Between the Lion and the Stork you'll find the gypsies of Bab Hutta...

Amoun Sleem was born and raised in this neighbourhood, and she lives there to this day with the families of her five brothers and four sisters. When I first met Amoun in January 2025, it was four miles north of Bab Hutta in the district of Shuafat at the “Domari Society of Gypsies in Jerusalem.” In the following interview she describes her journey. From anger at the discrimination which cut short her own education, to developing a program that transforms the lives of women and girls in a community where female illiteracy is 80%.

After a brief catch-up, the conversation continued as recorded.

#domari #jerusalem #hopefortheholyland #pilgrimsofhope #ethicaltourism #babhutta #burjalluqluq
If you would like to learn mo9re about the work of the Domari Society and support their work, please click here:
https://www.domarisociety.com/support-a-program

Timestamps
00:00 - Introducing Amun Sleem and the Domari Society
00:43 - The Dom people’s history and roots in India
01:42 - On the word "Gypsy" and why it is still used
03:09 - Dom, Roma, and Lom: related but distinct groups
04:18 - Living between Palestinian and Israeli societies
06:01 - How many Dom people live in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza
07:16 - Dom neighborhoods in and around Jerusalem
08:34 - Crossing checkpoints from Shuafat and Qalandia
09:55 - Residency, citizenship, and identity in Jerusalem
10:49 - Life in Bab Hutta near Lions Gate
13:50 - Growing up in a mixed neighborhood in the Old City
15:53 - School discrimination and dropping out as a child
18:15 - Returning to education to build a better future
18:38 - A large extended family living together in the Old City
19:40 - Marriage within the community and more recent intermarriage
20:29 - Religion in the Dom community
21:35 - Jobs, unemployment, and limited career paths
23:37 - Why Amun founded the Domari Society
26:12 - Building the nonprofit and opening the center
27:10 - Programs for women, children, and struggling families
29:31 - Skills training that helps women earn from home
30:46 - The Domari language as a spoken-only language
32:10 - Cultural differences in look, weddings, and traditions
37:47 - Family history in the same neighborhood for more than 120 years
39:42 - The community’s historical movement through the Middle East
40:21 - A young woman from tutoring to law school
42:25 - Why men in the community struggle with addiction and low opportunity
44:29 - Summer camp, school supplies, and children’s activities
45:59 - The impact of war, COVID, and funding cuts
49:32 - Tourism, visitors, and how they used to support the center
51:34 - Amun’s message to listeners in the UK and USA
52:23 - Travel limits and the need to raise awareness
53:25 - What would happen if the community center closed
54:42 - Domari food, hospitality, and cultural sharing
56:21 - Final thoughts on visiting Jerusalem and supporting the community

Notable quotes

"We are one of the most discriminated society in the Holy Land."

"In the place of anger, I turn it to a place where I can really make bridges between us and between others."

"If we close this community center, it's mean the gypsies not exist in the Holy Land."