October 9 2023

“UNPROVOKED”: A Poem for Palestine and Its Right to Resist

“UNPROVOKED”
By Eman Abukhadra

You started it…
They said
Wait and you shall see
You’ll pay for
What you’ve started!

You should cheer
For us
As we light up your skies
And dance with us
To death songs
And cries

An obedient patient
You should sit
Still and calm
Stretch your arm
For our needle
To suck your blood

But hell will break loose
Now…They said
Well, aren’t we
Already
In a burning hell?

Will you kill my
Dead children?
Bomb my
demolished houses? Or
Burn my city that’s in ashes?

Hell had broken loose
I said
75 years ago
You see
With the first soul you took out of its bed

We’ve got nothing
More to lose
I said
We’ve had enough
Humiliation… Oppression… And abuse

(October 9, 2023)

Category: Arab Societies, Media, International, Palestine | Comments Off on “UNPROVOKED”: A Poem for Palestine and Its Right to Resist
April 16 2022

Ahmad Manasra, the Captive Dove

In 2015 Ahmad Manasra, a Palestinian 13 year old was run over by Israeli patrol, leaving him in a pool of blood without aid, while Israeli settlers verbally abused him. Minutes earlier, Ahmad’s cousin, Hassan, was shot dead, after an alleged knife-stabbing attack on an Israeli security guard in an illegal Israeli settlement.
Still suffering major skull and body injuries, Ahmad, a minor back then, was taken for “suspicion” of involvement in the alleged stabbing, violently interrogated without the presence of a lawyer or a family member or any adult for that matter. As a result, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison, despite lack of evidence and absence of proof of his involvement. For the past 7 years, Ahmad’s been deprived of basic human rights, like access to proper healthcare and regular visitation. He’s been subjected to continuous physical and psychological torture, and thrown in solitary confinement for most of his time in prison.

April 13th was Ahmad’s retrial. Although the “terrorism” designation was finally dropped off, Ahmad remains behind bars and his mental health continues to deteriorate.
In court, his mom welcomed him, like a mom would her child parading in a school concert. To her, he’s still that child snatched out of her arms. With comforting voice she kept calling his name and repeating: “I am here,  my son, we all love you.”
Ahmad was quickly removed from the room following his mom’s request to get closer to him.
Her warm voice is still ringing in my ears, the way his eyes lit up when he saw her, how he waved his hand at his family, like a little child, is all I can see every time I close my eyes. It broke my heart beyond description.
To our brave Ahmad, to his composed mom, and all strong moms of Palestinian children unlawfully detained in Israeli prisons, I dedicate my poem.
For more details search: #FreeAhmadManasra and #الحرية_لأحمد_مناصرة
You can support Ahmad in his fight for freedom by signing this Petition.

Captive Dove

Do you see me?
I am here, my love
You walk in, a man
Raised by darkness
Your broken heart tired of life
Longing for a moment of justice

But to me, my love
You’re still the child
I never hugged goodbye
That 13 year old dove
Innocent and wild
With wings eager to fly

Amidst the tumultuous crowd
I hear your stillness
Our eyes meet, time stops
Beneath that mask
I espy your illness and
7 long years tattooed across

I am here, my love
Look at me, I stand by you
Like a soaring olive tree
They pull me away
But beside you I stay
Holding you tight from afar

Listen to my heart pound in your chest
Watch my lungs breathe in your scent
Feel my fingers kiss your scarred wrist and
Trust I’ll do my absolute best
For I’m your guardian angel and
You, despite darkness, my shiniest star

My hands are tied
Just like yours
We watch us both wither away
Son, don’t surrender
We’ll smash these doors and
Justice will prevail one day

I know they broke your spirit
Put out the fire in your striking eyes
Your tortured body is now numb, yet
Your head can’t hold back the cries
You no longer remember the truth
But we’re keeping track of their lies

Ripped out of my chest
My heart is weeping
As they drag you, my baby
Into the abyss,
Your tired shoulders already sleeping
Your angry feet trampling hope’s kiss

A desperate soul I’ll flutter around you
To scare the dark away
Rock-a-bye baby, let your mind rest
I got you… And
Won’t stop, no way
Till my little bird’s back in his nest

 

 

Category: Arab Societies, General, Media, International, Palestine, Women | Comments Off on Ahmad Manasra, the Captive Dove
February 15 2021

ورحل مُريد البرغوثي

قبل هجوم كورونا على العالم بأسابيع، كنت في إحدى المكتبات العامة أستعير بعض المراجع، وكالعادة ختمت زيارتي بالتوجه لركن الكتب المستعملة التي تعرضها المكتبة للبيع، والتي يذهب ريعها لتجديد موارد المكتبة ورفوفها. وكانت دهشتي _وفرحتي_ لا تُقاس عندما رأيت هذين الكتابين، جنبا إلى جنب، كعصفورين يدفئ واحدهما الآخر. ودون تفكير التقطتهما من كومة الكتب، ودفعت ثمنهما: 50 سنتا للكتاب الواحد.
دولار واحد لكتابين قيّمين يحملان في صفحاتهما ما تتجاوز قيمته ملايين الدولارات من التراث والتاريخ والمشاعر ورائحة تراب فلسطين.
قبل يومين فقط، كنت قد انتهيت من قراءة كتاب مترجم للألمانية بعنوان (IKIGAI)، أي الهدف الذي تعيش من أجله والذي يحرك داخلك كل يوم ويدفعك للحياة. وفور انتهائي منه، وجدتني أبحث عن أي كتاب على رفوفي أشتم فيه عروبتي وفلسطيني، فأخذت عصفوريّ ووضعتهما على طاولتي لأبدأ في قراءتهما. وفي الأمس وجدت يدي تضم أحدهما لأعرف بعدها بساعات، بأن ذاك العصفور قرّر التحليق بعيدا عن دنيانا ليلحق بعصفورته.
رحم الله رمزا من رموز الأدب العربي الفلسطيني، #مريد_البرغوثي، ورحم زوجته الروائية #رضوى_عاشور. الله يصبر ابنهم الشاعر الفذ #تميم_البرغوثي.
Category: Arab Societies, Art & Literature, Books, Palestine | Comments Off on ورحل مُريد البرغوثي
February 1 2021

Why We So Desperately Needed CBC’s “Canada Tonight with Ginella Massa”

Early this year, on January 11th to be more precise, history was made by the appearance of Ginella Massa, a Hijab-wearing television news anchor, on national TV, revolutionizing Canadian TV as we know it.

With the pandemic and the ever-changing health measures and restrictions, I can confidently say that most of us are glued to our screens, scrolling down local news in search of announcements and public health updates 24/7, and that’s how I came across Ginella Massa’s tweet announcing the airing of her show’s premiere on CBC News Network.

Needless to say, I was so happy and proud of CBC for giving a voice to a member of a visible minority. We so desperately needed a show like Canada Tonight, and we so desperately needed Ginella Massa to be its host. Let me tell you why.
Well, for starters, she’s an awesome person. Really, she’s got charisma and has this contagious smile and uplifting spirit that you connect with even through a screen. She’s MADE for this. You can sense her passion and hard work in every episode.
Having someone like her on national TV, during prime time, is huge.
Now although Canadian TV doesn’t very much lack diversity in its broad sense, but this is the first time a Muslim immigrant wearing Hijab gets to be in the spotlight. This is important as it helps concur stereotypes about Hijab being synonymous with oppression, deprivation and underachievement, because, believe it or not, many people still prejudge Hijab-wearing women and label them in the most unfair way.

But I didn’t want to write about Massa and her show just because of what she wears. I actually wanted to watch her in action, wanted to see what she was adding to the table, and I can easily say that after religiously watching the show for 3 weeks, it was apparent that it isn’t your typical news show; this show is a game-changer.
On one hand, it adds a beautiful personal touch to stories that are usually presented as nothing but news headlines, statistics and numbers. On the other hand, Massa lived up to her promise, covering stories that usually don’t get a fair chance in coverage, interviewing people of different shades, backgrounds and ethnicities, making her show an honest reflection of the beautifully diverse Canada.

I’ve become a huge fan of “Canada Tonight with Ginella Massa”, and I have to say, that when I watch her, I don’t see the veil she’s become so famous for, all I see is an extremely passionate broadcaster, a hard-working journalist, doing what she loves, and being so damn good at it.
It’s really irritating to read all the negative discouraging comments based on nothing but pure racism. I  hope that viewers would finally learn to see beyond what a broadcaster looks like or what they choose to wear, and see what’s inside their mind and heart instead.
I’ve said it more than once, and I’ll say it again: Accepting someone doesn’t mean agreeing with what they believe in and what they stand for. We don’t need to share the same mindset, preferences or beliefs, but we must respect each other and accept each others’ right to be different in order to be able to coexist in peace and harmony.

It’s worth mentioning that “Ginella made history in 2015, believed to be the first television news reporter in North America to wear a hijab on-air when she was hired as a Video Journalist for CTV News in Kitchener, Ontario. She made international headlines again after anchoring the evening newscast at CityNews Toronto in 2016.” [Source: Ginella Massa]

So if you’re into powerful courageous interviews, tune in to Canada Tonight with Ginella Massa weeknights at 8 p.m. ET on CBC News Network. If you can’t watch it live, then you can stream it on CBC Gem, on this link.

I’ll leave you with Radheyan Simonpillai’s interview with the beautiful Ginella Massa, one of my absolute favorite interviews, very honest and down to earth. Hope you enjoy it.

 

Category: Canada, Media, International, Women | Comments Off on Why We So Desperately Needed CBC’s “Canada Tonight with Ginella Massa”
April 4 2020

جائحة فيروس كورونا، أزمة عالمية أم مجرّد لعبة إعلامية؟

​تنتشر هذه الأيام العديد من الآراء المتضاربة فيما يتعلّق بجائحة فيروس كورونا المستجدّ، فتجد مقالات طبية وصحفية وسياسية على صفحات الإنترنت ومنصّات التواصل الاجتماعي تدّعي أنّ الموضوع هو لعبة إعلامية محبوكة ليس إلا، تلعبها وسائل الإعلام لبث الخوف في الناس، أو حرب اقتصادية تشنها الدول العظمى للقضاء على الفقراء والمستضعفين وإنعاش اقتصادها، وغيرها العديد من نظريات المؤامرة، إن صحّ القول، التي أختلف معها وبشدة؛ ومن ناحية أخرى، هناك الجِهات  التي تنبّه من الاستخفاف بالوضع وتحذّر من الانسياق لمثل هذه الآراء المُضلّلة.
وكنتيجة، انقسم الرأي العام لقسمين في هذا الخصوص، رأي مع الاستخفاف بالفيروس، ورأي ضد الاستهانة به.
أعتقد أنّ هناك دوما أكثر من احتمال في تحليل أي موضوع، ولا يوجد رأي واحد صائب إلاّ ما ندر. لكن، وبكل احترام أكنّه لآراء المختصين في مجال الصحة والبيئة والإعلام والسياسة، الذين هم أكفأ مني في تفسير الوضع الحالي، والذين هم بدورهم منقسمين، ولكل قسم أدلّة علمية يستند إليها، لننظر للموضوع من زاوية مختلفة تماما عن زاوية “هذا صائب وهذا مخطئ”.​ نعم، بعيدا عن من هو على حق، لنحلّل الأزمة الحالية على النحو التالي:
هناك سيناريو الهلع والهستيريا والمبالغة، وهناك سيناريو أنّ الوضع فعلا مأساوي وعلينا أخذ إجراءات طارئة “متطرّفة” وغير مسبوقة.
 قد يحتمل الوضع النقاش في الدول المتمكنة اقتصاديا والتي لها نفوذ سياسي قوي على المستوى العالمي يمكّنها من شن حرب إن ادّعى الأمر وربحها في سبيل توفير الأساسيات التي تحتاجها لإنقاذ شعوبها. لكن ماذا عن الدول الفقيرة أو النامية؟
إن كان هذا الفيروس بالفعل جائحة لا يمكن السيطرة عليها، هل تستطيع دولة بحجم الأردن أو تونس أو غيرها مثلا التعامل مع تبعات إهمال الإجراءات الاحترازية؟
هل لدينا من الإمكانيات المادية ومن الكفاءات والموارد البشرية أعدادا كافية للتعامل مع آلاف الحالات دفعة واحدة؟ هل تتسع مؤسساتنا الصحية لتسونامي المرضى الذي سينتج في مثل هذه الحالة؟
أنا من الناس التي أصيبت بانفلونزا الخنازير على فكرة، انتشرت العدوى في مدرسة ابني في دبي وعانينا الأمرين (صحيا) لكننا عولجنا وكانت دبي مستعدة أتم الاستعداد وكان المصل المساعد على الشفاء متوفّر آنذاك لحسن الحظ.
لكن أذكر تماما أنّه لم ينتشر بنفس القوة أو السرعة التي ينتشر بها الكورونا المستجد حاليا، لذا لم تتخذ دول العالم جمعاء الإجراءات الطارئة المتّخذة في مواجهة الكوفيد-19 حاليا، واعتمدت على التوعية والتثقيف وتوفير المطهّرات ومواد التعقيم في كل مكان حسب إمكانياتها.
أمّا الآن فحتى الدول التي تسمح إمكانياتها بتوفير هذه الأمور تلاقي مشاكل في الحصول عليها، أو تصنيعها أو توفيرها فيما يتناسب مع حجم الطلب عليها. بالأمس فقط، استولت أمريكا على باخرة تحمل شحنة أقنعة طبية لحساب ألمانيا. الوضع وصل لهذا الحد من التّنمّر والقرصنة، ويجعلنا نفكّر في هذا الفيروس وأثره على حياتنا اليوم بجدّيّة.هذا عدى عن شهادات مَن هم في قلب الحدث بالفعل. أناس أبعد ما يكون عن السياسة. ممرضون وأطباء، كلّ يشارك صورا وتغريدات ومقاطع فيديو لينبّه إلى خطورة الموقف على المستوى العالمي.
وإن افترضنا جدلا أن حتى هذا كله هراء، مجرّد “لعبة إعلامية” وأنّهم كلهم متآمرين لبث الرعب في نفوس أمم العالم أجمع (لسبب أجهله صراحة)، فأنا متأكدة تماما أن العديد منكم يعرف شخصا يعمل هو في مستشفى أو يعرف أحدا  يعمل في مستشفى في بلد ما، اسألوهم وتيقنوا بأنفسكم لتتضح لكم الصورة. أنا شخصيا لي معارف في إيطاليا وغيرها من الدول الأجنبية والعربية، وأعرف أطباء وممرضين يؤكّدون خروج الوضع عن السيطرة في العديد من الدول.

باعتقادي أعداد الوفيات غير مسبوقة، عالميا، وليس فقط على نطاق دولة بحد ذاتها. باعتقادي أنّ المرعب في هذا الفيروس هو سرعة انتشاره عبر القارات دون أن نعرف ما يكفينا لمواجهته بنجاح، مما يجعلنا عاجزين عن التعامل معه والسيطرة عليه. وباعتقادي أن أغلب البيوت العربية فيها شخص عالأقل مناعته “على قدّه”، فتخيل إن قرأ شاب مقالا من مصدر يفترض أنّه موثوق، أنّ الموضوع هستيريا ليس إلاّ، فتحدّى الحظر، ولم يأخذ باحتياطات السلامة فمرض، ونقل العدوى لأم مسنة، أو صديق مريض بالسرطان، أو طفل مريض بالقلب أو عامل نظافة ذنبه الوحيد أنّه يخدم بلده!
لذا الاحتياط واجب، والالتزام بالقوانين واجب، ومساندتنا لحكوماتنا التي تبذل قصارى جهدها في حدود إمكانياتها واجب، واجب، واجب.

المشكلة الوحيدة في الالتزام بالحظر والانعزال والبقاء في المنزل هي أنّها عبء مادّي على العديد من أرباب البيوت وخصوصا الفقراء الذين يلتقطون أرزاقهم ولقمة عيشهم يوما بيوم، ولا يستطيعون شراء قوت أكثر من يوم واحد.
وهذه المشكلة أخف وطأة في بلاد مثل كندا مثلا، حيث أغاثت الحكومة العديد ممن فقدوا أعمالهم بسبب الفيروس، أو الذين لم يفقدوا وظائفهم لكن شركاتهم جمّدت دفع أي رواتب وليس لديهم مدخول يسددوا من خلاله التزاماتهم المادية العديدة، معتمدة على الضرائب القاسية المفروضة على كل شخص له دخل. أمّا البلاد التي لا تفرض مثل هذه الضرائب العالية، واقتصادها متواضع فمن أين لها أن تدعم شعوبها؟
لهذا على الحكومات في مثل هذه الحالة التنسيق مع الشركات الخاصة ونقابات العمّال وغيرهم من الدوائر والمؤسسات لخلق منظومة تحدد من لا دخل له لتعطيهم الأولوية في الدعم ولو بشكل جزئي إلى أن تستقيم الأمور بإذن الله.
وأنت كمواطن، أيا كان بلدك، إن كنت تستطيع أن تبذل مالك في الخير فقم بذلك، بأي شكل وبأي مبلغ. اسأل عن ذويك إن كانوا بحاجة، اسأل عن جيرانك. ابحث عن حارس البناية أو عامل النظافة أو بائع الكعك في حارتك. إن كنت تعرف مُسِنّا ليس له أحد أو في غربة، تواصل معه، اسأل عنه كل يوم، وتفاهموا على أن تقوم أنت بشراء ما يحتاج من السوق، وإن لم يكن على نفقتك الخاصة، فأنت بهذا تجنّبه تعريض صحته للخطر.
تصّدق للجمعيات الخيرية في بلادك أو عبر الإنترنت (أونلاين) للبلدان الأشد حاجة.كُن مسؤولا،  بُث الثقة والأمل فيمن حولك، دون أن تستهين بخطورة المرض.
لا داعي للهلع، لكن لا للاستهانة بالمرض، أو الاستخفاف بحياتك وحياة الآخرين. انشر الوعي والثقافة. ساعد بلادك على تخطي هذه الأزمة وعلّم نفسك من جديد أن الاحتياط واجب، وأنّ يد الله مع الجماعة وأنّ الباب اللي بجيك منه الريح، سدّه واستريح.
Category: Arab Societies, Canada, Charity & Human Aid, General, Jordan, Media, International, Palestine, Posts in Arabic, Tunisia | Comments Off on جائحة فيروس كورونا، أزمة عالمية أم مجرّد لعبة إعلامية؟
June 12 2019

Peace by Chocolate: Delicious Products With a Delicious Message

And an inspiring bittersweet story…

I was shopping for groceries at our Sobeys the other day, and of course you all know me by now, and know my weakness for chocolates, which in my defense, is a common trait among my family members, from both sides, that we spare no chance to embrace.

So I head to the confectionery aisle to stock up on some yummy sweet goodness. And there it was, a piece of art that was literally staring back at me, the color stood out and the beautiful Arabic calligraphy (another thing I have a soft spot for) just cast an instant spell on me.

Of course I grabbed it, only to see that the word peace, which was written in Arabic (Salam) on the bar that I picked, was written in many other languages on other bars in different bold colors.

 

Next to the ‘Peace Bar Collection’ was another brown themed collection of bars by the same company: Peace by Chocolate, with really cute messages such as: “Bury the Hatchet” or “Forgive & Forget”, which I’ve come to find out is called the ‘Forgiveness Bar Collection’, talk about original creativity.


Under the brand name of these bars by this company it read: A Syrian Family Tradition.
I grabbed only two bars, the one with the Arabic calligraphy, and one of the forgiveness bars, just to test the product and look this company up.

While devouring one of the scrumptious bars, yeah I ate a whole bar by myself (blush blush), with a cup of steaming hot unsweetened coffee  (gotta watch that sugar, wink!), I did a quick search on the company, and boy did I like what I found.

So turns out the family behind this product is a Syrian refugee family, the Hadhad family, who used to own their own chocolate factory back in Syria and ship their products across the Middle East.
After their factory was destroyed in a bombing during the war in Syria, they fled to Lebanon and lived in a refugee camp there for three years.
Then they moved to Nova Scotia, Canada, and with the support of their awesome Antigonish community, they were able to get back on their feet, rebuild their chocolate company, work their magic and share their passion with their new community and now around the world.


[Video Source: CBC]

The Hadhad family vowed to give back to their community (one time they donated their profits to the Red Cross to aid in relief efforts in parts of the country that were hit hard by wild fires), and to help other refugees in Canada rebuild their lives, just like they were offered support by their community.
That’s why, Peace by Chocolate “pledged to hire 50 refugees by 2022 at its facilities across Canada. In addition, they will provide mentorship and guidance to 10 refugee startups to develop their business and help 4 refugee businesses access new markets through their distribution and retailing networks.” [Source: CBC ]

So no one can argue with the product’s originality, artistic touch, bold packaging and awesome message: Peace. But how does it really taste?
Let me just say that once the first piece melted in my mouth, I instantly traveled back in time, to my childhood home, to our big bright kitchen, where my mom used to make us homemade chocolates from scratch on Eid, and the whole house smelled like cocoa and hazelnuts!
Yes, it was as rich, as fresh, as comforting and indulging as homemade chocolate, but with the magical touch of the finest choclatiers. It’s different than other products on the market for reasons you can taste and not say.
All it took was one bite for me to become a loyal customer to this delicious perfection!

Try for yourself and get yourself one of their awesome chocolate products here. Oh, and they even have a clothing line, how cool is that?

Category: Arab Societies, Canada, Charity & Human Aid, Media, International | Comments Off on Peace by Chocolate: Delicious Products With a Delicious Message
May 29 2019

‘P Is for Palestine’ a Book for Children, About Children

UPDATE: I’d like to report that the Highland Park Library Board of Trustees decided to reinstate the reading of the children’s book P is for Palestine. Press release:.

Thanks and all the respect to the Highland Park Library for doing the right thing, and for embracing freedom of speech. Everyone deserves a voice.

 

 

A beautifully written and adorably illustrated children’s book is stirring “controversy” in New Jersey, as the pro-Israel Jewish community there call for it to be banned from the Highland Park Library shelves, causing the library to cave in and postpone the book’s public reading pending a board meeting, open to the public, to be held on June 5th, 2019.

A bestseller and the first of its kind to exist, ‘P Is for Palestine‘, by the lovely Golbarg Bashi, has become the center of attention of many critics, who blasted it as …(drum roll)… anti-Semitic. (Surprise, surprise!).

Why, you may ask? Well, for starters it’s considered to be the first ever English-language ABC story book about Palestine, its culture and historical sites that actually made it to the shelves of public libraries in the US and many other English-speaking countries. That of course goes against Zionists’ efforts in wiping this people and their culture off the face of this planet.
Also, critics argue that the book promotes hate and provokes violence, mainly because of the mention of  the word “Intifada”, in “(I) stands for Intifada”, a word I have realized that many well-educated people in the West don’t understand, or misinterpret as a call for war or “Jihad”, thus accusing the writer of provoking anti-Semitic sentiments.
For the sake of clarifying, Intifada is an Arabic noun that’s derived from the verb nafada, which literally means to shake off something. It was used to describe the many attempts in which Palestinian people tried to shake off occupation, i.e. resist, as in when they were kicked out of their generations-old houses, they tried to get these houses back; when they were thrown in prison for no crime they committed but be the rightful owners of the land, they tried to reclaim their freedom, when their relatives and friends were massacred, they tried to protest and protect the rest.
So for a child born in occupied Palestine, life is a constant display of Intifada, due to the constant oppression they endure, making it an essential part of their culture that cannot be left out just so the feelings of the occupiers wont be hurt!
In a video discussing the reaction to this book, a Rabbi argues that Intifada is a sensitive subject for Israelis, because it brings up very harsh memories of them being targeted and killed by Palestinians, when it was actually the other way around, entirely.
Intifada is a living symbol of the ongoing suffering of Palestinians who were minding their own business, living in peace as Muslims, Christians and Jews, to wake up one day to a brutal occupation massacring them, kicking them out of their homes and throwing them out of their land, denying them the right to return, and suffocating any spark of hope in leading an average normal life for those who stayed behind. So if you don’t want any mention of Intifada, don’t create it, it’s as simple as that: cause and effect.

But let’s pretend I know nothing about the reality of the conflict, let’s say I’m a media-brainwashed US citizen, would I buy your claims that this word should not be mentioned because it evokes memories of hardships and suffering of your people? What about the word “HOLOCAUST”?
I’m sure we all agree, even us Palestinians, that it’s a stain in the history of humanity, an absolutely horrible inhumane thing Jews had to endure and live through, but I don’t see you sabotaging its occurrence anywhere, in fact, you’re embracing it and wasting no opportunity to bring it up in fiction and non-fiction, stressing its importance as part of your history that should not go unnoticed… Why aren’t Palestinians allowed to mention Intifada then?

In that same video by the way, you can see that the bookstore selling “P is for Palestine”: Book Culture, was threatened, we’re talking death threats to owner and staff, pushing them to clear the book off their shelves and boycott it… And that is, ladies and gentlemen, bullying at its best!

The Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) issued a statement commenting on the cancellation of the book reading saying that: “Our event, meant to promote tolerance, was canceled due to intolerance and the promulgation of proven falsehoods about Palestinians.” Very true. Full statement available here.

Critics claim the book  introduces youngsters to violence, teaching them to hate and… wait for it… “it’s used to teach little children about how great the Palestinians are, and we should murder the Jews… that’s the bottom line” and I’m quoting Rabbi Bernhard Rosenberg here (video available below), yes a Rabbi, a man of religion who should be calling for peace, promoting coexistence and tolerance, but no, he said it loud and clear: It bothers him _and those who share his views_  that the book acknowledges the existence of the Palestinian people, their rich culture, their history, their never-ending attempts at leading normal lives despite the constant crimes the oppressive Israeli occupation commits against them.
There’s not a word of hate in this book, not one invitation to bloodshed or killing, it teaches pride in a culture that’s struggling to survive, it teaches empathy with people who are forgotten and who Zionists claim don’t even exist. It’s a cultural children’s book celebrating Palestine and its people, period. Don’t call it anything but what it really is.

[Video source: abc7NY]

Authors, bookstores and libraries that support freedom of speech and give a voice to everyone regardless of personal views are civil, open-minded, tolerant and professional; these people and entities should be celebrated, supported and empowered, not attacked, threatened and bullied… Live and let live!

Every bookstore has something this reader will object to and that reader will see unfit. If bookstores in countries that support freedom speech cave in to the demands of every community, our bookstores will literally be empty of books. If I don’t want my children exposed to a certain book, and there are so many I tell you, then I’d simply not allow it in my house, I wont go to its public readings and definitely won’t buy it. If I was very offended, I might blog about it, or discuss it with my community so they can be warned and not have their children read it, but I will not go bullying owners and public libraries into not allowing it on their shelves, this is just ridiculous and seriously childish!

I will end this blog posting with a question that I hope you, readers, would take some time to contemplate: If this author, who is not Palestinian by the way, and who is not living in Palestine, and if these bookstores and libraries, who are also not Palestinian nor in Palestine, are getting death threats and being pressured, attacked and bullied over a children’s book, how do you think a Palestinian, living in Palestine, under Israeli occupation, is being treated for speaking their mind and trying to lead a normal life?

Please support the book and its author by:

November 29 2018

Hassan Al Kontar; The Syrian Viktor Navorski

Many of you may be familiar with the name Hassan Al Kontar, a name which has been repeatedly hashtagged and mentioned in the news and on social media portals over the past _not very few_ months.

For those of you who aren’t, Hassan Al Kontar is a 37-year-old Syrian, who used to live and work in the UAE, and whose life took a turn for the worse following the eruption of the Syrian conflict.
When his Syrian passport expired and he couldn’t renew it, he lost his work visa and was deported from the country.
Afraid of getting arrested upon landing in Syria, because he’s wanted for military service there (and refuses to serve), he tried to go anywhere else, with no luck.
After being denied entry to multiple countries, he was finally sent to Malaysia, where he was trapped in the Malaysian airport for more than seven months.

As he started documenting and reporting his day-to-day life in the Malaysian airport through his Twitter feed, his plight garnered international attention, especially that of Canadian Laurie Cooper, resident of Whistler B.C.
Touched by the predicament, she got in touch with Al Kontar and set up a GoFundMe page for him with the goal of buying him a ticket to a safe country. She also coordinated with travelers from around the world to bring Al Kontar cash and supplies.
Shortly after, Cooper and a group of Whistler B.C. residents raised the money required to sponsor him, and set him up with a job and accommodations in Whistler. [Source: CBC]

Al Kontar was granted Asylum in Canada and has landed safely in Vancouver, Canada in November 2018, thanks to the help of the exceptional Laurie Cooper, the amazing group of Whistler residents and the wonderful B.C. Muslim Association, who worked together to sponsor him and lobbied for months to get him to Canada.

I would like to clarify a very important point here; many Malaysians think that Al Kontar never thanked the Malaysian government for taking him in, and are accusing him of being ungrateful for not accepting to stay there and preferring to leave to Canada.
Al Kontar did in fact thank Malaysia for accepting him in when no other country did, and for providing him with a three month tourist visa, and offering him to stay in Malaysia under a local Syrian Refugee program, which is the maximum they could offer within their internal laws and regulations, as per Al Kontar. (a link to the video where he says that is provided in the comments, in Arabic).
But his decision is based on the fact that Malaysia is not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention nor its Protocol, and doesn’t have an asylum system regulating the status and rights of refugees. Accepting to stay without any legal or internationally recognized documentation means that Al Kontar will not be granted a legal work permit and will not be able to legally travel or leave Malaysia for the rest of his life, which is not the freedom he was seeking. So it’s all about the lack of a legal protection framework and the weakness of the administrative structure for asylum being currently provided, and nothing to do with the lovely Malaysian people or their hospitality. It’s as simple as that.
And here’s a beautiful, non-biased and very objective explanation to why Al Kontar came to this decision.

Welcome to Canada Hassan Al Kontar.

 

September 25 2018

The Man with the Flyers

Last week, on my way out for an appointment, I heard a sound of paper shuffling from the house next door.
I took a quick look and saw the back of a man, elegantly dressed, holding a stack of what looked like flyers, and was waiting for someone to answer the door.

Since I was in a rush, and since it was really really hot that day, I tried to quickly sneak into the car without him noticing me, because the last thing I wanted was to listen to a marketing person endlessly brag about some product or service, or to answer an infinite number of questions of a boring survey.

But the minute I pressed the “unlock” button, the man turned to me, with the biggest, warmest and friendliest smile ever, that I couldn’t even get upset he saw me.
He looked so familiar for some reason.
” I don’t think there’s anyone in there” he said, looking at the neighbors’ door.
“I think they’re out” I replied, still trying to figure where I’d seen his face.
“Yeah, most people work these days and come home late” he commented, while trying to hang a flyer on the neighbor’s door.
I was still trying to squeeze that brain of mine in search of an answer.
“Well, since you’re heading out, would you mind if I gave you this, instead of leaving it at your doorstep?” he asked, “yes, sure” I replied, and started walking towards him.
He gently  walked down the stairs, towards me, with that big smile still on his face, and handed me a flyer.
One look at the flyer, and my face turned all red, I was so embarrassed for not recognizing him right away, but in my defense, it’s not every day that a Regional Councillor shows up in front of you out of nowhere!
As it turns out, I was talking to The Allan Elgar, Ward 4 Regional and Town Councillor… no wonder his face looked so familiar.

I was so happy and proud to be standing next to him, talking to him as if he was my neighbor, someone I’d known for a while.
After a very brief and general conversation, in which he didn’t try to know who I was going to vote for, and didn’t even try to win my vote, I wished him good luck, and watched him walk away to hand-deliver the rest of the election flyers… by himself, with no helpers, no security, no fancy cars or anything. (Respect…)

Allan Elgar’s achievements in the region are very well known, and are more than enough a reason to re-elect him, but the fact that I got a chance to have this quick chat with him, see how comfortable he is to talk to, how humble and down-to-earth he actually is, made it even easier for me to have no doubts in voting for  him.

Mr. Elgar, you’re such an impressive individual, it was a pleasure talking to you in person, and I wish you the best of luck in the upcoming elections.

June 26 2018

My Heart… On a Plate

This year I got the most beautiful Mother’s Day treat ever: a bouquet of stunning Tulips, my absolute favorite, and a very yummy, freshly made breakfast.
That would’ve been more than enough to make me very happy, but there was a very lovely surprise waiting for me.

Later that day an amazon package with my name on it was delivered to our doorstep.
You know that moment when you’re sure you didn’t order anything but you start doubting yourself and questioning your memory?
Well, after  a few attempts at guessing what’s in the box, I finally opened it, and in it was a gift note from my husband, wishing me a Happy Mother’s Day.
I peeked in to find a very special gift that made my day even more beautiful; a gift that checks four boxes of things I absolutely love: books, food, influential people and… (drum roll)… Palestine.
It was a cookbook about delicious Palestinian dishes by a person I really really admire.

The book is “Palestine on a Plate” by the awesome Joudie Kalla.

I’ve been wanting to get my hands on this book for a very long while, but swamped with a series of many unfortunate events, I just forgot all about it.
I’d never expected, in a million years, that my husband would be the one to get it for me, because I recall mentioning it to him only once, a long while back, and well, because I know for a fact he’s not into cookbooks. 😉

Where do I start?
I love this mouthwatering book, love its hard elegant cover, love the design, photos, the choice of colors, plates and cutlery. You can sense the book’s originality and creative style in every single bit of it really, even in the dish names.
I absolutely love how chef and author Joudie Kalla made sure to provide the Arabic dish names before their English translation.
I also found it very unusual for a cook to name many dishes after people who passed on the recipe, which adds a very pleasant personal and original touch in my opinion; and I like it because this is very much how my mom does it; in her small recipe book, you’d find many recipes named after their creators not the dish itself, and I find this very impressive, reflecting a very strong personality and a sense of confidence many women lack.
I mean how many women would actually tell you, that the meal you just went crazy over was not their original recipe? not so many, but a few including my mom (me and my two lovely sisters), and Joudie Kalla would.

The dishes themselves are fantastic, each page I turned took me to places and times I long for.
And although the same dish has many versions depending on what region of Palestine you’re from, which means different cooking techniques and slightly different flavors, but all resulting dishes are scrumptious and carry this distinctive Palestinian touch that makes every single dish stand out in a special way. So even if the recipe on the book differs from how you’re used  to making it yourself, don’t be afraid to try it out.

Another thing I absolutely adored was Kalla’s original Palestinian- Western fusion dishes, such as: ‘Figs with Labneh & Honey’, ‘Za’atar Scones’, ‘Freekeh, Fig & Pistachio Cake with Lemon Zest’ and ‘Medjool Date Scones’ to name a few.
And needless to say, my absolute favorite section was the “Vibrant Vegetarian”, which is really an amazing display of the best and most delicious Palestinian Vegetarian _and Vegan_ dishes that made their way to many other cultures, and that, to me, resemble vegetarian cooking at its absolute best.

Besides all of this, I couldn’t have picked a more perfect timing for this gift, for there’s no better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than being immersed in pages of meals from your home country, not only that, but it also happened to be a few days before the start of Ramadan, a month that brings the best out of people’s culinary skills (and their experimental urges) in creating the perfect meals to gather loved ones for breaking fast; it was also a couple of days before the Palestinian Nakba Day, and what better way to commemorate a culture than reviving its heritage and its cuisine that’s being robbed away by its occupier.

As for the author, I’m one of her biggest fans. I’ve been following her on social media for years now, sharing her videos and tweets, and I’m just impressed with her pride in her Palestinian descent and identity, and her persistence to preserve the Palestinian cuisine, heritage and culture.
From insisting on publishing a book with the word “Palestine” in its title, to hosting public dinners showcasing Palestinian culinary masterpieces, to never failing to mention her love for the Palestine that runs in her blood, Kalla succeeded in planting her name, her work and her beautiful spirit not only in our kitchens, but also in our hearts.

I love “Palestine on a Plate”, and highly recommend buying it. An awesome gift idea, and a great way to treat yourself, while supporting Palestine and reserving its culture and cuisine.

It is worth mentioning that Kalla is expecting the release of her second ccokbook BALADI: A Celebration of Food from Land and Sea, in October 2018.