11-15-09 My candidacy for president of Palestine is a campaign for peace
My candidacy for president of Palestine is a campaign for peace
By Ray Hanania -- In 33 years of political journalism and election campaigning in America, I’ve learned that no one can predict an election outcome. Surprising things that people did not expect usually happens. And longshots with no hope of winning oftentimes do win. So with all that in mind, I am announcing my candidacy for President of Palestine. Read more »
09-09-09 OktoberFest in Taybeh Palestine with first Rock Rap Band in palestine
Oktoberfest with First Rock Rap Band in Palestine
Maria C. Khoury, Ed. D. — What more extraordinary event can one imagine in a small ancient village than the collaboration of the Finest in the Middle East with the first rock rap band in Palestine? The Taybeh Oktoberfest, October 3 and 4, 2009 in Taybeh-Ramallah, will have some traditional happenings and certainly some revolutionary happenings. On Saturday night, 9 pm, is when CultureShoc “will be rocking Taybeh with music styles that go beyond the norm in the Palestinian music scene and following the Holy month of Ramadan releasing songs on radio,” said lead Rapper, Suleiman Harb. Read more »
09-01-09 Gilad Shalit in the Arab media
Gilad Shalit in the Arab media
By Ali Younes – Every time I read and watch how Arab media outlets cover the story of prisoner’s exchange of the Israeli solider Gilad Shalit and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, I come to think how Arab media have fallen victims to Israeli PR machine (propaganda). There are several issues at play here when covering this story. Note that Gilad Shalit is always mentioned by name, I know his name, you do, and maybe my grandmother knows his name too! Read more »
08-29-08 OctoberFest in Taybeh, Palestine
Oktoberfest in Palestine
By Maria C. Khoury, Ed. D. – During the 5th Annual Taybeh Oktoberfest, 3 and 4 October 2009, the Taybeh Beer tour is surely to be popular. Amazingly, people from all over the world somehow discover Taybeh and actually visit without having been enticed by major advertisements. Taybeh Beer tours are given daily but even when the brewery is closed on Sundays, if a family member is available, the brewery is immediately opened when we see visitors outside our kitchen window since we live with the famous beer in the Middle East. Read more »
08-19-09 Taybeh water blocked and re-routed to Israeli settlers
No Water in the Village
Maria C. Khoury, Ed. D. — Today is indeed another very holy day in the Christian world especially remembering the Holy Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, where the Orthodox Church in the Holy Land will celebrate this particular feast thirteen days from now on the old Julian calendar. I am sending my sincere good wishes to all who honor this special day. It’s good it was not a church day for me since I did not even have a drop of water to brush my teeth never mind take a shower. Read more »
08-05-09 Holy Days in Holy Land turning into fury
Holy Days Turning into Fury
Maria C. Khoury, Ed. D. — It is such a special month in the Holy Land especially for the Orthodox Church, although we start the fast thirteen days later, we turn our eyes and heart onto honoring the Most Holy Mother of God in this special 14 day Dormition Fast. Read more »
06-18-09 Arab Labor: Using humor in Israeli sitcom to change perceptions of Arab citizens
Arab Labor: A humorous sitcom that turns tragedy into understanding
By Ray Hanania — The life of an Arab citizen is anything but funny. Just ask my relatives who live in several Israeli cities. Non-Jews in a Jewish world caught on the edge of the wall that separates Palestinians from Israelis. Yet, that’s exactly the premise of a sitcom that was a hit last year and is in its second season on Israeli TV called “Arab Labor.” Read more »
06-06-09 Obama’s New beginnings for everyone-Comic Strip
06-06-09 Obama Offers new beginnings, for everyone Comic Strip
Shades of Gray: Ray Hanania’s World Comic Strip June 6, 2009, on Middle East (me) and also American politics (dom). President Barack Obama promised the Arab and Muslim World a new beginning, much to the chagrin of the extremists in Israel and some in his administration. Permission granted to republish with attribution.
www.professivecomicstrips.blogspot.com
06-05-09 Analysis of President Obama’s Powerful speech
Observations on President Obama’s Speech in Cairo
By Ray Hanania – Much was made of President Barack Obama’s speech Thursday morning (CST) to the “Muslim World.” The speech was inspiring. I listened to Obama as his speech was broadcast by an Arab television station and also to the reaction of Arabs throughout the Middle East. I subscribe to the Arab World TV systems using a neat little cable package called “Talfazat” through NeuLion Media that requires no satellite dish and uses an Internet box that connects to my TV and Internet. (Check it out at Talfazat.com. It’s under $30 a month and you can watch Al-Jazeera English while trying to learn Arabic.) Read more »
05-10-09 May in Taybeh Palestine
May in the Holy Land
Maria C. Khoury, Ed. D. – In this month of May, it was suppose to be my husband’s last month finishing his four year term as Mayor of Taybeh. And, it was suppose to be my last month of serving coffee and tea to everyone I know. Although the service sometimes is to high profile visitors like the Ambassador of Sri Lanka yesterday. However, Hamas and Fatah do not seem to be anywhere nears a unity government so the national elections in Palestine have been postponed. All local government positions have been extended until December 2009 hoping these political parties can agree to something. I hate to be a person who lacks optimism since I place all my hope in Christ but sometimes, I feel, it will take a miracle to bring change to our extra depressed conditions. And, forgiveness and reconciliation do not seem to be in the vocabulary of any political party in Israel and/or Palestine. Read more »
Our Syndicated Columnists
RAY HANANIA is a syndicated columnist. His columns appear in numerous publications including the Jerusalem Post, the Arab News, the Arab American News, the Southwest News Herald and more. Hanania is the publisher of the National Arab American Times Newspaper. Named Best Ethnic American Columnist for 2007 by the New America Media, and the 2009 Mehdi Courage in Journalism Awardee, Hanania hosts a morning Radio Show of Radio Chicagoland, in Chicago (Mon-Fri, 8-9:30 am) on WJJG 1530 AM Radio. He is an internationally acclaimed standup comedian, author of the humor book Ya Habibi, and pens the Comic Strip called Shades of Gray. View his complete Bio?
ALI YOUNES is an award winning, veteran journalist and columnist. He is an expert on the Arabic language. Managing Editor of The Arab Desk web site, Ali's columns appear in newspapers across the country. He is a 2002 recipient of the National Arab American Journalists Association Excellence in Writing Award.
ANISA MEHDI is an Emmy Award-winning journalist specializing in religion, the arts, and people. For over 20 years she has reported, written, directed and produced television news and documentary programs for major American media outlets, including National Geographic, PBS, ABC News, and CBS. Her commentaries have been heard on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Ms. Mehdi is founder and president of Whetstone Productions, a New Jersey-based production and consulting company. She is adjunct Professor of Communications at Seton Hall University. She writes a twice weekly for the Newark Star-Ledger Newspaper blog. View her complete Bio?
Click here to Read Anisa's Blog
SAFFIYA SHILLO is a peace activist, communications specialist and community editor for the National Arab American Times Newspaper. Ms. Shillo serves as a Board Member of the Palestinian American Women's Society. Her activism is extensive, having served as the former President of the Palestinian American Congress-Chicago Chapter, as a National Board member of the American Task Force on Palestine, and as Director of the Arab American Institute's Chicago office. Active in Jewish/Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, Ms. Shillo gives presentations to national organizations on strategies and methods to achieve peace through dialogue. Ms. Shillo also served as Director of Ethnic Affairs for the State of Illinois' Office of Lieutenant Governor, and worked as a domestic violence/sexual assault counselor serving Chicago's Arab community. She can be reached at smshillo@yahoo.com
MARIA KOUREMENOU KHOURY
Guest Columnist
is the author of Witness in the Holy Land, reflecting her personal experience living under the Israeli Occupation with husband, the honorable Mayor David C. Khoury, and their three children. Her articles bringing awareness of the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the plight of the Palestinians have been published worldwide in numerous newspapers and translated to various languages. Maria is a graduate of Hellenic College, Harvard University and Boston University with a doctor of education degree. Born in Tripoli, Greece, she was raised in Denver, Colorado. Contact Maria at: Khourymaria@hotmail.com. Her guest columns appear occasionally.
ALADDIN ELAASAR is an award winning Arab American journalist and author of several books including Silent Victims: The plight of Arabs and Muslims in Post 9/11 America. Elaasar is also a member of the National Arab American Journalists Association. Email him at omaraladin@aol.com. His latest book is The Last Pharoah: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the MidEast.
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Books & author products
HANANIA'S PODCAST INTERVIEWS ON MIDDLE EASTERN TOPICS>
Click to Go to Ray Hanania's Middle East Podcast Interviews?. Ray conducts interviews on Middle East and Arab topics that are podcast through iTunes and by the National Arab American Times Newspaper at www.AATimesNews.com.
Veteran Award winning reporter Ray Hanania shares the secrets he learned from 32-plus years of frontline journalism to you can create an internet network that will allow you to side step the biases, challenges and failings of the mainstream American News media. Set up an effective New Media Internet Network bringing together web sites, blogs, social media, and create a strategy that delivers your message, product and opinion to the largest possible public audience. $34.95. 238 Pages.
ANISA MEHDI'S DOCUMENTARY
More than 2.5 million Muslims from across the globe embark on a Hajj and converge on Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to ask pardon for their sins and renew their spiritual commitment though a elaborate series of ancient rites and rituals. And it's not optional - every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able to do so is expected to make the hajj at least once in his or her lifetime. Despite the enormity of this annual pilgrimage, it has seldom been witnessed by outsiders, as Mecca is strictly off-limits to non-Muslims. Now, with unprecedented access to Islam's holiest city, National Geographic takes the spiritual journey of a lifetime, following three Muslims from very different backgrounds - an executive from Malaysia, a radio evangelist from South Africa, and a blond-haired, blue-eyed professor from Texas - as they take part in an epic five-day quest for salvation.
ARABS OF CHICAGOLAND
Arabs first settled in Chicagoland in the mid-19th century, when immigrants from all parts of the world were flowing steadily into the U.S. As tensions in the Arab world flared, immigration increased—the first to arrive were Lebanese Christians, followed by Muslim Palestinians. Today, there are more than 250,000 Arabs in the Chicago area, with equal numbers of Christians and Muslims. A part of the fabric of Chicago, Arabs serve in many roles, from business leaders to elected officials to judges, doctors, engineers, journalists, and more. In the wake of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Arab Americans have come under great scrutiny and have suffered much misunderstanding. Now, this book, which explores their integral role in Chicagoland’s growth, is especially important.
RAY HANANIA'S HUMOR BOOK
A collection of essays on the experiences growing up Arab and Palestinian living in a Jewish community in America on Chicago's South Side. Includes humor and anecdotal stories along with serious topic discussion. The first book to detail Arab American life first published in the United States in 1996. This 2nd Edition is published in 2007.
ARAB AMERICAN MEDIA DIRECTORY
The ONLY directory of Arab American ethnic media -- newspapers, radio and TV. Plus organizations and religious institutions and more. Only $35 in PDF Format
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