January 20, 2011
Knowing your children attend a good school. Â Earning a salary that allows you to save money for the future. Â Going on a summer vacation, maybe traveling abroad. Â Making dinner in a cozy home with abundant choices from the grocery store, choices that allow you to be vegetarian or vegan if you wish. Â Being able to […]
January 20, 2011
I’ve lived in the Holy Land for the last seven months. This is my last week in Bethlehem before I head to India for a month, so I’ve been taking care of business. My apartment is nearly packed up: a pile of donations, a pile to leave with friends and a pile to take with […]
Tags: Arabic language,
Bethlehem,
hammam,
Israel,
Jordanian Consulate in Ramallah,
Middle East,
Mondoweiss,
Nablus,
Palestine,
Stories from the Holy Land,
West Bank
January 10, 2011
Today I took a walk through a friend’s village near Bethlehem. The sky was blue and spotted with clouds. It was chilly but the sun peaked through with surprising radiance. First, he (let’s call him Ahmed) showed me a 4×4 inch cement track that follows one entire length of the village, coming within yards of […]
December 19, 2010
Published in The Nation Christopher Hayes | October 14, 2010 Hebron The first thing you notice when you drive into Hebron is the lack of cars. Since 1997 this second-largest Palestinian city in the West Bank, the only one with an Israeli settlement in its midst, has been formally divided. Within the Israeli section, which […]
December 6, 2010
This week, Christmas stores have popped up throughout Bethlehem. My favorite Christmas goodies 1. Â Para-gliding, blow-up Santa 2. Â Mix-CD of Arabic and international Christmas tunes, homemade by the shopkeeper himself and on sale for $3. 3. Â A tree that showers itself with fake snow. Christmas cheer! The city is covered in Christmas lights, from lamp […]
November 16, 2010
Ever wonder how olives are turned into olive oil soap, or olive oil for that matter? Â Watch this video for a quick tour of an olive oil press and an olive oil soap factory in a small town in northern West Bank. If you live in Chicago, visit the Fair Trade Bazaar at Lake View […]
November 7, 2010
BY: AMJAD M. DWIKAT Amjad is a mechanical engineering student at An Najah University. Â This is the first solo video project for Amjad, who is hoping to combine his engineering work with his interests in the media and the environment. Â He plans to continue his education after a few years of work.
November 1, 2010
During a trip to Jordan and Egypt this past month, I remembered a few tips that make traveling, especially in developing countries, much easier. 10. Learn some of the local language. “Hi, how are you,†are a great start. Knowing numbers and how to say “where is†will prove abundantly useful. 9. Be ready for […]
October 30, 2010
Warm, gooey kunafeh, an expansive new university campus and a vibrant Old City.
October 3, 2010
I spent many Sundays in Zababdeh since July 2010, celebrating with Fr. Firas and his congregation at St. George Melkite Church. Â Though the services were in Arabic, a few things were still familiar: the rhythm of prayers, the passing of peace and the children staying occupied by giggling and playing games in the back of […]