus. Can you connect those experiences in the original Jerusalem with your experience being in Jerusalem, Utah?

John Telford’s response: I wish I could tell you that there was some kind of connection between my photographs of Israel and Jerusalem, Utah. However, even as a life-long Utahan, I didn’t even know there was a Jerusalem, Utah, until last March. My brother-in-law who lives in Ephraim, Utah, told me about this little obscure hamlet of Jerusalem, Utah. I was working on a project photographing interesting-strange anomalies in San Pete County, Utah – things or places that would make you think, “What’s that about?” The photographs were taken by going around the object or place and photographing it from the 8 main points of the compass . We then put the entire series on a video animation and projected them on a screen in the Central Utah Art Center. Anyone who knew anything about what we had photographed were then asked to write information about the objects or place. It was done as an interactive art installation piece.

About the photographer: John Telford, a native of Utah, has been making photographs of the landscape and environment for nearly 40 years. His photographs have been published extensively (including over 50 cover photographs) and exhibited both nationally and internationally (more than 70 solo and group shows) and are included in numerous public and private collections. He has authored and co-authored seventeen books, and is currently a professor of visual art (photography) at Brigham Young University.

Jerusalem, Vermont 3

2009-10-06T08:40:00.015+02:00

JERUSALEM COUNTRY STORE
Nestled in a valley of the Green Mountains is Jerusalem, Vermont. An unspoiled hamlet, noted for its panoramic views. Because of its beauty and at about 2,000 feet in elevation, Jerusalem is truly "HALFWAY TO HEAVEN."

Established in 1968, the Jerusalem Country Store is a typical country general store. We sell everything from the proverbial "Soup to Nuts." One thing our customers appreciate is our cats. Some return to the store just to say hello to them.

(Photographs and text from the Jerusalem Country Store website)

Jerusalem, Michigan 1

2009-10-05T08:51:00.010+02:00

Alyssa Poore wrote: "According to the townspeople, there is no town of Jerusalem anymore in Michigan. The sign that once read 'historic Jerusalem' has actually been taken down. I went there and there was almost nothing there but farm country."

About the photographer: Alyssa Poore lives in Monroe, Michigan, an hour away from Jerusalem. She is a photography major at Grand Valley State College where she learned about ‘JerUSAlem-USA’ from her professor who posted information about the project on the photography program’s blog.

On Participatory Art

2009-10-04T10:37:00.001+02:00

JerUSAlem-USA is a participatory artwork in which the artist invites the people in USA and Israel join with him in creating a collaborative work of art. Unlike the solitary role of the visual artist in his studio, the role of the artist in a networked world is shifting to becoming more like the role of the playwright/producer/director in theater and film, the composer/conductor in music and the choreographer in dance.

In her seminal book on trends in postmodern art, The Reenchantment of Art, Suzi Gablik proposes, “a new paradigm of participation in which art will begin to redefine itself in terms social relatedness…encouraging the emergence of a more participatory, social interactive framework for art, and supporting the transition from art-for-art’s-sake assumptions of late modernism.”

As the artist of ‘JerUSAlem-USA,” I create the conceptual framework, craft the score/script, and form a team of collaborators who together under my baton bring into being an aesthetic work of participatory art.

Jerusalem, Rhode Island 3

2009-10-02T09:22:00.018+02:00

Judy Grant who lives with her husband Al in Jerusalem, Rhode Island, tells
How Jerusalem Got Its Name
In 1902, the story goes, Thomas Mann a fisherman from Nova Scotia who had settled here, felt the village that had sprung up with its fishing shacks should be called Galilee after the fishing village of biblical times. One day, an old timer sat on the docks repairing his nets when a stranger called out to him, "Where am I?" The answer was "Galilee." "And what is that?" the stranger asked pointing to the other side of the channel. The old timer thought for a minute, nodded his head and replied, "Must be Jerusalem!" And so the names of Galilee and Jerusalem have been used since to denote a most picturesque part of Rhode Island.

Views of the Block Island ferry navigating through Galilee Channel in summer and winter. Photographed from the Jerusalem home of Al and Judy Grant. Judi Grant wrote: "My husband Al and I live in the village of Jerusalem year round. We heard about your project through an article written in our local paper - The South County Independent. The photos of the Block Island ferry were taken at our home looking over to the Port of Galilee. Rhode Island has four seasons and whether its winter, spring, summer or fall each season brings a sense of contentment and well being within our community. It is truly a remarkable place. I've attached another photo [below] - it was on the outside of our home when we purchased it years ago. The man that built the house in 1945 placed it on the chimney. Now the way to get to Jerusalem is by way of Galilee passing through Jericho. Was this the original owners way of saying this was his little slice of heaven?"Perhaps Jerusalem, RI, isn't all a "little slice of heaven."
Karl Hartman of Kingston, RI, sent me the following news item from the South County Independent of July 30, 2009:

New signs discourage public access in village of Jerusalem
By Mark N. Schieldrop/Independent Staff Writer

JERUSALEM - Despite recently installing an electronic gate blocking vehicular access to Beach Row, the president of the Kenyon Condominium Association, which owns the majority of land in the small seaside village, said this week that association members will not block or turn away people from walking past the gate to access the shore.

"We don't stop people from going to the beach," said James E. Monti Jr., president of the association. "The issue is driving. We don't want unauthorized drivers going up the road. They don't belong there, they don't live there, it's a private road and they have no right to go down there unless they live there or are renting."

Beach access and parking in the village of Jerusalem has been a contentious issue for years. For generations, the village of Jerusalem was a humble, isolated slice of Narragansett on Point Judith Pond. The village, which is accessed through South Kingstown, is comprised of tiny cottages dotting a barrier beach. Tourists and locals alike come to swim, fish and eat at Jim's Dock and Skip's Dock.

But in recent years, like many coastal communities caught in a wave of skyrocketing real estate prices, those Jerusalem cottages have steadily turned into much larger, sometimes-dominating structures. And a parking lot owned by the association, which used to serve up to 150 cars, has been closed to visitors and reserved for association members, save a few dozen spots for customers of Jim's Dock and Skip's Dock.

This all has made it harder for people to find a place to park and wander around the small village. And when people do find spots, some lament the gradual transition that has taken place in the community. In 2006, then-Town Council President T. Brian Handrigan accused the association of trying to turn Jerusalem into a private, Kennedyesque compound and deter people from even visiting in the first place.

Jerusalem, Camden Country, Georgia

2009-09-24T09:51:00.007+03:00

Photographs of Jerusalem in Camden County in southeast Georgia by Harlan Hambright who lives on St. Simons Island about 15 miles from Jerusalem. He wrote that there’s not much going on in this one of the 3 Jerusalems in Georgia. He photographed some houses, residents, and the Baptist church there as part of his statewide project documenting the 65 discreet communities, town, hamlets or former communities in Georgia named for foreign countries or cities.

Harlan writes: “I have been to every one of them photographing them in the ‘heroic’ manner and finding visual references to the namesake place. Athens, for example, is full of Greek temples, Ephesus, a tiny place, has a brand new library, Seville has a barber and I found a trailer in Cairo which resembles a row of pyramids…. I was unable to find any reference to Jerusalem whatsoever in any of my materials, so I was doing a broader google on it which landed me at your project.”

About the photographer:
Harlan has been an architectural photographer since graduating from the University of Tennessee in 1976 with a degree in architecture. His architectural photography work evolved into 3-D photographic visualization and ultimately into computer-assisted rendering. When he is not working, Harlan enjoys playing his mandolin.

Jerusalem, Rhode Island 2

2009-09-23T16:52:00.009+03:00

From Hal Curry
"Here are some pictures of the village of Jerusalem which is a part of the town of Narraganset. Across the harbor, maybe 400 yards, is the port of Galilee, also in Narragansett and one of the largest commercial fishing ports on the east coast. Jerusalem is surrounded on two sides by water - the Salt Pond and Block Island Sound / Atlantic Ocean. It is an end of the road location

Today the area is a busy summer destination. Its main attractions being the small beach on the salt pond, the ocean front, the long breakwater, fishing, and watching the commercial fishing and pleasure boats pass by. There are only two businesses right in Jerusalem. Jim’s Dock is a restaurant and marina. Skip's Dock sells fresh sea food and lobsters wholesale and retail, it has a few tables on the deck where they serve chowder and clam cakes.

Many years ago Jerusalem was inhabited by fisherman. Some stored their gear there, some lived there as well. It was not originally the tourist spot it is today.

There may be 120 cottages in the Jerusalem area. I'd guess and say about half were once on leased land on which people built small modest cottages. A few years ago the people who leased were given the opportunity to purchase the land. They formed an association and one goal seems to keep people out and limit parking. There have been several stories about this in the media (PorJo). Some have torn down the small modest cottages and rebuilt with what many consider out of character homes. I've included pictures of the changes.

Now that the summer tourist season is over and the children back in school, Jerusalem has returned to its quiet un-crowded conditions enjoyed by the many locals."

About the photographer:
Hal Curry writes: “When we married 50 plus years ago, the staff at the school where I taught gave us camera as a wedding gift. I have been taking pictures ever since. I enjoy taking outdoor pictures of anything that catches my eye. My wife and I are retired special education teachers from Connecticut. We have always enjoyed fishing and the ocean. After exploring the east coast and gulf coast, we decided there was no place we liked better than the location in RI where we already had a small summer home. As it turned out our home in East Matunuck is only about a mile and a half from Jerusalem, RI. We usually drive there two or there times a day just to see what’s happening. The area is a beautiful place to live especially if you enjoy the ocean and ocean activities."

Letter to the Editor

2009-09-01T08:27:00.014+03:00

Hal Curry photographed Jim's Dock in Jerusalem, RI, and submitted it to 'JerUSAlem-USA.'
The following letter was e-mailed to the newspapers in the vicinity of Jerusalems in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont.

To the Editor
People from throughout (name of state) are invited to visit Jerusalem in (name of county) and join with those living there in ‘JerUSAlem-USA,’ a participatory art project that links the twenty places in the United States called “Jerusalem” with the original Jerusalem in Israel. In addition to the Jerusalem in Rhode Island, there are Jerusalems in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont.

Visitors and residents of Jerusalem in (name of state) are invited to photograph everyday life there (people, homes, shops, community events and celebrations, signs with the name ‘Jerusalem’), and send them as jpg images to melalexenberg@yahoo.com. These photographs of Jerusalems in USA will be matched by images of everyday life in Jerusalem, Israel. They will be posted on the blogart site http://jerusalem-usa.blogspot.com/. Full credit will be given to the photographer.

In addition to being posted on the art project blog, the matched images will be exhibited in museums and art galleries in the United States and Israel, and incorporated in a book ‘JerUSAlem-USA.’ The juxtaposition of photographs of the original Jerusalem with American Jerusalems creates an interactive network of the people from USA and Israel with shared values that deepens the friendship between them.

Thank you for joining with citizens of the other 11 states where there are Jerusalems as a participant in the ‘JerUSAlem-USA’ art project.

Professor Mel Alexenberg
Head of the School of the Arts at Emuna College, Jerusalem, Israel
Former art professor at Columbia University, head of the art department at Pratt Institute, and research fellow at MIT’s Center for Advanced Visual Studies
E-mail melalexenberg@yahoo.com

Jerusalem, Vermont 2

2009-08-25T08:47:00.023+03:00

Named Jerusalem because it is at the same altitute as the Holy City in Israel

When I read on Ralph de la Portilla’s Facebook wall that he was going to an Arts Festival in Burlington, Vermont, and visiting his sister who lives there, I wrote back: “Ralph, it would be great if you could drive from Burlington to Jerusalem, Vermont, and photograph it for my blogart site http://jerusalem-usa.blogspot.com/.” He agreed. Two immigrants from Venezuela, a mother and daughter, accompanied him on his drive up into the mountains to reach Jerusalem.

When they arrived at Jerusalem (part of South Starksboro), Ralph spoke to a couple who live on Harlow Drive at the junction of Jerusalem Road who explained that it was named Jerusalem because it is at the same altitude above sea level as the Holy City in Israel. There was an abandoned boat resting in the yard.

Jerusalem, Vermont, consists of Jerusalem Road and two roads that intersect it (Harlow Drive and Russell Young Road). These three roads are lined with houses, the Jerusalem Corners Country Store, a Chevron station, a bed and breakfast, a few abandoned buildings, a cemetery, and a one-room schoolhouse built in 1874. Ralph wrote: “The young lady attending the country store said that her father went to school at the one-room schoolhouse down the street where Jerusalem Road meets Vermont Route 17. The large side door of schoolhouse is actually a volunteer fire station!”

About the photographer: Ralph de la Portilla is a native Miamian who earned his BFA degree in theater at New World School of the Arts in Miami in 1992 during the years I was dean of visual arts there.

See Jerusalem, Vermont 04 June 2009 posting for images of Russell Young Bed and Breakfast matched with images of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, Israel.

New Jerusalem, Iowa

2009-08-22T21:41:00.002+03:00

Mr. Alexenberg, your new project JerUSAlem has inspired me. I read about the Jerusalems in the US, but was disappointed to find there was not one in Iowa. I looked into it, and it turns out there was a town called "New Jerusalem" which existed in the 1850s. Early on, its name was changed to "Butler Rapids," and it disappeared shortly after. This town was even located in my county, where I've lived most of my live and the Hoodjer family has resided for generations, essentially since they first arrived from Germany. I'm going to do some research and see what I can find out about it.

Steve Hoodjer of Parkersburg, Iowa, posted this message on my Facebook wall. Steve was my son Moshe's classmate at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya where they both earned their BA degrees at the Lauder School of Government.

Jerusalem, Arkansas

2009-08-21T11:42:00.006+03:00

Governor Huckabee of Jerusalem [Arkansas]

Mike Huckabee visits the excavations at the City of David archeological site in Jerusalem on 17 August 2009
Governor Mike Huckabee could have driven less than 100 miles north of Little Rock to visit Jerusalem. Instead he chose to fly 6,730 miles to reach Jerusalem.

The Governor could have taken I-40W out of Little Rock toward Fort Smith, turned on to AR-105 toward Atkins at exit 94, then followed AR-247 to AR-124 to Jerusalem Road that would lead him right into Jerusalem. He could have visited the 357 citizens of his state that live in Jerusalem, Conway County, one of the twenty Jerusalems in the USA.

In addition to the Jerusalem in Arkansas, there are Jerusalems in Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont. The people of Huckabee’s home state of Arkansas are invited to acknowledge the special friendship between Americans and Israelis by participating in ‘JerUSAlem-USA,’ a participatory art project that links the twenty Jerusalems in the United States with the original Jerusalem.

To Mike Huckabee, a Southern Baptist preacher, it is inspirational that the name of these American Jerusalems was inspired by the Bible where we read about King David establishing Jerusalem as the capital of the unified state of the Israelite nation 3,013 years ago. Today, Jerusalem is the vibrant capital of the modern State of Israel that Huckabee has visited 11 times since 1973.

The people of Huckabee’s home state of Arkansas are invited to collaborate in creating ‘JerUSAlem-USA.’ People throughout Arkansas are urged to drive to Jerusalem in Conway County, photograph everyday life there (people, homes, shops, community events and celebrations, signs with the name ‘Jerusalem’), and send them as jpg images to melalexenberg@yahoo.com.

These photographs of the American Jerusalems will be matched by images of everyday life in Jerusalem, Israel. They will be posted on the blog site http://jerusalem-usa.blogspot.com that was created by the head of the School of the Arts of Emuna College on Bethlehem Road in Jerusalem. In addition to being posted on the art project blog, the matched images will be exhibited in museums and art galleries in Israel and the USA, and incorporated in a book ‘JerUSAlem-USA.’ The juxtaposition of photographs of the original Jerusalem with Jerusalems in USA thorough the Internet creates an interactive network of people with shared values that deepens the friendship between them.

The Governor of Arkansas carries on the special relationship between USA and Jerusalem that was forged by the Founding Fathers who were inspired by the Hebrew Bible. On being elected the first president of the United States, George Washington sent a letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Savannah: “May the same wonder-working Deity, who long since delivered the Hebrews from their Egyptian oppressors, planted them in a promised land, whose providential agency has lately been conspicuous in establishing these United States as an independent nation, still continue to water them with the dews of heaven and make the inhabitants of every denomination participate in the temporal and spiritual blessings of that people whose God is Jehovah."

Governor Huckabee, following in the footsteps of George Washington, expressed his appreciation and admiration of Israel’s miraculous vitality after his meeting with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat. “I continue to be amazed at the places that I remember desolate at one time, now producing food, commerce and families. The dry bones have come alive,” he said referring to the prophecy in the biblical book of Ezekiel.

Complementing America’s link to Israel through their shared religious values in pursuing life, liberty and freedom, is their shared creativity in the sciences, technology and the arts. Tiny Israel, barely the size of New Jersey, stands only second to the United States in new inventions in digital and biological technologies. Israel dwarfs all the nations of the world in per-capita innovation. The ‘JerUSAlem-USA’ blogart project provides a forum for shared aesthetic creativity as images of American Jerusalems interface with images of the original Jerusalem in Israel.

Town of Jerusalem, New York

2009-07-04T20:57:00.011+03:00

4th of July 2009: 233 years after the liberation of USA from oppresive British rule, 61 years after the liberation of Israel from oppresive British rule and 42 years after the liberation of Jerusalem from foreign occupation.

The Town of JerUSAlem in Yates County in upstate New York is situated on the shore of Lake Keuka.

View of Lake Keuka looking north from Bluff Point In the Town of Jerusalem, New York, Independence Day celebration of the liberation of USA from British rule on the 4th of July 1776.
In Jerusalem, Israel, Jerusalem Day celebration of the liberation of Jerusalem after 1,897 years of occupation by foreign powers from the Roman Empire to the Ottoman Empire to the British Empire.

Jerusalem in Kansas and Israel: Linking the Center of USA to the Center of the World

2009-06-29T08:44:00.000+03:00

JerUSAlem is considered the center of the world in the traditions of both Judaism and Christianity. The geographical center of continental USA was named Lebanon for the cedars of Lebanon that King Solomon used to build the Temple in Jerusalem. Cedar trees dotted the landscape of north-central Kansas when the town was named in 1873.

I flew to Kansas City and took a small plane to Selena, rented a car and drove through miles of corn fields to Lebanon, a town of 350 souls in the center of the northern tier of Kansas near the Nebraska border. There were no people on Main Street when I drove into Lebanon at midday. Only the post office and general store were opened.

I went into the post office and asked how Lebanon got its name. As she postmarked stamps with “The Center of USA,” the postal clerk said that she had no idea how Lebanon got its name. She sent me across the street to the general store to ask. “Your in luck,” the store owner responded. “Every Tuesday and Thursday Gladys Kennedy quilts with her friends at the American Legion hall next door. Gladys knows.” He took me next door and introduced me to Gladys as the town historian. As she quilted, she explained that it was named for the cedars of Lebanon that King Solomon used to build the Temple in Jerusalem. She quilted a few more stitches and added, “I have a large cedar growing in my back yard, one of the many growing in this part of Kansas.” Gladys walked home to fetch a history of Lebanon for me to get the official version. She returned with a hardbound centennial volume, A Century at the Center: 1887-1987. I copied the following from the book while Gladys went back to quilting:

“Name of Lebanon Chosen: A group of early settlers asked Jackson ‘Jack’ Allen, an early settler of the community, to choose a name for the post office and village. Mr. Allen, A Bible student, was the leading literary man of the day and the settlers looked to him to select the name by which the post office town should be designated. ‘Why not the Bible?' was his first inspiration, and searching the pages, he stopped when he read The Cedars of Lebanon and suggested that name. Nobody opposed, and the name of Lebanon was recorded in the records. This was the year of 1873.’”

A mile out of town there is an official monument with a bronze plaque marking the geographical center of the United States. It is made of fieldstones stacked into a truncated pyramid holding a flagpole flying the stars and stripes. On the pebbled ground in front of the monument, I drew a left-handed spiral with golden earth from Jerusalem. I framed the Jerusalem spiral by drawing four corners with sand that my wife Miriam and I collected from the four corners of America. Sand from a Florida beach and from between granite boulders on the Maine coast formed the two corners on the right side of the spiral and sand from the beach where San Diego touches Mexico at the Pacific Ocean and from Neah Bay at the tip of the Olympia Peninsula in the State of Washington formed the two corners on the left side of the Jerusalem spiral.

I scooped up some black Kansas soil at America’s center and brought it with me to Jerusalem, honored as the Center of the World by both Judaism and Christianity. With the Kansas earth, I drew a right-handed spiral on a slab of stone beside the Western Wall retaining the Temple Mount. This Jerusalem stone combined with cedar wood from Lebanon was used by King Solomon to build the Temple in Jerusalem three millennia ago. As I was photographing the Kansas-earth spiral in Jerusalem to juxtapose with the matching Jerusalem-earth spiral that I photographed in Lebanon, Kansas, I realized that the biblical word “Lebanon” means “heart of the fifty.” The first part of the word means “heart” in Hebrew and the second part is the name of the Hebrew letter having the numerical value of fifty.

From my book: The Future of Art in a Digital Age: From Hellenistic to Hebraic Consciousness (Intellect Books/University of Chicago Press).

Jerusalem, Alabama

2009-06-24T16:49:00.000+03:00

There are two Jerusalems in Alabama in Fayette and Lawrence counties.

Ave Maria Grotto, known throughout the world as "Jerusalem in Miniature," is a landscaped park designed to provide a natural setting for the 125 architectural miniatures created of stone and concrete as the lifetime work of Brother Joseph Zoettl, a Benedictine monk of St. Bernard Abbey in Alabama.
Midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, “Mini Israel” features over 350 beautifully crafted exact-replica models of historical, religious, archeological, and modern sites in Jerusalem and throughout the Land of Israel.

Jerusalem, Georgia

2009-06-21T21:23:00.001+03:00

Thre are three Jerusalems in Georgia in Camden, Newton, and Pickens counties. Georgia is 6,380 miles from Jerusalem, Israel.

One of the oldest synagogues in USA is in Georgia. The Mikve Israel congregation was founded in 1733 and its present building was consecrated in 1878.
"May the same wonder-working Deity, who long since delivered the Hebrews from their Egyptian oppressors, planted them in a promised land, whose providential agency has lately been conspicuous in establishing these United States as an independent nation, still continue to water them with the dews of heaven and make the inhabitants of every denomination participate in the temporal and spiritual blessings of that people whose God is Jehovah."
From George Washington's 1790 letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Savannah, Georgia, on being elected the first president of USA.

jerUSAlem

2009-06-18T18:54:00.006+03:00

King David established JerUSAlem as the capital of the unified state of the Israelite nation 3,013 years ago. Today, JerUSAlem is the vibrant capital of the modern State of Israel. Only in USA are there places named for the original JerUSAlem.

JerUSAlem items from California available at www.jerusalemsite.com

A special relationship between USA and Jerusalem was forged by the Founding Fathers inspired by the Hebrew Bible. In creating the new United States of America, they framed the aesthetic and democratic values of ancient Athens with the ethical and spiritual values emanating from Jerusalem.

We can appreciate the significance of the fact that USA is incorporated within JerUSAlem by interpreting the biblical passage “May God expand Japheth, and he will dwell in the tents of Shem” (Genesis 9:27). Athens was born from Javan (the biblical name for Greece) son of Japheth (related to the Hebrew word for beauty) and Jerusalem from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, descendents of Shem. USA within JerUSAlem is a fitting metaphor for Athens dwelling within the tents of Hebraic consciousness.

“The Greeks and the Jews are the two peoples whose worldviews have most influenced the way we think and act. Each of them from angles so different has left us with the inheritance of its genius and wisdom. No two cities have counted more with Mankind than Athens and Jerusalem. Their messages in religion, philosophy, and art have been the main guiding light in modern faith and culture.” (Winston Churchill)

For an in-depth exploration of the impact of the dialogue between these two worldviews in a networked future, read my book: Mel Alexenberg, The Future of Art in a Digital Age: From Hellenistic to Hebraic Consciousness, Intellect Books/University of Chicago Press.

Jerusalem, Ohio

2009-06-16T13:15:00.004+03:00

There are three Jerusalems in Ohio in Hamilton, Lucas, and Monroe counties.
Jerusalem is a populated place in Hamilton County, Ohio's second largest county with a population of 845,000 including Cincinnati, 6,205 miles from Jerusalem, Israel.
Jerusalem Township in Lucas County has a population of 3,181.
The village of Jerusalem in Monroe County, Ohio, has a population of 152.

On July 4, 1776, the same day that independence from Great Britain was declared by the thirteen states, the Continental Congress named a committee to design a Great Seal, or national emblem, for the new USA. The committee consisted of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. They were three of the five primary authors of the Declaration of Independence. Franklin chose an allegorical scene from Exodus, described in his notes as "Moses standing on the Shore, and extending his Hand over the Sea, thereby causing the same to overwhelm Pharaoh who is sitting in an open Chariot, a Crown on his Head and a Sword in his Hand. Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Clouds reaching to Moses, to express that he acts by Command of the Deity." Motto, "Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God." Jefferson suggested a depiction of the Children of Israel in the wilderness, led by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night for the front of the seal.

1998 postage stamp honoring Israel's capital, Jerusalem, designed by Meir Eshel, graphic design teacher at Emuna College in Jerusalem, where I head the School of the Art, and 1902 Benjamin Franklin one-cent stamp with "Jerusalem, Ohio" postmark

Jerusalem, Rhode Island 1

2009-06-15T23:04:00.001+03:00

Jerusalem, Rhode Island, in Washington County looks out on the Galillee channel.

Bringing in the catch in Jerusalem, Rhode Island.Fishing boats at Jim's Dock in Jerusalem, Rhode Island, a charming marina on the Galilee channel. Fishing boat of biblical design on the Sea of Galilee, southeast of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem Mill Village, Maryland

2009-06-14T10:11:00.001+03:00

Jerusalem Mill Village is located at the intersection of Jerusalem and Jericho Roads in Harford County, Maryland, amid the pristine scenery of the Gunpowder Falls State Park.

This five story mill, one of the largest mills in Maryland, was built in 1772 and used as a mill until 1961. It produced flour shipped around the world under the label "White Silk."
Israelis shopping for pita bread baked with flour from USA in Jerusalem's open air market.
Jericho covered bridge built by Thomas Forsyth in 1865 in Jerusalem Mills, Maryland

Light rail bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava and built in 2009 at entrance to Jerusalem, Israel