To The Best of Our Knowledge from Wisconsin Public Radio

It's the most contested piece of real estate on Earth. Jews know it as the Temple Mount. Muslims call it Al-Aqsa. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the controversy over this sacred site in Jerusalem's Old City. Also, why the Temple Mount inspires apocalyptic visions for some Christian fundamentalists.

Haggai Matar is an eighteen year old Israeli "refusenik." He tells Steve Paulson why he'll go to prison rather than serve in the Israeli army in the Occupied Territories. Matar explains how he got to know Palestinians and what his group does to help them and protect them from unfair treatment at the hands of the army and police. Also, Gershom Gorenberg is a journalist in Jerusalem and the author of "The End of Days: Fundamentalism and the Temple Mount." He talks with Steve Paulson about the site that the Jews call the Temple Mount which the Muslims revere as Al-Aqsa and explains why some fundamentalist Christians insert themselves into the argument.

SEGMENT 2:

Bob Alper is a rabbi in Vermont with a sideline in comedy. Ahmed Ahmed is an actor and comedian based in Los Angeles. The two comics decided to perform together making use of their ethnicity to make people laugh. They perform bits for Jim Fleming and tell him how their act got started and what effect it's had. Also, Stephen Kinzer, former New Tork Times bureau chief in Istanbul, is the author of "Crescent and Star: Turkey between Two Worlds." He tells Steve Paulson that Turkey is the only Muslim democracy and that the Army is honorable and committed to the ideals of the West.

SEGMENT 3:

Historian Maria Rosa Menocal is the author of "The Ornament of the World." She tells Anne Strainchamps about the Golden Age for European Jews when the Moors established an Islamic state in Spain. She says Moorish Arab culture was prosperous, technologically and culturally advanced and tolerant of different religions.

Books:

• Gershom Gorenberg, The End of Days: Fundamentalism and the Struggle for the Temple Mount (Oxford)
• Maria Rosa Menocal, The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain (Little, Brown)
• Stephen Kinzer, Crescent & Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds (FSG)

Music:

• The Burning Bush with "Taksim" from "Best of Yiddish, Lezmer & Sephardic Music"
• Noirin Niain with "Wandering Edmond" from "Anthology of Sacred Music, Vol 1"
• Nawang Khechog with "Peace int he World"
• Omar Faruk Takbilek with "Tahir Raks" from "One Truth" (World Class Records)
• Udi Hrant Kenkulian with "Huseyni Taksim" from "Traditional Crossroads"
• Udi Hrant Kenkulian with "Hicaz Taksim" from "Traditional Crossroads"
• The Burning Bush with "Avre tu puerta cerrada" from "Best of Yiddish, Lezmer & Sephardic Music"

Distribution dates:

• week of 05/19/2002 - hour 1