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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Elias go?

2. Who is Elias's hero?

3. What are the Christians called who remain in Jerusalem?

4. Where does Elias travel for a retreat?

5. Where are Zionist soldiers winning against the British?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did the other seminarians in Paris where Elias went to farther his education view the Palestinian situation and Palestinians in general?

2. What did the Zionist soldiers tell the people in Elias's hometown and how did they respond?

3. Where and when did Elias Chacour grow up and what did his family do for a living?

4. Under whose rule was Palestine since the 1930's, what kind of people was the population, how did they get along and how did the residents feel about themselves after World War II?

5. What would a current student of the Middle East find strange about Palestine in the late 1940's?

6. With what was Elias suspected of doing by Zionist soldiers and what was the final outcome of that accusation?

7. What events of the 1960's colored Elias's view of the church and why?

8. What type of study did Elias and his friend study at the seminary and how did Elias feel about it?

9. Who was taken out of Gish from Elias's family and who was left?

10. What were the three important principles Elias learned from his father as stated in the section, Treasures of the Heart?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Within the new government itself, however, all was not cohesive. Factions had developed, all vying for power, and differing on treatment of the native Palestinians. The elders of the former village of Biram seized upon this opportunity to petition the Israeli Supreme Court for permission to return to their homes. Though this petition was granted, Zionist soldiers still would not allow them in. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the reasons the Zionist soldiers will not allow the villagers to reclaim their homes based on a court order by the Jewish government?

2. Why do you think the Jewish government does not intervene? Could they be afraid of the more radical Zionist themselves?

3. How often do you think a court victory is empty--both in the Palestinian situation and in other situations. Discuss with examples from the text and your own knowledge.

Essay Topic 2

Upon Biram villagers settling in Gish and making attempts to live in the substandard remaining housing, the Irgun arrive and force all the men and older boys into trucks for delivery to some unknown location. This "cleansing" of Palestine for the Jewish state went almost unrecorded in the journalistic media of the day. Discuss the following:

1. How biased is the press in general? Are most journalists able to stay emotionally uninvolved? Why or why not.

2. What are some of the possible reasons the press ignores the actions of the Zionist and Irgun? Analyze each reason and discuss if the reason is valid.

3. Discuss one other example of "cleansing" that has taken place in the world. What are the similarities and differences from that which takes place in Palestine?

Essay Topic 3

An understanding of the events of Blood Brothers hinges upon an understanding of the geopolitical situation of Palestine. Discuss one of the following:

1. Research and analyze the history of how the State of Israel came about. Why do the Jewish people choose Palestine as the land to settle? How many Jewish people are already residing in Palestine prior to the decision of Zionist to invade Palestinian land? What is the nature of the relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims before the arrival of Zionists? Does your research seem to agree with what Elias Chacour writes in Blood Brothers? What are the discrepancies if any?

2. Research and discuss the history of Palestine under the Ottoman Empire. What is the predominant religion of the area? Is tolerance practiced? Is any particular group discriminated against? Who? Why? Are the lives of the Palestinians better or worse under the Ottoman Empire than under the government of Israel? Cite examples to support your answers. Do you think the Palestinians preferred the Ottoman Empire or that of the British? Explain your answer.

3. Research and discuss how the Jewish nation has changed Palestine. Have they initiated improvements? What ones? Have they treated the land respectfully? Why or why not. Does Israel practice religious tolerance today? What is the status of the Palestinians today in the first decade of the 21st century.

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