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Palestinian Soap Opera = Explores Social=20 Issues
By Jim = Teeple=20 Bethlehem 03 November = 2005

Teeple=20 report - Download 514k 3D"audio

L= isten=20 to Teeple report 3D"audio

Every day=20 around the world, millions of people retreat into a world of = fantasy=20 and drama when they tune into their favorite soap operas. = Also known=20 as telenovelas, these shows offer people an escape from the = drudgery=20 of ordinary life by depicting a fantasy world of glamour = riches and=20 social intrigue. However, soap operas can also be used to = convey=20 important educational and social messages. Nowhere is that = more true=20 today, than in the Palestinian territories, where a new soap = opera=20 has captivated viewers.

That melody can be heard everywhere in the West Bank and = Gaza=20 strip, these days. It is the theme song to "Mazah fi Jad," = or=20 "Seriously Joking," in English. The show has captivated = viewers in=20 the Palestinian territories and those who watch Palestinian = TV in=20 Israel.

Mazah fi Jad is the first privately produced Palestinian = drama=20 series to be broadcast on Palestinian television. The series = was=20 produced by Bethlehem TV and Search for Common Ground, a=20 non-governmental organization involved in conflict = resolution=20 efforts through media programming. Mazah fi Jad is being = broadcast=20 on Ma'an TV, an 11-station TV network established in 2002, = in the=20 Palestinian territories.

The 13-part series has proved to be hugely popular. It = features=20 three families, two Muslim and one Christian, who deal with = a=20 variety of social issues that affect their community. Raed = Othman,=20 the general director of Ma'an TV, says many Palestinian = viewers have=20 come to see themselves in the characters depicted in the = series.

"The people [characters] are like us," said Raed Othman. = "They=20 dress like us, they speak like us. They are normal = Palestinians.=20 They do not have the big vision of the Palestinians, which = is all=20 about the occupied territories and the problems we are = facing with=20 the occupation. We did not touch this issue. We speak more = about=20 social issues and this is why the people like it. They see=20 themselves, their kids and their neighbors in the screen." =

Much of the funding for the series comes from the U.S. = and=20 British governments. Raed Othman says the show's creators = want to=20 raise awareness in the Palestinian community about such = issues as=20 options to early marriage, women's rights, corruption and = the=20 importance of promoting personal independence and individual = rights=20 through participation in elections.

In this episode, a young man confronts his sister about = seeing=20 their aunt speak publicly with a man who was not part of = their=20 family.

The young woman tells her brother that their aunt has = every right=20 to speak to anybody she chooses, especially because she is a = municipal council representative and needs to be able to = find out=20 what is going on in their community.

The young woman is Neda Farraj, who is from the Deheisha = refugee=20 camp in the West Bank. Neda Farraj plays Salma, a young = traditional=20 Palestinian woman who has emerged as one of the series = favorite=20 characters.

Ma'an TV executives say even though Mazah fi Jad is = popular with=20 all ages, their show's messages are targeted at Palestinian = young=20 people who make up more than half of the Palestinian = population.=20 Neda Farraj who, when she is not acting, studies business at = Bethlehem University, says the message of Mazah fi Jad is = that=20 people have to solve their problems by working together in = their=20 communities.

"The show gives a clear picture of social problems = Palestinians=20 face, daily," said Neda Farraj. "It shows relations between = Muslims=20 and Christians and the daily simple problems that every = normal=20 family faces. It shows that Palestinians face the same = problems as=20 anyone else."

Everyone involved in Mazah fi Jad says they are stunned = by the=20 show's popularity. Until recently, Neda Farraj was an = anonymous=20 student. Now, everywhere she goes, people recognize her and = call out=20 to her as Salma, the woman she plays on the series. Raed = Othman of=20 Ma'an TV says next year Mazah fi Jad will be expanded from = 13=20 episodes to 30, so that viewers can watch a new episode = during every=20 night of Ramadan observances, when television viewing is at = its=20 highest. With only 13 episodes this year, Raed Othman says = he had to=20 schedule broadcasts of Mazah fi Jad every other night during = the=20 month of Ramadan.

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