She learned from her father to read the Torah ("He encourages me to find an Israeli groom"), knows how to make signs in Hebrew ("I translated from Google Translate"), and uploads posts in favor of Israel, which provoke anger alongside support • Azka Daulia is a Muslim Indonesian who fell in love with Israel. The countries
"I have always been curious about Judaism."
Azka Daulia with the Israeli flag, at her home in the capital Jakarta
September 16, the day after the signing of the "Abraham Agreements" between the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel in the White House, was for one woman in Indonesia a day she will not forget.
"The ceremony was not broadcast on our television, because whoever decides what to broadcast does not show the public good news from Israel," says Azka Daulia (30), an architect by profession.
"The ceremony took place at 11 o'clock Indonesia time, and I was already asleep. But early in the morning I went to the Israeli Foreign Ministry's Facebook, I saw the ceremony, I heard Prime Minister Netanyahu talking about King David, and I said to myself: This is a nation that believes in God, and I think it's something Positive to bring people in. I cried with excitement.
"I told my dad about the ceremony, and he said very big news question. A lot of Indonesian Muslims love Israel, and I wanted people to see for themselves and enjoy the peace and hope, it's inspiring. I decided to share the ceremony broadcast on my Facebook and Instagram pages. I wrote to my Indonesian friends that this is not a video "I photographed or edited, but I just want them to see the ceremony. Let them see the hope for peace."
Daulia also added an excited appeal to Indonesian President Joko Vidudo, "in the hope that after these countries, Indonesia will soon have diplomatic relations with Israel as well."
Why is peace with Israel so important to you?
"For my country. The problem is in our leadership. But I feel this is the moment for us, the moment when we are ready for a relationship. Israel does not really need us, but Indonesia needs Israel. You have a lot of intelligent people, developed technology, high-tech, renewable energy. We have a lot in common, and we can learn a lot from you to promote our country. "
* * *
I saw her first post two weeks after the signing of the agreement with the Emirates, in the most unexpected place: an international Facebook group, where people are looking for their Jewish roots.
In the post, she said that she is a Muslim and that her father taught her to read Torah, and wondered if there was a connection between the Indonesian island name "Java" and the explicit name in Judaism and other questions that link Indonesia to Judaism.
Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, with 275 million inhabitants, the vast majority of whom are Muslims.
It was liberated from colonial occupation in 1945 and declared independence in 1949.
The first democratic elections were held in 1999, when a constitution was enacted.
It is part of the Non-Aligned Movement, in which members of states that do not see themselves as under the influence of any power, but support the Palestinians.
In recent years there has been an increase in extremist Islamic groups, although most of its inhabitants are moderate.
In the mid-1950s, there were attempts to establish relations between Indonesia and Israel, which did not materialize due to pressure from Arab countries.
In the past, there have been reports of the sale of Israeli weapons to Indonesia in the 1960s and of a secret connection to the establishment of commercial ventures.
In 2018, restrictions on the entry of Israelis into the country were lifted, and vice versa, but the travel warning remained intact.
There is currently no Jewish community in the country.
There are individual citizens with Jewish roots, and some of them organized a year ago in the city of Mendo and inaugurated a small synagogue, where they secretly pray.
In light of this reality, the post published by Daulia is a brave act.
As expected, it caused a great deal of controversy in Indonesia and around the world and garnered hundreds of shares and responses;
Quite a few of them are harsh reactions from Indonesians.
"Israel is Jews, my sister," someone wrote to her.
"It doesn't matter if the enemy is big or small, he is still an enemy. This is not what the Prophet Muhammad wanted. We need to build our own economy and our own army, and the laws of Islam will also rule the dome (al-Aqsa)."
Another surfer wrote: "Open your eyes, my sister, how many Palestinian Muslims are being persecuted by Israel!"
We set to chat on video at 14:00 Indonesia time, 9 o'clock in the morning.
When she opened the camera, I saw a beautiful, gentle woman, with a shy smile and tons of courage.
"This is my architecture office," she scanned the office with her camera, located on the entrance floor of the house on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta.
Then she went out with the camera to the hallway, showed me the family pictures on the wall, opened the door of the house and pointed the camera at the sky.
"You see, in Indonesia the sun is shining like in Israel."
In her Facebook status she introduces herself in two sentences.
One in English: "Hey, I'm an Indonesian woman," and one in Indonesian, which she translates for me: "I went out to fight for diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Israel."
Next to the caption are the flags of Israel and Indonesia, with a red stage connecting them.
"I always dreamed of contact with Israel," she says in English, "it came from the education I received at home and at school. When I saw the signing of the agreements with the Emirates and Bahrain, I realized I needed to make my private dream public. I realized that in the new reality it is no longer a dream. And I have to fight for it.
"I show support for Israel because I want to stimulate people.
Let them start talking, arguing, doing things.
In one of my posts I used the image of a glass box: everyone can see what is inside, but people do not look into the transparent box.
Inside there is information about Israel, so I open the box, and then it's like magic - the truth comes out, and everyone can see it and get inspired.
To gain hope for my country, to enrich us with knowledge and technology.
"People do not know the facts, and the important thing is how we educate them to be objective, to ask about everything whether it is true or not. It is important that they be in a constant search for the truth."
* * *
The shockwaves of her post continue today.
"Someone wrote to me: 'Miss Azka's hopes for the chosen people are good and very optimistic. Cooperation with Israel will certainly benefit Indonesia. The question is whether such hope is accepted in our community. Moreover, we need to examine what they (Israel) did to conquer the country. The Promised. '
"Another surfer wrote:" If something looks good, it does not mean that it is really good, even though it is done well and with good intentions.
"All the violence against the Palestinians is a struggle against legitimate settlers." "
What did you answer them?
" That I want Indonesia to prosper more, that the work ethic will increase, that the unity, love and affection of the Indonesian people will increase, and that we will have more good things.
I wrote that this could be everyone's hope.
I'm sure there will be a lot of good things Indonesia can do with the State of Israel to fulfill that hope. "
Isn't that a little naive?
" Obviously it's not easy.
I have 4,000 friends on Facebook, and only a few dare to respond openly.
I believe that the debate on the Palestinian question should not be suppressed, but should be conducted in a dignified manner, with facts.
Someone wrote to me: 'Israel establishes settlements (settlements) not according to international law.
So if we establish a relationship with them, it will be an admission of their legality.
Indonesia's position is very clear - it does not recognize Israel and is fighting for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
I replied: 'I see Israel as the one and only Jewish state.
The Jews have been there throughout history, this is not a state of the Palestinians. '
I sent him to learn the facts.
"Someone asked me if I was not afraid to be considered a Zionist. I replied, 'There are so many good things we can learn from Israel for the welfare of the Indonesian people, that I am waiting for them to say I am a Zionist.'"
Are you not afraid of being silenced?
"No. I'm afraid of stupidity, ignorance and corona. I have a legal right to have my say."
* * *
She is the fifth of seven brothers and sisters.
She says that her parents gave her her second name, Daulia (in Indonesia no family names are accepted), "after a beautiful flower that blooms here", and sends me a link to the flower page on Wikipedia: the familiar dahlia flower.
Her parents, Muhammad Nordin (72) and Aka Mastikwati (64), own a frozen Indonesian food business and a small art and gift gallery in Jakarta, which opens mainly on holidays and special occasions.
Her father volunteers as an educator on the board of directors of Al-Zeitun School, where she attended, and following the closure of the Corona, he is at school most of the time and rarely returns home.
"I grew up as a Muslim, but I was always curious about Judaism," she says. As a child, if I want to get to know Muhammad, I have to read the Torah.
"We have a house in Torah with a translation into Indonesian, each chapter written in both Hebrew and Indonesian.
I even uploaded a post where Dad reads a chapter, "she says excitedly, sending me the video where her father is heard reading the first chapter of Genesis, in a melody reminiscent of a prayer in a mosque." Whoever heard it said it was a unique reading.
And my brother has a boy whose second name is from the Torah, Eliezer. "As a
child, Daulia used to spend weekends and vacations at the home of a family member, a famous Indonesian film director named Ismail Suberdjo. Subradjo co-founded the high school with Daulia's father. Where she studied, which is on the island of Java.
”This school presents a vision.
It is not an Islamic, Christian, Jewish, or anything else center.
The vision is a center for education, culture, tolerance and peace.
After graduating, I worked there as a teacher for two years, until I started studying at the university. "
The school is located on a huge area, mostly agricultural, and operates in a boarding school. About 2,500 students, boys and girls, come from all provinces and islands in Indonesia, as well as Singapore. From Malaysia and South Africa, inside which a mosque was built, called the "Youth Building", and a tower which is one of the tallest in Indonesia, as a tourist attraction through which they try to promote peace
.
Event in honor of the Muslim New Year, which is one of the biggest events at the school, we sang with the choir as well as Israeli songs - "Behold, how good and how pleasant ',' Hava Nagila '" She stops the conversation and begins to sing with enthusiasm.
She sends me a picture from her father, Located on campus. In the photo, members of the school's administrative staff stand in a grove, wearing corona masks and holding a sign that reads in English: "Shalom Tel Java." This will be the name of the compound now being set up near the school.
It will be designed for tourists and will include camping and sports activities.
They expect tourists who come to see the tower to be exposed to their messages of peace. "
After a few minutes her father sends another photo, this time of a local water bottle, with the label in English letters" hamaim ".
" My father says the name of the product came from the Torah, 'In the beginning God created The sky and the earth, and the earth was chaos' ", she smiles," I think this is one way to teach people Hebrew and connect them to the Torah. "
* * *
Her connection to Israel began two years ago, when she applied to enroll in a master's degree in architecture at the Technion, "the institution I consider the best in the world."
Since Indonesia does not allow access to websites with the il extension, it sent the request from Singapore, when traveling to travel there.
"Unfortunately, my application was denied," she says, "I was told that I could not be admitted to school, because there are no ties between Israel and Indonesia."
On Saturday, the last day of a trip to Singapore, she went to pray at the Chabad house and stayed for Shabbat dinner. “The rabbi went to the table, inquired who I was and introduced me to his wife.
I told them I wanted to learn Hebrew, and they offered me to study online.
There I met an Israeli, secular guy.
I gave him my email address and he gave me his, but since we did not want to write, we did a contest who will remember the other person's address by heart.
It was amusing.
"The next day I returned to Indonesia, and we continued to correspond. We corresponded for a year. During that time I studied Hebrew at an online school called 'Rosen', which provides online lessons."
At the same time, she began following the Facebook page of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the page of one of the Prime Minister's new media people, Hanania Naftali.
Naftali (25) served as an armored fighter on Eitan Cliff, and after his release began volunteering for Israel on social media.
Today he has a million followers and hundreds of comments every day.
"He showed me how beautiful and advanced Israel is, and he is also a handsome man," she smiles.
This week, Naftali told us: "It is very exciting to see an Indonesian Muslim woman who uses social networks to promote peace and friendship between our peoples. Peace brings peace, and love brings even more peace. More pioneering people like Daulia need to work wholeheartedly to promote peace with Israel.
"Indonesia is a country with a lot of investment potential, and there are liberal people in it
, whose fruits will benefit both Indonesians and Israelis.
"
Therefore, the connection between Israel and it is natural.
I recently posted a post with the flags of both countries and said I hope we have a diplomatic relationship.
The post received 20,000 responses, including from extremist people, who wrote to me how much they hate Israel.
I invited them to visit the country, because it is clear to me that they do not know us.
There was a negative article on my post on Indonesian television, but I know that most of the Indonesian people are different. "
In some of Daulia's photos she is photographed with a head covering, and in some without." A head covering is just fashion in my eyes, "she explains," Many women believe it is related to faith. Religious, but many others believe it's just fashion.
In the last two or three years, we have more and more women wearing headgear, including actresses and public figures.
"I see it as a fashion trend, but fear that this trend is making our country 'Arab'. Indonesia is not an Arab country, even though Muslims are the majority in the country. What bothers me is not the coverage itself, but the fact that it does not reflect an enlightened attitude."
Do you have thoughts about a wedding?
"Obviously," she laughs.
"In Jakarta it is customary to get married at an older age, my sisters also got married at the age of 28 or even 29. My parents are stressed, but not very much. My father laughed at me, 'Why not find an Israeli groom?'"
What is the morbidity of the corona in Indonesia?
"To date, 18,000 people have died here (about 65 people per million; HA).
In East Jakarta a mass grave for victims was built, with a plaque bearing their names.
When I went out into the city after the first wave and saw this place, I wept bitterly.
In the meantime, I locked myself in the house, according to the instructions.
A lot of people do justice to themselves, especially the elderly and the poor, those who do not have a job and money to buy food.
"The president has prepared a plan to help the poor financially, but it is not enough. My mother decided to stop driving her car when she had to leave the house, and use public transportation instead to provide a livelihood for the drivers."
* * *
Daulia, who in her free time also paints, created an image on an ancient Egyptian papyrus, with the word love.
"I designed it with Indonesian motifs and gold patterns, and uploaded it to the web alongside a post in Hebrew, Indonesian and English."
"I dedicate this picture to the diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Israel, which need to be realized," she wrote in the post, "We pray for this."
How did you write in Hebrew?
Laughs.
"Using Google Translate. An Israeli friend, whom I met through my posts about Israel, corrected my mistakes. I do not do it for myself. I do it for my country, which I love so much. Can I ask you a question?", She asks shyly .
"Is Israel interested in peace with Indonesia?"
"Sure," I reply, hearing her sigh of relief.
Every post, every comment and every event is documented in a "journey diary", on the way to fulfilling a dream.
"There are only 4,000 members in my Facebook account, but in the school where I studied, which educates my values, thousands of students from all over Indonesia study. I believe that the message will slowly seep through and reach everyone.
"
The headline of your article could be 'Will peace in the Middle East affect Asia, and especially Indonesia?', And then Mr. Bibi Netanyahu will see the headline and ask who this Asian woman is.
And maybe he will do something about it. "
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