Author Archives: Arab America

The relationship between the United States and longtime ally Israel are at a historic low point following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious speech to Congress and the revelation that …

Source: mondoweiss.net

1. What is this day called?
The day is called both “Palm Sunday” and “Passion Sunday.”

The first name comes from the fact that it commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when the crowd had palm branches (John 12:13).

The second name comes from the fact that the narrative of the Passion is read on this Sunday (it otherwise wouldn’t be read on a Sunday, since the next Sunday is about the Resurrection).

According to the main document on the celebration of the feasts connected with Easter, Paschales Solemnitatis:

Holy Week begins on “Passion (or Palm) Sunday” which joins the foretelling of Christ’s regal triumph and the proclamation of the passion. The connection between both aspects of the Paschal Mystery should be shown and explained in the celebration and catechesis of this day.

 

2. One of the notable features of this day is a procession before Mass. Why do we do this and how is it supposed to work?
According to Paschales Solemnitatis:

The commemoration of the entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem has, according to ancient custom, been celebrated with a solemn procession, in which the faithful in song and gesture imitate the Hebrew children who went to meet the Lord singing “Hosanna.”

The procession may take place only once, before the Mass which has the largest attendance, even if this should be in the evening either of Saturday or Sunday. The congregation should assemble in a secondary church or chapel or in some other suitable place distinct from the church to which the procession will move. . . .

The palms or branches are blessed so that they can be carried in the procession. The palms should be taken home where they will serve as a reminder of the victory of Christ be given which they celebrated in the procession.

 

3. Are we only supposed to use palms? What if you don’t have palms where you live?
It is not necessary that palm branches be used in the procession. Other forms of greenery can also be used.

According to the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy:

The procession, commemorating Christ’s messianic entry into Jerusalem, is joyous and popular in character. The faithful usually keep palm or olive branches, or other greenery which have been blessed on Palm Sunday in their homes or in their work places.

 

4. Should any instruction be given to the faithful?
According to the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy:

The faithful, however, should be instructed as to the meaning of this celebration so that they might grasp its significance.

They should be opportunely reminded that the important thing is participation at the procession and not only the obtaining of palm or olive branches.

Palms or olive branches should not be kept as amulets, or for therapeutic or magical reasons to dispel evil spirits or to prevent the damage these cause in the fields or in the homes, all of which can assume a certain superstitious guise.

Palms and olive branches are kept in the home as a witness to faith in Jesus Christ, the messianic king, and in his Paschal Victory.

 

5. What was Jesus doing at the Triumphal Entry?
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI explains:

Jesus claims the right of kings, known throughout antiquity, to requisition modes of transport.

The use of an animal on which no one had yet sat is a further pointer to the right of kings. Most striking, though, are the Old Testament allusions that give a deeper meaning to the whole episode. . . .

For now let us note this: Jesus is indeed making a royal claim. He wants his path and his action to be understood in terms of Old Testament promises that are fulfilled in his person. . . .

At the same time, through this anchoring of the text in Zechariah 9:9, a “Zealot” exegesis of the kingdom is excluded: Jesus is not building on violence; he is not instigating a military revolt against Rome. His power is of another kind: it is in God’s poverty, God’s peace, that he identifies the only power that can redeem [Jesus of Nazareth, vol. 2].

 

6. What does the reaction of the crowd show?
It shows that they recognized him as their messianic king.

Benedict XVI notes:

The spreading out of garments likewise belongs to the tradition of Israelite kingship (cf. 2 Kings 9:13). What the disciples do is a gesture of enthronement in the tradition of the Davidic kingship, and it points to the Messianic hope that grew out of the Davidic tradition.

The pilgrims who came to Jerusalem with Jesus are caught up in the disciples’ enthusiasm. They now spread their garments on the street along which Jesus passes.

They pluck branches from the trees and cry out verses from Psalm 118, words of blessing from Israel’s pilgrim liturgy, which on their lips become a Messianic proclamation: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mk 11:9–10; cf. Ps 118:26).

 

 
7. What does the word “Hosanna” mean?
Benedict XVI explains: 
Originally this was a word of urgent supplication, meaning something like: Come to our aid! The priests would repeat it in a monotone on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, while processing seven times around the altar of sacrifice, as an urgent prayer for rain.

But as the Feast of Tabernacles gradually changed from a feast of petition into one of praise, so too the cry for help turned more and more into a shout of jubilation.

By the time of Jesus, the word had also acquired Messianic overtones. In the Hosanna acclamation, then, we find an expression of the complex emotions of the pilgrims accompanying Jesus and of his disciples: joyful praise of God at the moment of the processional entry, hope that the hour of the Messiah had arrived, and at the same time a prayer that the Davidic kingship and hence God’s kingship over Israel would be reestablished.

 

8. Is the same crowd that cheered Jesus’ arrival the one that demanded his crucifixion just a few days later?
Benedict XVI argues that it was not:

All three Synoptic Gospels, as well as Saint John, make it very clear that the scene of Messianic homage to Jesus was played out on his entry into the city and that those taking part were not the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but the crowds who accompanied Jesus and entered the Holy City with him.

This point is made most clearly in Matthew’s account through the passage immediately following the Hosanna to Jesus, Son of David: “When he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying: Who is this? And the crowds said: This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee” (Mt 21:10–11). . . .

People had heard of the prophet from Nazareth, but he did not appear to have any importance for Jerusalem, and the people there did not know him.

The crowd that paid homage to Jesus at the gateway to the city was not the same crowd that later demanded his crucifixion.

 

9. This brings us to the Passion Narrative recorded in the Gospel. How is this to be read at Mass?
According to Paschales Solemnitatis:

33. The passion narrative occupies a special place. It should be sung or read in the traditional way, that is, by three persons who take the parts of Christ, the narrator and the people. The passion is proclaimed by deacons or priests, or by lay readers. In the latter case, the part of Christ should be reserved to the priest.

The proclamation of the passion should be without candles and incense, the greeting and the signs of the cross are omitted; only a deacon asks for the blessing, as he does before the Gospel.

For the spiritual good of the faithful the passion should be proclaimed in its entirety, and the readings which precede it should not be omitted.

Source: www.ncregister.com

Nearly seven months after the end of the latest war in Gaza, none of the underlying causes of the conflict have been addressed. In the meantime, the people of Gaza are experiencing unprecedented levels of deprivation, and the prospect for renewed armed conflict is very real.

In June 2014, the Hamas-backed government in Gaza was dissolved, and a reunified Palestinian Authority cabinet was created under the leadership of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The international community reached a consensus, with tacit support from Israel, to empower this government to lead reconstruction in Gaza and, together with the United Nations, to track the delivery and use of building materials to address fears that cement and other supplies could be diverted to build tunnels into Israel.

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Unrecognized Games, an exhibition of photographs by artist Mohamed Badarne, will open in both Gaza and Haifa next week.

Although Badarne may not be able to visit his fellow Palestinians in Gaza, his images have been able to travel, showing viewers a little of the lives of children growing up in the so-called “unrecognized” Palestinian villages of the Naqab (Negev).

According to a statement by Badarne on the exhibition’s Facebook page, “the power of the show lies in the joy the children are capable of generating, despite the harsh conditions.” The exhibition will open on Monday (30 March), which is known as Land Day, a commemoration of when Israeli forces opened fire on a 1976 strike, killing six Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Source: electronicintifada.net

“There is a global conspiracy behind its disappearance.” This is a common justification reiterated by Egyptian industrialists and officials to explain the decline in the country’s cotton economy. Egypt was previously a world leader in cotton production, its economy based upon this sector, with cotton bringing in foreign currency, as it was considered the most valuable cotton in the textile industry.

Source: www.al-monitor.com

Caring for animals in the Gaza Strip took a wild turn last month when the owner of Fat’hi Zoo in the beleaguered city of Rafah sold two lion cubs to a family — in a nearby refugee camp.

The Jamal family, which named the cubs Bobbi and Max (female and male, respectively), is now the talk of the town, so to speak, in the crowded Al-Shabura refugee camp.

Locals say the cubs’ presence has elevated spirits in the camp — a welcome change for residents who have suffered eight years of a crippling economic blockade and a seemingly endless cycle of war with Israel.

“Our neighbors are so envious of us having them,” said Ibrahim al-Jamal, 18. “They always come to visit to play and take pictures with them.”

Saad al-Jamal, Ibrahim’s father, said he purchased the cubs for two reasons: His grandchildren were visiting the zoo every day to watch them play, and he wanted to support the cash-strapped zoo.

Source: america.aljazeera.com

Although intensive Middle East peace efforts by Secretary of State John F. Kerry have not produced an agreement, they have clarified the issues and still can produce significant dividends. His team of negotiators now is much more familiar with the complex disputes and obstacles to be overcome, as are the Israelis and Palestinians who have participated in the discussions.

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Can you imagine reading an editorial in a respected newspaper today discussing the rights of “Negroes” or “Chinamen”? Probably not. And yet, like other newspapers in this country, The Times continues to use the generic term “Arabs” or “Israeli Arabs” to refer to the Palestinians who live inside Israel, falsely distinguishing them from the Palestinians who live in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 or those who were driven into exile during the destruction of Palestine in 1948. 

Source: www.latimes.com

She thinks Hollywood is overlooking Arab women in films, and she’s on a mission to remedy that.

Hollywood star Salma Hayek-Pinault told Egyptian daily newspaper this week, Al-Masry Al-Youm, that the Arab woman is absent in foreign movies because filmmakers do not approach her in “fear of causing her problems or causing unintended humiliation.”

Filmmakers prefer to produce a film in which an Arab actor plays the villain rather than producing something with an Arab heroine, she said.

Source: english.alarabiya.net

The creamy and decadent taste of this Middle Eastern dip has become a healthy kitchen staple in the homes of millions of Americans. Hummus’s ingredients, including mashed chickpea, tahini, oil, lemon juice, and garlic, load the thick paste with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. The superfood is not only heart-healthy, it delivers a myriad of benefits for the mind, body, and soul.

In the U.S., hummus can be found in about 20 percent of the nation’s households, said Todd Scholz, of the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, with sales increased to $250 million in 2013. The rise in hummus is due to the varieties made available like lemon, roasted garlic, and roasted red pepper, and because of its multi-purpose use. The thick paste is used for sandwiches, smoothing over chicken or fish, and even baked potatoes. Its recurring role in American cuisine has made it become the equivalent of peanut butter.

Hummus’s primary ingredient, chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are what drive this dip into the kitchen of American homes. “These are protein-, fiber-rich legumes that have been linked to health benefits,” Sharon Palmer, a registered dietitian nutritionist in California, and author of Plant-Powered for Life, told Medical Daily in an email. “A high-fiber diet can help lower blood cholesterol levels, among other benefits, such as lowering heart disease risk, type 2 diabetes risk, and aiding in weight loss.”

See below for ways adding hummus to your diet can alleviate some of the most common health conditions that affect the human body.

1. Alleviates Anemia

Hummus primarily consists of chickpeas, which is a good vegetable-based source of iron. It also means one cup provides more than 25 percent of the recommended daily value. Shara Vickers, a nutritional health and fitness specialist in Nova Scotia, Canada, told Medical Daily in an email: “In addition, chickpeas contain a bit of vitamin C, which aids in the absorption of plant-based iron. This is how consuming chickpeas could benefit someone with anemia.”

2. Reduces Blood Clots

The consumption of hummus can lead to a reduction in blood clots. Lentils, which includes chickpeas, are vitamin E- and K-rich foods that have blood thinning properties and naturally help reduce the risk of blood clots. Vitamin K can prevent certain bleeding or blood clotting problems and also reverse the effects of too much warfarin — a blood thinning drug — to prevent blood clotting. A 2012 study published in the journal Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica found two different varieties of chickpeas are both effective at reducing inflammation markers.

3. Reduces Blood Sugar

Hummus is a complex carbohydrate that provides time released energy that won’t lead to a spike in blood sugar levels. It is full of protein that fills you up, Digesting and utilizing the glucose found in all beans and starches takes a while, which keeps blood sugar levels stable before they begin to drop again.

A 2012 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found diabetics who ate at least a cup of legumes for three months as part of their low glycemic index diet improved their glucose tolerance. This was linked to a reduction in the risk for coronary heart disease. Consumption of legumes, like chickpeas, are recommended for diabetics.

4. Reduces Cancer Risk

Hummus contains 36 percent of the suggested intake of folate in one cup. Foods rich in folate are associated with a lower risk of certain types of cancer like colorectal cancers, and they also lower the risk of heart disease. A 2007 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found folate could play a dual role in cancer development. It may provide protection early in carcinogenesis and individuals with a low folate status. However, it could also promote carcinogenesis if it’s administered later and potentially at high intakes. Folate in moderation may be beneficial, but not at exceedingly high levels.

5. Lowers Cholesterol

The daily consumption of hummus can help lower bad cholesterol. Chickpeas contain isoflavones, which are antioxidants known to lower cholesterol. A 2008 study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found people aged between 30 and 70, who were not in the best health, benefited from eating chickpeas every day for three years. This group consumed less fat and had a small reduction in cholesterol compared to the group who ate wheat products like bread and cereal for their daily fiber intake.

Dr. Barry Sears, a leading authority on dietary control of hormonal response in Marblehead, Mass., and author of The Zone told Medical Daily in an email: “Theoretically hummus alone has a reasonable protein-to-carbohydrate ratio that would help stabilize insulin levels.  It is elevated insulin that causes the liver to produce cholesterol.” However, he cautions that once you put hummus on a piece of bread, “all bets are off, since the carbohydrates in the bread will significantly stimulate insulin production because of the high-glycemic response of bread.”

6. Facilitates Weight Management

Hummus in moderation may be the superfood for a weight loss diet. Chickpeas are an excellent source of fiber, which not only helps build a healthy digestive system, but also makes you feel full and satisfied. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences found people who snack on hummus have a 53 percent lesser chance of being obese and are 51 percent less likely to have high blood sugar than those who don’t eat hummus. Moreover, their waist size was found to be more than 2 inches smaller on average.

Hummus contains 4 grams of protein per 100 grams, but if it’s added to a hard boiled egg white minus the yolk, the protein content is doubled. This has an impact on appetite suppression that leads to weight loss. “If fortified with additional protein, such as hardboiled egg whites, it will help reduce hunger and maintain muscle mass during weight loss,” Sears said.

Having hummus as part of your daily diet will help treat these conditions and keep you at optimal health.

Source: www.medicaldaily.com

Laila Sarkis, aka El Djette, stands on an elevated platform above the packed crowd of Club 27 in Beirut on a Friday night, with turntables at her fingertips and a computer on her right. She moves to the beat of easy listening, remixed from one side to the other, clearly in her element — as she should be, with 15 years of experience spinning tunes in Beirut’s bars and clubs.

Sarkis has female company in the nightlife scene now, but that was not always the case. When she started in 2000, she found herself an anomaly in what was traditionally a man’s world in Lebanon. Since then, the Lebanese DJ, who grew up in Nigeria and only planned to be here for two years and has stayed for 15, has helped push the music scene forward, perpetuating the recent rapid growth of women behind the decks.

“It was not easy. No DJ ever wanted to teach me. I used to really beg them. So I decided to make it a self-made thing. I bought my turntables, CD players and a mixer and I kept on training. Back then, it wasn’t easy to access the Internet or go to YouTube, so I would go to certain clubs and stand behind the DJs, who were my friends by then, and just watch them,” Sarkis told Al-Monitor.

Mohamad Ghebris, founder and manager of music business Per-Vurt, a record label, music store, DJ school and agency, said that he has seen this growth in his classes. “It was booming after 2009 and 2010. This past year, more than 50% of our students were females. This was the first year this happened,” he told Al-Monitor.

He explains that part of this trend is that Beirut thrives on music and nightlife. Opportunities are available more and more because female DJs bring something different to the turntables.

“We have so many DJs, so people started to search for something special. One of those things is being female,” Ghebris said.

Yasmine Sarout, 29, has been DJing for about four years. When she began, she said there were not many other female DJs, but since then, there are more than she can keep track of, if you include the women who do it less frequently or just play in their homes.

Source: www.al-monitor.com

Among Arab Israelis, Aida Touma-Sliman is a symbol of an independent, strong and assertive woman. For many Israelis, however, she was quite an anonymous figure until she was named second on the Hadash Party slate and fifth on the joint Arab slate.

Touma-Sliman’s admirers, who have followed her active and intensive career over the years, including her failed attempts to garner a spot on the Hadash Knesset list, sighed with satisfaction after the March 17 elections. At last, Touma-Sliman will be part of the Arab-Jewish Joint List, which garnered 13 Knesset seats. They are convinced that she will make an active and constructive parliamentaria

Source: www.al-monitor.com