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PAST EVENTS . . . . . . . .

TUESDAY NOV. 27: Channel 11’s new documentary, “The Foods of Chicago: A Delicious History” is premiering Tuesday, November 27th at 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm. You can watch a preview of the Italian segment of the show here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFcfIJtEDcM

Or for more information about the show, you can go to the WTTW Channel 11 website at:
www.wttw.com/foodsofchicago

The segment includes a special focus on Arabian food, and interview with Ray Hanania and Steve Adawi of Steve's Shish Kabob House in Palos Hills (formerly of Chicago on 63rd Street.)

October 24, 2007, Wednesday (Orland Park Library) Room 104
Israeli & Palestinian discuss The Challenges of the Negev Desert
BUSTAN is a partnership of Jewish and Arab eco-builders, architects, academics, and farmers promoting social and environmental justice in Israel/Palestine. BUSTAN cultivates sustainable models to effect change by combining advocacy and in-depth political analysis with strategic action. BUSTAN utilizes the principles of permaculture and non-violent direct action across ethnic divides.

Two guest speakers, Devorah Brous and Ra'ed Almikawi will discuss the political ecology of the Negev, and help us recognize what is 'unrecognized' this marginalized part of Israel - an area populated by Jews and Bedouin. How are "environmentally-conscious" development projects to remap the blueprint of the Israel's "Last Frontier" irreversibly impacting landscape and ancient desert cultures? What can we do to catalyze and steward a healthy and sustainable connection with the Land, and all of its people? Come and learn about BUSTAN, engaged as a vanguard of small-scale, local efforts to root social change.  BUSTAN is a partnership of Jewish and Arab eco-builders, architects, academics, and farmers promoting social and environmental justice in Israel/Palestine. BUSTAN cultivates models of sustainable resource use and combines in-depth political analysis with strategic action. BUSTAN utilizes the principles of permaculture and non-violent direct action across ethnic divides.

Devorah Brous — Founder, BUSTAN

An American-Israeli, Brous graduated from the University of Vermont, and moved to Israel in 1993. She has spent the past 14 years catalyzing projects and designing, and running campaigns in Israel and the Occupied Territories to promote social and environmental justice. Devorah holds 2 masters degrees in Israel Studies and Peace/Conflict Studies, with a concentration in conflict transformation. In 1999, she founded BUSTAN. Brous is a writer, and an internationally-renowned speaker on the conflict between Israel and the Bedouin; Greenwashing; and the political and strategic aspects of environmental policies in the region.

Ra'ed Almickawi - Director, BUSTAN
Ra'ed was born and raised in the government planned township of Tel Sheva in the Negev. Ra'ed's background is in filmmaking and journalism, which he studied in the Television Journalism department of Sapir Academic College in the Negev. He worked for six years in television production, advertising, and corporate branding and image development. In 2006, Ra'ed returned to Sapir Academic College to study cinema, and in 2007 he established the revolutionary internet-based television station Naqab.tv. He ran Naqab.tv as a part of Sendyan Public Relations, a company he founded with his brother. It was through developing news stories about BUSTAN that Ra'ed encountered BUSTAN. He is excited about this opportunity to merge his expertise in filmmaking and journalism with community building and social justice activism through BUSTAN. Ra'ed lives in Tel Sheva with his family.

October 4-7, 2007, Washington DC
Society of Professional Journalism - Arab Journalists
Join the SPJ as a professional journalist and participate at the SPJ ANnual Convention in October in Washington D.C. and make a difference in how the media covers issues. The SPJ now hosts the NAAJA and the new SPJ-Arab Journalists Section. Watch for more details here and at www.NAAJA-US.com

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September 26, 2007, Wednesday (Orland Park Library) Room 104
Secrets of the Souq of the Old City of Jerusalem
Arabian Club of Orland Park & Tinley Park
A video, pictoral and narrative discussion on the Souq (souk, market, bazaar) of the Old City of East Jerusalem.

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September 15, 2007, Saturday (Orland Park Library)
Orland Park Author's Fair
Arabian Club of Orland Park & Tinley Park
Meet Arab American and other ethnic authors showcase and discuss their books. 11 - 3 PM

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August 3 - 5, 2007, Miami
"AAJA Convention" -- National Convention/registration required
View a complete schedule by visiting and joining AAJA at www.AAJA.org. NAAJA will be participating in panel discussions during the program representing Arab American journalists.

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August 28, 2007, Tuesday, Orland Park Library
Arabs of Chicagoland & the Southwest Suburbs
Arabian Club of Orland Park & Tinley Park
6 PM - 8:30 PM
Review the history of Arab American settlement in Chicagoland and the Southwest suburbs with author and columnist Ray Hanania and newspaper publisher Mansour Tadros. Based on the book Arabs of Chicagoland (Aracadia Publishing 2005). Get online info on history of Arabs in Chicagoland?

View/download Flyer?

"Breaking Barriers Building Bridges" -- Panel Discussion
Thursday, May 31, 2007, 10 AM, Chicago
A panel discussion hosted by the Chicago Bar Association, ABA Committee on Racial & Ethnic Diversity. Examines the balance between culture images and sensitivities and the First Amendment in the media and minority communities. The session involves the general topic of the degree to which the press should or should not accommodate the sensitivities of racial, ethnic and religious minorities in news reporting, and uses as a launch point the controversy over publication of the cartoons concerning the Prophet Mohammed. 

Get more information?

Tuesday, April 24, 2007, 7 PM MOVIE START
REEL BAD ARABS -- Movie screening (60 minutes)
A look at the history of bigotry in Hollywood against Arabs and Muslims in the making of films.
Bridgeview Community Center
7901 S. Oketo, (2 blocks west of Harlem Ave)
Bridgeview
for Info: email Ray Hanania at rayhanania@comcast.net

  September 26, Tuesday:   MOVIE  

ON NATIVE SOIL, a film on the 9/11 Commission that explores the failure of the Bush and Clinton Administration to properly respond to the terrorist threat. It cuts through the lies about 9/11, not about conspiracy theories. Truthful exposure of how Bush's administration failed and lied.

  August 29, 2006 Tuesday:    MUSICAL PERFORMANCE  

More than 250 people attended the Heritage Renaissance Enterprise, Southwest ArabAmerican Coalition & The Future News Newspaper evening of genuine Arabic Music ... “When the Oud meets the Violin” ... Featuring violinist Anton Shamoun, Oud virtuoso Sakher Hattar and singer Mary Hazboun and the Tagareed Group.

Bridgeview Community Center, 7901 S. Oketo Ave., Bridgeview IL 60455

View Online Interview with and performance by Sakher Hattar?

  June 27, 2006Tuesday:   MOVIE: Jenin, Jenin  

Doors open at 6:30. Movie begins at 7 PM, followed by community discussion. English and Arabic with English subtitles. 1 hour. Bridgeview Community Center, 7901 S. Oketo Ave., Bridgeview ... They said there was no massacre, "only" 60 Palestinians, they insist, were killed. But the truth is harsher than the Israeli lieas. Hundreds were massacred. Men between the ages of 15 and 55 were forced to come out of their homes with their hands up, shackled and placed in concentration camps. Israeli soldiers placed tatoo numbers on their foreheads, reminiscent of uglier times. Watch the real videos of the battles and hear the people of Jenin tell the story that the UN Investigation never uncovered.

  MAY 23, 2006 Tuesday:   
  MOVIE: Divine Intervention  

Doors Open 6:30 PM. Bridgeview Community Center, 7901 S. Oketo Ave, Bridgeview. Movie and discussion. Open to the public. Film is 90 minutes in length, English. ... Divine Intervention is a Palestinian film about two people who are in love and have to overcome the brutality of the Israeli occupation to continue their relationship.

  April 25, 2006 Tuesday:     MOVIE -- "WEST BANK STORY"  

Doors Open 6:30 PM. Bridgeview Community Center, 7901 S. Oketo Ave, Bridgeview. Movie and discussion. Open to the public.

West Bank Story is an Israeli film that lampoons the conflict, depicting a Palestinian Hummus Hut owner battling with his neighbor and Israeli Falafel King owner over who dominates the Falafel business. Musical. Comical. Based on West Side Story.

MARCH 28 , 2006 Tuesday:    MOVIE  

PARADISE NOW -- A film by HANY ABU-ASSAD. The film portrays two Palestinians victimized by the brutal Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem and how they are pushed to fight back. They consider accepting recruitment to perform a "suicide bombing," one of the worst forms of violence. But fate has other plans. More than 350 people attended this screening and applauded the film when it was completed. Also, the audience was urged to break the anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias of American society and urge their local video stores to carry and rent the film. (32 stores have since added Paradise Now to their shelves as a result of phone calls. Make a difference. If Paradise Now is NOT at your local video store, speak with the manager. If they refuse to stock the film, then tell them you will not patronize their store and urge others to boycott the store, too.

It's about FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION -- remember, the Freedom that many claimed was being denied when Muslims protested the heinous anti-Muhammed cartoons in the racist Danish Newspaper.

FEB. 21, 2006 Tuesday:    PANEL DISCUSSION 

MEET CHICAGOLAND'S ARAB AMERICAN NEWS MEDIA

A Panel discussion with publishers, editors and radio hosts from Chicago's Arab American News media.

Featuring the editors/publishers/writers of:

• The Future News, Shafiq al-Khalil and Mansour Tadros
• al-Offok al-Arabi, Kawthar Othman and Amani Ghouleh
• Arab Radio WCEV Saturday 1450 AM, Yusef Mare
• iFreelance writers including Caise Hasan
• Ray Hanania, host Comcast Cable TV's "30 Minutes"

The purpose of the meeting is to educate American officials on how they can reach our community, work with Arab American community organizations to help them publicize their events and activities, and also seek local writers and discuss ways to improve our community networking. More than a dozen elected officials attended the event to strike a blow against extremism in the Arab and Muslim community.

JAN. 27, Orland Park Civic Center FUNDRAISER for GHADA ELAYYAN
14750 Ravinia Orland ParkGhada Elayyan was murdered while working in her father's store in Robbin's on Friday Nov. 25, 2005. Her father, Fakri Elayyan, was seriously wounded in the chest during the assault that apparently began days earlier when the gunman got into an argument with Ghada, 27. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Ghada graduated with honors from Sandburg High school in Orland Park, where the family lives, and later graduated with honors from Robert Morris College only a week before the shooting. Her father, who is from Palestine, had run the store for more than 18 years and was respected by his customers the community there.

On Friday, January 27, Ghada's classmates and teachers at Robert Morris College, will be hosting a fundraiser beginning at 6:30 PM at the Orland Park Civic Center, 14750 Ravinia Ave (just west of 147th and South LaGrange Road) in Orland Park. The evening will feature food and entertainment. Among the entertainment will be Ray Hanania performing standup comedy as a donation. Funds will go towards a Scholarship Fund in Ghada's name at the Robert Morris College to help other Arab Americans who attend the business school.

  Jan. 24, 2006 Tuesday:     MOVIE -- AND DISCUSSION
6:30 PM, Bridgeview Community Center, 7901 S. Oketo Ave, BridgeviewDiscussion led by Dr. Hatem Galal on the history of Chicagoland's Arab American community, and film follow-up.

Dec. 5, 2005: Monday: Appeal your property taxes
7 PM, Bridgeview Community CenterBoard of Tax Appeals Commissioner Larry Rogers will host a workshop to discuss appealing your rising property taxes on your homes or properties.The County Tax Appeals board has a procedure that can reduce your annual taxes, and thereby reduce your mortgage payments, significantly.Join us at this Free Workshop

PLEASE BRING YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILLS WITH.

Nov. 22, 2005: Tuesday
The Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown is hosting an Arab American celebration.

Nov. 19, 2005 Saturday
National Arab American Medical Association DinnerAnnual fundraising dinner at the Burr Ridge Marriott. 6 PM. The tickets are $100 (Arabian music and Comedy performance by Ray Hanania)Visit www.naama-il.com

Nov. 2,  2005: Wednesday: Meeting with Chicago FBI Director Robert Grant and US Attorney Fitzgerald (Sergio Costas), and Carol Hallstrom of the Department of Homeland Security. Members of the SWAC and invited guests only.OCT. 14: Iftar Meeting to discuss meeting planning and goals

Sept. 27, 2005: : The Arabian Dream, screening. A film by award winning Detroit filmmaker Neal AbuNab Watch the film and discuss the movie with filmmaker Neal AbuNab. Refreshments and Arabian food. (Article in the Southwest News-Herald published)