DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 361 274 SO 023 306

AUTHOR Zogby, James, Ed.

TITLE Taking Root, Bearing Fruit: The Arab-American
Experience. ADC Issues. Special Issue.
INSTITUTION American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee,
Washington, DC.
REPORT NO ISSN-8755-903X
PUB DATE 84
NOTE 146p.; For volume II, see SO 023 307.
ANAILABLE FROM ADC Publications, 4201 Connecticut Ave., N.W.,
Washington, DC 20008 ($5, prepaid).
PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022)
JOURNAL CIT ADC Issues; 1992

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage.

DESCRIPTORS *Arabs; Community Study; Ethnic Groups; *Immigrants;
*Life Style; *North Americans; *United States
History
IDENTIFIERS *Cultural Values

ABSTRACT
This document reports on an examination of
lifestyles, cultures, and heritage of Arab communities within the
United States. After a historical overview of the arrival and
settling of Arab-Americans in wave after wave of immigration, the
work provides close-up views of different communities across the
country. Each of those views introduces a few of the people who live
in the community. The document includes an examination of
Arab-American community building, surveying the different regions in
which Arab-Americans have built up business, family ties, education,
and social life. In addition, the document offers a look backward at
the terms of life and the struggle for recognition and identity of
the pioneer and forebears of the present generation. Among the many
essays that comprise the work are "Detroit: Our Ellis Island" (Jane
Peterson); "Arab Muslims in America: Adaptation and Reform" (Yvonne
Haddad); and Talbott Williams' "'Pioneers': The Syrian in America."
(Author/SG)

***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
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American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee
4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20008 (202) 244-2990

Jim Abourezk
ADC National Chairman
Albert Mokhiber
ADC President

Taking Root
Bearing Fruit

Special Issue
Editor: James Zogby
Assistant Editors: Pat Aufderheide, Anne S. Mooney
Writers: Alan Dehmer, Jessica Gill, Randa Sifri, Anthony Toth, Mary Ann Fay

ADC Issues is published by the ADC Research Institute and informs ADC members on issues
of special significance. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is a non-sectarian,
non-partisan service organization committed to defending the rights and promoting the heritage
of Arab-Americans. The largest grassroots organization of Arab-Americans. ADC was founded in
1980 by former U.S. Senator James Abourezk in response to stereotyping, defamation and discrimina-
tion directed against Americans of Arab descent.
ADC serves its nationwide membership thmugh direct advocacy in cases of defamation, through
legal action in cases of discrimination, and through counseling in matters of immigration. The ADC
Dedication Research Institute publishes information on issues of concern to Arab-Americans and provides educa-
tional materials on Arab history and culture as well as the ethnic experience of Arabs in the United
States. It also sponsors summer internships in Washington for Arab-American college students. ADC's
For our parents and Middle East Women's and Children's Fund addresses the humanitarian needs of victims of violence
grandparents who came in the Middle East.

to this new world ©1984 ADC Research Institute

bringing nothing but their ISSN 801041)3K
(reprint 1992)
love for our heritage and
a hope for the future.
And for our children, to
whom we bequeath that
love and that hope.
4
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Table of Contents

Arab-Americans: A Tradition Takes Root 7

The Role of Tradition by John Zogby; The Burgeoning Family;
Old RootsNew Soil by Mary Ann Fay.

The Way We Are: Our Communities 25

Allentown: Fertile Valley by Mary Ann Fay; Birmingham: The
Politics of Survival by Anthony Toth; Boston: Dream of a Good
Land by Evelyn Shakir; Brooklyn: On Freedom's Shore by Alan
Dehmer; Detroit: Our Ellis Island; Houston: In the Heart of
Texas by Jane Peterson; Jacksonville: As Salaam Aleikum Y'all by
Anthony Toth; Portland: The Pride of Reawakening by Mary Ann
Fay and Paul Rask; San Francisco: Arab Culture in the Bay Area
by Randa Sifri; Yemeni Arabs as Farmworkers by Jack Matalka;
Utica: Mt. Lebanon to the Mohawk Valley; Worcester: Lively
Ethnic Mix by Anthony Toth; Arab Muslims in America:
Adaptation and Reform by Yvonne Haddad.

The Way We Are: A Regional Survey 106

New England; Metropolitan New York; Upstate New York;
Pennsylvania; Ohio; Midwestern Cities; Southeast; Texas;
California; Western States.

The Way We Were 119

"Pioneers"; The Syrian in America by Talcott Williams; A Chal-
lenge to the Younger Generation Syrians by H.I. Katibah; Who's
Who in Utica, a 1917 newspaper opinion; Marriages and Fun-
erals by Mary Macron; Red Wool for a Dress; The Coffee House
Raid by Eugene Paul Nassar; I Believe in You by Mild Gibran.
ff40-401"-'
Biblioteca Ambrosiana. Milan
g hN this issue of ADC Reports, we present a project we
have been working on and dreaming of for a long
timea survey of the lifestyles, the cultures, the
eritage and living pulse of Arab-American communities
across the country. After a historical overview of the arrival and
settling of Arab-Americans in wave after wave of immigration,
we provide close-up views of different communities across the
United States. With each one, we introduce you to a few of the
people in that community. Following this, we take a bird's-eye
view of Arab-American community-building, surveying the
different regions in which Arab-Americans have built up
businesses, family ties and social life. Finally, we offer a look
backward, at the terms of life and the struggle for recognition and
identity of the pioneer and forebears of this generation.
We think it is a brave start, and a mark of the coming of age
of the Arab-American community, to have this issue of the
newsletter. It shows us the strength as well as the diversity of our
people. It shows us how we are both Arab and American, and it
points a direction for the future that doesn't forget the past.
For people making a brave start, though, we approach you
with some trepidation. This we know, is only a beginning, an
introduction to an ongoing project of self-description and self-
identification, including an annual almanac and continuing updates
on our communities through ADC Reports. And like all first efforts,
this onewe are surewill have its share of omissions, errors
and misstatements. We beg your help in finding those errors and
helping us to correct them, in finding those omissions and filling
in the gaps in our knowledge. Each mistake, each lacuna is a mark
of how important it is to continue this work, to find out what we
don't know in order to know ourselves better, and to build for our
joint future.
And so we anticipate your interest, and at the same time we
beg your indulgence. We hope you judge ADC and ADC Reports,
this issue, not only by its errors but by what new light these
initial efforts shed on our community. We realize we have only
scratched the surface. There is a greater story to tell, and we
promise to tell it.
James Zogby, Editor

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

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Arab-Americans:

Tradition
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The Role of
Tradition
by John Zogby

CIZZ) E Arab-Americans
need to know who we
are and where we have
been in order to
understand where we are going. 1984 is
finally here, and perhaps we have grown
so accustomed to thinking about its
implications that we have forgotten about
our past.
Indeed, we live in an era that rejects
past and tradition. The overriding passion
today is to live for the moment, to live for
yourself, not to carry on the tradition of
those who preceded you, or to pass on
values into the future. We are losing ,-,ur
sense of history. It is no small won.er
that more and more people are seeking
the aid of psychologists and psychiatrists,
health foods, body building, and all the
latest fads.
We are losing our ability to
L .nmunicate with each other. In a
fascinating account of 18th century
London and Paris, Richard Sennett of
Harvard wrote about how strangers
meeting in parks or on streets used to
speak to each other without
embarrassment. You only have to walk
down the streets of any big city today to
see thousands of people walking past each
other totally ignoring each other.
We live in a society thaf dreads old age
and death. The emphasis in America
today is on youth, beauty, celebrity, and
independence. We have come to believe
that all changes are good and that we
must adjust ourselves to them even if we
can't understand them. Unfortunately, 9

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BEST COPY AVAILABLE
 what this tells young people is that
traditional authority figures like parents,
_ ,4itt ;"4%-irur teachers and clergy represent .ne past,
and have nothing to teach them. Worse
yet, the elderly are treated as people who
should be pushed aside because they have
nothing to produce or useful to teach the
rest of us. We see these messages
constantly in jokes about the elderly on
television, and we also see the family
undermined in popular television shows
4,4_,Aviv- where father no longer knows best but
the ultimate sources of wisdom in each
family are the youngsters.
We no longer live or plan for the
future. The fear of nuclear war makes
people not even think about the future,
inflation makes people forget about
investment and savings, and advertising
""saNer carries the message that only fools put off
until tomorrow the fun that they could
have today. If visitors from another planet
came and viewed television and radio
advertising they would wonder about the
health of a society that promotes the
endless purchasing of unnecessary goods
as a way of life, as an answer to loneliness
and sickness or bad breath.
Modern technology and life chip
away at the importance of family in the
414,
lives of people, not only through television
but also the home computer. I don't see
anything exciting at all about people being
able to do their shopping and
communicating without ever leaving
AL_ home, cutting down on the few
opportunities to socialize that still exist.
And recent reports in the Associated Press
describe that many wives are already
complaining about husbands spending
more time on the home computer than
Newman and Lola McKool left three of their children in Lebanon with the family. I also fear widespread use
when they came to America. About 1893, they and their six-year old of the computer in the classroom.
son, Charles, immigrated to Waco, and began peddling household Psychology Today magazine reports that
goods. "Buy, please" and "Thank you" were among the first English children will be able to go directly to the
words they learned to speak as they sold socks, buttons, needles, and computer and learn directly from it. Now
similar articles. children are told they can learn more from
When Charles was eighteen, he returned to Lebanon and got an electronic box than from an adult.
married during a six-month stay (above). Back :n America he opened a We have to restore authority and
grocery store in Shreveport, Louisiana; however, his travels were not
over. The McKool family moved to New York state for six months and
respect for adulthood before we raise a
then, in 1917, to Mexico City, where Charles managed an uncle's shoe generation of lost, aimless people. And we
factory and dry goods store. The family stayed in Mexico for seven must restore the authority and respect of
years before returning to the United States to settle at Dallas. There, the family, where traditionally each
Charles McKool was active in the restaurant business until his dealhr-, person has had a special role.
10 in 1947(from The Syrian and Lebanese Texans). A
Children must be taught not only to
respect their elders but that the strong We have a rich history, a great tradition, a
must take care of the weak. And we must valuable source of strength amidst the
restore our respect for our own traditions, pressures of modern life. In this special
honoring the importance of cultural issue of ADC Reports put our best foot
memory for every group in American forward by presenting selected vignettes
society. about our families and neighborhoods, our
In the long run, we are talking about institutions, leaders and friendsin short,
putting this nation of individuals back our culture and our tradition. Sit back,
together. enjoy the reading, and above all, be proud
As Arab-Americans we are fortunate. of who you are.

-41$,

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10.

Photo: The *int and !Agnew Team

The Abraham Kazen family of Laredo, Texas
became renowned in Texas for its dedication
and service to the legal profession. All four
boys pictured here became lawyers in their
adult life. 11

3 REST COPY AVAILABLE

 1#7.1'dGin,":11

The Burgeoning Family

p.
he Karter Family Reunion at
Lakewood, Maine in August
1983. The 150-plus persons in the 87'1
Tphive
otograph represent 80 percent CI
of the living descendents and spouses of
three brothersBoulus, Elias, and
Charleswho immigrated from Lebanon
and settled in Waterville, Maine in the
early 1900s. fe,

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Old Roots
New Soil
by Mary Ann Fay

ETWEEN 1890 and 1920

masses of emigrants from
southern and central Europe
and the Middle East rediscovered
America. Leaving behind critical food
shortages, stagnant economies and
political and religious repression, these
men and women set out to carve a future
from a dream.
Among those millions of immigrants
were Arabs from Greater Syriaa region
that included Syria, Lebanon, Palestine
and Jordanwhich had been a part of the
Ottoman Empire for five centuries. Like
their fellow ethnicsthe Italians, Greeks,
Slays and Jewsthe early Arab
immigrants were predominantly poor
peasants who were already burdened with
pre-voyage debts and family obligations,
possessed few industrial skills and were
unable to speak English.
As aliens in a foreign land, the odds
against their survival were formidable.
Probably no one could have imagined
in 1890 that in slightly less than 100
years, the Arab-American community
would swell to 2.5 million. And only those
who recognized the courage and fortitude
of these indomitable immigrants would
have predicted the degree of achievement
and prosperity their children and
grandchildren would enjoy.
We are their children and
grandchildren. Today, we live in every
region in the United States and work at
every level of American professional,
commercial and political life. 17
 We are well-known and unknown. We
are Ralph Nader and Danny Thomas and
Casey Kasem. We are the farm workers
WE are the well-known of southern California, the auto workers
of Detroit and the steelworkers of
and the unknown. Pennsylvania. We are doctors and lawyers,
businessmen and engineers, nurses and
accountants. We are the Iraqi store
We are owners of Detroit, the Palestinians of the
Ramallah Club in Houston and the Alawi
Ralph Nader of New Castle. We are the Rhodes
and Danny Scholar from Utica and the former
senator from South Dakota.
Thomas and We are Americans of Arab descent
Casey Kasem. patriotic, civic-minded and intensely proud
of our ethnic heritage and culture.
Though our life styles reflect the
American mainstream, we enjoy the
legacy of ageless traditions and cultural
richness, which our grandparents would
not surrender when they settled in the
land of "golden opportunity." Yet, the
early Arab immigrants, our grandparents
We are chefs and great-grandparents, remained
and farm- singularly private about their ethnic pride.
workers,
Fear of Foreigners
autoworkers
As the original immigrants settled into
jobs and neighborhoods, they were not
accepted easily by their American
neighbors. Before 1890 and the arrival of
and nurses immigrants from southern and eastern
lawyers, Europe and the Middle East, the United
States considered itself a homogenous
engineers society whose dominant culture was
white, Anglo-Saxon protestant. During
and the three decades when immigration into
doctors. the United States reached unprecedented
volume, Americans were confronted on
the job, in the shops and on the streets
with people who spoke strange languages,
practiced different and sometimes non-
Christian religions and had customs and
Top right, Danny traditions dissimilar to their own.
Thomas; middle For the Arabs, the sources of their
left, Raja pride in their heritage were the very
Ramadan; middle factors alienating them from American
right, Yemeni societythe richness of the Arabic
farmworkers in language that Americans could not speak
California; and or even pronounce, the Eastern liturgies
bottom, of their churches that were so unlike
Dr. Michael American churches and the Arabic
18 Dellakey. culture. For the Muslim immigrants, like
the Alawis of New Castle, religion made determined to preserve the homogeneity of
them a minority within a minority. American culture. The legislation enacted
Yet, in small and large Arab in the 1920s was a major victory for the
communities, the early immigrants strove advocates of homogeneity and a defeat for
to preserve their heritage and identity cultural pluralism.
through their churches, their clubs, the The National Origins Act of 1924
Arabic press and particularly within their restricted immigration to 2 percent of the
families through traditional Arab cooking, foreign-born residing in the United States
the rituals of birth, death and marriage in 1890, and by 1927, to an absolute limit
and the celebration of holidays. of 150,000 yearly. The immigrant knew,
Between 1890 and 1920, the number in the words of an American text, "he was
of Arab immigrants increased to more a second class citizen who had to make his
than 250,000 and this continual influx of way in American society through the
relatives and villagers from the Arab barriers of social prejudice."
homeland was an important factor in the Besides hastening the process of
preservation of the community's culture assimilation, the immigration legislation
and tradition. also separated family Members from one
After World War I came the another. Many Arabs who emigrated to
restrictive, discriminatory legislation the United States before 1924 considered
which reduced immigration to a trickle themselves transients; they came here to
and accelerated the assimilation and earn money and intended to return
Americanization that characterized the eventually to the homeland. Many
Arab-American community through the families sent one or two male members to
following three decades. the United States hoping they would
Even though the industrializing United become prosperous and eventually return.
States needed the cheap labor of the new However, when the dream of returning
immigrants, some Americans were clashed with their newfound prospects for

Arab immigrants
encountered a
babel of tongues
and a variety of
cultures when
they arrived at
Ellis Island. After
their first meal
(left), the
immigrants left
the Island and set
out to find their
fortunesor at
least survivalon
4 the streets of their
new country.

19
 security, freedom and livelihood, many and other countries. These later Arab
immigrants began bringing their immigrants were spared many of the
remaining family to the United States pangs of acculturation that their
instead. predecessors experienced, since many
were educated, bi-lingual and familiar
with western customs and traditions.
The Price of the Melting Pot Moreover, the later immigrants tended to
settle in towns and cities where members
Gradually the Arab immigrants of their families or villages were already
became assimilated and Americanized, but established, or where Arab-American
not without cost. Between 1920 and 1950, communities already existed.
spoken Arabic and the Arabic press At the same time, these immigrants
declined. Many of the Eastern-rite possessed a pride in their Arab identity
churches lost members of their that was nourished by decades of struggle
congregations to the more socially for political independence, by a closer link
acceptable Roman Catholic and Protestant to Islam and by their conscious pursuit of
churches. And, while Arab-Americans still linguistic and cultural autonomy within
chose to marry within the community, the American mainstream. Many foreign
most of the third generation had little students of diverse Arab nationalities
exposure to their heritage. came here to study, giving further
Then in the 1960s, the "melting pot" stimulus to the survival of the Arab ethnic
pattern that had characterized the early identity in this country.
immigrant experience began to reverse The reawakening of an ethnic
itself. The political and economic upheaval consciousness among Arab-Americans
in the Arab homeland in the 1950s and also can be linked to a trend common
1960s created a new wave of immigrants among immigrant groups. Second and
from Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen third generations, fully assimilated, reach
out to a heritage and a past to add depth
to an otherwise rootless American
identity. This process of "deassimilation"
was stimulated by the Black Civil Rights
movement of the 1960s, which affirmed
the value of cultural pluralism and
ethnicity in American society.

Khalil Atiyeh (above right) was not

allowed to serve overseas during
World War I because he was
considered a subject of the Ottoman
Empire. After the war, he and his
brother opened a successful Oriental
rug business in Portland (right).
20

24
A Rebirth of Awareness James Abourezk said at the time, "Had the
operation been called Jewscam, the outcry
The "Arab Renaissance" thLi- began in would have been incredible, and so it
the 1960s also stems in part from the should."
Arab-American community's increased At ADC's 1983 convention in Los
awareness of the political and economic Angeles, ADC Assistant Director Helen
importance of U.S.-Arab relations. Samhan described ADC's reason for
Today, the Arab-American community being: "Service is the core of ADC's work,
has a population exceeding 2.5 million, and it is the challenge of ADC's
which crisscrosses the nation and has organizers and leaders at a local as well as
centers in Detroit, Chicago, New York a national level to seek out the needs of
and Boston, as well as burgeoning our community, to find strategies that
communities in California, Texas and build a future for our communities. Some
Ohio. It is a community that four of ADC's current campaigns may respond
generations ago survived by peddling dry to needs that we may never have thought
goods, operating small stores and working we had. But they guarantee that ADC
in the textile and steel mills of the will be there when and if we do."
industrial Northeast, and which has now ADC Executive Director James Zogby
successfully entered the American described anti-discrimination work as
mainstream. "giving Arab-Americans power to become
Arab-Americans are proud of their involved in their communities on every
heritage, but even if they were inclined to level, to determine foreign policy, to
forget their past, American society determine domestic policy as they wish.
wouldn't let them. Political and economic But to be involved on every level. That's
events in the Middle East have been what ADC is about. We use ADC to
portrayed in media images of greedy oil organize our people first and foremost for
sheiks and bloodthirsty terrorists. At a their own power."
time when the United States is more ADC has become an advocate,
receptive to cultural pluralism and providing immigrant assistance, protesting
ethnicity is no longer socially FBI harassment of Arab-Americans and
unacceptable, Arab-Americans remain calling for a Congressional investigation of
primary targets of defamatory attacks on the unfair treatment of Arab-Americans
their cultural and personal character. and Arab-Canadians at the U.S.-Canadian
Therefore, much of the activity of the border. Recently the ADC national
Arab-American community has been executive committee agreed to develop a
directed at correcting the stereotypes that legal guide and to begin a limited legal
threaten to produce a new wave of anti- defense fund.
Arab racism in the United States and In three years, the list of ADC
endanger the civil and human rights of victories grows in its struggle to combat
the Arab-American community. The quiet the negative stereotyping of
pride of the original immigrants has Arab-Americans:
become a shout. The decision by Roget's Thesaurus to
Today's Arab-American is upwardly delete in its 1981 edition synonyms for
mobile and politically conscious. While the word Arab, such as "vagabond,
Arab-Americans are profoundly loyal to hobo, tramp, vagrant, peddler, hawker,
American values and institutions, they are huckster, vendor."
intensely proud of their heritage and The removal from Elements of Social
determined to preserve and defend it. Scientific Thinking by Kenneth R. Hoover
of a reference to Arabs creating a
ADC began in 1980 as a direct result hypothetical parallel between the
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's number of oil wells owned and the
infamous "Operation Abscam," in which number of wives a sheik has.
FBI agents trapped a number of The withdrawal by firms in Florida,
Congressmen by posing as Lebanese Ohio and Massachusetts of offensive
"sheiks" offering bribes. ADC Chairman products and publications including, 21

Ir 11
. I)
 among others, a postcard that read. The intensity of these attacks peaked
"Fight High Oil Prices! Mug a Sheik!" following Isratl's invasion of Lebanon
during the summer of 1982, when the
Arab-American community emerged as an
The New Assaults organized and vocal opponent of Israel's
policies. ADC organized the "Save
Unlike the resistance early Arab Lebanon" campaign to coordinate medical
immigrants met in this country, which relief for the Lebanese and Palestinian
stemmed from the determination of some victims of the war, and to counter Israel's
Americans to preserve the homogenity of propaganda depictions about the war.
American culture, the source of today's ADC has undertaken to provide
defamation of Arab-Americans might be assistance to children in Lebanon who are
described as the domestic counterpart of orphaned or whose parents are missing or
the Arab-Israeli conflict. And that is the disabled, and has organized the "Save
attempt by the Israeli lobby and various Lebanon" campaign, which has brought
Jewish organizations to shore up support children from Lebanon to the United
for Israel by defaming Arab-Americans. States for medical treatment.
Photo UPI
In tandem with its work on behalf of
the victims of the Israeli invasion of
Lebanon and against the negative
stereotyping of Arab-Americans here in
the United States, ADC is also working to
enhance and preserve the Arab-American
heritage. Two projects planned for this
year are the Kahlil Gibran Centennial
Celebration and a series of after-school
seminars for Arab-American children so
they can learn about their rich cultural
heritage and deal with the sometimes
hidden hurts of anti-Arab sentiments.
ADC's campaigns in the U.S.
whether they are to stop the defamation
of Arab-Americans, to join other racial
and ethnic groups to combat racism and
bigotry in American society or to defend
academic freedomare all rooted in
ADC's emphasis on human and civil
rights. Following the war in Lebanon, the
American-Israel Public Affairs Committee
(AIPAC), which lobbies Congress on
411111111r
behalf of Israel, and the Anti-Defamation
11111110111.7-
League of B'nai B'rith (ADL) both
published books attacking Arab-American
leaders and organizations as well as non-
Arab-Americans who were critical of
Israeli policies. The attacks characterized
Israel's critics as "supporters of PLO
terrorism" or as "tools of Arab petro-
ADC's "Save Lebanon" program was initiated during the summer dollars." The Arab-American community
of 1982 at the request of doctors in Lebanon for aid to the
was described as "artificial" and un-
wounded victims of war. Over SO children, teenagers and
American, since according to the ADL and
young adults have been given medical treatment. Abir Solh AIPAC, support for Israel is "in the
(above) with her mother, arrived with the first group of wounded
national interest."
on Valentine's Day, 1983.
ADC's Research Institute is preparing
22 a comprehensive analysis of these attacks

(?,
which will document clear cut cases of General Accounting Office report on U.S.
defamation. military assistance to Israel, which shed a
The importance of national glaring light on how U.S. citizens' tax
organizations like ADC cannot be dollars are being spent. The report,
overestimated, since they represer.t- a released by ADC, cited State and Defense
counterweight to the political clout and Department officials' opinions that the
propaganda machinery of the Israeli lobby. Israeli view of the Arab threat to its
In order to respond in a unified way to security was "over-emphasized at this
major events such as the war in Lebanon, time." Pentagon officials were described as
the leaders of six national Arab-American reluctant to commit Foreign M listry
organizations agreed in September 1983 Sales funds to purchase armaments for
to form the Council of Presidents of Israel "because of the U.S. economic
National Arab-American organizations. situation, unemployment and the potential
ADC's James Abourezk was elected the precedent-setting impact on other
first chairman of the council. countries' FMS requests." The report cited
the political difficulties of reducing U.S. aid
to Israel, however, because of strong
Reaching Out to Others Congressional support for Israel.
Last year, ADC kicked off its fall
ADC's links to other ethnic and racial campaign with a tour of ADC chapters by
groups are essential to thwart ADL's Dr. Israel Shahak, an Israeli civil and
attempts to isolate the Arab-American human rights leader. A survivor of a Nazi
community. One theme of ADC's concentration camp, Dr. Shahak has been
leadership conference last year was that a critic of Israeli policies, including the
the aim of ADC's anti-discrimination invasion of Lebanon and the treatment of
work was to empower the Arab-American Palestinians on the Israeli-occupied West
community to change American attitudes. Bank and Gaza Strip.
"That's why we build coalitions," says ADC supports Palestinian self-
an ADC spokesperson, "because you can determination and the right to an
organize all the Arab-Americans you want independent homeland as fundamental
and get nowhere unless you bring those human rights. When the civil war in
masses of numbers of people you organize Lebanon resumed after Israel's withdrawal
togeth& with other Americans and create from the Chouf mountains, ADC's
a critical mass that can turn this country Executive Director wrote an editorial in
around." the Los Angeles Times on September 15 in
ADC sought to establish ties to other which he urged Arab-Americans to form
ethnic and racial groups not only to end a peace committee that would call on
the isolation of Arab-Americans, but also Lebanon's traditional elites to put aside
because of its commitment to the their weapons and seek national dialogue
elimination oF racism, discrimination and and reconciliation.
bigotry from American society. Last ADC marks the progress of Arab-
summer, ADC chapter members from Americans from penury to prosperity and
across the country participated in the from a scattered, isolated minority to an
march on Washington organized by the organized force in American society and
Coalition of Conscience for Jobs, Peace politics.
and Freedom to commemorate Martin
Luther King's historic march in 1963.
ADC's role in the coalition dates from its
inception when one of the coalition
leaders, the Reverend Jesse Jackson,
invited Abourezk to be a co-convenor of
the march.
Arab-Americans' vigilance benefits the
society as a whole. This was particularly
true in the case of the "uncensored"
23

r?
BEST COPY AVAILABLE 26
TheWay
We are:
Our Communities
In this section,
ADC Reports looks at the places we live. By
examining 11 Arab-American communities
their history, their religion, their peopleand
by taking a closer look at Yemeni
farmworkers in California and Muslims in
America, a mosaic begins to take shape!
This is the way we are.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

27
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 ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
:KWirielan,X0'''""%vs.raKsa'0"4.:617:INSIVX4'

Fertile
Valley
Iby Mary Ann Fay

SUPER Sunday in Allentown

happens in September. It's the
day the city celebrat.:s its ethnic
diversity with a combination
crafts fair and food bazaar.
Although the city is predominantly
Pennsylvania German in population and
character, it is also home to a variety of
ethnic groups including Irish, Italians,
Poles, Slays, Arabs and, most recently,
Hispanics. Each Super Sunday, the
Hamilton Mall, the city's main shopping
street, is closed to traffic. Men, women
and children throughout the Lehigh
Valley can eat their way from one culture
to another, from pizza to potato pancakes
and from tabouleh to funnel cake.
In front of the First National Bank
opposite the Soldiers and Sailors
Monument at 7th Street and Hamilton
Mall, members of St. George's Eastern
Orthodox Church had a food stand where
they served shish kebab, tabouleh
hummus and other Middle Eastern
delicacies. Midway through the afternoon,
the crowds around the food stand could
eat their shish kebab or sticky, sweet
baklawa to the music of an Arab band.
The presence of the city's Arab-
Americans at Super Sunday is not
unusual. The Arab-American community
has participated in the city's ethnic festival
since its inception. The food stand on
Super Sunday is a symbol of the degree to
which the Arab-American community has
been woven into the city's social, cultural
and political life. 27

9 BEST COPY MUM

 Faces of Allentown Allentown's Arab-American
community's roots are deep. A7iz Elias
Atiyeh, the first immigrant from the
Syrian village of Amar came to Allentown
ARVEY Atiyeh In Florida, Atiyeh in the 1890s. Since Atiyeh landed in
came to the United cultivates his garden and is Allentown and survived by peddling dry
States in 1926 at the age of particularly proud of his fig goods house to house in communities
11 from the village of Amar tree. His friends jokingly tell throughout the Lehigh Valley, the Arab-
in Syria. His father, George, him that he is still a Syrian American community has grown to an
was one of the first Syrian peasant at heart, and Atiyeh estimated 5,000-7,000 people and has
immigrants to settle in laughingly agrees. Although included among its ranks one of Lehigh
Allentown. he remains intensely County's most popular district attorneys,
Recently retired, Atiyeh interested in the affairs of an assistant police chief, the president of
worked as a union the Arab-American one of the two teacher's unions in the city
organizer for the United community in Allentown and the head of the city's public defender's
Auto Workers (UAW) and and still receives the local office.
the Service Employees newspaper so he can follow The tendency of the city's Arab-
International Union (SEIU). events there, Atiyeh Americans to vote as a bloc and
predominantly Democratic has given the
community access to city government,
particularly during a Democratic
administration.
Ayoub Jarrouj, president of the Arab-
American Cultural Society and an ADC
coordinator, said, "The mayor recognizes
that he has to deal with us as a political
force."
The participation of the city's Arab-
American community in Super Sunday
1982 was nothing out of the ordinary.
However, because of an event that
occurred the day before, the city, indeed
the entire Lehigh Valley, learned an
important lesson: To be an Arab-
American means more than savoring
Middle Eastern food and the seductive
swaying of a belly dancer.
In Allentown, he helped to believes that after decades
organize the UAW local at of hard work and
Mack Trucks and the city's community service, he has Coming of Age
municipal employees. earned his retirement.
In 1968, Atiyeh was one As first generation On the preceding Saturday, just two
of the founders of the Arab-Americans like Atiyeh blocks away from their Super Sunday
Syrian Arab-American have retired and become food stand, the city's Arab-Americans held
Cultural Society, now the less involved in the their first public demonstration. Carrying
Arab-American Cultural Allentown community, Palestinian and American flags and
Society. In 1981, he others have stepped placards denouncing Israel and Prime
organized the local chapter forward to take their places. Minister Menachem Begin, an estimated
of ADC of which he is a One of those is Ayoub 200 people marched through the streets
national board member. Jarrouj, president of the of the city to demonstrate their revulsion
For the past two years, Arab-American Cultural and anger over the massacre of
Atiyeh has divided his time Society and an ADC Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila
between 'cgs home in coordin for. refugee camps.
Naples, Florida, and The demonstration began with a
28 Allentown. Continued page 30 memorial service at St. George's Eastern

30
Orthodox Church and then, under a heritage survived mainly within the family
bright September sun, the demonstrators and in various cultural organizations.
marched to the plaza in front of the
county courthouse. Representatives of
other religious, ethnic and racial groups Ethnic Pride Revitalized
participated with the city's Arab-
Americans in the demonstration, including When new immigrants began to arrive
several Protestant ministers, the president in Allentown in the late 1950s, they
of the local chapter of the NAACP and brought with them a fervent Arab
one of the leaders of the city's Hispanic nationalism and still-fresh memories of
community. their homeland. The result has been a re-
The demonstration after the Sabra awakening of the community's ethnic
and Shatila massacre represented the pride and a willingness to assert itself

LIS AO TO ISRAEL PMFORTHE

MASSACRE OF THE PALESMANS
DANN_

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Allentown's Arab-
Americans were
joined by other
local community
groups to protest
the massacre at
the Sabra and
Shatila refugee
camps.
Photo: Call-Chronical
Newspapers. Inc.

coming of age of Allentown's Arab- socially, culturally and politically.

Americans. On that day they According to Kamal Abboud, an
demonstrated their willingness to assert ADC coordinator, about 65 percent of the
not only their ethnic pride but their Arab-American community is made up of
political views as well. immigrants who began to arrive in
"The demonstration was a milestone," Allentown in the late 1950s, with the
said Leila Jarrouj, an ADC board member largest wave coming in the 1970s. In
and treasurer of the local chapter of the Allentown, there has been a cross-
National Association of Arab Americans. fertilization between the generations as
"We came out of the closet." the assimilated children of the original
The 1982 demonstration is an example immigrants helped the new immigrants
of the effect the new immigrantsa find jobs and housing and work their way
second first-generation of Americanshas through the process of naturalization. The
had on the Arab-American community in new immigrants infused the community
Allentown. As in other Arab-American with their nationalism and their pride in
communities in the country, the Arab their heritage.

BEST COPY APH AN ft'

 Faces of Alentown, Ajoun, Syria. Although her Presbyterian Missionaries Bring
continued parents intended to settle in Message of the West
the United States, they
stopped off in Trinidad on The Arab-American community began
the way, liked it and stayed. originally with the pioneer immigrant
Jarrouj, who was born Ayoub, who is employed Aziz Elias Atiyeh and his brother, George.
in Amar, Syria, came to the at Bet! dehem Steel, and Together, they came to Allentown from
United States in 1965. Leila have two children, a the village of Amar, one of about 30
During his presidency, the son, 14, and a daughter, 17. villages in Syria's Christian valley.
cultural society expanded its On the ceiling of their -on's Po:- centuries, the inaccessability of the
programs and purchased bedroom is the flag carried valley protected the villagers and allowed
land for the construction of at the head of the them to practice their religion in peace and
a new building designed to demonstration held in safety. Then, sometime in the 1890s, this
hold 400 people. Jarrouj September 1982 in remote and tranquil valley was opened to
hopes the new building will Allentown to protest the the outside world by missionaries of the
become a real community massacre of Palestinians at American Presbyterian Church. One of
center since neither St. the Sabra and Shatila the missionaries, Dr. W.S. Nelson of
George's Church nor the refugee camps. Philadelphia, spent 60 years in Amar.
society's present building Both Ayoub and Leila Some of the villagers gravitated to the
are large enough for believe that the Arab- mission, if not for religious reasons, then
community events such as American community must for the Western-style education the
the society's annual dinner. be organized and should be mission offered. Through contact with the
Jarrours wife, Leila, is a force in the life of the city. missionaries, the villagers in Amar learned
also actively involved in the Both are also determined to about the new way of life and the
community. She is a combat the negative, often prosperity that lay across the ocean in the
member of the board of the defamatory, image of United States. A few of them, like Aziz
local ADC chapter and Arab-Americans. and George, decided to seize the
treasurer of the local "It was the image they opportunity to create a new life for
chapter of NAAA. portrayed of us and we sat themselves and left the village.
Leila came to the United back and let them do it to Aziz Atiyeh settled in Allentown but
States in 1961 from us," said Leila. "We want to his brother left and eventually settled in
Trinidad. Both of her show them we're as good as Portland, Oregon. To support himself,
parents were born in they areeven better." Aziz became a peddler, buying on credit in
Allentown and selling his dry goods door
to door in the small towns and villages
outside the city.
In 1900, Aziz's cousin, who was also
named George Atiyeh, followed him to
Allentown and he, too, became a peddler.
Sometime before World War I, cousin
George became engaged and returned to
Amar with his bride-to-be for the
wedding. Although he wanted to return
to the United States with his wife, he was
unable to leave Syria because of the
outbreak of World War I.
Ayoub Jarrouj leads a In the early 1920s, George left Amar
demonstration held in alone and returned to the United States to
September 1982 protesting work and save enough money to bring
the Sabra and Shad la over his family which had grown to include
massacre. [The two sons, and two daughters. In 1926,
demonstration was held on George's wife and four children boarded a
the plaza in front of the ship for the journey to the United States.
county courthouse in One of the sons, Harvey, who was 11
30 Allentown.] years old at the time, remembers the

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

voyage. After leaving Beirut, the ship Orthodox Church and the Arab-American
docked at Haifa and then, en route to Cultural Society. The original church was
Piraeus, the ship hit a reef where it was built in 1916 and was later demolished so
stranded for five days until another ship that a larger church could be built in its
arrived to pick up the passengers. place in 1964.
After 39 days with stops at Istanbul, The cultural society, originally called
Rostov on the Black Sea, Malta, Naples, the Syrian Arab-American Cultural
Marseilles and Barcelona, the ship arrived Society, was founded in 1968 as a
at Ellis Island in New York. Because of thecommunity center and as an organization
sea-sickness that never abated during the that could assist the new immigrants in the
voyage, Harvey Atiyeh never traveled by city. Last year, the organization received a
ship again. city grant to operate a summer program in
In 1926, the Arab community in English and math for city school children
Allentown numbered about 60-70 and an outreach program for the Arab
families. The size of the community is community that includes employment
fixed in Harvey Atiyeh's memory because counseling, assistance in finding housing,
the members of the community attended translation and transportation for those
the funeral of his father who died only who can't drive. In addition, the society
three months after his family arrived in has been distributing food supplied by a
Allentown from Syria. private organization to needy Arab-
American families, many of whom lost
jobs in industry during the 1983
Allentown's Sixth Ward recession. Jarrouj explained, "Some of our
people are too proud to apply for welfare
When Harvey Atiyeh arrived in or food stamps."
Allentown, many of the city's Arab and The society also conducts Arabic
European immigrants lived in the city's language classes for adults and children.
6th Ward, a neighborhood of small Recently, the society purchased land for a
rowhouses along the Lehigh River that new center that Jarrouj hopes will be
flows through the city. Although the completed this year.
children of the original Arab and Each year, the society celebrates
European immigrants moved out of the Syrian Independence Day with a banquet
neighborhood as they became more and the raising of the Syrian flag at City
prosperous and socially mobile, the 6th Hall. About 80 percent of the Arab-
Ward is still home to another generation American community is Syrian in origin,
of immigrants, the Arabs who began about 17 percent is Lebanese and
arriving in the late 1950s and the 3 percent is Palestinian.
Hispanics. The city's ADC chapter was organized
Today, the 6th Ward has a distinctly in 1981 by Atiyeh and recently the NAAA
Arab character with its Arab grocery founded a local chapter as well.
stores, bakeries, coffee houses and the That the city's Arab-American
headquarters of the Arab-American community has become more politically
Cultural Society. conscious, better crganized and more
According to Abboud, the majority of assertive is reflected in the local media.
the Arab-American community is Once particularly ignored, the Arab-
employed as blue collar workers in American community and its events are
factories such as the Alton Knitting Mill now regularly covered by the local media.
and large industries like Bethlehem Steel, During the war in Lebanon in 1982, Arab-
Mack Truck or Western Electric. The American community leaders routinely
community also has a growing middle were sought out for their opinions and
class of professionals and business knowledge of events in Lebanon.
owners, particularly among the second "It is important to be organized," said
and third generations. Jarrouj. "To stay asleep while others are
The center of the community's social doing their work means they would get
and cultural life is St. George's Eastern stronge- while we get weaker." 31
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BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

The Politics
of Survival
by Alan Dehmer

CV) HEN Josephine

Sharbel's parents,
Sultana and Khattar,
arrived in Birmingham,
Alabama in the early years of the 20th
century, they entered one of the fastest
growing cities in the country. Thousands
of immigrants from around the country
and the world poured into Birmingham
between 1880 and 1930. They were
looking for new work opportunities in, or
around the growing steel industry. Today
they are part of a growing Arab-American
community made up of first-, second- and
third-generation Lebanese and
Palestinian-Americans who number over
400 families combined.
Sultana and Khattar were from the
same village in Lebanon (then Syria), but it
was not until after they arrived in the
United States that Khattar "twisted"
Sultana's arm and they married. Sultana,
17 years older than Khattar, had actually
come to the United States with her sister
and brother before Khattar. She went to
Paris, Texas where relatives had already
settled. Khattar, who was educated as a
teacher in Lebanon, came to America
shortly after Sultana. He took up peddling,
carrying his wares on his back and travel-
ling from city to city in search of business
and a place to call home. He too stopped
in Paris, Texas where he found Sultana.
"Mama used to say she never was sure
what it was about himbut he was a
very good-looking man, and she said,
'Well, I want a child, so . . he's well-
. 33

Photo. Greater Birmingham C oni,enttirti .i.itors Bureau

t)
 Faces of Birmingham educated, and he's good-looking, and he
has a beautiful voice, so if I have a child
and he leaves me . . .' Well he never left
WHEN Salem his birth several times to her. He never did," recalls Josephine.
Shunnarah settled visit family still living there. For however many reasons, Sultana,
in Birmingham in 1940, he "I like the country a lot," 34, and Khattar, 17, married and set off
became the first Palestinian he said. "I might go in June." for new frontiers againthis time to-
resident of this southern Fred Melof worked as a gether. After short stays in Kentucky and
city. After arriving in the safety engineer for U.S. Nashville, Tennessee, they arrived in
United States in 1935, Steel in Brimingham for 45 Birmingham. In 1904, they gave birth to
Shunnarah traveled years, until his retirement Josephine, making her Birmingham's first
throughout the south as a in 1972. The Melof family Lebanese-American. "I was the first
peddler, selling tapestries, immigrated to the United Lebanese child born in Birmingham," and I
oriental rugs and the like. In States when Fred was five was delivered by the first Lebanese doctor
1940, in Augusta, Georgia, years old. His father owned in Birmingham" boasts Josephine. "Dr.
he met the woman who a grocery in Birmingham, El-Kourie used to always brag about me
would become his wife. She but Fred, his two brothers for that."
was a Lebanese-American and a sister all worked for Like Khattar and Sultana,
from Birmingham who, he the steel industry. "My Birmingham's Lebaneseall of whom
claims, is "really a family had more people were either Maronite or Melkite
Palestinian at heart." working for U.S. Steel than Catholicsemigrated from the rich
Mr. Shunnarah anyone in the area," boasted farmland around Zahle. Most had come
continued peddling for a Melof. Known by fellow from the village of Wadi-el-Arayeche, one
few years, then settled in Arab-Aniericans as the or two family members at a time. They
Birmingham. There he community's historian, would come over, earn money and soon
opened an oriental rug store Melof continues to work as invite other members of the family to
which he still operates with a consultant for the steel their new home. In this way, the
one of his sons. industry. community grew rapidly between 1900
Dr. Salah EI-Dareer is and 1920. In 1905, the men formed the
one of about 15 Egyptian- Phoenician Club, which still exists today
born residents of as the Cedars Club. In 1910, a Maronite
Birmingham, and one of a Church was established and named St.
handful of Muslims there. Elias, after the Maronite church in Wadi-
He did his early studies in el-Arayeche. St. Elias Church was
Cairo before coming to the founded in a converted public school
United States to study building at 20th Street and Sixth Avenue
pharmacology at Michigan South, in what is now downtown
State University and the Birmingham and which at the time was
University of Michigan. Dr. an area of Lebanese settlement in the city.
El-Dareer and his wife In 1915, the Lebanese community of
moved to Birmingham in Birmingham was 65 families strong. St.
1965 where he has since George Melkite Church was established in
been engaged in cancer 1921, giving Birmingham two distinct
In 1948, relatives began research at Southern Eastern Catholic Churches in which to
moving to Birmingham Research Institute. worship.
from Ramallah. In 1949 Though there is no
they formed the Ramallah mosque in Birmingham, El-
Club and Mr. Shunnarah Dareer has maintained his Peddlers to Store Owners
became its first president. Muslim faith, and at one
He also served as president time served as Imam for the Then as now, the Lebanese
of the American Ramallah local community. On community represented only a small
Federation in 1968-69. occasion he and other Arab portion of Birmingham residents. But
Since he arrived in Muslims also worship at the from the start, it played an important role
America, Mr. Shunnarah Black Muslim mosque in in the evolution of the city's economy and
34 has returned to the land of Birmingham. social organization. Starting as peddlers in

3G
the streets of Birmingham and classes served to keep alive in the new
throughout the countryside, most generation the strong sense of Lebanese
Lebanese were able to set up small retail identity that persists to this day in
stores within a few years of al i ival. Dr v Birminghanr.
goods and grocery stoles were most Such passing down of traditions and
common, but there were other successful language was commonplace in early
ventures as well. Sultana, for example, immigrant families in the United States.
opened up a fine linen shop, selling cloth But in Birmingham it was not just the
unavailable elsewhere in Birmingliam. desir e to pass on the best in the parents'
Josephine recalls writing orders to the cultor al expel ience which brought
New York distributor Dahrouh Luau as a Khattar to St. Elias Church after work. In
young girl. Although her mother had Bir mingham, cultural pride was necessary
lear ned to speak English, she was Of Ilble for sur vival in what was frequently a
to write it. "I probably misspelled hristile cit vii of intent.
everything, but we always got everything White (Arigki-Saxon) southerners, the
just the same," she said. 'We got tl stuf f original settlers of Birminghani, were
here all right." establishilig racist policies and
Josephine's role as family translator pi omulgating racist attitudes directed at
was a familiar one for childt en of the Lebariese arid other Mediterranean
Lebanese and other immigrant fantilies. and Eastern European settlers. From
Growing up in America put the childiell inunigration policies whkh discour aged
in tile position of bi idging two worlds. certain immigr ants from further
This had its advantages, but parents were settlement into Alabama, to name-calling
concerned that the new generation might and exdry3ion from restaurants and other
lose sight of their heritage. In response, public facilities, l3ii minghair's Lebanese-
Khattar began teaching classes in 1015 iii Although from the
Amet icans experienced bigotry and racism
same village in
Arabic and Arabic literature, music and limn their -white- neighbors. For the
Lebanon, it was
history. Classes were held in the immigrant Lebanese, living in America
aftei nouns, first at St. Elias (Jun ch and meant ha ing to defend arid protect their not until after they
met in Paris, Texas,
later at St. Georges as well. Kbatt-,r'c ivil and human rights.
that Sultana and
Khattar heard
wedding bells.
After they moved
to Birmingham,
they gave birth to
Josephine, the first
Lebanese child
AM _AIM' born in that city.
At left, Josephine
41' Sharbel is playing
the Lebanese
national anthem
in her house.

itf11111,111.( .0111111 .1
the Amer., ha hi, i5

3
 Immigration & Racism An Era of Racism and Depression
Named after the English industrial
city, Birmingham was established in 1871.
Lying in the heart of a fabulously rich
itt 11,0 1Nt It F.StS.
li. R. 9177. mineral region, a group of speculators and
industrialists rallied that year to turn what
had been cornfields into what would
()V REPRESENT
ATIV ES. become, within the next 50 years, the
IN THE 1101..SE
10. 190:. South's most industrial city. So successful
II,,
Ow 0111°,101 1,41.
uloa, 1.1.0 .1 was the Birmingham project that after
Its It, rt Ana
NI,
matt,' ttt. It ...... ttt
tt Atttt
just a few short years, the supply of
incoming workers from the surrounding
region had been exhausted. The call went
A. BILL tlittt-
out to northern cities and to Europe for
laborers, merchants and others. And they
=Ittut Mt t ttl tttitit .:11.11tnt
cameRussians, Hungarians, Greeks,
1.111.4
:I.. WI.. Ole
German and Eastern European Jews,
Italians, Irish, Germans, Slavic peoples and
lit .44141i Lebanese. Between 1880 and 1930, the
to II MI0001
3 "not alter ...,1
I ,r111.11 !0111
population of Birmingham and the
6444 4r4 h la w 11.10
4 tioo to the .41;4 14
-14311 .41-44
surrounding suburban region increased
following 1441-44te.
4.111 into the
1.14.001 St.414 the
All :diem 44,er
from 4,000 to 260,000.
.441toii4414 therein. to wit: But it seems the Southern and Eastern
t III \Clio,..1 reading
eot,.,., i
of ay.:, %SM. are
1411y.h-Jily eapalde 44t
Europeans who toiled in the city's
or the limmiage of industry and the Mediterranean
the Eitgli,h language
g and von oot reml itl,i. -
some other 0011101.
:thew. of p0,11'
phy:onte. and immigrants who came to own many of
are wider ten
year, of age :aid ore ae- the city's shops were not the immigrants
tiles. exeept ..1144t a,
10
father or mother, or whose
father Or that the white ruling class had in mind.
companied by their
11 Stateo a the date
1e441ent of the I'Mted
The key issue for white society in
12 mother is alrenay 0
1111 male alien, over
eighteen Birmingham's years of rapid expansion
1S of the approv.41
441 thi, rt; 111141
at leag thirty was how to facilitate economic growth
In their Own right
14
N% hot 4" WA drawing on labor that would accept long
hours, low pay and unfamiliar as well as
unpleasant working and living
conditionswhile at the same time,
maintaining the color line. The percentage
of blacks living in Birmingham at this time
In 1907, Rep. John Burnett introduced a bill was kept stable (approximately 40
into the Congress that sought to exclude percent), while comprising between 65
Asian, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern percent and 75 percent of the actual work
force.
peoples by way of requiring an English But the newer immigrants to the city,
literacy test as a prerequisite for entry into perceived as "colored" (the Lebanese were
this country. After a "fact-finding" mission considered part of the "yellow race"),
through all of Europe and the complicated this maintenance of the color
line. The great influx of Mediterranean
Mediterranean, Burnett reported back to the and Eastern European immigrants sparked
Congress his findings: "God made only the an era of racist immigration policies in
Caucasian to rule this country; and I, for Alabama, the South and finally the United
one, look with apprehension upon any States. Birmingham's own representative
effort to introduce ... those thru whose to the U.S. Congress, Oscar W.
Underwood, raised the immigration
veins flow the blood of any other than the question in the House in 1905, lecturing
36 Caucasian race." his colleagues on the dangers of allowing

BEST COPY AVitiLLEE

those without pure white blood in their of Any Race and Superior to Many." The
veins to enter the United States. writings detail the positive attributes of
While the fight went on in the Syrian immigrants and the positive
Washington, Alabama state role the Semitic race and its descendants
representatives in 1907 were busy "the Syrians, Hebrews, German Jews,
enacting their own immigration laws: Russian Jews, Bedouins and Sedentary
"Immigrants shall be sought," one section Arabs"had played in history.
stated, "from desirable white citizens of El-Kourie was "A born orator," says
the United States first, and then citizens Fred Melof, a local historian and retired
of English-speaking and Germanic safety engineer for U.S. Steel. "He loved
countries, France, and the Scandinavian his people. And everybody worshipped
countries, and Belgium as prospective him." But El-Kourie's arguments were
citizens of this state . . .". drowned in the maelstrom of racist
In 1907, a bill in Washington was activities throughout the country. To be Syrian and
Catholic was to be
reported to the House by Alabama Rep. twice removed from
John Eurnett, a member of the House Birmingham's white
Committee on Immigration and Protestant ruling class.
Naturalization. The bill called for St. Elias Maronite
prospective immigrants to pass a literacy Church (below) and St.
George Melkite
test before being admitted to the United Church provided
States. T.J. Brooks, representing the Birmingham's
Farmer's Educational and Cooperative ostracized Lebanese-
Union (FECU) which claimed over 1.5 Americans a place of
.#4111_ worship and unity
million members in the Southern states
during the turbulent
alone, and 3 million nationwide, spoke for years. Elizabeth
the bill. In 1909, FECU had passed a Boohaker grew up in
resolution at its national meeting in Birmingham in those
Birmingham to limit immigration by years and later
encouraging a literacy test and other became secretary for
St. Elias Church.
preventatives. "Certain countries," said 11.

Moto, Brenda McCallum for

Brooks, "furnish a much greater the Arnerkan Folk Life enter.
I tbrars ( ongre...
percentage of undesirables than others."
He was quick to list them: "The Sicilian,
the Southern Italians, the Greek, the
Syrian, and some from that belt of Africa 1
and Asia surrounding the Mediterranean
Sea, and farther east, including all
Mongolians and Hindus."
In the same hearings, Dr. H.A. El- AMMON
Kouriethe same Dr. El-Kourie that had I:
delivered Josephine Sharbelspoke
against the bill. El-Kourie had become
involved in the conflict as early as 1907
after Alabama's Congressman Bumett
announced upon returning from an
immigration fact-finding mission in
Europe, "I regard the Syrian and peoples
from other parts of Asia Minor as the
most undesirable."
In defense of his people, El-Kourie
wrote two letters to local newspapers
defending the Syrian-Lebanese (who at
the time were considered Syrians). Later,
he wrote a short essay entitled "Facts
Establishing That the Semitic is the Equal 37

39
 Terror and the Klan state to be courageous and bold in their
beliefs, displaying their faith through
By 1924, U.S. legislation was passed outdoor processions and the like. But such
that effectively restricted immigration to a displays had their price. "See," one
slow trickle. The Ku Klux Klan and Lebanese-American responded, "people
Christian fundamentalism ruled the day here were even afraid to say they were
throughout the South, with Birmingham Catholic at one time. Down South, you
reputedly housing the largest Klavern in know, that is Baptist country. If you said
Birmingham's
the country. A single Klan group in the you were Catholic, you got it."
city boasted 10,000 members! Perhaps The Lebanese Catholics were not the only
steel brought
workers from another 10,000 residents of Birmingham endangered group. A member of
around the world (out of a population of less than 220,000) Birmingham's Jewish community who
to the southern belonged to other, rival KKK-Klaverns. lived through those days wrote, "Most
city. From 1880 to
The base of attack against Jews were horrified, but they felt helpless
1930, Birmingham
Birmingham's Lebanese was not only in the face of the Klan whippings,
was one of the directed at their birthplace or heritage. floggings and kidnappings that were
fastest growing,
"The city at that time discriminated commonplace." Those Klan members, he
most ethnically against Catholics, against ethnic groups-- wrote, also harbored a psychopathic
diverse cities in
against anything," reports Elizabeth concern for "drinkers, Negroes, friends of
the country. Boohaker, who at the time "was just a Negroes, Catholics, friends of Catholics,
little girl." The Roman rite Catholic bishop immigrants, Sunday movies, divorce, and
I `1, .! 11.gm.lIghan, ,b at the time encouraged Catholics in the non-conformity in general."
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 Anti-Catholic and anti-"colored" some brothers and first cousins came,"
feelings put the Lebanese, as shop owners remarked one second-generation Palestin-
catering to both blacks and whites, in an ian-American. "They used to go around
awkward position. Not only were they selling, you know, and they came on
rejected by whites as the "yellow race" Birmingham and they liked it. So they
(they were even called "dagos" by some), stayed." Soon they, like the Lebanese
but their faith also set them apart from before them, brought their families over.
the blacks. Philip K. Hitti's The Syrians in By the early 1960s, the Palestinian com-
America quotes the text of a handbill that munity numbered almost 150 people. But
circulated during a 1920 political the political problems of the past 20 years
campaign. The handbill trumpeted, "For have driven many more Palestinians from
Coroner, Vote for J.D. Goss,"The White their homes. Today, the Palestinian com-
Man's Candidate. It went on, "They have munity of Birmingham, mostly Melkites
disqualified the negro, an American by faith and store owners by profession,
citizen, from voting in the white primary. numbers around 300 members.
The Greek and Syrian should also be Almost without exception the entire
disqualified. I DON'T WANT THEIR community is related and from Ramallah.
VOTES. If I can't be elected by white "It's just a family here," remarks Nadin
men, I don't want the office." Rumanah, who operates a Middle East
The 1920s ?nd 1930s saw the greatest imports grocery store with his brother
degree of racism directed against the Nabeel. The store was formerly owned by
Lebanese. Although the problem Josephine Sharbel's husband. Today it
remained until after World War II, by the serves both the Lebanese and Palestinians
1930s, an additional problem faced the of Birmingham with Middle Eastern
Lebanese shop owners as well as the rest culinary items.
of Birmingham and the United States Relations between the two groups are
the Great Depression. At one point, not always close but remain friendly,
Birmingham became known as the through the art of Southern diplomacy as
hardest hit city in the nation. Thousands adopted by Lebanese and Palestinian-
of steel workers were laid-off. Elizabeth American alike in Birmingham.
Boohaker's father owned a grocery store at As elsewhere in the South where
the time. Arab-Americans have settled,
"My father used to only take in $2 or Birmingham's Arab-American community
$3 a day," she recalls, "That was in has done so under the pressure of being
comparison with $50 or $60 a day before perceived as different. In response, the
the Depression. . . . He'd give the (laid-off) overwhelming tendency is to keep a low
workers food on time so that made it even profile, mind your own business and stay
harder.. . . but he kept them alive. Along close to your family. Even the politics of
with us." the Middle East are put into the
Only a few of the shop owners closed background for the sake of survival.
down their businesses though. Josephine "We don't get involved in politics
Sharbel and her husband (a travelling here," said one member of the
salesman) were one of those exceptions. Birmingham Arab-American community.
They moved to Georgia for two years and "Everybody gets along. It's a family place.
then returned after the worst of times People got to work at 7, get off at 6 (or) 7
were over. o'clock in the evening, they go home, they
take care of their families and they get
The Palestinian Family together sometimes and drink coffee, and
. . . It's just a family here."

As the Depression days were ending

and life in Birmingham returned to Information concerning Lebanese immigration to
Birmingham was provided by Nancy Faires Conklin and
"normal," a new group of immigrants Nora Faires in a paper entitled "Colored' and Catholic:
began trickling inPalestinians. Initially, The Lebanese Community in Birmingham, Alabama."
The paper was presented at the first Philip K. Hitti
they came to the United States to support International Symposium on Near Eastern American
their families back home. "At first just Studies held lune 3-4, 1q83. 39

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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETFS

Dream of a
Good Land
by Evelyn Shakir

gN 1630, while still on board

the good ship Arabella, John
Winthrop reminded his fellow
Puritans that the colony they
were about to establish would be "as a city
upon a hill," he said. "The eyes of all
people are upon us."
Two hunc:red and fifty years later, in
the development Winthrop could have
neither foreseen nor desired, Middle
Eastern peasants began making their way
to that city on the hill. Like later
immigrants to Boston, these "Syrians" did
not always share the intense sense of
mission that had driven the Puritans to
Massachusetts, but they did share the
dream of "a good land" where despite
hardships, homesickness and hostility,
they might prosper and be happy.
In 1910, when Middle Eastern
immigration to America was at its height,
more Syrians and Lebanese lived in
Boston than in any other city in the
country, save New York. Most of them
came from Mount Lebanonthe earliest
contingents were from Beshari and
Zahlebut many, too, came from
Damascus. The best known of their
number was Kahlil Gibran, who
emigrated to Boston at the age of twelve
and who, throughout his life, maintained
close ties with the Boston community.
In Gibran's day, that community was
centered in Boston's South Cove a small
area which is the site of present-day
Chinatown. In this neighborhood of
narrow, tenement-lined streets, coffee 41

43
 Faces of Boston shops dotted each block, and bakeries with
wood-burning stoves turned out stacks of
"Syrian" bread. ln the cold-water flats,
women in kerchiefs and voluminous
2Palestinian who communications consultant aprons pounded meat in one bowl, garlic
grew up in Lebanon, in the Boston public schools. and salt in another. Outside, old men on
Fateh Azzam came to Several years ago, she orange crates played backgammon and
America with his family in helped found the William G. smoked water pipes while dark-eyed
1966 when he was 16. Abdalah Memorial Library children raced through the streets and
Today he works for Oxfam in memory of her brother, Eastern music whined from a Victrola.
America and attends the which provides information But despite the familiar sounds and smells,
University of Massachusetts on the Arab world and the "Little Syria" was not home. One woman
where he is working toward Arab-American experience who emigrated to Boston in 1912, with a
a degree in community to teachers, parents, and husband she had known only three
planning. He also leads the librarians in the Boston months, recalls that she was terrified of
Al Watan Contemporary area. "A good self-image the noise and dirt of the city streets and
Music Ensemble, which helps a child to do his best," so lonely that for the first year, she wrote
features "progressive and says Evelyn. "That's been her mother a letter every day.
politically conscious" music one problem in the Homesick or not, the first order of
from Palestine, Lebanon schoolswe haven't given business for most immigrants was to find
and Egypt. "We dail play children a pride in their work. At the turn of the century, when
belly-dancing music," said own ethnicity." the New England textile industry was still
Fateh, "we play music that flourishing, the mill towns of eastern
expresses the human MassachusettsFall River, New Bedford,
situation in the Middle East Lawrence and Lowellrelied heavily on
right now." immigrant labor. Syrians and Lebanese
Kahlil Gibran, cousin helped man the looms and sometimes
and namesake of the poet, became involved in the angry labor
is a sculptor of distinguished disputes that punctuated efforts to
reputation who grew up in unionize mill hands. In Lawrence, just 30
the South Cove, site of miles north of Boston, the Syrian-
Boston's earliest Syrian- Lebanese helped lead the famous Bread
Lebanese settlement. "My and Roses strike of 1912.
earliest images," he said,
"are of a tightly knit Hannah Sabbagh Shakir Factories and Coffee Houses
community which was very emigrated from Mount
calming and secure and Lebanon in 1907 at the age Syrian-Lebanese men and women
protective." But survival of 12. Two years later she often worked as stitchers, cutters, or
was a struggle, he added, so began working 12 hour pressen; eventually, as they invested in
everyone worked. Even he days in a textile mill; later factories of their own they came to share
and his brother, when still she became a stitcher, and with the Jews a near monopoly of the
small children, used to go later still started her own city's needle industry. Many Syrian-
into the garment district on successful sewing factory. Lebanese avoided factory work altogether,
Saturday morning looking Since 1917, she has been an choosing instead to open neighborhood
for discarded crates, then active member of the groceries, confectionary shops, bakeries,
chop them up, pile the Syrian Ladies' Aid Society. coffee houses, and dry goods stores. But
wood in their toy wagons "Once the club put on in Boston, as in the rest of Massachusetts
and take it home to fuel the Madame X," she recalled, and, indeed, throughout most of the
kitchen stove. "and we put on Russian country, almost all of the immigrants who
Evelyn Abdalah plays, too. In one I played a came before 1900 (and many who came
Menconi, the daughter of man and shot a gun. The after) were peddlers, at first of notions,
Syrian-Lebanese women used to take all the dry goods, and religious objects, later (if
immigrants, holds a Ph.D. male parts; we were too shy they were successful) of expensive lingerie
in education and was long a in those days to act with and linens.
42 teacher and then a men." But peddlers aroused suspicion and

44
irritation in the city's predominantly neighborhood, was a good neighbor
Anglo establishment. In its 1899 report on indeed, providing clubs, classes, and
Syrian-Lebanese, the Associated Charities companionship, especially to women and
of Boston saw little distinction between children. And the community itself soon
peddling and begging and complained that spawned its own churches as well as a
Syrian-I ebanese "always find an excuse spate of social and cultural organizations
for refusing work, even when offered that helped cushion the impact of new
them, as long as they can earn more by ways on old.
peddling." The fact is that to the The best known of these dubs, no
descendents of the Puritans, the Syrian- doubt because of Gibran's association with
Lebanese seemed incorrigibly alien. it, was the Golden Links, a group of men
"Next to the Chinese, who can never better educated than most of the
be in any real sense Americans," one community, who met to discuss books and
Boston social worker wrote in 1898, 'the ideas and to share their own writings. By
Syrians are the most foreign of all our the late 1920s, if not before, the Syrian
foreigners. Whether on the street in their Press of Bosi.on (later the New Deal
Oriental costumes, or in their rooms Press) was publishing works by immigrant

,k_alitaglibfiAdt AbliatrAlia

rin
t

#.0%
The Boston Arab-
American
community was
well represented
at the Jobs, Peace
and Freedom
March in
Washington, D.C.
on August 27,
1983. Seen here
-A carrying the ADC
banner are Evelyn
Menconi (see
Faces, opposite
page) and
Mushtague Mirza.

gathered around the Turkish pipe, they workers. Over the years, the community
are always apart from us ... and out of all also supported several newspapers and
the nationalities would be distinguished journals including, among others, Surin
for nothing whatever excepting as ledeeda (published as early as 1910), El Fatal
curiosities." Boston, and Al Ra,ul.
Such sentiments are less surprising These literary and journalistic
when one recalls that it was in Boston ventures were male-dominated. But the
that the Immigration Restriction League women in the community had their own
was born in 1894, and that its forces were causes to pursue. In about 1917, they
led by Massachusetts Senator Henry began organizing to send humanitarian
Cabot Lodge. aid to people in the old country and to
provide charitable services to the
Clubs, Churches and Charities immigrants and their children in the
Boston area. The dinners, plays, outings,
Fortunately, other institutions in the and Imflis the women sponsored
city were more humane. Denison House, contributed in a major way to the social
a settlement house staffed by women life of the neighborhood and helped
from local colleges and situated in the promote cohesiveness. One such club, the
heart of the Arab immigrant Syrian I adies' Aid Society, owned an 43
elegant South End townhouse at 44 West Slowly and sometimes reluctantly, the
Newton Street, which for 30 years was churches have followed the people. In the
the central meeting place for all groups last decade or two, St. George's Orthodox
within the community. It was there in Church and the Cathedral of Our Lady of
1931 that Gibran was waked, and it was the Annunciation (Melkite) have moved to
there, a year later, that leaders met to West Roxbury; Our Lady of the Cedars
organize the Syrian American Federation (Maronite) to the adjacent suburb of
of New England, the country's first Jamaica Plain. St. John of Damascus
regional affiance of Arab clubs and a Orthodox Church is even now building an
forerunner of the National Federation, edifice in Dedham, also across the line
established in 1950. from West Roxbury; Norwood has long
Meanwhile, as the community grew had its own Orthodox church, St.
and prospered, it was shifting its center, George's, as has Cambridge, St. Mary's.
St. Matthew's, established just a couple of
years ago in West Roxbury, is a non-
Chalcedonian Orthodox church which
conducts services in Aramaic.

New Immigrants
Moving to the suburbs has given the
churches a new lease on life as has the
recent influx of immigrants from the
Middle East, many of them attracted by
Boston's world famous colleges and
universities. In some cases, too, these new
immigrants have founded new churches
to meet their own particular spiritual
needs; the Arabic Evangelical Church in
West Roxbury is a case in point, as is St.
Mark's Coptic Church in Newton.
Muslims among the newcomers have
first to the Shawmut Avenue area (where found a home in the New England Islamic
a remnant of Syrian-Lebanese remain) Center in Quincy, which was established
and then to West Roxbury, a street car about 20 years ago by several Lebanese
suburb, which is best known as the site of families, and which today draws
the Brook Farm, the experiment in worshippers of many nationalities from a
communal living made over a hundred radius of up to a hundred miles.
years ago by the New England Partly as a result of this new wave of
transcendentalists. One woman, Gladys immigration and partly as a result of the
Shibley Sadd, who was a child when her ethnic revival which has swept across the
family moved from the South Cove to country, second-, third-, and fourth-
West Roxbury, remembers the suburb as generation Arab-Americans lately have
a rustic paradise. "The wide open spaces developed a heightened ethnic
were our playground," she says. "We consciousness and a stronger sense of
picked berries in the woods behind the connection to the lands of their ancestors.
house, we gathered wild flowers, we An added impetus to this development
climbed the trees, waded in the nearby was the telecast in 1976, as part of the
brook and skated on the pond in winter." Bicentennial celebration, of a program
Though many Arab-Americans still live in which traced the history of the city's Arab
West Roxbury, which is less rural than it community and which was beamed to a
used to be, the last decade or two have large audienLe throughout eastern
seen a further dispersal of the community Massachusetts and Rhode Island and parts
into Norwood, Westwood, and other of New Hampshire. Four years later, an
towns to the southwest of the city. hour documentary on Boston's Syrian-

G
Lebanese, broadcast over a local public showall aimed at heightening the
radio station, served a similar purpose. community's consciousness of its ethnic
The Arab community is learning to identity. Two of the newest groups,
make better use of the media to reach its whose membership includes people of
own people, if not others. Boston has long non-Arab descent, direct most of their
had at least one weekly radio program to attention to the Near East itself. One, the
play Arabic music and announce North American Friends of Palestinian
commtmity news such as deaths, picnics Universities, works to promote and
and hallis. Lately, more issue-oriented defend academic freedom in colleges on
programming has emerged in the form of the West Bank; the other, Women for
a 30-minute radio program, "Middle East Women in Lebanon, collects funds for
Insights," sponsored by the National sewing workshops and other small
Association of Arab-Americans, which enterprises that help Palestinian and
holds in-depth interviews with people Lebanese women, whose lives were
from the Arab world or from the Arab- devasted by the Israeli invasion, to achieve
American community. On television, the economic independence.
Sunday morning "Arabic Hour" presents Finally, national Arab organizations
mix of interviews, news reports and have made their way to the Boston area.
analysis, cooking instruction and The Association of Arab-American
entertainment. University Graduai es and the Institute of
Arab Studies share an office building in
Belmont, just a stone's throw from
Jld and New Boston; the American-Middle East Peace
Research Institute has moved its
The institutional life of the community headquarters from Washington, DC to
continues to evolve in other ways as well. Boston. And in the last few years, the
Older organizations persistsome local chapter of the American-Arab Anti-
women's clubs, some village clubs, many Discrimination Committee opened its
church clubs, the Nicholas G. Geram regional office in Boston.
Veterans' Association, the American- A century after the Arabella made port
Arabic Association (AMARA) which, in Massachusetts, New England was
through Project Loving Care, aids children swept by the "Great Awakening," a
in Lebanon and in Jerusalem. At the same religious revival that urged a return to the
time, new organizations, reflecting the piety and commitment of Winthrop,
changing concerns of the community, are Bradford and other pioneers who had
born. The American Arabic Benevolent risked so much in coming to America.
Association, for instance, is raising funds Today, a century after Middle Eastern
to build a home for the elderly in the emigration to America began, Arab-
community, and the William G. Abdalah Americans in and around the "city upon a
Memorial Library is collecting and housing hill" are also reassessing the present in
materials on Arab heritage and the Arab- light of the past. They, too, are awakening
American experience. to a new appreciation of their culture and
Some of the newer organizations are to a new understanding of their history in
made up of more recent immigrants or this country.
sojourners from the Middle East. In this
category are the Arab student unions at Two works that provide valuable information
colleges like the Massachusetts Institute of on Boston's Arab-American community are Jean
Technology, Harvard, Northeastern and and Kabul Gibran's Kahlil Gibran: His Life
Boston University, which sponsor lectures and World (Boston: New York Graphic Society,
on Arab culture, history and politics. The 1974) and Elaine Hagopian's "The Institutional
Syrian Club of Boston works closely with Development of the Arab-American Community of
these students and engages in a variety of Boston: A Sketch," in The Arab-Americans:
other activitiesthey hold classes in Studies in Assimilation, ed. Elaine C.
Arabic, for instance, and are the moving Hagopian and Ann Paden (Wilmette, Illinois:
force behind "The Arabic Hour" television Medina University Press International, 19691. 45

47
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e/A I I I t LOZZA

On Freedom's
Shores

by Alan Dehmer

wiRBRAHAM Mitrie Rihbany

arrived in New York in
1891, like most Syrian
immigrants, without friends
or relatives to greet him. He spent his first
nights in the United States in lower
Manhattan. His sleeping accommodations,
for which he paid a nickel, consisted of a
wooden platform he shared with two
other men. A cot and mattress and a cold
water tap were available for an extra
dime.
Rihbany was like thousands of other
immigrants at the turn of the century,
who left the political and economic
turmoil of the Ottoman Empire for the
dreams of a better life in America. After
months at sea, the first land sighted by
the immigrants was Brooklyn's tree-lined
ridge facing New York Harbor and the
Statue of Liberty. Those fortunate
enough to have a relative or friend
waiting for them to complete registration
at Ellis Island would be offered the
comforts of home, but most spent their
first nights crowded into Syrian-owned
boarding houses on Washington Street.
Even for those who eventually moved
on to other parts of the country, New
York was the place of first and lasting
impressions, where the dream of the New
World was realized. And New York
provided more than fond memories.
Many early Syrian settlers earned
their living by peddling, and achieved
financial success by opening up their own
retail stores in a town or city. For those 47

Photo: Paul Darby

 Faces of Brooklyn merchants, New York represented a
wholesaler's heaven. Many contacts were
made on Washington Street among the
AY Rashid, co- become something of a local wholesalers and future retailers that later
manages Rashid Sales celebrity and has been proved valuable when the peddler finally
on Atlantic Avenue interviewed by The New York settled down and opened up his own
with his brother Times and several Arabic business.
Stanley. The store, begun newspapers. Those who moved away from New
by their father in 1934, Litia Namoura, a dancer York relied on the many Arabic
houses the largest and political activist, has newspapers circulating after 1892 from
inventory of Arabic records spent the greater part of the New York area to keep them abreast
and tapes in the United her life involved in the arts. of the news from "back home." The likes
States. A second-generation Her parents came to the of Kahlil Gibran and his New York circle
Arab-American, Ray takes a United States from of Syrian literati, Phillip Hitti in nearby
great deal of pride in his southern Lebanon in the Princeton, N.J., and other educators and
heritage. "I never had to early part of this century intellectuals made New York the center of
deny the fact that I was an and settled in New England. Syrian culture, art and letters. For the
Arab ... I'm proud of being Litia was born in society of "old immigrants," the New York
Lebanese," said Rashid. Massachusetts and grew up metropolitan area was the center of
in New Hampshire, where business, culture and intellectual pursuit
she was educated in for Arab-Americans through the 1940s.
Anglican schools.
Litia says she had little
or no knowledge of her From Washington Street to Brooklyn
Arab heritage until the
1930s, when Alice Jaoudi For the thousands of immigrants who
encouraged her to form the made New York home, Brooklynwith
Fine Arts Guild in its ethnic neighborhoods, Middle Eastern
1
Brooklyn. The Guild bakeries and Syrian churcheswas the
catered to Syrian-Lebanese likely choice. Moving to Brooklyn from
girls and for the first time, Washington Street simply meant packing
Litia was making social up the meager belongings they had
contact with other Arab- brought on the ship, boarding the nickel
Americans. During this ferry and crossing the East River. So
Ray Rashid is co-manager of period she also met and appealing was that ferry ride to Brooklyn
Rashid Sales on Atlantic Ave. later married Habib that by 1900 it is reported that
Photo: M. Bardakas Katibah, a writer and editor approximately 3,000 Syrian immigrants
for The Syrian World. had crossed the East River, establishing
Besides the records and It was not until the 1967 Brooklyn as the largest Syrian community
tapes, Rashid Sales also war that she began to in America.
carries a large selection of develop her political The first place the Syrians settled was
Arabic books, newspapers, awareness. "The 1967 war Atlantic Avenue. With its famous
magazines and other Arabic shocked me," she said. "And restaurants, Arabic book stores, bakeries
paraphernalia. With mail I began to say, well what and record shops, Atlantic Avenue is, to
orders from around the have you done about it." So this day, considered "the Arab section" of
world, it has become she began reading every Brooklyn.
something of an Arab day "way into the night" to One of the early settlers of Atlantic
institution. educate herself on the Avenue was a man who arrived at Ellis
Ray, tc,,, has gained Middle East. She has since Island bearing, as he had from birth, the
recognition as a spokesman become active in various name Nahra. His grandson, Ed Alvarado,
for the Arab-American organizations, including the relates that his grandfather, who like most
community of Brooklyn. U.N., and would like to immigrants of the time spoke no English,
Having worked around write abo,..,t the Middle East. was asked his name by immigration
Atlantic Avenue for officials. "Nahra," he replied. "Kanatous?"
48 nearly 25 years, Ray has Continued page 50 came the response. "Nahra, Nahra," he

50
 (-
Ed Alvardo (left)
bakes bread and
other Arabic
delicacies in the
same ovens his
grandfather built
in 1910 beneath
the sidewalks of
Atlantic Ave.

*L.11

I'

r1
J.14.

IP*

Photo Alan Dehmer

answered And thus, Kanatous Kanatous

became a registered U.S. immigrant
A
In 1910, Kanatous opened one of
Brooklyn's earliest bakeries, with ovens
that lie beneath the sidewalk of Atlantic
Avenue. His children and grandchildren,
who still live in the Atlantic Avenue area, The Old Immigrants In this Lebanese-
continue to bake bread daily in the same owned bakery in
ovens Kanatous Kanatous built in 1910. The faith of the old immigrants Bay Ridge, a
Unlike the Kanatous family of Atlantic those who arrived before World War II Syrian woman
Avenue, most of Brooklyn's Arab- w,a primarily ChristianMaronite, who moved to the
American community has changed Melkite and Antiochian Orthodox. By U.S. three years
neighborhoods in the past 80 years. tracing the changing locations of the ago makes her
Economic success accounts for many of various churches, the demographic shifts daily purchase
the movesfrom Atlantic Avenue to within Brooklyn become evident. from an employee
Brooklyn Heights, to Park Slope and Brooklyn's first Syrian church was of the store,
finally to Bay Ridgebut the moves also established in a renovated building near another Syrian
illustrate changing attitudes from one Atlantic Avenue. Virgin Mary Melkite immigrant who
generation to the next. The churches that Church, only recently torn down, served has lived in
serve the Arab-American community of the Melkite community of Brooklyn until Brooklyn for 15
Brooklyn have bem remarkably adept at 1951. By the 1920s, members of the Arab- years.
American community began moving to 49
keeping pace with the constant changes. Photo Al3n Drhtner

5i BEST COPY AVAILABLE

 Faces of Brooklyn, cont'd to Arab culture." Brooklyn Heights, just north of Atlantic
Dr. Philip Kayal has Kayal has been active in Avenue. The new and more affluent
explored the role the Melkite Church. He neighborhood took them away from their
that Syrian churches was formerly the editor of shops, but it also separated them from
have played in Arab- the church's national their "immigrant" image. Responding to
American communities. His newsletter and the Melkite the population shift, Our Lady of Lebanon
father was born in Aleppo Digest, which has since Maronite Church and St. Nicholas
and came to the United become known as Sopheia. Orthodox Church were foundea in
States as a boy in the early Today Kayal represents the Brooklyn Heights in the 1920s.
part of this century. His 40,000 or so Arabs
mother, born in Brooklyn, scattered throughout New A New Generation
is a second-generation Jersey as president of the
Syrian-American of the New Jersey Arab Cultural The first 30 years of this century
Kassar family. Dr. Kayal Institute. presented many difficulties for Arab-
received his Ph.D. from Americans. Congress was considering
Fordham University in immigration laws that would effectively
1970. His dissertation, halt further emigration from the Middle
which he later published as East. The debates were loaded with racist
a book with his brother Joe, barbs directed at the Syrians, as well as
was called The Syrian-Lebanese other immigrants, that put them in the
in America. "I discovered my curious position of defending the honor of
roots as an eastern their heritage by demonstrating how
Catholic," said Kayal, "and "American" they could be.
from there I was introduced The greatest toll of such enforced
assimilation was on the second generation.
Philip Kayal (top) is a
According to accounts written at the time,
third-generation the advantages to the second generation
Brooklynite. His
maternal grandparents,
4- of their parents' move were scant. "Our
George & Wadia Kassar
youth have not gained from their
(center) came to environment," began a familiar sounding
Brooklyn from Syria letter of complaint published in New
around the turn of the
century. By 1912, the
York's Meraat-LII-Gharb, the Orthodox
Kassar family had newspaper established in 1899.
grown to six children. In the 1920s, a popular topic of
discussion was whether to teach Arabic to
the American-born children. A corollary
to that question was why, when Arabic
classes were offered, did so few show any
interest? Al-Hoda, the Maronite
newspaper established in 1898, was an
active proponent of maintaining heritage
in the United States. In 1928, it offered
a , free Arabic lessons to all corners. Only a
Yit handful of students showed up.
. Os'
Fear of losing touch with the "home
country" permeated the immigrants' lives,
Ala
a and the Brooklyn community was at the
center of the cyclone. The second
generation displayed little pride in their
parents' heritage. Brooklyn's churches
"t suffered a high rate of attritiona
repork.... 46 percent of second generation
)./ Melkites in Brooklyn left Virgin Mary
7

Church to attend the "more American"

50 Roman Rite churches.

52
 The second generation tended to be shifts from one neighborhood to the next
apolitical. They seldom married other and in terms of their identification with
Syrian-Americans. Their parents' heritage Arab traditions, the third generation had
meant little more than eating hibouleh come full circle. The move to Bay Ridge
and kibbee and dancing the dubkee at brought the newest generation to the
yearly gatherings. One trait the second same wooded banks the first immigr,ints
generation shared universally with their had sighted upon entering New York
fathers, however, was a knack for harbor.
business. Like their parents, they too
moved to better neighborhoods even
farther away from Atlantic Avenue, this New Wave
time to Park Slope.
The third generation came to At the same time Bay Ridge was being
ascendancy after World War II. They were populated by the grandchildren of the old
better educated: many completed college immigrants, new immigrants were
and moved into professional work. This coming to Brooklyn. Again it was to
third generation began to rediscover their Atlantic Avenue these newcomers
grandparents' heritage. In 1952, Virgin gravitated. Yemen provided the largest
Mary Melkite Church moved to Park influx, and over 5,000 Yemeni live in
Slope with the hope of becoming a Brooklyn today. In fact, this figure is
neighborhood church again. St. Mary's misleading. Over the past 30 years many
Orthodox Church also moved in the more have lived in Brooklyn, but unlike
1950s, to Bay Ridge, the newest migration their predecessors the Yemenis seldom
site. Thus both in terms of the physical emigrate for life.

Each year in
Brooklyn, local
Arab-Americans
sponsor the
"Atlantic Antic"
festival, offering a
taste of Arabic
food and enter-
tainment to the
ethnically diverse
Brooklyn com-
munity. Atlantic
Avenue has served
as the first home
for Brooklyn's
Arab immigrants
throughout the
century. 51

BEST COPY MILAN

 Yemenis, mostly men, move to this Americans from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine,
country for the express purpose of Jordan and elsewhere, have chosen to put
earning a better wage than they can at political and religious differences aside to
home. A large portion of their earnings is pray and work together for one common
sent back to their families. Meanwhile, the goal. The St. Nicholas Home for the Aged
ever-changing Yemeni population works stands as a rock of unity that could serve
in small shops and businesses. There are to show the way to the future for other
seven Yemeni restaurants in the Atlantic Arab-American communities across the
Avenue area. United States.
The next largest immigrant "They said this place would never be
community is Palestinian. Although they built," said Dick Zarick, chairman of the
have been arriving since the end of World board for the home. "Ninety-five percent
War II, the Palestinian community of of the Arabic-speaking people said that."
Atlantic Avenue has swelled since 1972 St. Nicholas Home is a testimony to
when immigration quotas were opened the possibility of a united Arabic-speaking
up. Today, Palestinians in Brooklyn number community. Zarick believes this and
between 3,000 and 4,000. Most operate wants the world to know it.
supermarkets and superettes throughout It was Father Gregory Abboud who
Brooklyn, but Atlantic Avenue remains came up with the idea of a home for the
their favorite place of residence. aged in Brooklyn to be operated jointly by
In the past few years, Brooklyn all the Arabic-speaking groups. Father
Heights has begun renovation as new, Abboud, who came to Brooklyn as an
upwardly striving immigrants follow the Orthodox priest at St. Mary's, was
path of earlier immigrants who found the revered by the whole community and so
neighborhood a welcome change from the was successful in getting his project off
commercial bustle of Atlantic Avenue. the ground, but illness prevented him
With the new immigrants comes a new from seeing it completed.
faith. The Muslims of Yemen and Zarick, who played a central role in the
Palestine are responsible for the Islamic construction of the home, said he made a
Center in Brooklyn Heights. The center is vow to Father Abboud and to God to see
a few blocks from Our Lady of Lebanon the project to its end. Good to his word
Maronite Church, which now serves as and to Abboud's dream, the St. Nicholas
the Cathedral of the Maronite Diocese. Home opened its doors on November 21,
The See of the Diocese of St. Maron, 1982, with two residents. It has expanded
formerly in Detroit, moved its offices to to full capacity-77 residents with a full
Brooklyn in 1972. time staff, including an award-winning
The old patterns persist, circles are chef who keeps everyone satisfied. A
drawn to a close and new patterns emerge simple tour of the homea two-story
in Brooklyn. One consistent pattern is the complex with kitchen, dining room,
process of dissociation and separation of conference rooms, chapel and recreation
one ascending generation and class from roomsdemonstrates that harmony is
the previous one. Separation seems to be the key to life there. Roughly one-fourth
a function of environment as well. of the residents are of Arab heritage, but
"Brooklyn'tes tend to know very little according to one Italian resident, 'There
about ther own territory," commented are no nations here. We live from the
one native of that borough. "It's so large heart."
and New Yorkers are . . . well, you know The board of directors of the home is
how New Yorkers are." made up of the full spectrum of Arabic-
speaking groups. Besides meeting
"We Live From the Heart" regularly for business, board members
and residents join for prayer services,
But in Brooklyn, the old patterns are which are conducted alternatively by the
never erased entirely. At the St. Nicholas many different faiths in the area. Said
Home for the Aged on Ovington Avenue, Zarick, "We have combined into a unity
Christians and Muslims, Arabs and Arab- like you've never seen."
5
Open to everyone, Dick Zarick, the is shown here
St. Nicholas Home Home's founder with some of
for the Aged in and director, St. Nicholas'
Brooklyn has been provides able 77 residents.
called a gift to the guidance and
city of New York leadership to this
from the Arabic- "rock of unity."
speaking people. Zarick (left) Photos Alan Dehmer

\-

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53

55 BEST COPY AVAILABLE

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 DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Our Ellis Island

HAT blonde girl studying piano

qTiiii"
in the affluent Detroit suburb
Grosse Pointe . . .
hat autoworker in Dearborn, cra-
dling a cup of ,,!a in grease-stained hands
in the hole-in-the-wall coffeehouse . . .
That middle-aged grocer with the
slightly wary look that comes from one
too many robberies in a tough Southfield
street .. .
They all have something in common.
They are part of the complex, growing
and changing Arab-American community
of Detroit.
Some call Detroit the Ellis Island of
Arab-Americans. It's the biggest concen-
tration of Arab-Americans in the
countrysome 250,000 in the 4.7 million
metro area. Immigrants have been arriv-
ing since the 1890s to the industrial
center.
Immigration is a living fact in Detroit.
These days, three of every five new immi-
grants to the area comes from the Middle
East, totalling some 10,000 arrivals a year.
In fact, Arab-Americans now make up the
fastest-growing minority in the area. One
schoolteacher in the bilingual program of
the public schools noted, "You can see it
here; 42 percent of our students last year
were Arabic or Chaldean speakers."
One sad fact unites most immigrants
over the years to the Detroit area: They
left their homelands because of political
and social upheavals there. But as well
they are united by the faith and hope they
place in their new land. As one recent 55

57
.
 Faces of Detroit refugee from the violence of Beirut,
sheltering his young daught,,r in his arms,
put it, "I feel like I've been born again."
by Kathy Eadeh
These are not the best times to come
to Detroit, though with unemployment
(.5 OCIAL worker and
community activist,
Dr. Katherine Naghei came
regular comment"There
is no civilization like the
Arab civilization"she
high and the future bleak for industrial
recovery. Still, many benefit, even in hard
times, from the existence of thriving
to Detroit in 1969 after particularly enjoyed a trip to Arab-American communities, where they
receiving her Ph.D. in 1962 her parents' homeland. can find familiar languages, familiar foods,
in International Relations Adil Akrawi, a 42-year- perhaps a social service tailored to their
from the University of old Chaldean grocery store needs, and possibly even friends and
Pennsylvania. (Nagher is a owner, is also president of relatives from "home."
Pennsylvania native, having Detroit's Iraqi Democratic Only recently have the different
been born in Wilkes-Barre.) Union. He is a survivor of peoples of the Arab world who settled
Nagher enjoys the political repression in Iraq, here come to term themselves "Arab-
harmonious working where he came from in Americans," to make first steps toward
relationships among 1969. Going to work in raising a united voice. But as long as
different parts of the Arab- Detroit for Chrysler, he Arab-Americans haw, been arriving, they
American community in was fired in 1974 after have vigorously asserted their own
Detroit. "I believe all leading a protest walkout regional and local identities.
mankind are brother and on health and safety issues.
sister," she says. "I believe in He opened a grocery store
Kahlil Gibran's words, 'You in 1975, and although he Strong Identities
are all fingers on the loving has experienced tension
hand of God." between Arabs and blacks, First to come were the Syrian-
Nagher, whose parents says, "Both blacks and Lebanese, who today make up nearly half
came from Lebanon, also Arabs share the problem of the Arab-American population, with
appreciates the richness of being hurt by 'the system.' 100,000 people. (Most came from what is
Arab civilization. now Lebanon.) First arriving in significant
Remembering her father's Continued page 58 numbers in the 1890s, they tended to
come in "chains" of friends -.nd neighbors
from the same region and religion.
They live mingled in among other
1 LE 6f1 ethnic groups throughout Detroit's
eastern suburbs.
Atai6UfC 4 1111 Next to arrive were the Chaldeans,
who began immigrating in 1910 and
dramatically increased in the late 1950s
and 1960s, as political upheavals shook
their native Iraq. Many more have arrived
since 1967. The Chaldeans, speakers of a
language derived from ancient Aramaic,
are distinctive even within Iraq, and those
4 who came to Detroit are more distinctive
still. Many come from one village within
IraqTelkaif. Chaldeans now make up 20
percent of the area's Arab-American
t Melfttt
population, and they mostly work in retail
business. Chaldeans own fully 80 percent
of the area's 1,400 mom-and-pop grocery
Adil Akrawi moved to the United States to escape stores. Their strong regional and linguistic
persecution in 1969. An established Detroit store owner, identity is well-represented, especially in
Akrawi says he still has not adjusted to American life st)les. the Southfield neighborhood, where the
56 community founded the Southfield
Manor. It is an impressive new social offered Yemenis a six-month leave to
center where, many parents hope, their arrange for their families to immigrate
traditions will endure despite assimilating too, many Yemenis found the very idea of
attractions of mainstream culture. permanent migration offensive.
Palestinians make up 12.5 percent of Other ethnic pockets in this
Arab-Americans in the area. First arriving community suggest the rich diversity of
in the 1920s, they followed a familiar Arab culturefor instance, the Egy ptian
pattern of Arab immigrationone family Copts. Once widely scattered throughout
member brought over others, until entire Michigan, in 1976 this small but
family networks and village networks determined group built the first Coptic
were re-created in the New World. Many church in Michigan, in Troy (a northern
Palestinians in Detroit came from the suburb of Detroit). Members of the

Many members of
Detroit's diverse
Arab-American
community are
shop owners. 80%
of the 1,400 mom-
and-pop grocery
stores in Detroit
are owned by
Chaldean-
Americans alone.
l'hoto. Maien Eadeh

West Bank town of Ramallah. (Detroit is Druze community have settled in Detroit,
the national center for the nationwide, Flint and Saginaw. One of the ways they
20,000 member American Federation of stay in contact is through the American
Ramallah, Palestine.) Since the 1967 Arab- Druze Public Affairs Committee, whose
Israeli war, Palestinian immigration has chair Kamal Shouhayib often has the job,
soared. these days, of explaining to the media just
The highly-distinctive Yemeni who the Druze are.
population makes up some 5 percent of
the Arab-American community. Nine-
tenths of them are men, and they come Community Life Flourishes
from one rural area in Yemen, where they
usually own land. They come for a year, Over time, Detroit has become a
or two, or several, to earn money and center for Arab-American institutions.
return to their families. "We are saving Among the associations with chapters or
money for our futurein Yemen," says offices in Detroit are the American
one. They are so unified in that goal that Federation of Ramallah, Palestine; the
when the United Auto Workers, which American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
counts some 4,700 Arabs among the Committee; the Association of Arab-
35,000 workers in their Rouge plant, American University Graduates; and the 57

5
 Faces of Detroit, she says, "I have the best of National Association of Arab Americans.
continued two worlds. I can appreciate Several student groups meet the needs of
the beauty of two very Arab students studying in the area, and of
That's where the problems different cultures." She is university students who are learning
are, not among the taking pre-law courses at about Arab culture at such institutions as
minorities." the University of Michigan, Wayne State University. The Palestine
Mil is proud of the Dearborn. Aid Society and the Arabic Center for
Arab-American community 19-year-old Nabil Cultural and Social Services help out
of Detroit: 'It is unique Khoury's parents moved to Arab-Americans in urgent need and social
we are all keeping our the U.S. to give their clubs proliferate. It is, then, no surprise to
culture alive, and working children a better life. His find a wealth of media serving the special
together. People are proud mother is from Damascus, needs and interests of Arab-Americans in
because they are Syria and his father is from the areathe newspaper Iraqi, the
Palestinians, or Yemenis or Jerusalem, Palestine. Now magazine Hathahe Ramallah, the television
Chaldeans, but we must all Nabil is studying medicine show "The Arab Voice," and radio
be proud of the fact that in the hopes of returning to programs "Arabesque" and "Middle
first we are Arabs." Still, he the Middle East as a Eastern Melodies."
says, there is no substitute physician. He has visited the Lifestyles of Arab-Americans are as
for home, and he stills feels Middle East several times diverse as their heritages. Perhaps most
like a stranger in the U.S. and, he says, "I identify first distinctive is the near-enclave of
When Teghrid (Terry) as an Arab and then as an "Southend" in Dearborn, where the
Ahwal, a 27-year-old police American. Maybe because I population is 75 percent Arab, where
officer who also works at feel deprived of a homeland, Sunni mosques dot the neighborhood and
the Yemen Arab Republic I emphasize my ethnic where you may need to be able to read
consulate, first came to the identity." Nabil feels that Arabic to read the signs on the street. If
U.S. a decade ago, "Life was the Detroit Arab-American the locale seems to border on a ghetto to
very lonely." She came with community must "pull some, it means close-knit community to
her sister, and her family together" because "we need others. One bakery owner says proudly,
from Ramallah, Palestine, an identity, a background "Where else could you live and know
joined her in 1974. "Now," and cohesion." everybody within a 20-block radius?"
With continuing immigration comes
constant change, as the recent history of
the Muslim mosque testifies. Over the
course of generations it has more and
more come to resemble a middle-
American style church. When new
immigrants flooded into the area in the
1960s and 1970s, traditional
fundamentalists began attending and
influencing the mosque's policy. Now,
stricter dress codes and sex segregation
during services reflect the dominance of a
more fundamentalist Muslim tradition.

Fighting for Recognition

Racism and ethnic discrimination have
consistently marred the immigrants'
experience. Some Chaldean grocers, for
instance, have found themselves in
conflict with members of the black
communities where they have their shops.
Recently a group trying to buy a building
58 for a mosque encountered what one -A
them called "vidous anti-Arab attitudes."
The problems of one Yemeni auto worker
suggest an endemic problem. When he
reported to his supervisor that his Detroit's ethnic
foreman regularly insulted him, the diversity is
foreman declared, "You think you scare portrayed in its
me going to the super visor, camel variety of religious
jockey?" Indeed, the mart was fired. There expression. The
is also pervasive discrimination that social life of many
children face. Kathy Eadeh, a Palestinian- Arab-Americans
American in her 20s, now working as centers in their
Detroit coordinator for ADC, recalls, church or mosque.
"When I was growing up, the kids would
call me A-rab and a PLO terrorist."
Finding a political voice---that basic
tool of self-defense for American
subcultures has not been easy for Arab-
Americans, even in the ethnic stronghold
of Detroit. They are close to invisible in
Michigan politics; only five Arab-
Amer ican surnames appear on the rolls of
1,000 state bureaucrats, for example. But
Arab-American leaders exist among
different subcommunities. For instance,
two Chaldean political leaders ---Joe Solaka
and Sarni Jihad were among those who
wurked on the campaign of the current
governor. Jihad is now deputy personnel
director for the governor. Abdeen Jabara,
a boar d member of ADC and all activist
civil rights lawyer, regularly investigates
violations of civil and political rights of
Arabs and Arab-Americans in the Detroit
area. I ie once waged a campaign to get cohesive force in the Arab community."
Arabs the status of a legally protected he Detroit ADC chapter's role has
minority, thus making them eligible for recently reflected the several facets of the
affirmative action pr ograms. organization. ln a rally for Jesse Jackson
Now there is a growing self-- which had an overflow crowd of 1,000
consciousness. One evidence of it is a ADC enwuraged Arab--American
voter registr ation drive that the Ramallah par ticipation in electoral politics. ADC has
club is organizirrg of Arab-Americans also been involved in defense of civil and
across the country for the I q84 elections. political rights of indi iduak, for instance
"We have a golden opportunity," says new forcing an investigation of incidents at the
Ramallah president Isa I lasan. "It's too bad American-Canadian border where Arabs
that the Middle East crisis has forced us to repor tedly received disa iminatory
concentrate our energies or, that, because treatment. As well, Al X: has sponsored
there are so marry other areas, especially educational and cultural events, including
the involvement of Arab Amer in the poetry readings. Now ADC is formalizing
American politkal system." Druze an ad flc c. practice, organi7ing a speakers
spokesman Slioullayib echoes 1-Licari's bureau for area schools.
sentiment, saying, "The Dr ctzes are Arab- Aniericans have met the
known for being loyal to the country they challenge to survive in America's
live in; we want to perfor m our industrial heartland. Now they are
citizenship responsibilities." I le has found meeting the new challenge, to grow arid
ADC "an inspiration," because it "acts as a unite.
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 HOUSTON, TEXAS
J13%.,Xl .--VNO--- S;#:*;".17.1' 117:0.s.:ZIZZV=4.11ee.,:f-Za-sp,_:1Z:f-ZaISMIZ.".:

In the Heart
of Texas
by Jane Peterson

V4r,

OUSTON has changed a

lot," notes Ruth Ann Skaff,
a native daughter recently
returned. After years away
in the Peace Corps and graduate school,
she finds, not only the city, but also her
own Arab-American community much
enlarged.
"The texture of the community has
changed a great deal," she adds. To the old
established Houstonites who came from
what was then known as Greater Syria at
-1- the turn of the century, a new element
has been added, Palestinian and Lebanese
for the most part, though there are
Egyptians and Iraqis as well, and smaller
numbers of Saudis, Moroccans and
Tunisians.
"I was in Houston," laughs an Arab-
American resident of Austin, "and there
was an Iranian or Arab on every street
corner."
Houston claims more than half of the
Arab-American population of Texas,
about 15,000 to 20,000. It is a vast,
sprawling city of more than one and a half
million people and, as everyone knows, a
boom town. Not only foreigners come to
share in Houston's opportunities, but
many Americans from other parts of the
country as well, including Arab-
Americans.
The ground-breakers came to Houston
in the 1880s from Greater Syria, part of a
steady flow that continued until the early
1020s, when restrictive immigration
quotas stemmed it. 61

VIMIta
 Faces of Houston Peddlers to Professionals
Like their fellows in other American
ThPl
ry to separate the Beirut "in more of a cities, the early Arab immigrants often
curch from politics," humanitarian nature than a began as peddlers, a pursuit they managed
says Father Joseph Shahada, political one." to trade in rather quickly for their own
a relatively recent arrival to When plastic surgeon small business establishments. In many
Houston from Allentown,Pa. Dr. Abdul-Kader Fustock cases, they journeyed back to the old
In Allentown, Father volunteered his services to country to fetch brides. Some became
Joseph worked closely with the Save Lebanon program, extremely wealthy.
the Monsour Medical he felt it was "the least" he These early settlers sent most of their
Center and ADC's Save could do. "But of course I many children to college. Although figures
Lebanon program. He also am not satisfied. When you are not readily available, it is thought that
helped organize the ADC see a few children, you at least half of the Arab-Americans in
chapter in Johnstown. know hundreds more are Houston today are college graduates, and
Father Joseph's still out there.' many are professionals.
congregation at St. George Born and raised in Professional associations, however, are
Greek Orthodox Church in Aleppo, Syria, Dr. Fustock relatively small. The Texas chapter of
Houston is comprised studied and practiced Arab-American University Graduates
primarily of Palestinians, medicine in France before (AAUC) has only 100 members, according
Lebanese and Syrians. "The coming to Houston. He to chemist Samir Ashrawi, "though there
church continues to believe went through the training are many more out there." The same is
in the inalienable rights of program at St. Joseph's true of the Arab-American Medical
man, and speaks out against Hospital, where he sensed Association in Texas, which has
the atrocities of man and some bitterness among 103 members.
political justice," says Father. . other residents: "Many Although the original Arab-Americans
Joseph. He says that his . . . felt I had taken the place expe:ienced discrimination at first, their
interest in ADC and Middle of someone else." descendents widely report that they have
East affairs was heightened not personally encountered prejudice,
by the 1982 assault on --Continued page 64 though one first-generation Lebanese--
American recalls being mistaken for a
Mexican as a child and thus discovering
racism.
Whereas the earlier arrivals were
almost exclusively Christian, newer
immigrants represent both the Islamic and
the Christian faiths. Most newcomeis
have fled political strife in the Middle East,
particularly the occupation of the West
Bank and the civil conflict in Lebanon.
Like the earlier inunigrants, they are
very industrious and successful, but they
are also already highly educated and many
are professionals. They tend to be a little
more politically active and considerably
more concerned about events in the
Middle East than their predecessors. For
the early group, explained one Lebanese
American, Lebanon and Syria are "80
years and 7,000 miles away."
The exact size of the Arab-American
population is not known. Although the
Bureau of the Census recently put out an
ethnicity study, it is considered incomplete
62 for several reasons.
 "When the census came out," recalls are not recognized "as a community" in
Joanne Andera, a first-generation Houston. There are prominent individuals
Lebanese-American who directs Special who are not known to be Arab and many
Events &Ad the Texas Folk life Festival at members of the group do not know each
the Institute of Texan Culture in San other.
Antonio, "we said, 'What do we put?' I ADC has done a "very creditable job"
said, 'I'm gonna put Lebanese.' But a lot of in changing the situation in the last three
our friends said, 'I'm Anglo,' and that's years, observes Ruth Ann Skaff, who
what they put." finds it "very encouraging." But, she adds,
Perhaps the highest degree of "there is still a long way to go .. . We can
assimilation is seen among Arab- and should be more prominent given the
Americans who joined Roman Catholic significance of the community and the
and Episcopal churches. Many of these, importance of Houston."
according to several Orthodox pastors
with long experience in the community,
no longer maintain ties with their past. 17ALTATATATAIFLT
The greater part of the population,
however, does cling to its roots. They are
proud of their origins and take pleasure in
carrying on folk traditions, particularly the
food and the dances. Their social life tends
to revolve around family and the Arab-
American community.

Festivals and Clubs

A weekly radio program on Houston's
station KPFT, the "Arab Hour," celebrates
Arab culture, and last year's
Mediterranean Festival sponsored by St.
George Greek Orthodox Church enjoyed
so much success that it will be repeated
this year. At the University of Houston,
students held a Palestinian festival in May.
The Southern Federation of Syrian
Lebanese American Clubs, a social rab-Americans in other Texas cities
organization founded in 1931 to celebrate have much in common with those in
and promote the cultural heritage within Houstontheir pattern of immigration,
the community, is strong in Houston. So their prosperity, and their involvement in
are the Lebanese Med Club and the family and culture. If anything, they may
Jamail Club, to which members of the be slightly less visible in the community at
extensive Jamail family belong. The large.
Ramallah and El Nassar clubs are
increasingly active, and numerous Arab Austin
student organizations have sprouted on
the university's central campus. Primarily Christians from Greater
Houston's Arab-Americans enjoy Syria, many of Austin's early settlers came
considerable success in retail from the village of Elmina near Tripoli.
establisments, real estate, and oil, as well Gene Attal, director of the Seton Fund
as the professions. Some of these are and a third-generation American on one
represented in the "Arab-American side, second on the other, describes it as a
Business Directory" put out by ADC and "laid back" community. "There is
AAUG. tremendous interest in the culture," he
And yet, says former ADC chapter says, "the food and the dances," but they
director Ellen Mansour, Arab-Americans focus on it, not politics. 63

1; 5
 Faces of Houston, among Arab-Americans in The visibility of Arab-Americans, who
continued Houston, introducing now number about 1200, is undoubtedly
Dr. Fustock helped newcomers to the older higher than it was 20 years ago. Noted
found the local chapter of residents. anthropologist Elizabeth Fernea recalls
the AAMA and also served Ms. Drooby and her arriving in Austin in 1966 and venturing
as president. He finds the husband, Dr. Ala Drooby, forth with her husband to find the local
organization professionally left Beirut in 1973, Syrian club. They found it, only after
and socially valuable. He perceiving that the civil great difficultybehind an unmarked
praises the role of ADC in strife would worsen. They door.
the community and feels settled briefly in Australia,

Dallas-Ft. Worth
Like Houston, the Dallas-Ft. Worth
area has attracted many of the recent
Arab-American immigrants as well as the
internal migrants, Arab-Americans from
4-
other parts of the United States. About
2800 live in Dallas and Ft. Worth and the
"mid-cities."
Early immigrants came to Dallas from
Greater Syria, beginning with a small
group of families who travelled from
Marjayoun via Oklahoma City. More
recent arrivals stem from modern Syria,
Jordan, and Egypt; Dallas-Ft. Worth is also
home to the largest number of
Palestinians in the state outside of
Houston, perhaps 50% of the total Arab-
American community. There is also a
small number of Chaldeans and Assyrians.
"People fin the community] do not
Dr. Abdul-Kader Fustock, then came to America for know each other," observes Father
born and raised in Syria, feels the sake of their three McLuckie, the Orthodox pastor. He
Arab-Americans need to co- children. describes the churches as the primary
operate more. Dr. Fustock is a Ms. Drooby has seen an social centers in the community. The
plastic surgeon in Houston. improvement in the level of Islamic Center is primarily Pakistani.
understan&ing, but says "it's There is also a mosque in Ft. Worth, and
that Arab-Americans need no: fasf enough. Maybe I both centers offer instruction in Arabic.
to cooperate more. want too much. I think that According to Samir Pasha, who started
"If we want to care the war has made people a chapter of the NAAA in Dallas in
about each other, we have aware that there are other November 1983, Arab-Americans there
to know about each other," people and that these people tend to socialize informally. Perhaps 30%
says Nabila Drooby. Widely suffer, but I think it's a are married to non-Arab Americans.
known in the community as shallow awareness." One interested observer sees a great
one who gives of herself, Ms. Drooby would also need for ADC: "If people in this area
Ms. Drooby sees her role in like to see greater knew of ADC, they would recruit
the five years she and her awareness among Arab- themselves." Others, Palestinians who
family have lived in Americans of their own have lived in the area for 15 years or
Houston as one of roots. "We have a more, state that they have never
"facilitator," helping to wonderful heritage of three experienced discrimination.
further understanding of major faiths, with a wisdom Dallas, like other urban centers in
her culture among which evolves from these Texas, boasts a number of prominent
Americans. She also served faiths . . We have much entrepreneurs, oilmen, lawyers and
64 informally as intermediary to offer." doctors. Dr. Mich el DeBakey, a
cardiovascular surgeon of national honorary king in the annual LULAC
prominence, is the son of Lebanese (League of United Latin American
immigrants. Najeeb Halaby was well Communities) festival last year.
known as a leader in aviation, both in the Citing other prominent members of
government and the private sector, when the community, Ms. Andera points out,
he became the father-in-law of King "Every one of these men had a woman
Hussein of Jordan. pushing them . . all the wives were
working in the kitchen when their
husbands started." Mr. Karam's wife,
El Paso Josephine, actually ran a tamale factory
before the restaurant was opened, and it
El Paso's Arab-American community was her brother, Joseph Curry, who The Maronite
comprises roughly 3,000 people, or less invented the machine for stuffing tamales. Christians of San
than 1% of the city's total. Most arrived Ms. Andera, who speaks Arabic, says Antonio, who
between 1914 and 1921 via Mexico, but a that many of her peers do not. She recalls comprise some 80
number came in the last decade. It is a their disappointment over the refusal of percent of the
tight community, according to its leaders, their parents to teach them the language. Arab-American
and yet assimilated to a high degree. Recently, there was an uproar in the community in that
Father John Elias, pastor of St. George Maronite congregations over attempts to city, formed their
Antiochian Orthodox Church, estimates switch to English, a shift that was made parish and
600-700 Lebanese, Syrians, Jordanians and long ago in many Orthodox churches. A established their
Palestinians in his congregation. In the compromise resolved the conflict, and church in 1925.
larger community there are people from now the liturgy is celebrated in English Photo. n'he Syrians and
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and North Africa. but the consecration is in Aramaic. Lebanese in Tea as-

There is a new mosque in El Paso, and

local Catholic and Protestant churches
are attended by some Arab-Americans.
Father Elias estimates that 80% of the
community are engaged in business; the
rest are professionals. Attempts to launch
chapters of the Southern Federation and
NAAA have been unsuccessful because,
thinks Father Elias, "of the crisis in the
Middle East."
St. George's holds a festival to
celebrate Arab culture each year, and
Father Elias hopes to establish an Arab
cultural center someday.

San Antonio
San Antonio's Arab-American
population is unique in that it is closely
connected with the Hispanic community.
"All of us speak Spanish," says Ms.
Andera. "My mother learned Spanish
before she learned English." The Lebanese
immigrants who arrived in San Antonio
around the turn of the century settled in
the city's west end, a Hispanic district.
"Half the Mexican restaurants are
owned by Lebanese," adds Ms. Andera.
One of the city's most prominent
restaurateurs, Ralph Karam, was voted 65
 04;":";zirov,Azdhlwx.4;0614VeNreandly.eaVy.0,1=41"..rizior4rx
1611161AA

.itl!PiAttf sT .4f

lli
 JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

As Salaam
Aleikum,
by Anthony Toth

F a Jacksonville, Fla., sandwich

shop owner delivers a
:le
molass?s-smooth "Y'all come back
0.0111.0111t, now," as you walk out his door,
lyr don't be too sure that he's a Floridian
from way back. His ethnic roots may just
as well be in the south of Lebanon as the
Deep South because this North Florida
city has the largest Arab-American
community in the southeast. Residents
estimate that in the metro area of half a
million people, there are between 15,000
and 20,000 Arab-Americans.
Jacksonville's Arab-American
community is as varied in composition as
any in the United States. Approximately
70 percent of the Arab-American
population there traces its ancestry to
Syria or Lebanon, and another 20 percent
to Palestine, mostly from Ramallah. The
remaining 10 percent come from other
Arab countries, among them Iraq, Jordan,
11.1. Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Arab-Americans have built social
institutions that preserve some of the
traditions of the "old country," but they
have assimilated and are an integral part
of the Jacksonville community. Some
Syrians have family trees whose roots
reach back a hundred vt. ars in the history
of this large north Florida city.
In 1968, Duval and Jacksonville
governments merged into one city which
boasts the largest geographic area in the
US and has a population of 540,000.
Jacksonville Arab-Americans estimate that
members of their community own and 67
 Faces of )ecksonville operate between 300 and 400 commercial
establishments. They are prominent in the
restaurant business, real estate, insurance,
CrOM Toney's been president of the law, medicine, construction and a host of
grandfather was among Salaam Club and remains enterprises that have fueled the area's
the first dozen Syrian an active member. economyincluding politics.
immigrants living in Before moving to In 1915, Tommy Hazouri's parents
Jacksonville in 1895, and Jacksonville, because he had came to Jacksonville, where his father
Tom and his children have "enough of the North," he operated a grocery store. In 1974, Hazouri
a keen awareness of worked at the Ford Motor became the first Florida legislator of Arab
their roots. Company near Detroit, like descent. After his re-election to the
Tom's grandfather many other Arab- Florida House in 1976, he became the
retired in 1927 after Americans. Abraham's youngest chairman of a standing House
building the city's largest committee.
wholesale produce :1 w- faU40
Jack Demetree's construction firm has
company. The produce contracts for tens of millions of dollars in
business was sold and building projects all over the southeast.
Tom's father went into the George Helow, whose parents emrated
retail business. Tom from Lebanon in 1908 and then moved to
continues the family's Jacksonville in 1932, is now president of a
involvement in the chain of almost 30 convenience stores in
commercial activky of the southeast.
Jacksonville by running
Toney's Sandwich Shop. Peddlers Find a Home
Before buying the shop six Father Nicholas Dahdal ministers to
the Antiochian Orthodox parish of
years ago, Tom worked in St. George. The church h a nucleus
Although the first Arab immigrants
the accounting department for Arab-American cultural and settled in Jacksonville nearly a century
of Seaboard Coastline social activities. ago, little has been written about the
Photo. Tony Toth
Railroad. origins and growth of the community.
Tom has been active in father came to the United The most recent and comprehensive
Jacksonville's Arab- States from Syria in 1905 to treatment of this subject is a study, now
American community as earn enough to bring his in the process of publication, by Gladys
president of the Salaam wife over after World War Howell, a former Jacksonville resident
Club, and sat on its board I. Abraham's three children who taught sociology at East Carolina
of directors for 13 years. He are grown now, and don't University in Greenville, N.C. Reporter
says, "My heritage is one participate in the Salaam Kerry Duke related some of her findings
thing I am very proud of," Club's family activities like in an article that appeared in the Florida
though he speaks little they used to, but Abraham Times-Union in 1982.
Arabic. "If I'm in the midst speculates that when they Howell reports that Arab immigrants
of a group (of Arabic begin raising their own came to Jacksonville in three waves. The
speaking) people, I can pick families, they will go back. pioneer group arrived between 1890 and
it up," he says. "My father Mudelellah Elias was 1920, a second group came between 1920
always said 'Talk to me in born in Ramallah in 1922 and the end of World War II, and a third,
English." and has worked as a nurse consisting primarily of Palestinians, began
After running a small for much of her lifefour to immigrate in 1948 following the
construction firm, Big Dot years at Jacksonville's St. creation of Israel.
Builders, for 37 years, Joudi Luke Hospital and 10 years The earliest Arab settlers formed the
Abraham is preparing to at Methodist Hospital, cultural nexus of the Jacksonville Arab-
turn over the reins to his where she works now. American community. Most were
son. Abraham contributed Before coming to the Christians who came to the United States
his time and skill.to help United States in 1960, she seeking greater economic and religious
build St. George Orthodox was head nurse at an freedom. But why Jacksonville?
Church. "We all pitched in Amman hospital. One version of the story is that an
to build the church," he Arab who owned a household wares
b8 says. Abraham has also Continued page 70 business put new immigrants to work

70
peddling his merchandise around the Around the turn of the century, many
country, with the recommendation that Arab-Americans still spoke Arabic and had
Jacksonville might be a good place to not fully assimilated. When the Great Fire
wind up. of 1901 destroyed nearly 2,400 buildings
The story has a chance of being more and left 10,000 homeless, Arab-Americans
than apocryphal. Many immigrants did were among those who cleared away the
begin life in the United States as peddlers, mountains of debris and helped rebuild
traveling from town to town, learning the the charred remains of the city.
language and earning money to provide a
life for their families. And Jacksonville's Societies and Clubs
balmy climate is similar to that of the
regions the immigrants left behind. To promote cooperation and
Hanna J. Batteh, a Jacksonville resident fellowship in the Arab-American
for more than 30 years, began his life in community, to help new members adjust
this country as a traveling salesman. and to perform charitable works, the
Batteh was born 80 years ago in Syrian Ladies Society was established in
Ramallah. Two of his older brothers had 1910. Two years later the Syrian-
come to the United States and taken jobs American Club of Jacksonville was
selling rugs, linens and other household organized with nearly 50 charter
items for the Ramallah Trading Company members, according to an article in the
of New York, which was operated by MaylJune 1978 issue of Jacksonville
cousins of the Battehs. Hanna joined is Magazine. Descendents of these Sandwich shops
brothers in 1923 and himself became a founderswho bore family names such as are the bread and
traveling salesman. Batteh said, "I've been Abraham, Barket, David, Elias, Kouri, butter for many
through thirty-five states." In 1953 he said Musleh, Saba, Zahrastill contribute to Lebanese and
he "got tired and retired" to Jacksonville, every aspect of life in Jacksonville. Palestinian
where his brothers had already settled. For the first 20 years, club members businessmen in
When J.K. David, Gladys Howell's opened their meetings by singing the Jacksonvi:le
father, arrived in Jacksonville in 1899 "America the Beautiful" in Arabic. In 1927 area. The Desert
there were already 10 or 15 Arab- the club moved into its first building in Sand, pictured
American families living there. Assad downtown Jacksonville, which the mayor below, is owned
Sabbag, who owned a store called the called "the most modern building in by a Lebanese
New York Grocery Company, let David Jacksonville." By 1932, J.K. David became family.
Photo Tonv 1 oh
peddle trinkets and small wares in front of a "prominent Syrian of the city and
his store. Howell recalled that her father
"arrived at Christmas time and was able
to survive on that." Sabbag and David
became partners for a time, and then
David struck out on his own and founded
the Duval Ice and Coal Company in 1925.
Stories like David's and Batteh's
multiplied through the years. A young
man from a village would be sent to the
United States to work as a peddler or
tradesman, saving his money to bring
othei members of his family to live and
work in his new community.
Japour Toney told the Times Union that
his father and two brothers worked
around the clock at the Cumberland
Lumber Company. They rented a room
with one bed, and as each brother finished -111.

a shift he would wake the other, send him

off to work , and take his turn in the bed.
"The bed never did cool off," Toney said. 69
 Faces of Jacksonville, became one of the founders popular among Syrians and Americans
continued of the Ramallah-American alike," according to The Syrian World. The
Club. He opened yet weekly newspaper, the Jacksonville
Elias is an active another grocery store and American, praised a speech delivered by J.K.
member of the Ramallah- ran it until his retirement David at the Syrian-American Club's 20th
American Club and St. in 1973. anniversary celebration. "Mr. David's
George parish. She came to How has he spent the remarks breathe the purest patriotism and
Jacksonville to join her past 11 years? "I've been devotion . . . The really significant thing to
sister, who had been here doing what my wife tells remember is that these people exemplify
since 1945, so that she me," Sallah says with a in their daily lives the aspirations which
could earn money to bring laugh. "I do odds and ends Mr. David has so fittingly described." The
the rest of her family to the around the house, run article went on to say, "America and
area. When her father errands at the store, visit American institutions will be forever safe
started a grocery business, the kids." at the hands of such as they."
she worked in the store for For Nellie Akel, During World War ll the Syrian-
10 years. Jacksonville has "always American Club turned its building over to
the USO and American Red Cross. In the
late 1950s, the increase in immigration of
041CAIN., Lebanese, Palestinians and Arabs of other
nationalities so altered the composition of
#4 the club that its members renamed it the
v4r-r-P'
Salaam Club. Today, under its roof, other
Arab-American groups, such as the
Molaka Club, the Fahocha Club and the
Syrian Ladies Auxillary, operate
independently.
Arab-Americans of any national origin
can join the Salaam Club. Its building,
N

;7N1wf jerilliggr
.14
which occupies a large piece of land on
Beach Boulevard, is the center of many
community activities. The recreational
facilities include a basketball court, tennis
courts and a playground. According to one
Nadia Michaels (left) and Ann Duffy display handcrafts at the club leader, Danny Abdullah, membership
annuai Middle Eab:5wn festival which attrads thousands of
now stands at between 200 and 300
local residents.
families. Abdullah says the club's hall can
seat 300 people for picnics and dinners.
"I came to this country been home." Her family left Once a month, the women make
in 1931 during the Jerusalem in 1947 when she hundreds of pounds of kibbeh beshweb to
Depression, so I had to was 11. They traveled first serve at a club dinner. The skills and
create my own job," says to Texas, then to Florida. traditions of preparing Arabic food are
Abraham Sallah, a Akel married in 1954 passed to the younger women from their
Ramallah-born resident of and had four children. She elders.
Jacksonville. First Sallah and her husband spoke Since 1966 the club has provided
peddled door to door, then Arabic with their children scholarships to promising college-bound
he opened up a restaurant or at least they tried. Akel's students. And every year the club holds a
in Little Rock, Arkansas, in husband was a pharmacist. forum at which members can discuss
1938. About a year later he He died in 1970, leaving issues with political candidates.
moved to Macon, Georgia, Akel to make sure the
where he owned simultan- children were educated.
eously a restaurant, a Akel succeeded admirably. From Ramallah to Jacksonville
grocery store and an ice The oldest is now an
cream shop. optometrist, and the others While early Arab immigrants came
Sallah came to are studying law and pre- from towns and villages in Syria and
70 Jacksonville in 1947 and med. LebanonHoms, Nabek, Minyara Akkar

7 2:
and Jezzinemost of the later Arab
immigrants came from the Palestinian
town of Ramallah. Jacksonville residents
who trace their roots to Ramallah have
two centers of social activity: the
Ramallah-American Club and St. George
Antiochian Orthodox Church. These ,
organizations together have hosted
several Arab festivals that have attracted
i it
,......:
thousands of local residentsArab and
non-Arab alike. Th e. last festival, in MIL
October 1982, featured a three-day
exhibition of the work of Arab craftsmen,
artists, musicians and dancers.
St. George Church hosts parish picnics
and other social events for the Orthodox
comn unity. St. George's pastor, the
Reverend Father Nicholas Dahdal, proudly
said, "All our traditions are kept alive." In
the baptism and wedding ceremonies, "we Jacksonville's
use the same songs, same folk dances and club," Batteh said, "but after a while Palestinian
same arrangements, with the exception of people lose interest. In California they community
fixed marriages." teach the young ones Arabic, and in gathers at the
The groom at a Palestinian wedding is Detroit, but not here any more." He Ramallah
carried on the shoulders of the male mused, 'It's nice to know your language." American club for
revellers to the music of the oud and other wedding
Arabic instruments. The older women receptions,
surround the bride and dance with Arabs from Other Lands dinners and other
swords. To an outsider, Dahdal said, this celebrations. The
may look like a riot. Jacksonville is also home to modern building
St. George parish was established in immigrants from Iraq, Jordan and Egypt. is nestled in quiet
1973, and Dahdal, himself a native of The parents of George Ossi, who runs Jacksonville
Ramallah, came to Jacksonville in 1979. Of Ossi's Apothecary, came from Mosul, suburbs under tall
approximately 300 families in the Iraq. As many as 30 families in pine trees.
Photo Irony Toth
Orthodox community with ties to the Jacksonville trace their origins to Iraq. In
church, Dahdal said at least half are active addition, students from all over the Arab
participants in parish activities. world study at area colleges and
The Ramallah-American Club, which universities. Many remain in the 'inited
is affiliated with the American Federation States after they have completed their
of Ramallah, Palestine, occupies a schooling.
beautifully landscaped modern building in Fred Hassan and John Rukab, another
a quiet suburban setting. Club leader Fred Ramallah Club member, are active ADC
Hassan estimates there are just over 200 leaders in Jacksonville and are busy
members. Members gather for picnics, organizing the diverse elements of the
wedding receptions, community Arab-American community into
celebrations, or in small groups just to committees for media monitoring and
chat. Hanna Batteh occasionally joins his membership recruitment. The Jacksonville
friends at the club to reminisce about their community hosted a founding ADC event
past in Ramallah and to play pinochle and in 1981 featuring National Chairman
whist. Batteh recalls the 300 dunurns of James Abourezk. The Jacksonville ADC
orange groves he and his cousins worked chapter held a 1982 fundraiser for
that are now given over to other owners. Congressman Paul Findley and promoted
Ramallah elders talk about how to a speaking engagement, attended by some
keep their cultural traditions alive. "There 350 people, by noted Israeli human rights
used to be classes to teach Arabic at the advocate Professor Israel Shahak. 71

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PORTLAND, OREGON

The Pride
of Reawakening
by Mary Ann Fay

OHAM Darwish of Portland

made her first trip to Lebanon in
1969, six years before the
outbreak of the Civil War and 13
years before the Israeli invasion. On the
apparently placid, cosmopolitan surface of
Lebanese life in 1969, there was nothing
to arouse Darwish's political
consciousness or sharpen her awareness
of herself as a woman of Arab heritage.
In Lebanon in 1969, said Darwish, she
taught English, lived with English women
and felt more American than Lebanese.
Then, last year, Darwish returned to
Lebanon as part of her work toward a
master's degree in intercultural
management. For Darwish, the trip would
be a turning point in her life both
personally and politically.
In the Palestinian refugee camps of
Beirut and southern Lebanon, Darwish
worked with the women and taught
English. In southern Lebanon, she
returned to the villages her parents had
left in 1936 when they emigrated to the
United States.
At the Bourj al-Barajnah camp in
Beirut, where she lived for a while,
Darwish saw Lebanon through the eyes
of Palestinians who, without their
fighters, felt helpless and defenseless
when the camp was shelled. At the Shatila
camp, she saw Lebanon through the
survivors of last year's massacre. In the
south, where she stayed with her aunts,
she saw the Lebanon of Saad Haddad and
the Israeli occupiers. 73

1,1111 1'1,1111ml inntnIton (IIII4.1 and \ ndol. N., In,

75
 Faces of Portland Before she went to Lebanon, said
Darwish, she believed she knew more
by Paul Rask and Mary Ann Fay about the country and the political
situation than the average American.
"When I got there, I realized how little I
WisoHALIL Atiyeh, born than an immigrant's scrawl. knew," she said. "My whole political
more than 95 years Today he speaks his awakening came out of this trip. It really
ago, in the adopted tongue with barely changed my life."
sunparched village of Amar a trace of Arabic accent. Darwish left Lebanon in September
al Husn, Syria, was one of In 1916, jobless but when heavy fighting was renewed around
the countless millions imbued with American the capital. Since she returned to Portland,
whose personal stories patriotic fervor, Atiyeh she has been giving presentations to
became American 20th enlisted and was trained at various groups about her experiences in
century history. Atiyeh Fort Slocum, New York. Lebanon.
became an American When the 6th Calvary was And she is determined to return to
doughboy during World dispatched for overseas Lebanon, to live and work there and to
War I suffered in America's combat, Khalil Atiyeh become fluent in Arabic. "In spite of the
Great Depression, lent a remained in the United harshness of life there," said Darwish,
hand 3S a defense worker States. Convoluted military "there's also a warmth, a connection
during the second World thinking concluded that between people that really got to me."
War, raised a family and because he had been born in
lived long enough to share Syria, then under Turkish
in the pride of seeing a Continued page 76 Personal Journeys
cousin become Governor of
the State of Oregon. In the Arab-American community of
There is still a bitterness Portland, there are others like Darwish
born of frustration when assimilated and integrated into
Atiyeh recalls leaving Beirut mainstream American societywho have
in 1902. His country was made their own personal journeys
under the oppressive yoke towards a rediscovery of their roots and
of the decaying Ottoman their heritage.
Empire. America offered For Darwish, the journey was physical.
escape. For others, the journey is a spiritual and
"When I put my feet on emotional one that can begin for a variety
the ship in Beirut, I raised of reasons--political events in the Middle
my hand up like this. I said, East, an incident of anti-Arab racism or a
'God, don't let me see this craving for identity and roots in a rootless
country anymore.' The oldest member of American society.
And Khalil Atiyeh Portland's Arab-American In Portland, as in other cities with
never did. community, Khalil Atiyeh, 95, sizeable Arab-American communities, this
He arrived at Ellis Island poses with a great grandchild. Arab-American re-awakening is also a
at the age of 12 in the Born in Amar al Husn, Syria, product of the new wave of immigrants
company of older cousins, Atiyeh immigrated to who brought with them a well-developed
became part of the young Oregon in 1906. Since then sense of Arab nationalism and an assertive
country's notorious child he has watched his country- pride in their heritage.
labor force in a cigar factory men write a new chapter of Nadia Kahl, a second-generation Arab-
in Allentown, Pennsylvania the Great American Story, American, believes that the attitude of the
and searched out starting from humble begin- Arab-American community has changed
opportunity in the raw nings to where his cousin, significantly. "They used to be ashamed.
timberlands of Oregon. It Victor Atiyeh, rose to They spoke Arabic in private not in
was in Portland that he become Oregon's first public," said Kahl. "They were afraid
attended night school to governor of Arab descent. people would think they were gypsies or
learn to read and write Still hale and vigorous, he dirty Turks."
English. He forced himself and his wife, Aniese, con- Arab immigrants began to arrive in
74 to write English with more tinue to reside in Portland. Portland sometime in the 1890s and

7 13
Graduation Day

Graduation from
grade school was
an event which
many Syrian
immigrants looked
forward to with
pride for their
children,
especially if the
child was born in
the "old country."
Typical is the
graduation of Aziz
(Ike) Azorr. Born
in Syria, he
immigrated to
Portland in 1920 at
age six. Though he
spoke no English
at the time, he
entered Arleta
school, By the
time he graduated
in 1928 (3rd row
from bottom, 3rd
from right), Aziz
had "skipped" a
grade and
graduated near
the top of his
class. Now de-
-MT
ceased, A-Z2 A
had been a labor
4, zz4 relations mediator
, it& for the federal
government. 75

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

 Faces of Portland, St. johns, other Syrian and continued to arrive in relatively large
continued Lebanese immigrants numbers until the 1920s. When the
settled. number of immigrants was reduced to a
rule, Atiyeh might be a The first social club in mere trickle during the 1920s, this was
security risk if he was sent Portland was called the not because the Arabs already there did
to France. Atiyeh accepted Syrian Club. Atiyeh believes not want to bring over family members
his lot. He was assigned to it started in 1906 or 1908, they had left behind or that their family
the 5th Calvary Regiment but he's not really sure. He members did not want to join them.
at Fort Ringo, Texas until is quite certain, however, Restrictive laws attempted to preserve the
he was discharged in 1920. that George Atiyeh, his ethnic homogeneity of American society
The Portland Arab- cousin and father of and were directed primarily against
American community of the Oregon's present governor, immigrants from southern and eastern
early 1900s was closely knit Victor Atiyeh, was one of Europe and the Middle East.
along the lines of villages of the founders. George was The drastic reduction in immigration
origin. Khalil's cousins, one of the few educated coupled with the generally intolerant
George and Aziz Atiyeh, men in the community. He attitude of Americans towards ethnic and
had already established served as community racial minorities threw the Arab-American
themselves in Southeast banker and dispenser of community back upon itself, hastened
Portland as Portland's advice. The club, which assimilation and caused a decline in spoken
leading oriental rug attracted most Arab- Arabic and the Arabic press. Kahl, whose
merchants. Others opened speaking men, met at the parents left Syria in 1950 and whose
grocery stores or brother Sami Jr. was born there,
established peddling routes. remembers an incident in the life ef her
Ten miles to the north, in Continued page 78 family that is illustrative of the prevailing
attitude towards ethnicity and the desire
of hyphentated Americans to preserve
their heritage.
Kahl's parents spoke Arabic at home
and because her older brother could not
speak English well, he was held back a
year in school. "The teacher told my
par nts never to speak Arabic to us, only
Engush. So, they stopped speaking Arabic
to us," she said. "My father wanted to
visviE H /140 protest but my mother said the teacher
must know what's best."
ORIENTAL RUGS As a student at Portland State
University, said Kahl, she was classed
with the foreign students even though
she was born in the United States.

A New Generation
Immigrants trickled in over the years,
with the largest wave coming after 1965
when immigration laws were revised.
The father of Oregon's present governor stands in front of This new wave coincided with the black
his newly established store (circa 1900). George Atiyeh was civil rights movement, which was making
one of the first Syrian immigrants to settle in Portland. He Americans generally more tolerant of
became one of the most successful merchants in the city and ethnic and racial diversity.
served as counselor and guide to the Syrians who followed The new generation of immigrants is
him to Portland. His son, Victor, is currently in his second proud not ashamed of its heritage, said
term as Oregon's governor, the first Arab-American to ever Kahl, and this has had a spill-over effect
76 attain a state's highest politkal office. on the community as a whole. In addition,
said Kahl, their arrival increased the size club to make you feel like you belong."
of the community and ended its sense of For another thing, said Kahl, the
isolation. community's heightened political
"Before the 1960s, the community was consciousness has sharpened political
small," said Kahl. "It's much easier to be divisions, particulary between the city's
proud of your background if you're not Syrian and Maronite communities.
alone." Kahl, who is 30, said she has been
In Kahl's opinion, the re-awakened active in the Arab-American community
ethnic pride of the community and its since shf! was 12. She believes her
heightened political consciousness have activism is due to the importance her
had some negative as well as positive parents attached to preserving the
effects. For one thing, said Kahl, she has family's cultural heritage and to being
seen a decline in activism in institutions involved in the community.
like the Arab-American Community Paul Rask, a third-generation Arab-
Center. American, is another community activist
"When the community was small we who is president of the Arab-American
had to rl ng to each other. We didn't have Community Center and co-ordinator of
anyone else," said Kahl. "This is probably the metropolitan Portland ADC chapter.
why the community was so close and so Rask's family settled in Butte, Montana
active. When you're in small numbers and in the 1890s because at that time, said
you don't have your family, you need a Rask, Butte was a boom-town of about

The first really high-society affair for the property management business, he and
Portland Arab-American community was Mrs. Bitar still preside over some of
the 1931 wedding of Robert A. Bitar to Portland's most publicized social events.
Mabel Asmar. Bitar has been honorary The wedding banquet pictured here was in
counsul for Lebanon in Portland for more the historic Portland Hotel.
than 25 years. Though semi-retired from his

'11r

WM/
--kierpip?

79
4.106 " r. 5. lb 4; le
we 411
. .
""1."0111111.1.---
 Faces of Portland, permits, he stops in at their 100,000 people. Another part of the
continued modest bungalow and pays family moved to Portland in the 1940s.
his respects. According to Rask, the original Arab-
house of each member Today, the community American immigrants arrived in Portland
every two weeks. Each in Portland includes second in the 1890s from Syria. One of the first
successive meeting site was and third generation Arab- was George Atiyeh, father of the state's
selected in alphabetical Americans like Richard governor, Victor.
order. Unis, the first Arab- George Atiyeh was the brother of
Today, the club has American to become a judge Aziz Elias Atiyeh, the first person to leave
gone through a in Oregon, as well as a new the village of Amar in Syria for the
metamorphosis. After first generation of Arab- United States. Aziz Atiyeh arrived in
World War II, it was known Americans like Farida Allentown, Pa. in 1895 and others from
as the Syrian-Lebanese- Derhalli, a businesswoman the village, including his brother, George,
American Club. Today, it is and president of the state's soon followed him. Eventually, however,
called the Arab-American United Nations Association. George left Allentown and settled in
Community Center and Unis is the son of a Portland.
Atiyeh approves of the new Bohemian mother and a The village of Aram- is one of 30 or so
name, for immigrants from Lebanese father who was in Syria's Christian Valley north of the
Syria and Lebanon no 14 years old when he came Lebanese border. Dominating the hills
longer make up the entire to the United States in 191.2 overlooking the valley is the centuries-old
fabric of Portland's Arab with his grandfather. Only French Crusader castle, the Kark des
community. There are six months after their Chevaliers.
others from Palestine, arrival in Salt Lake City, the After several centuries of relative
Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Saudi grandfather died. Probably isolation that allowed the villagers to
Arabia and Iraq. by falsifying his age, Unis practice their religion in peace, the village
Atiyeh and Aniese suspects, his father joined was penetrated by the outside world in
Haddad, who also came the army during World War the form of missionaries of the American
from his village, were I and became a U.S. citizen. Presbyterian Church. The missionaries,
married in 1928 in Cuba. When he was growing who arrived in the 1890s, offered the
Except for a brief time in up, said Unis, the Arab- villagers a Western-style education and
Allentown, Pa. where the American Portland was so tales of a different and more prosperous
Depression of the 1930s small it could fit into one of way of life across the seas. Today, there
shut the doors of the local parks for a picnic. are more men and women in the U.S. and
employment, he and his The community was also South America who can trace their roots
wife returned to Portland, struggling to survive, back to Amar than there are in the village.
where both of them still especially during the hard
reside, healthy and times of the Depression.
vigorous. "All of us were taught Rich Community Life
Daily they can be to work hard," said Unis. To
seen, walking briskly support his family, Unis' The community that the first
together to the father worked as a ditch- generation of Arab immigrants built in
supermarket, several blocks digger and in restaurants Portland today numbers about 7,000 in
away. Their two freezers and eventually became a the metropolitan area, including
are always brimming with construction foreman. Unis Vancouver, Washington. A few of the
Arabic food prepared by himself worked his way original immigrants, like Halil Atiyeh,
both of them, ready at an through seven years of have lived to see their hard work and
instant whenever their college and law school at willingness to sacrifice for the next
chidren, grandchildren, Portland State University. generation crowned with success because
great-grandchildren or Unis was the first Portland's Arab-American community is
other guests drop in. Lebanese-American to be predominantly middle-class, prosverous
They have been admitted to the bar in and professional.
honored guests at Oregon and to become a Portland's Arab-American community
Governor Atiyeh's two judge. He has been on the has given the state its Republican
inaugurations. When the governor, Victor Atiyeh, and the city two
78 governor's busy schedule Continued nal page circuit court judges, Phillip Abraham and

80
 Faces of Portland, Derhalli is the mother of
Richard Unis. The community also
continued two sons, one a landscape
includes a member of the State Racing
Commission, Sami Kahl; his daughter,
architect in Muncie, Indiana
bench for 17 years as a and another a pre-dentistry
Nadia, the Arab-American community's
co-ordinator for Folkfest of Portland, Inc., municipal, district and student at Oregon State
University, and a daughter
an umbrella organization of 60 ethnic
groups; Farida Derhalli, president of the
Oregon Chapter of the United Nations;
circuit court judge.
Farida Derhalli, the
ighter of a Palestinian
who is married and living in
Bahrain. Active in the
1
prominent businessman Daniel J. Hanna, father from Jaffa, grew up Portland community,
in Ramallah and has been in Derhalli is the president of
owner of Hanna Car Wash Industries; and
Dr. Nohad Toulan, dean of Urban Studies Portland since 1969. the U.N. Association, served
Derhalli was educated in for two years on the World
and Development at Portland State
University. Dr. Toulan has been appointed
co-ordinator of an international team of
experts developing a master plan for the
Muslim holy city of Mecca.
About 80 percent of the Arab-
American community traces its origins to
Syria, Lebanon and Palestine and the
remainder to Egypt, Iraq and Libya. The
community also includes between 400 and
500 students at Portland State University.
There are two mosques in Portland
and three Christian denominations
Syrian Orthodox, Maronite and Syriac.
The Orthodox community worships at St.
George Antiochian Church and the
Maronite at St. Sharbell's. The Syrian
community at present does not have a
church building or a priest. The home of Charles (Khalil) and Mary Isaacs (circa 1912),
The heart of the Arab-American perhaps following the baptisms of their three sons, the
community's cultural life is the Arab- youngsters in white. The Isaacs immigrated to the U.S. from
American Community Center, formerly Amar al Hum, Syria near the turn of the century, and lived in
the Syrian Club and then the Syrian- Allentown, Pa. for a decade before moving to Portland. Their
Lebanese Club. Some of the center's home had been open to young Syrian men, newly arrived in
members are intensely interested in the community, who boarded there until they found work,
preserving the traditions of the homeland, obtained their own lodgings or married.
said Rask, while others are "totally
Yankee." Affairs Council and has
In addition, the Arab-American Europe and the United
States and spent 15 years _worked with the local
community has participated in Folkfest
working for American and Council of Churches.
since its inception in 1975. According to
international companies in As a professional
Kahl, Folkfebt began as an ethnic festival
Kuwait and other countries woman and a community
to celebrate the country's Bicentennial. activist, Derhalli has
The first festival occurred in 1976 and in the Middle East as a
marketing specialist. encountered some
Folkfest has continued ever since. difficulties. "Being a
Although Portland shares many of the This year, Derhalli will
see one of her dreams come professional is difficult for
characteristics of other Arab-American
true when she opens the all women," said Derhalli.
communitiespredominantly Christian,
boutique she has named "As an active, involved
predominantly Syrian and Lebanese,
middle-class and professionalit would be "The Penniless Aristocrat." woman, it's harder in Arab-
"It's been the dream of my American circles because
erroneous to describe it as typical. As Paul they expect me not to speak
Rask said when describing Portland's life," said Derhalli. "I've been
Arab-American community, "It is as working for others for so out. But I think I have
gained their respect." 79
diverse as America." long."

81.
 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
94"; 44"a61:7;":"^:16-16:'""dildQr/NiZiliSVNIN

Arab Culture in
the Bay Area
By Randa Sifri

Vr1 ITH a climate similar

ito the Mediterranean
countries, San Francisco
has been attracting Arabs
since the early 1900's. Many came directly
from the Middle East, but a large number
have moved from Detroit, New York, and
Canada in search of jobs. The community
is growing rapidly and now nears 40,000.
Although the immigration patterns
among the different nationalities are
similar, certain groups predominate in the
Bay Area.
As with most Arab communities in
the United States, the Syrian-Lebanese
were the pioneers. Lebanese Maronites
are reported to have arrived in Oakland in
1906-1907, and once they were settled,
relatives and fellow villagers soon
followed. They came as merchants and
peddlers, and were quick to set up
businesses on their new land. Many
continued the orange-growing traditions
they had left in the Middle East. This first
wave of immigration, which included
Orthodox and Melkites as well as a few
Palestinians, lasted until the early 1920s.
The inter-war period did not bring a
change in the Arab-American community.
It was not until post-WWII that the
second major wave was to begin.
Primarily since 1948 and 1967, the Bay
Area has witnessed an influx of another
Arab group, the Palestinians. Fleeing
political persecution at home, many
Palestinians :_ame to seek an education or
simply tG improve their lives. Today their 81

Photo 'andor Balaton!

F3
 Faces of San Francisco occupations vary. They are professionals
and they are laborers. Many have entered
business, evidence being the vast number
1r)VtStephen
AY "Nebbr
spent most
continues her work for the
Arab-American community.
of Palestinian grocers in the Bay Area.
Numbering near 20,000, the Palestinians
comprise over 50-percent of the Arab-
of her life on the East Coast Born in Dahour- American community, with almost 30
and did not come to the San Chware, Lebanon, Father percent of these Palestinians coming from
Francisco Bay Area until Paul Muawwad came to the Ramallah alone.
1970. May's mother is United States in 1962 as a During the 1960s, the Assyrians and
Syrian and her father is student. He received his Yemenis also began establishing the roots
Lebanese. She grew up in degree in theology from
Manchester, N.H. Although Catholic University in 1970
she fondly remembers her and set out for Portland,
Manchester home as a Oregon, to establish
"Grand Central Station that missions for the Maronite
was open to any Arab who community. Within seven
needed help," May's dedica- years, Fr. Paul was not only
tion to her work did not successful in starting a
leave time to become active church in Portland, he also
in the Arab-American com- established churches in
munity. She received her Seattle and Utah and
undergraduate degree in started missions in San Jose,
sociology and psychology Stockton and Las Vegas.
from the University of After arriving in San
North Carolina. Francisco in 1978, he
After doing some became involved in the
graduate work in Chicago, Arab-American community
she moved to Washington, and established Our Lady of
DC, where she married and Lebanon Church in Milbrae
bore five children. She in 1981. Fr. Paul's open
worked for the National personality attracted
Institutes of Health and the 'worshipers of other of their communities. Whereas the
National Institute of Child denominations to his parish. Syrian-Lebanese and the Palestinians are
Health and Human Develop- He has since left San located all over the Bay Area, the
ment unti 1970. May was Francisco and is now the Assyrians are concentrated largely in
working for the NICHD pastor of St. George in Turlock and Modesto, 100 miles east of
during the 1967 War, and Rhode Island. Though he San Francisco. The first settlers
remembers hearing anti- has been in Rhode Island immigrated in 1914, but it was the later
Arab remarks. It was at since August 1983, he says wave of immigration that increased their
that time she "became an there is no place in the numbers to the 10,000 they are today.
instant Arab." world like San Francisco. Turlock and Modesto are agriculture
May's many accomplish- "The people are great," he areas, and consequently Assyrians went
ments resulted in a job at laughs. "I really did leave into farming. Now, many are in blue- and
the Stanford Research Insti- my heart in San Francisco." white-collar jobs and are entering into
tute, where she worked for Au Saleh came to the business. Sam Lazar, an Assyrian from
ten years as the Senior United States in the 1950s Iraq, has noticed a drop in immigration
Social Psychologist. She also for an education. A North since the Iran-Iraq War: "Now Assyrians
became involved in the Yemeni, he arrived in Los are coming only by way of Europe," he
Palestine Human Rights Angeles in 1954 and worked says.
Campaign while in Palo his way through school. Immigration laws have affected the
Alto, and the American-Arab After receiving his bachelor's Yemenis as well, but they still maintain a
Anti-Discrimination Com- degree in vocational and significant community. Coming mostly
mittee. May is now retired. from North Yemen in the late 1960s and
82 She enjoys poetry and --Continued page 84 19705, they today number near 2,000.
The first Yemenis came from Detroit and
Buffalo, but during the Vietnam War, Yemeni Arabs
many came on ships that landed in the
San Francisco port. Initially, they were
farmers, but as their English improved,
as Farmworkers
many began to open grocery stores. In
East Bay alone, there are now nearly 200 by Jack Matalka
Yemeni grocers. Though at first many
came alone with the intention of
returning to Yemen, more and more are VERY year The camps are scattered
settling here and bringing their families. from mid- all over the San Joaquin
Although noticably smaller than the July to late Valley, and are usually
other Arab nationalities, the Egyptian November, located on the grape
population is increasing. Siham el-Din has some 7,000 Yemeni Arabs grower's property. A typical
been in the Bay Area since the early join the migrant camp houses approximately
1960's, when her husband was the farmworkers labor force in 100 farmworkers and .

Egyptian consul. "I don't remember there central California's lush San contains a central kitchen
being many Egyptians back then," she Joaquin valley to perform and a central bath house.
says. "But the numbers have increased the tedious work of hand- Some camps have a TV
dramatically in recent years." The majority picking 700,000 acres of room and some have
of Egyptians are professionals, and though ripening table grapes. separate sleeping quarters.
not geographically isolated in one spot, The task is vital to the A foreman usually manages
many can be found in San Mateo and San economy of the fertile/ the camp and assumes
Jose. valley, which has a urm responsibility for order.
Despite the differences in size and geographic location am. A Yemeni farmworkers'
immigration patterns, the Arab mild climate that enables industry and skill are much
nationalities share many of the same traits growers to produce multiple in demand by growers in
and ideas. They are hard-working and harvests of wine and table the area. They also value
envision America as a place where their grapes. Machines perform the Yemenis' willingness to
dreams can be realized. Their children the bulk of the harvesting live on the property, which
intermarry with other Americans and in the winery vineyards, but provides the grower a
though assimilation is becoming a way of the delicate table grapes readily accessible work force
life, there is still an appreciation of Arabic require the gentler touch of that responds on demand.
music, tabouleh, and hummus. SamirAmis human hands. The Yemeni Arab works an
imports, one of the largest Middle Easern The Yemeni Arab eight-hour day, six days a
stores in the Bay Area, had to expand in workers are young men week, with Sundays off.
1972 to accommodate the desires of the who come to the United During picking and packing
community. Americans do frequent his States with dreams, hopes, season the workers are paid
store but Samir Khoury says 90 percent a suitcase, no money and a $4.90 an hour plus a 30
of the clientele are Arabs or Arab- piece of paper that tells cents per box bonus. The
Americans. them where to go when season runs from July
immigration has finished through November.
with them. Many cannot In 1975, California
speak, read or write English, passed the Agricultural
United by culture but they have mastered the Labor Relations Act (ALRA)
art of signing their names to protect agricultural
Nightclubs like the Casbah, Pasha and which they readily do. workers' rights to be
Baghdad also cater to Arab-Americans. The workers know represented by a labor
Started in 1969 by Kamal Ayoub and Fadil whom to report to and union. The United Farm
Shahin, the Casbah provides live Arabic when. They are part of a Workers, long a force in the
entertainment for the mixed Arab and society that is organized and area, became dominant. The
American audiences. In any one night, a well-informed. Information UFW was, in turn,
Lebanese businessman might meet an travels quickly between the dominated by Hispanics,
Egyptian doctor, a Palestinian poet, or an different camps where the
workers reside. --Continued page 85 83
Armenian-Lebanese couple.

15
 Faces of San Francisco, Fulfilling his dream of The Arab Cultural Center was set up
continued marrying "a nice Arab girl" in the middle 1970s to unite all Arab-
in 1948, he now boasts two Americans. The idea has met with varied
grown daughters. Bill results. Because of the wide range of
technical education at San established the San political ideologies and social backgrounds
Francisco State University, Francisco chapter of NAAA among Arab-Americans, efforts to
he went on for a master's in in 1979, and since that time consolidate the community are not always
Education Administration. has been chairman of all successful. Instead, there is a tendency
He teaches at Chabot five of their major events. toward separate social organizations. The
College in Hayward, Cali- Retired after 30 years of oldest is the American Syrian-Lebanese
fornia, and is a general sales service, he devotes most of Club, and over the years groups such as
agent for Yemeni Airways. his time to the Arab- the Rama Ilah Club, the Yemeni
Ali is respected for his American community. He is Association, the Assyrian Civic Club, and
optimism and unwavering also active in the Press Club the Beit Hanina club have formed.
devotion to the Arab- and the Commonwealth Still, some events, like Palestine Day,
American community in the Club of California. Asked which is held annually in Golden Gate
Bay area. He is the former why he spends so much Park, attract a diversity of Arab-
president of both the Associ- time with those organiza- Americans, and charitable and academic
ation of Arab-American tions, he quoted Abraham organizations appeal to wide audiences.
University Graduates and Lincoln: "If you observe a NAJDA has been meeting for many years
the Yemeni Association, and wrong, you have an obliga- and is made up of Arab and American
is currently the president- tion to correct that wrong." women of all backgrounds. Schools for
elect of the Arab Cultural Fuad Ateyeh is one of children also allow crossing of ethnic
Center. Before the weekend over 500 Arab grocers in the boundaries. The Weekend School in East
school was shut down be- Bay area. Born in Jerusalem, Bay has been teaching Arabic to Arab-
cause of a lack of funds, Ali he came to the United American children for years.
helped teach Arabic to States in 1969. Although "The best way to bring Arab-
children. Father of two the American culture and Americans together is through the arts,"
children, he feels it is impor- language was a shock, Fuad says Samir Haddad, a Jordanian
tant that the Arab heritage adapted quickly and worked immigrant to San Francisco. By de-
is continued in successive his way through four years emphasizing the political and
generations. Though most at San Francisco State strengthening the cultural, he feels, the
of his family is in the United University. He was able to community can become united. Samir,
States, Ali still returns to maintain his grocery store, who recently made a film on the Arabs in
North Yemen periodically to which he started from San Francisco, sari there are not enough
visit his parents and scratch, at the same time he Arab-American musicians, dancers and
maintain his roots there. was completing his master's singers in the United States. "By becoming
Though he grew up in degree in business in 1978. more involved in the arts, not only will we
Canada, Bill Ezzy describes From 1980 to 1983, Fuad increase the visibility of our people, we
himself as an American. His served as president of the will find commonalities that bring us
parents came to Canada Independent Grocers together and make us proud to be
from Syria in the early Associationan organiza- Americans." Samir recalls a theatrical
1900s, but the poor tion that protects the presentation put on through the Arab
economic conditions there interests of the store Cultural Center in 1980 to celebrate the
led Bill to come to San owners. He also teaches pre-Islamic festival, Saila Okas, with a night
Francisco after he finished Business Management at of poetry, music and fashion which drew
school. After four years in the City College of San a crowd of over 600 people.
the Navy, he went to work Francisco. Over the years he The founder and motivating force of
for the U.S. Army Quarter- has come to feel much more the NAAA in San Francisco, Bill Ezzy,
master Corps where he comfortable with American feels the potential of the Arab-American
remained for ten years. He customs. When he is not community lies in the children and
then went to work for the working, Fuad enjoys grandchildren of the immigrants. "There
General Services Adminis- spending time with his wife, have to be groups that attract the young
tration as a Quality Control also a Palestinian, and his or the heritage will be lost." Osama
84 Representative. six-month-old daughter. Doumani, head of the ADC regional

86
office in San Francisco, agreed with the Yemeni Arabs, they were able to provide
necessity for further cooperation among continued translation, transportation
the various groups. May Stephen, an and mediation. In 1983,
active ADC member, stressed that it is most of them from Mexico. ADC expanded its services
the young who break down the barriers. The Agricultural Labor to include various forms of
"We need to stick together," she says, Relations Board (ALRB), insurance, lobbying at the
"because if we stand separate it's much established under the state capital in Sacramento,
easier to knock us down." ALRA, employed large and reduced air fare to
numbers of Spanish- Yemen. As a result of ADC
speaking personnel to assist ,fforts, ALRB has hired
Beyond Old Stereotypes Hispanic laborers. Not so ivalified Arabic-speaking
for Yemeni laborers and personnel to assist the
Recently, the Arab-American others so the Arabs and farmworkers.
community has become involved in local
politics, after an unfortunate incident
almost five years ago. In 1979, an Arab-
American, George Corey, was running
for Congress in San Mateo. As part of his
campaign, he attended an Arab-American
reception held in his honor. The next day,
the local news media began an assault on
his character, and he was labelled a P.L.O.
sympathizer because of his association
with Arabs. Michael Nabti, Director of the
Arab Information Center in the Bay Area,
thinks Arab-Americans need to learn to
be political activists. "We need to learn
how to organize, campaign and do grass-
roots work before we can become
available political force."
Most of the religious institutions for
Arab-Americans have social and youth
clubs that serve their communities. other minorities remained A large number of
Orthodox churches in the area include St. ignorant of their rights Yemeni Arab workers are
Nicholas in San Francisco, St. John in East since they could not merchants at heart, and
Bay, and Church of the Redeemer in Los understand the English work and save to achieve
Altos. The Maronite church in Milbrae, language explanations the ultimate success, which
Our Lady of Lebanon, was established by offered by ALRB staff. is to own and operate a
Fr. Paul Muawwad in 1981, and attracts In 1981, ADC opened market in any town in the
some Meikites and Orthodox. To serve an office in Bakersfield to U.S. Because they did not
the Assyrian community, there are assist the Yemeni have access to the upward
Chaldean churches and Churches of the farmworkers in the dealings mobility available to
East in Turlock and San Jose. Muslim with the UFW and to rectify Hispanics through the
Arabs, particularly the Yemenis, attend some of the inequities in UFW, the Yemenis chose an
the Islamic Center in downtown San the receipt of services from urban route to success, and
Francisco. such government agencies within the last decade some
Arab-Americans in the Bay Area have as the Employment 43 grocery stores have
had to work hard to get where they are. Development Department, sprung up in Bakersfield
and there is still a fight against Social Security alone--all of them owned
discrimination. May Stephen has noticed Administration, Fair by Yemeni Arabs who got
that violent anti-Arab sentiment is no Employment and Housing their start in this country as
longer obvious, and that like many other Department, medical clinics farmworkers.
minorities in the area, Arab-Americans and the ALRB itself. Jack Matalka, an employee of the
In 1982, ADC moved its Agricultural Labor Relations Board
are no longer made to feel ashamed of since lq75, was an organizing member
their differences. offices to Delano, where of ADC in the San Joaquin Valley. 85

87
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, UTICA, NEW YORK
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Mt. Lebanon to
I the Mohawk Valley

HEN Anthony
Shaheen, a Republican
attorney of Lebanese
descent, was elected a
New York State Supreme Court Justice
last November, it was a source of pleasure
but not surprise to many in the Utica
Arab-American community.
"We went all out for him," commented
a member of that community, a
Democrat.
"It was about time," commented a
Republican. "I'm not surprised. You know,
this could serve as an example to the
younger ones coming up."
Shaheen's election is a thread that ties
together several strands of life for
Americans of Arabic descent in the small
Mohawk Valley city, which has about
130,000 residents in the metropolitan
area. About 5,000 of them are of
Lebanese and Syrian descent.
In just a couple of generations, the
Syrian/Lebanese community of Utica has
moved from the status of immigrants to
assimilation into American society,
economic success, and accept ince by their
fellow citizens. Since the achievement of
integration there is also a resurgence of
ethnic pride.
One fact stands out about Utica's
Arab-Americans: they have succeeded in
business, the professions, government
service, white collar employment and
agriculture.
The greatest part of the migration
from the Middle Eastmostly from 87

Photo Id Maier
 Faces of Utica Lebanonto the Mohawk Valley occurred
in the first half of the 20th century, with
most coming in the 1920s and 1930s.
CBENEDICT Koury is a He received his However, there is a reference to a Syrian
retired farmer. A first PharmaCy degree from the mass performed in St. John's Roman
generation Lebanese, Koury University of Buffalo in Catholic Church in 1882, hinting at earlier
ran a 1,000-acre farm in the 1927. "I started out to be a immigrants whose history has nearly been
Utica area with two doctor, but couldn't afford erased from memory.
brothers. His primary crop it," he said. For many years, The earliest record of Syrian-Lebanese
was beans. George's Pharmacy was names in the Utica City Directory was
The farm was started by located next door to the 1895, when two businessmen were listed
his father, and Koury and office of Dr. Brahim as living ahd working on Bleecker St.,
his brothers took it over in Mandour, one of Utica's once a center of Arab immigrant culture.
1930. He also was on the first Lebanese physidans. Today, there are large concentrations in
Executive Committee of the Dr. Mandour passed away the Capron section of Utica, a former
Oneida County Republican recently after 40 years of suburb annexed to the city eariier in the
Committee. Since practicing medicine in Utica. century, and in Clark Mills, a village about
retirement, he spends The Chanatrys five miles from Utica.
winters in Florida, where "I represent a prominent Like many new arrivals to America,
play a little golf and go to Syrian family that has these people thrived on hard work, thrift
the track once in a while." become well-known in and family cooperation. Many of the first
Today, a third generation of business and the group worked in the textile industry, one
Kourys, William and professions. Dr. Joseph resident recalls. He is proud of their
George III, take an active Chanatry, a gynecologist, contribution to what he boasts of as "once
role in the farminb graduated valedictorian the textile capital of the world."
business. from Proctor High School But usually they only worked in the
Edward George, first in East Utica and has long mills long enough to accumulate enough
generation Lebanese, been active in civic affairs capital to start a business or purchase a
started the first Lebanese serving as chairman of the farm. Brothers often went into business
pharmacy in Utica in 1930. Utica Charter Reform or farming together, a tradition that
He now runs George's Commission in 1975. persists.
Pharmacy with his son,
Edward. Continued page 90
Tradition of Hard Work
The attraction to business reflects a
mercantile tradition that goes back
centuries to the Phoenician sea traders
and Armenian caravan traders of the
Mount Lebanon area, according to a book
by John Moses, From Mount Libanon to the
Mohawk Valley: The Stony of Syro-Lehanese
Americans in the Utica Area.
Often, the new Americans would
work in a factory until they earned
enough money to become peddlers or
other businessmen. From these painfully
acquired savings, they were able to
establish permanent businesses
groceries, restaurants, bakeries, jewelry
stores, and dry goods stores, to name a
few.
At George's Pharmacy, a long tradition of service to the A substantial number of Lebanese
community is passed from father to son. Edward George entered agriculture. At one time, they
88 and Edward George, fr., share the work at George's Pharmacy. owned 48 farms in the Utica area, Moses
reported. Interestingly, wi .n Lebanese that year, a dentist and heating engineer
war victim Hanan Saleh and her father, entered the professions. By 1940, the list
Sami, flew into Utica in early 1983 from of professionals increased to 11, but
nearby Syracuse, both were reported to growth took off after World War II,
have looked down and said that the area according to Moses. By 1981, the number
looked just like northern Lebanon. That of professionals had reached 95, including
stretch of land is filled with farms owned 24 educators, 14 physicians and surgeons,
by Kourys, Acees, Abdellas, and other 11 attorneys, 10 dentists, 10 scientists and
families who hail from the village of engineers, 6 accountants, 5 nurses, 3
Akkar. clergymen, 3 social workers, 3 artists, 2
One woman, a first generation podiatrists, a psychologist, and a
Lebanese-American, who lives in Clark chiropractor.
Mills, described life on the farm where she
grew up.
"It was run by my father and uncles," Bridges to the Past
she said. "We all lived together in a
complex. The boys had a dormitory on the One of the most predominant and
third floor; the girls had a dormitory on persistent Arab-American traditions is
the first floor." food. Restaurants serving traditional
Everything was done as a family, she Lebanese fare (tabouleh, kibbee
said, induding the celebration of holidays, meshweh, and baklawa) cater to the entire
7
such as Christmas.
"The children would visit the oldest
community. But even the restaurants
reflect the increase and decrease of ethnic
uncle first, and then the next oldest," she businesses-10 Middle Eastern
explained. "But it was always as a family, restaurants in 1940; 4 in 1981, according
never as individuals." to Moses.
In her family, Christmas also was The oldest restaurant-bakery is run by
marked by a "large, festive dinner of the Barady family. Charles Barady, Jr.
Lebanese food." ("Butch" to the many friends and patrons),
The family tradition persists in the and his wife Donna, provide residents,
economic life of the Syrian-Lebanese stores, and restaurants with Middle
American community in Utica, with Eastern bread and specialtiesa tradition
relatives continuing to own businesses that began in 1946 when Charles Barady,
together and passing them on to their Sr. established the business. That first
children. bakery was located on Third Avenue, in
One first generation man started the the heart of the "old neighborhood."
first pharmacy operated by an Arab- Much of the old section was leveled and
American in 1930. His son now works in modernized by urban renewal in the
the pharmacy as well. 1950s. Barady's is now conveniently
The combination business-profession located across the street from St. Louis
of pharmacy represents a turning in the Gonzaga Church.
economic life of Arab-Americans in the It stands as a bridge with the past
M - iawk Valley area. along with Sfeir's meat market, which
The number of businesses peaked in specializes in lamb :uts. Gone is the Third
1940, with more than 110 listed in the Avenue "kah-wee" (coffee shop), where
City Directory, of whom 66 were grocers. men played cards and talked politics. Gone
By 1980, the number had dropped to 70, also is the ULA (United Lebanese
with only 26 grocers. Association) building which housed Utica's
The hard work and thrift of the social club for the early Lebanese.
immigrant and first generation provided The churches have provided an
the means to provide their children with important source of cohesion and culture
the education necessary to enter the for Syrian-Lebanese Americans in the
professions. Utica area. Church rolls show that there
Until 1925, the only Syrian-Lebanese are 3600 Maronite Catholics, 1200
professionals in Utica were clergyman. In Melkite Catholics, and 200 Antiochean 89

no
 Faces of Utica, to Utica in 1971. He came Orthodox. Members of. each of these
continued to the United States to visit churches first conducted their worship
a brother, and stayed when services in Roman Catholic churches in the
Dr. Francis Chanatry, a broke out in Lebanon. city. But over the years, each congregation
surgeon, serves on the Saber teaches the dance built its own church, and the Maronites
board of St. Luke's troupe of St. Louis Gonzaga and Melkites built a second church when
Memorial Hospital, and Church and works for they outgrew the first structures.
played a key role in treating Joseph and Price, a company The largest church, St. Louis Gonzaga,
Hanan Saleh. Chanatry that makes sports jackets. will commemorate its 75th anniversary in
Brothers markets are the He helped start the dance 1985. At the same time, members will
largest of the many AA troupe, he said, "to help the celebrate 50 years in its current location.
supermarkets in the Utica kids know something about The church building was completed in
area. The family has Lebanon." 1935the result of a massive volunteer
distinguished itself in Robert Joseph, a second effort by church members. Many of the
business and medicine, and generation Lebanese, lives hardy immigrants laid the bricks and
has members who are in the Capron, a mostly sawed the boards on Saturdays and
engineers, educators, artists, Lebanese, section of Utica. evenings in the early 1930s. Today, it is
and social workers. He has taught at the New common to hear Lebanese residents say
Ellen Aces Romanus York State School for the with pride: "My father built the church."
grew up on the family farm Deaf in Rome, NY, for 14 Indeed, Monsignor Francis Lahoud, the
run by her father and two years. He graduated from pastor, himself cut the marble for the altar.
uncles near Clark Mills. A Hamilton College with a Recently, Monsignor Julien Eliane,
first generation Lebanese, bachelor of arts degree. pastor of St. Basil Melkite Church,
Mrs. Romanus owned and Joseph is active in the celebrated his fortieth anniversary as a
operated a restaurant in Maronite Church, the priest.
New York Mills for eight American Lebanese League, Culturally, a dance troupe of 8 to 14-
years. and the ADC. He is also a year-old children has been formed by the
Now retired, she has member of the National Maronite church to acquaint young people
both children and Apostalate Maronites, a with their traditions. The group's teacher
grandchildren. Though a secular arm of the church, says dancing wzc important in the annual
member of St. Louis where he teaches Sunday festivals that were held in Lebanon for
Gonzaga Church, she school. He served as a centuries. Interestingly, there was a
attends the Roman Catholic committeeman for the theater group in Lebanon around 1920
Church of the Democratic Party for a that performed both native Arabi,: plays
Annunciation in Clark Mills. number of years and likes and Shakespearean tragedies in Arabic
Elias (Louis) Saber "fishing, skatingoutdoor translation. The plays were directed by
immigrated from Lebanon type of stuff." Brahim R. Salamey who for years also
served as Oneida County's court
R B
interpreter for newly arrived Lebanese
Pady's Ker and Syrians. Today, several pictures of the
players in costume are treasured by their
At, 111.--- families.
taLIPJ

Resurgence of Pride
OP.
As with other immigrant groups,
there was some falling away from
4fir
identification with the country of origin as
the immigrants sought to become full-
fledged American citizens. But they
recently have exhibited a resurgence of
interest and pride in their Lebanese origins.
Charles and Donna Barady's Syrian-Lebanese Bakery and In part, the abandonment of language
90 Restaurant flourishes in Utica's well-established Arab- and culture of origin was due to pressures
American community.
 from the society to which the Lebanese United States, immigrants and the first
had immigrated, again an experience generation experienced some discrimi-
similar to that of other important groups. nation and strong pressures to assimilate.
"You know, teachers would come into The local ADC chapter focuses on
the homes and say that the children
cultural issues and on combating anti-
shouldn't speak Arabic," said one second- Arab stereotyping. The ADC worked
generation Lebanese. hard to stage a Kahlil Gibran exhibit at
The woman in Clark Mills sees some the local museum. When the museum
falling away from the old ways in family cancelled the planned show, ADC
life, particularly in regard to food. She said submitted over 3000 petition signatures.
she continues to can and preserve food, as
her family did on the farm. The museum is planning the show in the
near future.
In 1915
production of
"Hamlet" in
Arabic presented
by the United
Bashinta Society
of Utica. These
actors and
actresses were
some of the early
immigrants to the
Utica Area. The
play was
presented as a
fund raiser for
their organization.

The next generation, she said, prefers

to buy food at the supermarket, "TV It also succeeded in removing
dinners and quickies." defamatory Niagara-Mohawk Power
But the third generation is much more commercials that blamed "the Arabs" for
costly reliance on f;reign nil In fact,
interested in its origins. Many continue to
make religion central to their lives. One Arabs produce only seven percent of the
oil used in New York State. The ADC's
resident said he teaches Sunday school to
young people, and he is taking Arabic "Save Lebanon" project also raised more
with his children. than $15,000 and brought two wounded
He said he knows many people who children to Utica for medical treatment.
are trying to trace their roots in the By and large, the Utica Arab-American
Middle East. Before the current war, a community is homogenous in terms of
number of Uticans returned to Lebanon nafional origins, successful economically,
for visits to the cities and villages of their and loyal and patriotic Americans, sending
ancestors. many young men into the armed forces.
With assimilation into American society
Discrimination is less of a problem in and culture now almost complete, they
Utica today than in many other American
cities for the Arab-American communty. are again turning to a study and
However, like all newcomers to the celebration of their origins and
traditions.
91

93
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 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
ribsics41111747.;4":":1; ;":1:^:4"""'

Lively
Ethnic Mix
by Anthony Toth

gN Worcester, Massachusetts,
ethnic pride and tradition still
reside beneath the hallowed roofs
of its churches. For its citizens of
Syrian-Lebanese heritage, the Orthodox,
Melkite and Maronite churches in the
large New England community hold the
treasured history of many immigrant
families. Ninety percent of Worcester's
estimated 3,500 Arab-Americans belong
to these Christian denominations. A
recent group of Arab immigrants from
the Persian Gulf states accounts for the
remaining 10 percent. There is a mosque
that serves the growing Arab Muslim
population.
In the first quarter of the twentieth
century Worcester was becoming a
"league of nations and religions,"
according to Morris H. Cohen, a Clarke
University professor who has studied the
city's ethnic groups. By 1926 Worcester's
population of 190,000 included an
amazing 70 percent who were
foreign-born.
Today Worcester retains the strong
multi-ethnic character to which Irish,
Italians, French- and British-Canadians,
Poles, Swedes and Arabs have
contributed. In this respect, Worcester is
typical of the New England towns and
cities that attracted immigrant laborers to
their burgeoning industries.
In other parts of New England
immigrants flocked to humming textile
mills, but Worcester depended upon the
metal-working industries which churned 93

Photo Worcetter Area Chamber of Cornmerte

t1
 out hardware such as screws, nails and
Faces of Worcester wiring. Some Arab immigrants worked in
these factories, and hundreds of others
toiled in the huge Graton & Knight
CstHRIS Coury, 25, She took charge of the leather processing plant.
udied history at Thomas Auto Body Shop in Worcester is the site of one of the
Worcester State College Worcester after her oldest Antiochian Orthodox communities
and went on to husband died and ran it in the United States. The Orthodox
Georgetown University in until her recent retirement. parish of St. George is the largest among
Washington, D.C. to earn a Her son now runs the shop, the religious groups in the Arab-American
masters degree n Arab and she spends her time community, accounting for roughly half
Studies. He is now New between chairing the its number.
England director for the Women's Guild at Our
National Association of Lady of Mercy Maronite
Arab-Americans. "My Church and the local
Syrian heritage," he said, chapter of St. Jude "One of the Lucky Ones"
"pushed me on into political Children's Hospital. "We tr
action." to keep the Lebanese George Wood's father came to this
The Coury family is heritage goingthe food, country from Damascus in 1890. Even
attuned to its ethnic the holy days . . ." she said. though George Wood had to start
traditions, and Chris has Mrs. Thomas' parents came working when he was 16 years old in
always had an interest in from Lebanon before World 1928, and didn't stop until his retirement
Middle East affairs. In 1978 War I, and she was born in (at age 65, he says he was "one of the
he responded to a letter in a this country in 1918. lucky ones" in Worcester's early Syrian-
local paper which expressed Marie Hilow says that Lebanese community. A year after he
anti-Arab sentiments, and when she visited her began working, the Great Depression cut
he has been actively father's village of Aley in the livelihoods from under many
involved in his community Lebanon in 1959, she had a breadwinners in the Worcester
ever since. beautiful time. She was able community, as well as in the rest of the
Amen Esper, Jr., has to speak fluent Arabic with country. Wood's first job at the Melville
lived his 63 years in her aunts, uncles and Shoe Company, which supplies Thom
Worcester. He taught cousins. Her knowledge of McAn Shoe Stores, h-lped keep his family
himself to read and write Arabic is rusty now from fed during that time of hardship. Wood
Arabic. Now that he is disuse, but it still creeps started as a clerk and worked his way up
retired from the back when she has to the organization until he retired a few
Massachusetts Department describe something from years ago as a distribution supervisor.
of Public Works, where he her past. "We were brought W pod recently became the first Arab-
was a design and up in a very closely knit American in Massachusetts to become a
construction engineer, he Lebanese community, and 33rd Degree Mason of the Scottish Rite.
spends his time traveling, when someone asked me to This is the highest degree that is awarded,
skiing, swimming and describe something about it, signifying a respected position within
playing golf. I could only tell them in that organization. St. George's parish
Esper's parents, who Arabic. I didn't know the celebrated Wood's honor with a gathering
fled Lebanon because of English." of 300 well-wishers.
Ottoman conscription, are Mrs. Hilow's father Wood recalls how the early Syrian
both still living in came to the United States community lived in a neighborhood
Viorcester. Esper has seven around 1920 and settled in clustered around St. George's church.
grandchildren. "I'm very Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Arab immigrants settled on Wall, Suffolk
conscious of my heritage," where Mrs. Hilow was born and Norfolk streets on Dungarvin hill. At
Esper said. in 1927. She moved to one time, Dungarvin Hill was nicknamed
Genevieve Thomas says Worcester in 1960 when "French Hill," because of the many
that after she became a she married and now works French-speaking immigrants who lived
widow 38 years ago, she as a billing clerk at Fairlawn there, among them the early Syrian-
has been so busy she "has Hospital. Lebanese who spoke both French and
94 not had time for hobbies." Arabic.
 Syrian-owned dry goods stores, Today approximately 430 families
bakeries and coffee shops sprang up on support St. George's parish, according to
the hill, and the immigrant community its pastor Father George Shahin. The
began to prosper. Their prosperity present church was built in 1956 on Anna
eventually enabled them to move to other Street. The women's club holds dinners,
parts of the city, but they never ceased to haflelts and bazaars where hPndcrafts and
contribute time and money to their baked goods are sold to raise money for
churches. the church. The Knights of St. George
and the Teen SOYO are the parish's
other active social and service groups. At
Worshipping and Celebrating the yearly celebration of the Feast of St.
George, parishioners serve Arab food and
St. George Antiochian Orthodox dance to traditional music, and even the
church was the first in Worc_ster. Dr. Bishop makes an appearance. "We've had
Najib Saliba, who teaches at Worcester a lot of good times at the church," says
State College, says the church was George Wood. "We're a tight-knit group."
established around 1902 and that "the The second largest group among
whole life of the community revolved Worcester's Arab-Americans is the
around it." In 1905, the community Melkite community which worships at
founded the Syrian Orthodox Society. Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In the years
The society served the Syrian before World War I, the Melkites did not
community by assisting new immigrants have a church or priest. According to the
and providing traditional burial services. In present pastor, Father James King, in 1923
these early years, the Orthodox they found a priest from Holy Savior
community did not have a permanent Monastery to perform services for them.
priest or church building, and it was the About 80 percent of the early Melkite
society that raised funds for both. By immigrants came from the Lebanese
1905, St. George's occupied a building on mountain community of Mashkara. Many
Wall Street, and a school was opened found their way to Worcester because
there to teach English and provide they were skilled leather craftsmen, and
religious instruction. when they arrived at Ellis Island they

Native Arab
dance, dress and
music drew
admiring looks
from Worcester
residents who
watched the
Caravan Band
perform in front
of city hall in 1959. 95
Photos: Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Inc
 Photos: Worcester Telegram ec Gazette, Inc.

Worcester's Christian Arab-

Americans are well-served with three
Syrian Rite churches in the city.
Shown here and on the opposite
page are two of them. Above, Our
Lady of Perpcival Help Me lkite
Church features hundreds of crosses
in relief on the twelve-sided
structure. The pastor, Father James
King, right, celebrates liturgy.
Opposite page, a bright dome
accentuates the clean lines of St.
George Antiochian Orthodox
Cathedral in this 1970 bird's-eye
view. The St. George community is
the largest Christian denomination
of Arab-Americans in Worcester.

96
Photos. Worcester Tekgram & Gazette, Int

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 48

were told to go to the Craton & Knight mahrajan every year, and the most recent
leather works in Worcester. outdoor Arab festival drew nearly 2,000
Joe Aboody, a Melkite whose father people.
came from Mashkara, remembers the Worcester's third Christian
"awful, awful smell" that floated through community is the Maronite parish of Our
the hillside homes of the Arab immigrants Lady of Mercy. The pastor, Father Joseph
from the factory's tall smokestacks. At Saidi, recalls the first Maronite, John Isaac,
one time, he says, hundreds of Lebanese came to Worcester in 1893. By the turn
worked at the plant, which tanned hides of the century there were several
and produced finished leather products. Maronite families who attended services
Some Me lkite families have their roots at other Catholic churches. It was not
in the Syrian communities of Aleppo and until 1906 that the first Maronite service
Damascus. There has been extensive was held by a pastor who came to the
intermarriage among the Melkite and area from Boston.
Orthodox communities, and the religious Most of the Maronite families came to
homogeneity that was true in the Worcester after 1910 from Beirut, Jezzine,
homeland has diminished in this country. Al Islah and other Lebanese towns and
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a cities. In the 1920s, when there were
unique twelve-sided brick structure about 70 Maronites in Wor.:ester, Father
located on a shady five-acre lot. Its pastor Paul Rizk became the first pastor and the
describes it as "one of the most striking parish moved to what had formerly been
buildings in Worcester." It is a far cry a Protestant church on Mulberry Street.
from the humble wooden church that was
purchased by the parish in 1923.
Father King says that although the Clubs and Societies
church no longer offers instruction in
Arabic, the language is kept alive through Since its inception, the Arab-American
its use in Sunday services. "I try to community has looked back to its roots in
incorporate some of the religious the Middle East and forward to its
traditions of the old country into the growing involvement in American
service," King said. "The people appreciate language and customs. Syrian-American
this very much. For instance, many of clubs sprang up wherever there were
them were surprised to learn that Arabs significant numbers of immigrants and
are Semites, too." The Melkites have a big their children. Some Worcester residents

kaga;
MOW
'Aga

,11i J. st1 4-

97
Photos Worcester Telegram Ea Cavette. Inc
 from the South Lebanese village of Mhaiti Guild began in the 1960s and continues its
formed the Mhaiti Society in 1917. This work today, holding social events and
group is still active arranging burials and running a bingo game.
engaging in charitable works. Its members
collect money to send to relatives and the
church in their home village. Morocco--An Institution
The Worcester Syrian-American Club
was established in 1930 and participated The best restaurant in Worcester . . .
that year in the tricentennial festivities of jazz club extraordinaire . . . playground of
the city. The club entered a float depicting celebrities . . . an institution . . . El
"an American historical scene," according to Morocco Restaurant is a family operation
Syrian World Magazine, and won second that has grown from humble origins to
prize. Two years later, the club was become Worcester's premier place of
represented at a celebration of George dining and entertainment. It is a landmark
Washington's bicentennial anniversary of the social landscape of the city.
held by the Boston Syrian-American Club Joe Aboody is the president of the
at which prominent political leaders were restaurant, which was run by Paul
present. Aboody, his father, since it opened its
Saidi remembers a few of the clubs doors in 1945. Though Paul died in the
that were established over the years by summer of 1983, his memory is still fresh
local Maronites who wanted to socialize in his son's mind as he describes with
and to help the church raise money. The vivid detail the history of El Morocco.
first was the Cedar Club, established in "My father came from the Lebanese
1937. In 1948 came the Maronite Club, town of Mashkara," says Joe. he was one
followed in the 1950s by the Men's Club. of many immigrants sent to work at
Finally, Our Lady of Mercy Women's Graton & Knight. Paul Aboody left the

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Photos: Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Inc.

The El-Morocco Restaurant

1L
factory after a short while to hold various restaurant. "He used to tell his chauffeur to
jobs, including a stint as a bartender. "He bring him here after a concert, and he
worked hard to feed us," recalls Joe. would go back into the kitchen to fix a
In 1925 the family was able to buy a steak," recalls Aboody. "About three
building on Wall Street which had been a weeks before he died, he spent a long
home for some French nuns. In the first evening with my father."
floor storefront they opened one of the When Joe's father passed away last
first Middle East bakeries in the United summer, Worcester mourned the passing
States. Aboody's cousins still operate of one of its most popular citizens.
Kalil's Bakery, which has since moved to Lengthy obituaries in local papers and
Hamilton Street. On the roof of the Wall thousands of mourners paid tribute to the
Street building the Aboodys built a grape Lebanese immigrant from Mashkara who
arbor, reminiscent of those found by made good.
many hillside homes in Lebanon. The The El Morocco still thrives on its
family gathered beneath the arbor for popularity, with Aboody family members
long happy hours of conversation. working in the kitchen, in the office and
The Aboody family soon opened a serving patrons in the dining rooms. "We
coffee house where locals would sit to never advertise for the business," says Joe.
drink strong Turkish coffee and eat ice "The other restaurants in town couldn't
cream and pastries. "Some of the understand how we made it. We were the
customers would play cards, using old smallest, dumpiest place, on the wrong
decks as chips so if the police came side of the tracks."
they couldn't tell they were betting," El Morocco is a shining example of
Aboody said. who Arabs are, what they eat, how they
El Morocco was established in 1945 as entertain and how they can succeed. "1
a small family restaurant that served remember when I went to school the kids
Arabic food. Patrons were occasionally didn't know what Lebanese was," says Joe.
treated to impromptu musical The Arab-American community
entertainment by Paul Aboody and his appreciates what the El Morocco has done
musically inclined friends. "My father had for the community's image. "They say,
a knack for entertaining... . He was very 'Thank God for the El Morocco.
well liked," said Joe. "Dad would take out
his Arab drum and play into the wee
hours of the morning with other
musicians."
The restaurant got a boost one day
from a favorable review. The day after it
appeared in the newspaper, about 100
people descended on the tiny five-table
eatery. From then on, it was expand,
expand, expand. First the Aboodys
annexed the store nevt door, then dug out
a basement beneath the 1.,uilding. Today's
El Morocco at 100 Wall Street opened six
years ago with festivities to which the
whole city was invited. And practically the
whole city came. Thousands thronged to
the restaurant, and Joe says the local
police volunteered to handle the traffic.
Truman Capote, Liza Mmdli, Estelle
Parsons and Bette Midler are just a few
of the celebrities who have enjoyed El
Morocco's fare. The late Arthur Fiedler,
conductor of the Boston Pops Symphony
Orchestra, called El Morocco his favorite
Photo Arabic Mueurn, Cairo

1 01
 /4A
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 4417417,""Zawitalln^:"Z617:^: .017/117;^:Xv/

Arab Muslims in America:

Adaption and
Reform
by Yvonne Haddad

S oIGNIFICANT Arab Muslim

migration to the United States
ccurred in several waves-1875
to 1912, 1918 to 1922 when
Lebanese Arabs came to work in the Ford
Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Michigan, 1930
to 1938, 1947 to 1960, and 1967 to the
present. The two world wars and changes
in U.S. immigration laws were principally
responsible for the interruptions in the
flow of immigrants.
The first permanent group arrived
from what was then called Greater Syria,
now the combined area of Syria, Lebanon,
Palestine, and Jordan. Mostly uneducated,
unskilled, and of peasant stock, this group
left their homes in the mountain areas of
Lebanon in response to favorable reports
from Lebanese Christians who had
worked as immigrants in the United
States.
The economic situation in the Middle
East from 1890 to World War I gave
impetus to immigration. Farming had
become unprofitable because of a general
decline in the price of agricultural
products. The opening of the Suez Canal
in 1869 destroyed the land route to India
and resulted in the loss of income levied
on transit shipments. The Japanese
competition in silk production led to the
flooding of Lebanon's traditional French
market, cheapened prices, and practically
eliminated the silk industry of Mount
Lebanon. To further aggravate the
situation, the vineyards of the area
became infested with disease. 101

1 (13 BEST COPY AVAILABLE

.'",111111011
.....,--
 Around 1900, the number of Muslims women and pursued integration into the
who entered the United States increased, general society. Many of them now teach
especially among the Shia and the Druze. in colleges and universities and can be
Apprehension about traveling to a non- considered to have achieved intellectual as
Muslim country dampened the well as social integration.
motivations of many, but continuing Mainly from urban areas, most of this
success stories of other immigrants group arrived with the intention of
r-ovided the necessary incentive. settling permanently. They had attended
In the United States, several factors western or westernized schools in their
worked to impede the flow of immigrants. home countries. Some had experimented
Many were turned down by immigration in representative government or
officials at Ellis Island. Discrimination remembered their frustrated efforts to
appeared in various localities where Arab institute freely elected governments in
immigrants settled. One court found their countries. Their ethnic identities
persons from the Arab world ineligible for were thus influenced by national, rather
citizenship because they were neither than religious considerations.
Caucasian nor African. Although a higher It is estimated that about 50,000 Arab
court overruled that decision, the debate Muslim intellectuals entered the United
about the size of head and nose as States in the decade between 1957 and
determinants of race continued in the 1967. Of these, 73 percent had received
press. higher education in Europe and the
The immigrants also faced new laws United States. Their impact on Islamic
that restricted the number permitted into institutions in this country appears to be
the United States. Preference was given to marginal, however. The majority were
relatives of previous immigrants, as either "un-mosqued," that is, did not
evidenced in the flow of immigration after attend the mosque, or were "Eid
World War II. Intermarriage and the Muslims," those who participate in
influx of relatives from the Middle East mosque services on the two main Islamic
helped to preserve old country ideals and feasts, Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.
customs and to slow down the process of There are no reliable statistics on the
acculturation and assimilation. number of Muslims in the United States
By the 1950's, most of the Arab most of whom are non-Arab. Estimates
countries had gained their independence have ranged up to half a million.
and were undergoing radical changes due
to the failure of the institutions implanted
by the colonial powers. This resulted in a
new kind of immigrant arriving in this The Development of
country. A growing number came from Islamic Institutions
the capitalist classes, the landed gentry,
and the influential urban-based families of The development of Islamic
various countries, who had been replaced institutions in the United States came
by new leadership. Many were about slowly because the number of
Palestinians displaced by the creation of Muslims in proportion to the total
the state of Israel, Egyptians whose land population has been relatively small.
had been appropriated by the Nasser Immigrants who came to amass wealth
regime, Syrians overthrown by and then return to their homelands were
revolutionaries, and Iraqi royalists fleeing not interested in establishing institutions.
the Republican regime. Their allegiance remained with their
The majority of these post-World War families at home, which they helped
II immigrants were westernized and support financially.
fluent in English. They sought higher Those Muslims who decided to settle
education, advanced technical training, in this country, however, began to think
and specialized work opportunities as well of developing institutions and
as ideological fulfillment. About two- organizations to preserve their faith and
102 thirds of the students married American to transmit it to their children. Individuals
in different areas took the initiative: States. In 1957, the Islamic Center of
Abdullah Ingram in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Washington, D.C. opened to serve an
Muhammad Omar in Quincy, American congregation as well as
Massachusetts; J. Howar in Washington, members of the Muslim diplomatic corps
D.C. In other cities, like Dearborn, residing in the capital. Today, there are
Michigan, a small but determined group over 400 mosques and Islamic associations
backed the effort. in the United States.
The earliest recorded group of
Moslems who organized for communal
prayer in grivate homes was in Ross, Adapting Islamic Practice In America
North Dakota, in 1900. By 1920 they had
built a mosque. Later, they became so As in other areas of the world, the
integrated into the community that they initial growth period of Islam in North
assumed Christian names and married America reflected "mixing" or
Christians. By 1948, the mosque was acculturation. Severed from traditions
abandoned. accumulated over centuries, the
In 1919, an Islamic association was immigrants attempted to create their own
established in Highland Park, Michigan, Islamic institutions. For this, they
followed by another one in Detroit in borrowed institutional forms from the
1922. A Young Men's Muslim Association local inhabitants. The role of the mosque
(Arab) was established in Brooklyn in in North America is closer to that of
1923; and the Arab Banner Society in denominational churches than to mosques
Quincy in 1930. The first building in the Arab world.
designated as a mosque was in Cedar Historically, the mosque has
Rapids in 1934. The mosque founders also functioned as a gathering place for the
purchased the first Muslim cemetery, community, where Muslims expressed
believed to be the only one in the United their religious and political allegiance
Recognizing the
need to keep the
Muslim heritage
alive, Islamic
Institutes
f throughout the
country offer
education for the
children which
helps reinforce
the values of Islam.
Shown here is the
Cedar Rapids
mosque.
IMF rtr; ,

7.1
- 103

1 5
 during the Friday service. In the new
Right: Brooklyn ' TITUTE FOR TV.. 1-.',.OPAGATIONrt country, it acquired a social and cultural
ARABIC ENtitIE "4`t:: ISLAMIC
Heights, N.Y. meaning as the A rab Muslims struggled
Islamic Institute to maintain an Arab and Islamic identity
Below: Detroit, in an alien culture. Not only are weddings
Michigan's Islamic and funerals conducted in the mosque, in
Center of America keeping with American practices, but even
Botton right: fund-raising activities, directed primarily
Mihrab in Great by women, such as mosque bazaars, bake
Mosque of sales, community dinners, and cultural
Cordoba, Spain events have been adopted as well.
Women participate in other aspects of
mosque life generally not open to them in
the Middle East. They att,nd the Sunday
service and teach Sunday school.
Interviews with second- and third-
generation Muslims indicate the very
active role assumed by pioneering Arab
Muslim women in the construction and
maintenance of the mosque.
This role has been curtailed in areas
where more recently arrived immigrants
predominate. A coalition between illiterate
traditional rural men and highly educated
young students or immigrants committed
to a strict Islamic order has formed, and,
as one third-generation Arab-American
Muslim put it, appears to be operative in
wresting the leadership of the mosque"
away from those who labored long to
bring it into being. In an increasing
number of Arab Muslim mosques where
traditional imams have been installed,
women have seen their participation in
mosque functions reduced and restricted,
a restructuring aimed at conforming to
patterns idealized in the Arab world.

Photo. Mtchael Angutt. Olt (tout,' Ataft Cutthztinet:

Moslems who settled in this country

applied the principles of architecture so
familiar in the Middle East to the
mosques they built here. Shown on
these two pages are some American
mosques and their predecessors in
Cordoba and Jerusalem.

104
The Movement for Reform
Since the beginning of the 1970s,
there has been a return to normative
Islam, sometimes referred to as "reform."
Efforts are made to purge Islam of
innovations which accumulated over the
years and to eradicate unnecessary and
un-Islamic patterns of acculturation.
Reform has been heightened by the influx
of new immigrants from Lebanon (1975-
82), many of whom are totally committed,
to Islam as a way of life. This
commitment appears to be a result of the
sectarian strife in that country and its
influence in stimulating, if not crystalizing,
confessionalism.
The dramatic increase in the number
of Muslims in the United States in the last
decade has heartened followers who
remember a time when Muslim holidays
went by scarCely noticed or observed. The
celebrations in the various mosques and
organizations have added a new
dimension to the growing sense of
dignity, identity and purpose of the
Muslims. Perhaps S.S. Mufassir best
captured the change when, on the
occasion of the American Bicentennial, he
wrote in Islamic Items: "But the
technotronic cybernetic society which has
put to death the false God of man's
making has failed to render Islam
irrelevant. Islam has survived in the very
heart of the industrialized West, and has
pushed forward with indomitable spirit
without apology, compromise, assimilation
or mutation."
This article was excerpted, with permission,
from a longer article .hat appeared in Arabs
in the New World: Studies on Arab-
American Communities, ed. Nabeel
Abraham and Sameer Y. Abraham, Wayne
State University Center for Urban Studies.
Copyright 1983.

Top: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Mosque *at?

Center: Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Bottom Right: Dearborn, Michigan Mosque 105

_1 7
.c:
I z C
 TheWayWe are:
A Regional Survey
RAB-American communities dot the United
States, but they have, until now, gone

6.00R unnoticed by outsiders. Until now, there has

been no general survey of where in the U.S.
Arab-Americans live. With this issue, ADC Reports inaugurates
this service, with the results of its pilot project following in
this section. This set of almanac-type entries offers ADC
members a chance to get "the big picture," to realize how
widespread and how diverse our communities are, and to
begin to make the links between them.
This is a first of its kind. And like any trial effort it has
gaps and room for improvement. And that is where you, and
your friends, and your family, come in. Please become a
contributor to the ADC Regional Survey.
We assembled this information as a result of a telephone
survey to Arab-Americans, many of them ADC members, in
10 regions of the U.S. We learned many things, only a small
part of which we had room for in this survey. One of the
things we learned was that there were many more of you
that we didn't contact than we did. And next year we want
you to be in it. So please take a few minutes and fill out the
questionnaire at the end of this section. Tell all of us, all over
the U.S., about your part of it.
Of course, the life of every community rests on the living
history of its older members. And that is where another
ADC project begins: the recapturing of our oral histories.
Next to the questionnaire, you will find another form, one
that lets us know that you are collecting the memories of
someone from the group of immigrants who first established
Arab-American communities. ADC is looking for members of
two generations to tell us all about our past. First, we want to
hear from people who made The Passagethe journey from
the Middle East to this country at the turn of and in the early
part of this century. Second, we want to hear from those
who made up The Exodus, the journey in flight from political
persecution and refugee status to a new home.
What ADC Reports offers here is a rough sketch for what
you will make into "the big picture."

109
 1
LOrthodox Women's Club and Men's
New England Club,the Knights of St. George, Our
Arab Americans in New ady of Purgatory Maronite Lebanese
England (Connecticut, Rhode Veterans' Association, the Lebanese
Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Community Center, the Arab-American
Vermont and Maine) number 210,000 Benevolent Association, the American
among a total population of close to 10 Arabic Association, the Syrian-Lebanese
million. Most trace their origins to Women's Club, the Syrian-Lebanese
Lebanon and Syria. Others came to the Ladies' Society, the Syrian-Lebanese Club,
region from Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, the United Lebanese Society, the Lebanese
and more recently, Oman and Kuwait. Association for Elderly Housing; the
They live in Danbury and Bethel, American-Lebanese Awareness
Connecticut; Manchester, Portsmouth, Association, the Deir-el-Qamar
Nashua, Lebanon, and Berlin, New Association, the Sons of Lebanon Club,
Hampshire; and Fall River, Lawrence, and the Mheiti Society, all in
Boston, Worcester, and Pocas9et, Massachusetts. Local chapters of most
Massachusetts. The majority of New national Arab-American organizations,
England's Arab-Americans are Christian including the National Association of Arab
and belong to the numerous Eastern rite Americans and the ADC, have chapters in
churches scattered throughout the region. major cities throughout the area. The
A number of mosques in Connecticut and Association of Arab-American University
Massachusetts cater to the smaller Graduates is headquartered in Belmont,
Muslim communities. Approximately 60 MA.
percent of the Arab-American community Programs and activities sponsored by
in New England is second generation, 30 the various organizations, both religious
percent third and fourth generation. The and secular, include ethnic festivals,
remaining 10 percent consists of recent church bazaars, fund-raising dinners,
immigrants. traditional haflehs, scholarships for Arab-
Arab-American religious institutions in American youth, and the construction of
New England include Maronite churches: 40 units of low-cost housing for the Arab-
St. George in New Hampshire; St. American elderly.
Anthony, Our Lady of Mercy, Our Lady
of the Cedars of Lebanon, and Our Lady
of Purgatory in Massachusetts; St.
Anthony in Connecticut. Greek Orthodox
Churches; St. George in New Hampshire
and St. George in Massachusetts.
Antiochian Orthodox churches: St.
George in New Hampshire and St.
George in Connecticut. One Syrian
Orthodox church: St. Mary in Metropolitan
Massachusetts; Melkite churches: St.
Joseph, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New York
Cathedral of Our Lady of the The total population
Annunciation in Massachusetts; St. of the New York metro
Stephen Mission in New Hampshire; St. area, which includes the five
Anne in Connecticut. There are Islamic boroughs, northern New Jersey and
centers in Boston, Quincy and Springfield, Yonkers, is more than 8 million. The
Massachusetts, and Hartford, New Haven estimated Arab-American population of
and Stamford, Connecticut. the New York metro area is 180,000.
Other Arab-American organizations in The earliest Arab-American settlers in
the tri-state area comprise the Lebanon- New York arrived from the region of
American Club, and Maaser Society in Greater Syria between 1880 and 1924.
Connecticut; the Lebanese Society in New Today they are scattered throughout the
108 Hampshire; St. George Antiochian area, with concentrations of Syrian-

u
Lebanese in Brooklyn and Yonkers. A percent is third; and the upcoming fourth
large group of Syrians lives in Patterson, generation makes up the remaining 20
N.J. Since the 1960s, thousands of percent.
Palestinians have immigrated to the Organizations and religious
United States, making them the third institutions catering to Arab-Americans
largest group of Arab-Americans in exist throughout the New York metro
greater New York. They live in Patterson, area. The Arab Women's Council, Islamic
upper Manhattan, Brooklyn and in the Cultural Society and the Arab-American
Bergen City and West New York areas of Women's Friendship Association are
Hudson County. Several thousand women's social, cultural and political
Yemenis also live in Brooklyn's Atlantic organizations. Other organizations include
Avenue section, though they tend not to the Muslim World Organization for
settle there permanently, returning to Political and Social Change, the Muslim
Yemen after a period of earning money World League, the Egyptian Professional
for their families. Organization, Palestine Congress,
The Arab-American community is American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
broken down roughly as follows: Syrian- Committee, Palestine Red Crescent,
Lebanese, 65 to 70 percent; Palestinians, Muslim Arab Community of Northern
arourd 15 percent; Yemenis and New Jersey, Association of Arab-
Jordanians, 5 percent each; and Egyptians, American University Graduates, Muslim
2 percent. Approximately 40 percent of Organization Committee and several
the Arab-American population is first American organizations concerned with
generation; 15 percent is second; 25 Middle East affairs.

,
ILL

109
Photo. NY Convention and Visitors Bureau

-t
 Arab-American religious needs are Buffalo, respectively; St. George
served by a variety of institutions. Melkite Orthodox Church in Albany; St. George
churches are located in Patterson, Syrian Orthodox Church in Utica; and St.
Brooklyn, and Yonkers. Coptic churches Michael Orthodox Church in Geneva.
in Jersey City and Brooklyn serve the Maronite Churches include St. Maron in
recent Egyptian immigrants. The Williamsville; Our Lady of Lebanon in
Maronite cathedral is located in Brooklyn. Niagara; St. Ann Maronite Church in
Syrian Orthodox churches are located in Troy; and St. Louis of Gonzaga in Utica.
Brooklyn and Patterson as well as The two Melkite churches are St. Basil in
Bergenfield and Yonkers. The Muslim Utica and St. Nicholas in Rochester. There
community has mosques in Manhattan, are Islamic Centers in Schenectady,
Brooklyn, Westchester, Jersey City, Buffalo, Lackawanna, Syracuse, with one
Patterson, Newark and Pasaic. being built in Rochester.

Upstate
New York
41:;%T. - - ---''''-, ;"." .4likao. ,

There are an estimated 7 ; . , :1;.;:, ',.,

ktilij:2+1/4.N: :al 1 k-11
90,000 to 105,000 Arab-Americans in t 40 I *--`-:,' , .11:* A 1..*
44 ..'. . 7. ::.4.1;% -. s,
upstate New York. Total population of the 4,11.....:
..:,:solti, lie re' _ ;...;-4.
area is estimated at 5 million. k4;,+
4,....-___. , ,zoif.f... , -!----...44
:÷e4,;f40
Arab-Americans are concentrated in
Albany, Buffalo/Niagara Falls, Rochester,
' k 44 .4.----:-.

V. *,1,---- 11:.°A;'''''`
S.:: -'-'444
Syracuse, Utica, with a small community
in Binghampton. The vast maj, rity are
Syrian/Lebanese of which most are
Christian. All three major Christian Ira ,-
iv 11" ,.;:z -- -- - -,,, -1.--;
denominations, Maronite, Melkite, and
Orthodox, are present, though certain "4 , ,,,_ A. .... 0-
areas are fairly exclusive. Whereas most of
the Lebanese in Utica are Maronite, most
of the Syrians in Geneva are Orthodox.
There are, though, some Muslim and
Druze Lebanese. The second major group Whereas there are few, if any, Arab-
is the Palestinians, most of whom came in American groups outside the church in
the 1960s and 1970s. Of these Geneva and Albany, Utica, Syracuse,
Palestinians, roughly one-half are Buffalo/Niagara Falls, and Rochester host
Christian and one-half are Muslim. Other a number of organizations. National Arab-
sizable groups include the Egyptians in American groups such as NAAA and
Schenectady and the Yemenis in ADC are found in the major areas, and
Lackawanna. Small numbers of Iraqis and often the memberships and activities
Jordanians can be found throughout the overlap. There are other non-sectarian
area. Arab-American groups such as the Arab-
Of the three major Christian American Council in Syracuse and the
denominations, the Orthodox have the Arab-American Federation in Buffalo.
largest number of churches: St. Elias in Various nationalist groups also exist, some
Syracuse; St. George Antiochian of which are the Cedars of Lebanon Club,
Orthodox Church and St. George the Ramallah Club, the American
110 Orthodox Church in Niagara Falls and Lebanese League, the Yemeni Club, and
the Palestine Human Rights Campaign.
Student groups are mainly in Albany,
Buffalo, and Syracuse, which have general
Arab Student Organizations as well as
smaller national groups. In addition to
these groups, ethnic festivals in Rochester,
Utica, Buffalo/Niagara Falls, and Syracuse
bring the Arab-American community
together.

Pennsylvania
The estimated Arab-
American population of Pennsyl-
vania is 120,000, in a state whose total
population is estimated at 12 million. Arab-
American communities exist in cities in the
eastern and western parts of the state. In Cultural Society and organizations to raise
the east, these include the Philadelphia funds for the villages of origin
metropolitan area, Allentown, Easton, (Allentown), the Northeastern Association
Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. In the west, of Arab-Americans and the Knights of
they are the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, Lebanon (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton), and the
including Jeanette, New Castle, Johnstown "El Fityet Aliween" Club and Islamic
and Altoona. The majority of Arab- Society of Greater New Castle.
Americans across the state is second and The churches play a central role in
third generationthe assimilated children each of the communities. In Pittsburgh
and grandchildren of the Arab immigrants and Philadelphia, there are several Eastern
who arrived in the United States between Orthodox and Maronite Churches,
1890 and the 1920s. One exception is including St. George Eastern Orthodox
Allentown, where immigrants who began Church in Upper Darby in the
arriving in the late 1960s and in increasing Philadelphia suburbs and Our Lady of
numl-P..rs throughout the 1970s make up Victory Maronite Church in Pittsburgh as
an estimated 65 percent of the population. well as the largest Orthodox Church in
In the other cities, the ratio of relatively Pittsburgh, St. George's. Other churches
new arrivals to second and third include St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox
generation Arab-Americans variec (rom Church (Wilkes-Barre), St. George Syrian
10 percent in the Johnstown-Altoona area Orthodox Church (Allentown), Our Lady
to 50 percent in Philadelphia. The majority of Lebanon Maronite Church (Easton), St.
of Arab-Americans in the state are of John Maronite Church and St. Elias
Syrian and Lebanese origin. Most are Orthodox Church (New CastW and one
Christian, eitner Eastern Orthodox or of the oldest Orthodox Churches in the
Marmite. New Castle has one of the archdiocese, St. Mary Antiochian Church
largest and oldest Alawi communities in in Johnstown.
the country. There are mosques in Philadelphia and
Each Arab-American community has Pittsburgh, and an Islamic Society for the
its social or cultural organization, which Alawi and Sunni communities in New
often serves as a center for community Castle and a small Moslem community
activity. These include the Ramallah Club associated with Lehigh University in
Easton. 111
(Philadelphia), the Arab-American
 Ohio
The Arab-American community
in Ohio, estimated at 120,000, is
approximately 40 percent immigrant and
60 percent later generation. All five major
cities, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, -;;-,),,fk:__.:,,-1,a._:. .7-4---,....,-. \t.....,..,..,
Toledo and Akron, have large Arab- .4%.",...,.., .....- s--.,
American populations. The majority of . .
.

Arab-Americans in Ohio are Syrian-

Lebanese, of whom most are Christian. I -%f ,,::\:S:0,
The others are the Palestinians, of whom 14. -``'t' V.7 rt. ,...-
two-thirds are Christian and one-third ..,-.

Muslim, and the Egyptians, of whom _

roughly half are Coptic and half Muslim.

A small number of Iraqis also live in Ohio.
Of the three major Christian
denominations, the Orthodox have the "."

most churches in Ohio: St. George and St.

Elias in Toledo; St. Nicholas in Cincinnati;
St. George in Cleveland; St. George in
Akron. Maronite churches are: St.
Anthony in Cincinnati; St. Maron in
Cleveland; Cedar of Lebanon Maronite
Church in Akron. There are three Melkite
churches in the state: St. Elias in
Cleveland; St. Joseph in Akron; one in Midwest
Columbus. There are Coptic churches in
both Cleveland and Columbus. The Arab-Americans first
Muslim community is well-served by came to the Midwest in the
Islamic centers in all major metropolitan early 1900s from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan
areas. Non-sectarian organizations include and Palestine. Most of them immigrated
the Cleveland Association of Middle East to America in search of work, and traveled
Organizations (CAMEO) and the Arab- to Midwest cities after hearing of job
American Associations in Cincinnati, opportunities from factory recruiters who
Toledo, Cleveland and Columbus attract a often met them as they arrived at Ellis
diverse group of Arab-Americans. Often Island. In the Midwest, the Arab-
the memberships and activities overlap. Americans, invariably called Syrians,
Major nationalist groups include the worked in many types of mills, peddled
American Syrian-Lebanese Clubs in goods, or set up sm.:11 businesses such as
Columbus and Cleveland, the Kirby produce markets and clothing stores. A
Kanafar Club in Akron, the Ramallah few even became homesteaders, like a
Club in Cleveland, the Egyptian group of Lebanese Muslims who
Friendship Society in Columbus, and the established the first mosque in the U.S. at
Palestine Human Rights Campaign in Ross, North Dakota. Other early Muslim
Cincinnati. University Arab and Arab- communities settled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
American groups abound, with Arab and Michigan City, Indiana. Today small
student organizations in each of the but significant pockets of Arab-American
major cities. Annual events such as the culture are found in North Dakota, South
International Folk Festival in Cincinnati Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, as
and the haflehs and festivals put on by well as in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois,
many of the churches are important Michigan and Indiana. Two of the largest
functions that keep Ohio Arab-Americans concentrations of Arab-Americans can be
112 cohesive and proud of their heritage. found in Detroit and Chicago.
. .
Detroit Human Service Workes' Coalition, the
Arab Women's Association, the Jordan
Metropolitan Detroit's diverse Club, the Holy Redemption Club, the El-
population of 4.7 million includes some Bakoora Club, the El-Watan Club, the
250,000 Arab-Americans. Of these, 50 Ramallah Club, the Palestine Aid Society,
percent are first generation and 50 the Syrian-Lebanese Cultural Society, and
percent second, third and fourth the Syrian Club. Local chapters of national
generation. In the Detroit regions, Arab- Arab-American groups in Detroit include
Americans come primarily from four the ADC, the NAAA, the AAUG.
areas. Over half of the Arab-American
population trace their ancestry to Syria
and Lebanon. The first wave of Arab- Chicago
Americans came from these countries in
the early 1900s. There has been a new An estimated 120,000 of Chicago's
wave of immigration from Lebanon since total population of 3 million are Arab-
the Civil War began there in 1975. Americans of various national
Approximately 20 percent of the Arab- backgrounds. While Lebanese- and
American population is made up of Palestinian-Americans predominate,
Chaldeans from Iraq. They began to others trace their roots to Egypt, Jordan,
arrive in Detroit in the late 1950s Syria and Iraq. A number of churches
following the 1958 revolution. Palestinians (Melkite, Maronite and Orthodox) and
make up :llmost 13 percent of the Arab- mosques serve the religious needs of the
American population. The first wave of community. Approximately 85 percent of
Palestinian immigration to the Detroit the Arab-American population is second,
area followed the 1948 catastrophe when third and fourth generation, with
virtually all the Arabs were expelled from immigrants constituting about 15 percent.
eastern Palestine. The most recent Among the churches attended by
community is that of the Yernenis who Chicago's Arab-American population are:
make up 5 percent of the Arab-American Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite, St.
population. Many Christian and Muslim George Antiochian Melkite, St. John the
denominations are present in Detroit's Baptist Melkite, St. Michael the Archangel
Arab-American community. Among the Me lkite, and two Chaldean churches.
Christians are Maronites, Greek Muslim institutions and places of worship
Orthodox, Antiochian Orthodox, Coptic include the Islamic society, the American
and Chaldean. Among the Muslims are Islamic College, the Mosque Foundation,
Sunni, Shia and Zaydi. the Mosque of Umar, the Islamic Cultural
Numbered among Arab-American Center, the Islamic Community Center,
religious institutions are: St. Maron and the Islamic Society of Northern
Maronite Church, Our Lady of Lebanon Illinois University.
Maronite Church, St. George Orthodox Arab-American organizations in
Church, Mother of God Chaldean Chicago include the Mid-American Arab-
Church, St. Mark Coptic Church, St. American Chamber of Commerce, the
Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, St. Phoenician Club, the Egyptian Club, two
Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, and the Arab-American Ladies' Societies, the Arab
Detroit Islamic Center. Arab-American Community Center, the Arab-American
clubs include: the Beit Hanina Club, the Congress for Palestine, and the
Arab Community Center for Economic Association for Arab Palestine. There are
and Social Services, the American-Arab also local chapters of the United Holy
Chaldean Center, the Iraqi Graduate l.and Fund, the Ramallah Club, the
Society, the Federation of Syrian Association of Arab-American University
Orthodox Youth Organizations, the Graduates, the Palestine Congress of
Beqaa League, the American-Yemeni North America, the November 20th
Benevolent Society, the Union of Yemeni Coalition, and the ADC. The Palestine
Immigrants, the Islamic Association of Human Rights Campaign National Office
Greater Detroit, the Arab-American is also located in Chicago. 113

1 5
 There are mosques in Atlanta, Ga.;
The Southeast Birmingham, Ala.; Miami, Fla.; New
Orleans, La.; and Charlotte, N.C.
The major national Arab-American
The combined population of the states organizations have chapters in the larger
of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, southern cities. ADC, NAAA, PCNA,
North and South Carolina, as of 1981, is ADS, AFRP, ALL and ALSAC are all
estimated at 33.1 million. The Arab- represented.
American population of this area is
estimated at between 60,000-70,000.
Most Arab-Americans in the South
trace their roots to Lebanon or Syria.
Palestinians comprise the third largest
group. Small numbers of Egyptian
immigrants are scattered throughout the
region, along with a smattering of
immigrants from Iraq, Jordan, Saudi
Arabia and the Persian Gulf States. The Texas
communities divide roughly as follows:
Lebanese, 60 percent; Syrian, 22 percent;
Palestinians, 10 percent; Egyptians, 3 The Arab-American
percent; others, 5 percent. About 15 population of Texas, estimated to be about
percent are first generation; 45 percent, 30,000 is widely scattered in a total state
second generation; 30 percent, third population of more than 14 million.
generation; 10 percent, fourth generation. Many Texan Arab-Americans are
Scores of social clubs in the South are descended from settlers from Greater
associated with the Southern Federation Syria who came around the turn of the
of Syrian-Lebanese American Clubs. century. More recent immigrants in the
Among them are numerous Cedars clubs 1960s and 1970s are Lebanese and
and others that cater to the local Lebanese Palestinian for the most part, although
and Syrian communities, such as the Al there are also people from modern Syria
Kareem Club of St. Petersburg, Fla.; the and Egypt. Jordan, Iraq, Morocco, and
Phoenician Club of Greenville, S.C.; the Saudi Arabia are represented by relatively
Syrian-Lebanese American Clubs of Palm small numbers.
Beach and Orlando, Fla.; and many others. These Texans are highly industrious
In Jacksonville, Fla., there is a sizeable and prosperous. More than half of the
community of Palestinians from Ramallah descendents of the original immigrants are
who meet at the Ramallah-American college-educated, as are more recent
Club. Those clubs open to persons of any arrivals
Arab background include the Salaam Club The Arab-American community in
of Jacksonville and the recently formed Texas asserts pride in its origins, and
Middle Eastern Heritage Club of west many activities are centered on religious
central Florida. institutions. As a community, their profile
A partial listing of religious institutions is low, perhaps less so in Houston than in
in the South follows: Maronite churches other cities. They are highly assimilated,
include St. Elias, Birmingham, Ala.; yet, for many, social life focuses on family
Archangel Michael, Fayetteville, N.C.; St. and Arab-American friends.
Joseph, Atlanta, Ga. Melkite churches Many Arab-Americans in Texas
include St. George, Birmingham, Ala.; St. belong to Orthodox churches: St. George
John Chrysostom, Atlanta, Ga.; Me lkite Greek Orthodox Church in Houston; St.
Mission, Miami, Fla. Antiochian Orthodox Gregory and St. Elias in Austin; St.
churches include St. George, Jacksonville, George Antiochian Orthodox Church in
Fla.; St. George, Coral Gables, Fla.; St. El Paso; St. Constantine and Helen
Elias, Atlanta, Ga.; St. Mary, West Palm Orthodox Church in Dallas; and in
114 Beach, Fla.; St. Philip, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Beaumont.

1 f;
 Maronites support St. George active, as is the Palestine Aid Society.
Arab-Americans
Maronite Catholic Church in San Antonio The Arab-American Association of
in Texas tried
as well as a Maronite mission in Austin. University Graduates (AAUG) and Arab- to establish
Many Christians belong to Catholic and American Medical Association (AAMA) themselves in
Episcopal churches, and one Palestinian both have chapters in Houston. ADC's business, freeing
American family in Houston attends the chapter has about 500 members. NAAA themselves from
Quaker meeting in Houston. There is also recently started a chapter in Dallas and is fadory life or the
a Coptic church, St. Mark's in Houston. trying to set up one in Houston as well. hard times of
Islamic centers are found in Houston, There are numerous Palestinian peddling. This
El Paso, Dallas and Ft. Worth as well as in organizations on the university campus. 1920 shop of
smaller cities. Arab-American culture is celebrated Mansour Farah
Social activities center mainly on the by the churches, including the Orthodox producing work
churches, but there are active social clubs churches in Houston and El Paso, and the clothes became
as well, particularly in Houston. The Southern Federation. A Lebanese booth is the basis for the
Southern Federation of Syrian-Lebanese part of the annual Folk life Festival, ard spedacular suc-
American Clubs has a strong chapter Houston's KPFT boasts a weekly "Arab cess of the Farah
there. The Jamail Club, the Med Club, the Hour." Manufacturing
Ramallah and El Nassar clubs are also Company, maker
of Farah Jeans.

115

1.17
 California
The Arab-American popula-
tion of California is esti-
mated at between 260,000 and 280,000 in a
state where total population is 23,700,000.
The Arab-American population is
equally divided between foreign-born
immigrants and later generations born in
the U.S. The older communities are
predominantly Syrian-Lebanese and exist
throughout California. Recent immigrants
tend to be of two groupsPalestinians,
who came to the San Francisco Bay area
after 1967, and Yemenis, who are
concentrated in the Bay area, Delano and
San Joaquin Valley. The larger number of
Arab-Americans are Christian, the major
denominations being Orthodox, Maronite
and Melkite. There are large numbers of
Assyrian-Chaldeans who are mainly in
Los Angeles, San Diego, Turlock and San
Jose. Other nationalities include Egyptians, Attitudes), which is connected to U.C.-
many of whom live in the Bay area, San S.F., NAJDA in the Bay Area, which
Joaquin Valley and Southern California, consists of Arab and American women, as
and Armenian-Lebanese, who are does SAWA (Sacramento Arab-American
concentrated in Fresno. Womens Association) in Sacramento.
Orthodox churches predominate, with Throughout California, there exist
three in Los Angeles, one in San Diego numerous national groups, the oldest
and three in the San Francisco Bay area. being the Lebanese-Syrian American
There are Maronite churches in San Society in Los Angeles and the St. Jude
Francisco and Los Angeles, and Melkite Club in the Bay Area. Other major
churches in Los Angeles and Sacramento. national groups include the Ramallah
Islamic Centers have been established Club, the American Lebanese League, the
throughout California, but the majority of Yemeni Association, the Palestine Arab
members are non-Arab. Other religious Fund, The Egyptian Cultural Club and the
institutions include Assyrian-Chaldean Assyrian Civic Club.
churches in Turlock, San Jose and As California has a vast number of
Southern California, Coptic churches in university campuses, Arab and Arab-
Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay area American student groups are relatively
and a Druze Society in Los Angeles. visible. Most of the major campuses have
Groups such as the Arab-American an Arab Student Organization, and the
Club of Sacramento, the Arab Cultural majority have one or more national
Center in the Bay Area, the Arab groups. Arab-Americans in business have
Community Center in Los Angeles, and begun to organize, evidence being the
the Arab-American Association of Orange large number of Arab-Americans in the
County are non-sectarian. Other groups Independent Grocers Association in the
such as the ADC, NAAA, AAUG also Bay Area and the Arab-American Medical
attract multi-national Arab-Americans. and Bar Associations. The U.S.-Arab
Prominent humanitarian groups in Chamber of Commerce, which employs
California include US-OMEN many Arab-Americans, has an office in
(Organization for Medical and Educational San Francisco, and allows for greater
Needs) in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, communication between the U.S. and
116 SIHA (Study of Immigrant Health Arab World.

1:E
 such as Denver, Portland, Seattle and Las
Western States Vegas. The Arab-American population,
about which very little is known, follows
In the states of Colorado, this pattern fairly closely. Approximately
Idaho, Montana, Oregon, half of the community in this region can
North Dakota and Washington, whose be found in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle,
total population is estimated at 13.8 Washington.
million, the Arab-American population is There appear to be few religious, social
roughly estimated at 45,000. and political institutions in the West to
As in other parts of the United States, serve the scattered Arab-American
the Arab-American population of the area community. However there are two
is made up mostly of Christian churches in Portland catering to the
immigrants from Lebanon and Syria from community, the St. Sharbel Maronite
around the turn of the century. There are Church and St. George Antiochian
also Palestinians, Iraqis and Egyptians, but Orthodox Church. Also in Portland is the
these are in the minority. Unlike Arab Arab-American Community Center. In
immigrants from many other parts of the Denver the Committee for Justice in the
country, those who settled in the West Middle East and the Western Federation
came either from Mexico or Canada. of Americans of Arab Heritage exist.
In general the population of the There are Islamic centers in Denver,
western states is sparse and scattered, Portland and Seattle.
with large concentrations in a few cities
The first convention of the Western
Federation of Syrian clubs in 1918 was held
in Williston, N.D., one of many early Arab-
American communities in Western United
States.
L-11111._

MP1

1111101.1111r171,1Pfr

The bustling mining

community of Butte, Mont.
attracted a large settlement ifr
of immigrants from Lebanon
before the turn of the
century where they earned
their living by peddling or o'
owning stores. This was a
birthday party for one of the
many children of the
community, Stephen George
(the well-dressed young
fellow in the very center of
the group). - 117
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
The Way
We Were
In this section,
ADC Reports draws upon publications in
which our forebears found a forum during
the early decades of this century. Our
numbers have multiplied since then, and
we seem to have come so far, but our
_concerns are not so different from those
trom whom we draw our heritage. This is
part of their legacy to us.
This is the way we were.

1 21
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The Way
We Were

HE history of any group of

people that exists within a larger
group is essentially a chronicle of
their ideas and how those ideas
coalesce to represent a community of
interest. We have chosen the articles
reprinted in this section as illustrative of
the community of interest that existed
within the community of Arab-American
immigrants in the early decades of this
century.
The publication which, more than any
other at the time, set standards of literary
excellence and provided an English-
language forum for Syrian men and
women of letters in this country, and
from which many of these articles are
drawn, was The Syrian World, established
by Salloum A. Mokarzel in 1926.
Mokarzel filled his pages with poetry,
plays, fiction, essays and reports from the
Syrian press "back home." He drew upon
the works of such luminaries as Philip K.
Hitti and Kahlil Gibran. And he provided
an outlet for the work of young, aspiring
unknowns as well.
Mokarzel established The Syrian World
at a time when the unchanging East was
changing fast. As the Ottoman Empire
crumbled, Syria was marching inexorably
from a tradition of feudal authority into
an age of discovery and reason and
progress. The great ideals for
secularization and modernization were no-
where more prominent than among Arab-
Americans of Mokarzel's generation.
Philip K. Hitti wrote in the pages of The
Syrian World in 1927 that many Syrians "of
the present generation stand perplexed at 121

Photo. TAr Syroo, thaw I non,

`7., ft)
4-0
 the crossing of the roads. Behind them lies contrib
a rich and varied heritage of achievement He live
representing ages past. Ahead of them fathers
stand the results and products of Western the ten
civilization with its blessings and curses, demeri
its nationalism, democracy, imperialism, the qui
commercialism and progressiveness. What started
then to preserve of this past inheritance privatk
and what to discard?" bundle
We, their sons and daughters, find that wi
ourselves asking similar questions, and right tc
offer the following articles as testimony to are me
the wit and wisdom of those from whom profess
we draw our heritage. success

"Pioneers"
In a 1931 issue of The Syrian World an
unknown author heralded the "unhonored and
unsung" pioneersthe first generation
of immigrants

CIZVE who live in this

country are constantly
reminded of the debt we
owe our pioneer fathers.
As this is a new nation we are forever
commemorating some historical incident
and the persons connected with it. All
these things are commonplace to the
citizens of a young country as ours, but
nonetheless, praise and credit will never
cease to be poured into the coffers of
those who blazed the trail for our
comforts, conveniences, and all that goes
with our modern America.
When we think of pioneers, we
associate them with those rugged souls
who helped build our country. But there
is another pioneer to whom we Syrian
Americans have let pass "unhonored and
unsung." His name is not shouted from
the hilltops nor praised in books.
Unconsciously, we have relegated him to
oblivion. He is not a master of our rich
122 civilization, nor a certain individual that

1
by commercial standards, for the
Dpportunities they made possible for us
are beyond our fondest hopes to repay.
As members of the new generation,
we can perpetuate their ideas and ideals,
tempered with our American traits. It is
through young Syrian clubs that we can
acknowledge the debt we owe our fathers.
Those who serve the Syrian-American
spirit also serve their fathers. Ours can be Most early Arab-American communities
no ordinary venture, for via these clubs were established by travelling peddlers who
we may let the world know who we are later chose to settle down and open up
and what we propose to do, for we are businesses in a favorite town or city.
but the products of our inheritance. 11 4:111.. r1 rt.,.

123
 "The Syrian
The Syrian World
was published
in Americe
le monthly from 1926
to 1931. It was na- by Dr. Talcott Williams

Yflall
Old SALLOtIll A.
1101AIPM. Lao,
%out 032
tionally circulated
and, as the first In this 1930 article, one scholar noted the
historical importance of the region from which
English-language
v literary journal to so many early immigrants came, and celebrated
serve the Arab- the cosmopolitan note that its culture brought
A Challenge America.
the Younger Generation Syrians American com-
To munity, marked its

S
By kl I. ICATISAN
self-awareness.
Cl.O5F. of the
al of otterc4 tn
World WV 2 reststrade 11. wgrar SYRIA and Syrians constitute the
SINCETHI.
the civairatinow
and culture.
of thc Fast ha.
intelligent men
and women in
hos waled and
first land and the first people in
reflecting and
toot among rnited State,.
ragland and the Perwk ni .cn.i t
Nad this. interest keen rcreeccon,
',se mind, alla mut the
outhwestern Asia who have
ienn.rhd tradninns
row. ever since.
eche agairrn the
tyranny of turned thor
and tIVI orth.rdnrs.the arg.dling
entered int3 modern civilization.
WitOK mauls nf convenunn
accepted authority
with deer
humdtaiwol and
holocaust of
.31,1112, from
hutran.11., Ind irrerar
...II, I . They stand alone in this. If Syria were an
faces away The. turned 3.2,
tragedv with U. garpntuan of dollar.
untold ntilltnn, hoe. . ghls the
gr. . 1.1..
..1.nh 1
islanded-land, instead of being four
able Icia in anuld permit ..1
curnine rnner
mist" on whION
,earthtugls
00011 a is 1 o., , AIM thee thousand years a thoroughfare of
Ina ,It
terrific het -tka,twtt
thins, he in thi Int ot..t,
conquering peoples, swept by many tides,
to fedlow.
the
,i i .. (
CON it would be, in its place, as striking an
i i.l WCte,111, "V, n ENM ( CowArikyd
.or hi' II I. 1 example of progress as Japan.
and w t. . I w. \
thrio lit. W....I,
t
1-teud 'AtiwIls ?..
The Syrians have in the last seventy
t
years added a new chapter to the loftier
thett ,noteth
tone of the Arabic literature. I can myself
remember seeing even Moslem eyes
brighten as the poems of Nasif el Yaziji
were adequately read. A new field of
fiction has been created in Syria which
influences the Arab world as a whole.
Modern journalism in Arabic has been
almost wholly created by Syrians. A
Syrian edits the organ of the Shareef of
Mecca, who sits in the seat of
Muhammad. The leading magazine at
Cairo, foremost in the Arab world, was
brought into being by Syrians. Wherever
there are newspapers in Arabic, they are
generally [tho] not always, edited by
Syrians. The new literature of the Arab
tongue, in science, in history, in the
discussion of modern issues, is by no
means as large, as effective or as
widespread as the like literature in the
newly awakened peoples between the
Aegean and the Baltic, but the output of
Syria on modern topics and the progress
of to-day exceeds that of any land or
people in Southwestern Asia.
This is not due simply to access and
124 position. Egypt has access and position as

U
BEST COPY !!OE
much as Syria. Persia has as lofty a significance and weight to the Syrian
tradition. Intellectual ability is still high in migration of our day. I know no American
Mesopotamia. Narrow as is its intellectual city where I have not spoken Arabic and
tradition, cramped as it has been by no port on the gulf or the Caribbean
fanaticism, yet no one can fail to see that where the Syrian is absent.
the Khanates have powerfully influenced No melting pot is the United States. It
Moslem legalism. Let us not forget, this is never has and it never will reduce our
one of the great systems of law, the population to a common amalgam. The
weight of whose codes, statutes, stocks of many European peoples and
traditions, decisions and precedents are most of the Mediterranean races have
still cited and argued, and establish been grafted on our national stock. There
property and personal rights, from the they will remain and retain their old life,
Judicial Committee of Privy Council of strength, genius and flavor. They all, if
Westminster to the far-flung fringing they abide in belief in liberty, shall be
palms of the Malaysian Archipelago. grafted in and grow, maintaining an
But the trading instinct of the identity through centuries to come.
Phoenician has carried the Syrian trader So after three centuries, Hollander,
over both North and South America as Huguenot, men of the Palatinate and both
well as Africa and Southern Asia. He has banks of the Rhine, of Brittany and of
penetrated to the head-waters of the Sweden and Switzerland retain their
Amazon, he is to be found in all parts of identity in their descendants. A like
the West coast of Latin America and service has Dr. Philip K. Hitti done in his
more than one national legislature and book "The Syrians in America." His
city ordinance has acknowledged the intimate acquaintance with Syrian
superior commercial ability of the Syrian immigration, his sympathy with the life
by trying to exclude him altogether. The from which this addition to American life
trade of Brazil passes more and more into comes, all these things enable him to
his hands and every year there appear at understand, to appreciate and to describe
Beirut from the very ends of the Western the Syrian in America. For all these Syrian Before he moved
world and the outer Eastern coast of Asia, traditions I have the deepest sympathy. to Birmingham,
the sons of the alumni of the American There I was born and there to-day the Khattar Wheby
University at Beirut. youngest of my father's descendants are had been trained
This cosmopolitan note lends passing their childhood days. as a teacher in
Lebanon. When
he arrived in the
United States he
turned to
peddling as a
means of livelihood.
When it was
decided in
Birmingham that
the children of
the settlers
needed to be edu-
cated in the
language and
ways of the old
country, Khattar
became the likely
choice to teach
them. Seen here
IL;, with Khattar is his
first Arabic speak-
!-
ing class in 1915. 125
l'hoto f4rend.1 Mil Awn Amemast !bra, v of

97
 "A Challenge contentment, with its renewed vigor and
forward-looking progressive outlook on
to the Younger the future, with its determined efforts to
create local cultures preserving all the

Generation good elements of progress which have

carried the West a long distance ahead of
the East in material comfort and
Syrians" supremacy, is more and more in the
minds of serious Western thinkers and
by Hi. Katibah writers of our present generation. Back of
that interest, we think, is the feeling that
In a cautionary article in 1932, Katibah, a East and West have mutually
leading figure in the community, warned the supplementary forces and elements
children of immigrants not to reject their necessary for a complete and wholesome
"birthright," to know their ethnic history and to life, be it social or individual.
"make something of a talent handed you by If that is the case, and there is no
Providence instead of burying it timidly in the doubt in our mind that it is, then a special
soil." duty, a special moral obligation, we

(SP
believe, rests on the shoulders of a class of
people who live amongst us in these
INCE the close of the World United States. If this duty, this obligation,
War, a strong and acute interest is shirked by them, then a great spiritual
in the East and things Eastern opportunity would have been missed by
has been stirred in intellectual them, an opportunity which others,
centers of the West. And the East, with its perhaps less qualified, would take up and
more mature view of life, with its exploit. More than that, a great chance for
instinctive emphasis on those human creative thinking and for contributing
values which make for happiness and something worthwhile to the

WWI%

-
.4
040h:7'.:t
If

itt

126
Photo: %alien library, I oraion

BEST COPY Pm 198

heterogenous and rich culture of this was an appropriate symbol, is giving way
country, will pass from their hands. to a more natural, more vital conception,
It is needless for me to say that I have one truer to life and its laws of growth.
in mind the younger generation of According to this latter conception the
Syrians born and brought up in this racial differences are not considered as
country. I have in mind the second- undesirable elements to be eliminated, but
generation Syrians of whom the late as desirable ones to be incorporated in the
Gibran said: living body of the American nation. The
"I believe that you have inherited from your colorless, standardized unity gives place to
forefathers an ancient dream, a song, a prophecy, a rich variety in unity. True assimilation
which you can proudly lay as a gift of gratitude of the foreign groups within the body
upon the lap of America." politic of this country, which this writer
It is the new generation of Syrians in has consistently and persistently
whose veins the blood of the intrepid, advocated, does not mean the absorption
adventurous Phoenicians and proud Arabs of one racial element by another. It
courses through, and whom the beloved means, rather, the interaction of those
poet of the Cedars earnestly and different elements to produce therefrom
pleadingly charged "to stand before the towers of a wholesome unity rich in the
New York, Washington, Chicago, and San contributions of the best and most
Francisco saying in your heart, 'I am the descendant beautiful in all the races that threw their
of a people that builded Damascus, and Biblus, and lot with the New World.
Tyre and Sidon, and Antioch, and now I am here Hegel once predicted in his Philosophy of
to build with you, and with a will:- History that the destiny of the world
The once accepted view of will one day be determined on the shores
Americanization, which essayed to melt of the New World. This prophecy is being
the different racial characteristics and fulfilled in our own days, and before our
differences into one homogenous own eyes, but not for the same reasons
amalgam, and for which "the melting pot" advanced by the German philosopher.

11; dr,

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127
Photo. Bibbotheque Nationak, Pans

19.9
 Instead of a bloody war contending for an Americanization which is effected not
the only land still available for conquest in a semi-conscious effort of imitation, but
and exploitation by overcrowded nations, with a fully conscious realization of the
a new world idea, a world unity through process of adaptation and its application to
international understanding and local needs and local problems. The Arabic
internarional amity is the one illustrated weekly, patterned after the
distinguishing mark of American popular American publications, is blazing
leadership today which is holding the only its way, brushing aside the cobwebs of
ray of hope to a distracted and haggard tardy traditions, enlightening the popular
world. mind to social evils, oddities and scandals,
And what a role the different nationals arousing the dormant conscience of
enrolled under the banner of the Stars reform in serious-minded citizens, and
and Stripes could play in this gripping reaching quarters of human response
drama, in the realization of this glorious which the more literary organs left
dream, could be left to the imagination of completely untouched.
the perspicacious reader. But it is only This is a phase of the Americanization
those who have travelled in Europe and or democratization of the world for which
the different countries of the East and the younger Syrian-American generation,
studied for themselves the amazing and happily or unhappily, is not called upon to
tremendous penetration of American shoulder. Most of the second generation
influence abroad who could fully realize Syrians born in this country hardly know
the extent of that influence. enough Arabic to carry on a kitchen
Undoubtedly the lion's share in this conversation with their grandmothers,
spiritual conquest of America falls to and perhaps a limited few could pen a
American citizens of foreign extraction letter in Arabic to their cousins in Syria or
who had returned to live in the countries Lebanon without committing a dozen
of their origin or those who have mistakes or more on the same page.
translated into their different national But this does not exempt the younger
Ceramic folk art languages the spirit and technique of Syrians from a service which they owe to
displayed in a American democracy and American the country of their adoption, a country to
Palestinian exhibit culture, the spirit of youthful adventure, which they have pledged fealty and
in 1983 in of buoyant optimism and undaunted undivided loyalty.
Washington, D.C. courage. One of the first things that Paradoxical as it may seem, this service
at the Rayburn attracted my attention in the East was consists in their being better Syrians than
Bldg., U.S. House "the Americanization" of the Arabic press, they usually like to admit. It is in
of Representatives. assimilating, as they alone can admirably
do, the spiritual culture of the East, in
whose subsoil their very roots are deeply
imbedded, and presenting it in their daily
lives, their social intercourse, the spoken
and the written word, in such a manner
that the average American can readily
understand and appreciate.
Is it not pathetic that while American
university students, boys and girls of
Puritan origin, or descendants of
American pioneers who trekked to the
Middle West and the Pacific Coast states
in their covered wagons, ransack the
musty books of history to write about
Mohammed Ali Pasha, a Tamerlane, a
Harun-ar-Rashid, our younger Syrian
generation should avoid the study of
Arabic and things Arabian from a
128 subconscious feeling of inferiority, or lest
Atm Pf.1,11
their Americanization be challenged?
A few weeks ago I happened to speak
informally before a group of second-
generation Syrians in Boston. I told them
briefly of the tremendous renaissance
movement going on today in the Arabic-
speaking countries, notably Egypt. It was
Who's Who
encouraging and inspiring to see their
eyes open wide with interest and in Utica
amazement as I told them of the trend in
religious liberalism in Islam, of the Where the Blue-Eyed
feminist movement in the land of harems, Saxon is Finding Himself
of the inroad of industrialism into the
ancient lands of artisan guilds and in the Minority
enslaved fellahin, of labour unions and In September 1917, this feature story
agrarian cooperative societies in the Valley appeared in the Utica Saturday Globe
of the Nile, in Damascus, Beirut and heralding the presence in the community of a
Baghdad, Qf the introduction of the motor distinctive new element.
pump and labour-saving machineries into
countries where the human hand did all
the work before. They asked intelligent HINK not, oh blue-eyed Saxon,
questions, and took down names of books that you are altogether and
dealing with such subjects. But what irrevocably it. You must have
surprised me in turn was the fact that been impressed if you have any
these things had not been known to them brains and perceptions, in reading the
before; that they showed as little army draft lists with the predominance of
knowledge, or if we are inclined to be less "foreign" names. Did their significance
charitable, as much abysmal ignorance penetrate your intelligence, or has your
about the countries of their forefathers splendid isolation with your kind made
and ancestors as the average American you impervious to the fact that you are
boys and girls from Maine or Vermont. outnumbered?
Forget for the nonce that you are I don't know exactly why we call them
Syrians of Syrian extraction. Let us "foreign" names either. They are about as
assume that you are as American as foreign as Smith and Jors were to the
George Washington and Calvin Coolidge Van Dams and Van Horsts of a couple of
themselves, and that there is not the least centuries ago. It's a fact, if we may rely on
trace of foreign accent or mannerism in the veracity of chroniclers, that "some of
your speech and behaviour, that you are our best families" then, as they came
perfectly predestined and preconditioned straggling over from Connecticut into
to the American social life. Let us assume New Netherlands, were considered the
all this and keep in mind that there is rankest sort of outsidersjust common,
today in America, in Europe, in England, a slab-sided Yankees.
keen interest in countries and cultures Pretty soon the Van Dams and Van
which just happened to be those of your Antwerps and the rest of the Low Dutch
fathers and forefathers. Is it not the most of New Netherlands found their progeny
logical thing in the world that you should outnumbered by the progeny of the
be the ones of all God's creatures to take nimble-witted Yankee, with their wooden
advantage of this interest, to exploit it to nut-megs and their inveterate tendency to
its utmost limits, to take hold of assets swap and strike bargains.
which were given you as a birthright, and And then there came another day.
make something of a talent handed you And the offspring of the "common
by Providence instead of burying it timidly Connecticut Yankees" found themselves
in the soil, looking furtively to the right "the real old families." Then they woke
and left as you do lest you be caught with up one morning in June to find the papers
that talent in your hand? filled with column after column of draft 129
 registration names which looked queer
and sounded queer. In one list they
ended in "witz"; in another they ended in
"ski." Those unpronounceable foreign
names. Their children shall inherit the
landnot because they are necessarily
superior to your children, but because
they are more numerous. Your children,
oh blue-eyed Saxon, proud of their
heritage of a hundred or two hundred or
three hundred years of ancestry back to
the Mayflower, back to old England
your children will be falling in love with
the black-eyed, black haired children
whose fathers and mothers toil.
And theSe have no heritage?

They Bring A Rich Heritage

Aye, that they have. When your
ancestors were dwelling in the fens,
wearing the skins of beasts, killing wild
animals with their huge clubs and
dragging their not unwilling brides from
their fathers' caves by their long fair
tresses, the forebears of these strange
people who have come to us were
wearing the silk of the Orient, were
dwelling in houses and worshipping in
temples whose architecture of the world """
has not since excelled, producing
literatures and philosophies and works of
art that still are standards.
Oh yes, these people have a heritage Ancestry Back to Solomon
more ancient than yours.
Delve into your own city. Get out of Those queer marks on the windows of
your beaten track. Get acquainted with stores down on Bleecker Streetwhat are
your new neighbors. Don't think yourself they?
superior. There are surprises ahead They don't appear like Hebrew. What
for you. are they, anyway?
Go with me to where Cottage Place They are the characters of one of the
leads. It's mighty easy to call them oldest tongues on earth. These strange
"Po locks." I can take you to the upper flat cryptic things, like a cross between
of a neat little house, as comfortably shorthand and the tracks of a fly, fresh
furnished as your own, where a Polish from an ink bottlethese are possibly
man will seat himself at the piano and the same sort of letters which the Man of
play Chopin for you and disclose the Galilee one day wrote with his finger in
beauties of the little known folk songs of the sand. For in all probability Christ
that composer. spoke the Aramaic language, which is
Ignorant Polander? closely akin to what the 2,500 Syrians in
He can converse in French, Russian, Utica speak today.
English and a number of dialects peculiar Ancient? Some of them can trace an
to the place of his nativity. How many ancestry back to the days of Solomon,
130 languages can you speak? when Hiram of Tyre undertook the
 Photo: Museo Nazionale, Florence

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contract of furnishing lumber for the could get along in the old country; but we
temple at Jerusalem. Proud? What have wanted freedom!" It is the burning of the
you to be proud of, whose race story is same fire that drove the Pilgrims over
lost in darkness at the beginning of here, the same fire that made the colonists
Christianity, compared with the Syrians fight, the same fire that drives us into war
who dwelt on Mount Lebanon and whose today, the fire of human liberty that sent
history stretches back 4,000 or 5,000 them hither, to find a place where they
years? These are Americans. could toil and own a piece of God's green
Have you ever drunk Turkish coffee, earth for their very own, where their
that thick, strong coffee from Arabia with children could have a chance to learn and
these your Syrian neighbors? Have you live, and where they could lift free hands
ever fallen under the spell of the bubbling to the blue sky of heaventhis brought
Turkish pipes on the floor which men of them here, and are they not as worthy to
Syria smoke through long tubes? Have share the heritage as those who came
you smelled the odor of the Turkish earlier, will they not be as good
tobacco, which they import in leaf? Here's Americans?
Bagdad, and Araby, the blest brought to
your very door.
Hear their music and heed their
stories.
They will tell you, many of them, "We
1 .4::"N1 3 131
 Marriages and
Funerals
In her book Arab Americans and
their Communities of Cleveland, Mary
Macron writes of the customs that buffered
Arab immigrants from the powerful tides of
Americanization. She charts Arab life in
.r. Cleveland from the first major wave, 1890-
1910, when villagers from the Bekaa Valley of
Lebanon and nearby areas came to the
16. industrial heartland city. The new immigrants
worked in factories, set up stores and sold crafts,
making their way in the new world without
losing touch with the old. With the gracious
permission of the Cleveland State University's
Ethnic Heritage Studies Program, ADC
Issues number 7 offered to members selections
from Macron's book. Excerpted below are two
passages from that anthology.
Mary Macron, one of ADC's earliest
members and strongest supporters, passed away
in 1981. Her essay was edited for publication
by David Hamad.

The Wedding
CWHEN a suitable match was
made, the community could look
forward to celebrating another important
institution: marriage. A marriage took
months to prepare for and days to
celebrate. It was a bond that united not
only the couple, but the families.
The family of the groom would come
11.
to the father of the bride to ask for her
hand long before the groom was
permitted to meet publicly with the girl.
Often the marriage itself was preceded by
Weddings were major events in the Arab-American a betrothal ceremony some six months to
community, where old traditions, rituals and special holiday a year before, in which the young couple
foods defined the special day. As much as they preserved would appear before the priest, in the
tradition and reinforced family ties, the marriages also church, in the presence of both families
marked a transition toward assimilation to a new society. and selected guests.
Certain formalities would be
Photo: Brenda McCallum, American Folk Life Center, Library ot Congress e,-.changed between the families, promises
were made by the young man and young
woman, and the priest would bless the
engagement ring. Sometimes the young
132 man did not even have the pleasure of
BEST COPY *MAC 1 4
slipping the ring on his beloved's finger. S the wedding date drew near, a
This might be done by the priest or the ,.............gwave of excitement rippled
father of the groom. through the whole community. Everyone
The betrothal ceremony gave the knew nearly everyone else, friendships
young couple the privilege of walking out carrying over from the days of village life
together and being seen in public with a before coming to America. Customs
chaperone. They could go to some social carried over, too, and tradition was
functions, shop together for their new preserved and continued into the new life.
household, and get to know each other a One of these Middle Eastern customs
little better throughout the year of was el-Leilat el-Ghosal, when the bride was
courtship which would prepare them for given a special party by all the girls and
the marriage that would follow. women, much like the spinsters' night in
A broken engagement was not to be the American custom. This was a night
taken lightly. In such a case, this betrothal, when the men were excluded, and they
blessed by the priest, had been betrayed, might hold a party of their own for the
and protocol demanded that the priest bridegroom.
himself be required to dissolve the The feminine contingent would all
arrangement. Most often, the onus fell bustle down the street to the bride's
upon the young woman and jeopardized home, singing that spontaneous chant, the
her chances for another match. Was she zaghloot, which praised the bride's
irresponsible? Was she too proud? Was attributes and wished upon her health,
she extravagant? Never mind that a wealth, a happy home, a loving husband,
woman of integrity, realizing that this and at least a dozen childrenmost of
young man was not her ideal mate for a them sons. The bride's mother would
lifetime, might insist upon breaking the meet them at the door with a dignified
contract. Never mind. This girl was welcome, and only after all were seated
considered extremely difficult to please or would the bride enter the room, attended
to understand, too willful, too demanding. by her sisters and radiant in her new
Better to look elsewhere. finery.
This betrothal ritual, much the same There would be much laughter. The
in all Eastern rites (although not practiced older ladies, enjoying the feminine
by later generation Arab-Americans), intimacy, would exchange stories about
closely resembled the Islamic ritual still their own weddings and their total
universally observed. This is called Kathit ignorance of all things connubial. Each
Kitaab, the Writing of the Book. It is a would direct a sly remark toward the
marriage cc ntract, in which the young bride at which all the others would laugh
woman and young man are considered heartil.y . The bride would blush and they
man and wife, except that their physical would Al laugh again.
union takes place only after the bride "WI en my own wedding feast was
leaves her father's house to enter the over," said one, "and everyone was leaving
groom's home to live. The Muslim young the house of my husband's father, I put
people, too, are accorded in this ceremony on my hat and prepared to go back home
the privilege of walking out and going to with my sister. 'No,' she said to me, 'you
entertainment together, and preparing, stay here, this is now your home.' And
during this year of pre-marriage, their there I was with a husband I hardly knew.
trousseau and home. This contract is I was tired, and I didn't know where I was
even more binding upon them than is the to sleep that night." Then with a smile
Christian betrothal, for a broken contract grown soft with years of acceptance, she
is considered a divorce, and the young said, "I soon found out."
man must pay to the father of the bride And from another: "In my day, there
the dowry sum agreed upon so that she was not all this picking and choosing.
will not be forced to remain in her father's They just told us, and that's who it was.
home without means and dignity. In times Not everyone was as lucky as you, my girl.
past, it would have been most unlikely Think of this one you're getting. Already
that the girl would get a second offer. he has a stand in the market, and look at 133

I :45 BEST COPY AYAILIEI

 those shoulders, and those eyes a woman eldest
could drown in. I tell you if I were mothe
younger, I would run away from my godmc
husband if your bridegroom had a bedroc
brother." "And what would you do, old white 1
grandmother," laughed another, "hold him ritual
in your lap and feed him grapes?" All
Before the wedding feast, all the parlor,
women from the bridegroom's family (for womei
the wedding was given by the man's side) for thE
would spend days preparing great trays of elders
sweetsbaklawri, sambousek, mahmoul, flower
ghraibehrich with butter and syrups and perfun
filled with pistachios, walnuts or dates. zaghlooi
There would be mounds of nutmeats, and utter s
candies imported from New Yorkraha, was pl
which was similar to the Greek loukoumi, brideg
and apricot squares, sugared and the cal
pistachioed. Long tables would be set up finally
to hold the chicken and pilaf, stuffed grape dress 1
leaves, kousa (white squash filled with rice smoot
and chopped meat), and kibbee (lamb, mothe
pounded and pulverized in a large marble
basin, and mixed with cracked wheat and
seasonings). Vegetables were scrubbed
and washed for salata, a salad mixed with
lempn and olive oil. Huge round sheets of
bread were tossed to paper thinness over
the flying arms of the expert women
bakers. The bread was baked for the
feasting only hours before the great
moment.

ON the morning of the wedding,

these same women, who had
worked through ,he night over the stoves
and ovens, would dress in their finest
clothing. With their husbands and children
they would form an entourage to he
bride's house to bring her to the church.
Singing with joy, they would come to the
bride's family who would meet them with
something less than a show of
enthusiasm. It was not proper to
demonstrate any overt pleasure when
giving up a daughter to another's
household. There would be a cool
politeness, which the groom's family
understood, since they themselves had to
observe the same proprieties when the
groom's sister married.
The bride's mother would weep and
134 the bride's father would bite his lip as the

A
igh and shed more tears. This is when it had been adjusted to everyone's
girl I dressed and now another satisfaction, all the women would chant
-akes her from me to her own their happy song and bring the bride out
le thought to herself. Oh, will befare the entire company. The women of
her well, this daughter, whom I both families would receive flowers from
from the breath of the wind? the bridegroom's mother, and the men
groom's mother, as if reading would also choose some for their lapels.
nights, would then glance Then the bride, her parents, and the
[fully at the bride's mother as if to attendants would take their places in the
ye I not a daughter of my own hired carriage and start off for the church.
have given to another woman's The wedding was long, for after the
-lave no fear, sister, I will bring no lengthy Mass, the ceremony uniting the
his girl of yours." As if to prove young couple might last another hour.
ould draw proudly from around The rings were blessed with much
neck a gold chain, placing it chanting, and crowns were placed upon
ohe bride's throat, a symbol and a the heads of bride and groomblessed
The bride's mother would sigh and interchanged three timesas the
acefully now that all the cantor sang and the priest prayed over
RS had been observed. them. The priest would then lead the
t the moment came. The bride couple around the alter and along the
d seated, while both mothers aisles of the church. all the while chanting
mportantly with her veil. Finally, the nuptial liturgy dnd swinging the
thurible vigorously as the sweet and
heavy vapors of incense filled the air.
As the priest completed the ceremony
and bent down to congratulate the bride
and groom, an exultant zaghloot would ring
out in the little church, easing the
solemnity of the long and symbolic
ceremony. "Now good," an old
grandfather would be heard to say. "Praise
God, we have them married; let's get on
to the feast." He would rise up in his pew,
giving the signal for all to follow.

HE bridal feast was served in the

bidegroom's
Tri house by all the women
of the familythe old and dignified
matrons and every young girl who could
carry a platter without spilling its
contents. Group after group of diners sat
down and rose up from the table, each in
the order of his social position. The bride
and groom were seated together at the
head, the priest at their side, the fathers,
grandfathers, elderly uncles and cousins,
the mother and grandmother of the bride,
and a few old friends whom time had
given a position of community respect. At
the first table, too, would be the adult
guests from other cities. A Cleveland

1r 7 :
wedding might draw company from every
city in Ohio, and sometimes even from
New York, Detroit and Chicago. 135
Photo: T.'w gran World

1 17 BEST COPY MEW

 all the memories of the house.
For so many of those people who
could not read or write, extempore
versing was a preservation of the poetry
and music of generations, each adding,
improvising and embellishing. As the first
untutored generation died away, these
verses were lost. The men rhymed their
extempore not only at weddings, but on
every festive occasion. They were singers,
these men, and poets, and all the human
emotions found expression in those
strong voices.
The women, too, vied with each other
to compose beautiful chants. Rhyming
and lilting, laughter and joy were captured
on a golden chain of words ending in the
pealing, exultant cry of the zaghloot. "La la
la la lu lu lu l'aishe!""To life," they sang,
"to life." An Arab wedding was not just a
family event, a community occasion, and a
weekend of festivities. It was rather, a
command performance. Everyone had to
This oil painting was done in "the Lebanese sing, everyone had to dance.
fashion," in the early years of this century. Before the immigrants learned to sing
the American national anthem, they sang
the song of Syrian independence long
years before independence became a
reality. They sang this song at every
The tables were set and reset until all wedding, and later generations, who
had been fed. At last the children were learned not one word of Arabic, can still
called, their Sunday clothing dusty from remember those phrases of patriotism
play in the street. Fed and given their sung out by their grandparents. "Enthee
share of sweets, they would then join the Souria ya biladi.""Thou art Syria, my
other guests, seated and standing in a country." Love songs and ballads from
great semicircle around a dais, on which home were sung and tears of
the bride and groom accepted the good remembrance glistened in the eyes of the
wishes of the company. guests as they applauded the singer.
Men from the groom's family The oud, that pear-shaped instrument,
gathered before the bridal couple. The thrummed its plaintive, yearning notes
leader waved a handkerchief as the group against homesick hearts. It said to the
danced the quick and emphatic dabke, the bride and groom, "Young lovers, sing and
age-old folk dance of every festive be happy! Can you know what lies ahead
occasion. They stood before the young of your feet? Sing and be happy, young
people, their hands upon each other's lovers, tomorrow and tomorrow, and
shoulders, singing extempore. They tomorrow will come only too soon."
praised the bride's beauty and virtue, the Now the derbecki took its turn, this old
groom's nobility and manly attributes, and drum with its stretched goat skin. It was
the parents' respect among all their tapped, knocked, and slapped with a gentle
friends. Loud and long, in joyous hand, light and swift. Let it be thumped
expression, their voices rang out to the by fingers that can pull shouts from its
street. Later, the bride's relatives, not to throat, and let the young girls dance, their
be outdone, composed even longer songs slender arms graceful as the willow in the
which were more lavish in their praise, lake, their feet disciplined in each exquisite
136 their voices rising to echo and mingle with turn.

1 c,
1 :1
 sensing that this parting would be forever,
ran screaming and wailing down the
street, tugging and pulling at the suitcase
and carpet bag, pleading with Jidouh not to
go but to stay, to stay? How many a
ow grandfather tore the sob from his throat
many a small in that last embrace?
Letters from the village or town often
grandchild . . . ran brought news of an illness or death in the
family. Everyone would be sick with
screaming and anxiety and grief, for this marked another
wailing down the parting and loss, the beloved face and
voice to be seen and heard no more, and
street, tugging and "here we are thousands of miles across
the sea, without a last glance, without a
pulling at the last word."
suitcase and carpet The elderly family members who
remained in America would not go to the
bag, pleading with hospital, for to go to the hospital meant
one was close to death. If one had to die,
Jidouh not to go but then let it be in his own bed with his
to stay, to stay? loved ones standing around him so that
he could direct them as to his last wishes
and admonish them to be loving and
watchful of one another. What they
prayed and hoped for often happened.
Everyone in the family would come to
visit the old one, respectfully kissing the
old hand, receiving the blessing from this
The Passing beloved grandparent.
Wakes were held in the family house.
For three nights, the women would sit up
UST as there were tears of joy at all night in the parlor, saying their
weddings, there were tears of sorrow goodbyes, and remembering all the days
yld at the passing away of a loved one. An
ograndfather, having stayed a few
of their youth. They would weep a great
deal, and then one, to lighten the grief,
would make a little joke, or remember
years, would be leaving America to spend
his last moments on his own bit of land, something funny that the departed
anxious to be buried in the mother soil. relative had said or done. All the women
When someone, young or old, made plans would smile, concealing their little laughs
to return to the old country, the farewell behind tear-soaked handkerchiefs. They
was one of terrible grief. This was a sat on straight, hard chairs, prayed a little,
funereal moment, for a return almost talked a little, and dozed a little, but there
certainly meant a parting forever from the was no thought of going to their own
loved ones in this land. The farewells house and leaving the bereaved alone. The
were loud and agonized, and songs of men, too, sat together, heads bowed,
lament would be heard along the street silent and remembering.
and from the balconies. Because Softly, softly, the zaghloot, now
transportation was not a matter of a few chanting the attributes of the beloved lost
hours and money was not had easily, one, and remembering the happier times
most of those early arrivals had come to in this final farewell, would murmur
spend the rest of their lives in the new mournfully through the house; all, the
country; those who returned, returned men and the women, would fall to
forever. How many a small grandchild, weeping.
 Red Wool For The Coffee
A Dress House Raid
A grandmother from Utica told this story to
her son.
by Eugene Paul Nassar

In Utica, N.Y., in the early part of this

century, the Syrian men gathered in the coffee
houses to speak of religion and gardens, while
rilli OUR grandfather Roshide
received a letter from Uncle
their wives were obliged to wait alone at
home. In this vignette excerpted from Wind
Habib who was in the United of the Land, by Eugene Paul Nassar, two
States. The letter contained of the more spirited wives attempted to
questionable statements against the convince the men that their time would be
Turkish government which was the better spent at home.
power in Lebanon in 1914. So Ami
Roshide was called to Istanbul for
questioning, and there was the fear that
he could be sentenced to hard labor for
life or even sentenced to death. ANY years ago, Mike's
The whole village turned out to bid wife and Joe's wife were
him goodbye with tears and advice. Your young brides, and like all
grandmother, wiping her tears, said, young brides, they were
"Roshide, if you find a nice, red woolen possessive of their husbands. They did not
material, bring me enough to make a much like this Ah'we business in the
dress." evenings. It was all right in the old
Of course the villagers sneered and country where there were only a handful
said, "Is that all she can be thinking of?" of houses in the village. But this was
But your grandmother was a wise America; things were large and strange,
woman. She spoke words of and they wanted their husbands around,
encouragement to your grandfather to let as the "American" women had in the
him know she was expecting him home magazines. Several of the women met
again and would wait. together one evening and inspired by the
And so it washe did come home. courage of "Mart Mike" (Mike's wife),
And yes, she got her red wool for a dress. they called the police anonymously, and
told them of a gambling den on Elizabeth
Street (whicfi of course, the police, like all
police, knew about from the day it
opened).
So the Ah'we was raided, the nickels
and dimes picked up, and twelve Lebanese
men were brought in the police wagon to
face a most well known magistrate, Judge
Buckley. Now Judge Buckley knew all
't these men; he was a fine Irish-American
of middle years who knew everyone. Still
,
the men of the Ah'we, notorious and
hardened gamblers as they were, feared
the Law, about which they knew nothing.
"Well, Joe. How shall I put your name
down on my sheet?"
"Joe Ketchum."
"Photo ( olumhht Um% ersay I Ibtar, ork

1 -ao
 "Joe Ketchum? Why, I thought your or was asked for by his listeners. It was
name was Joe Kassouf!" like prophecy to the Lebanese; few now
"No, Joe Ketchum." were born with the inventiveness, the
"I see. And you, Mike Nassar, how do vocabulary, the inspiration. Abe sang in
I spell your name?" church the appointed ritual, but he, like all
"Mike Barood." the others, acknowledged Abdullah the
"Now, Mike, come on! You and I both master of the song and poetry that comes
know Mike Barood. Do you want to give from the depths of the spontaneous heart.
him a bad name? Poor Mike Barood and Abdullah had no education and no
his family, when they see his name in the money. He drove a banana truck for a
paper tomorrow." living, and when he was asked to travel all
"All right, put down James Buckley." over the United States to sing at
"I will not. I'll put down Mike Nassar, weddings, funerals, and births, he asked
Mike Nassar senior. How about you, Abe?" only train fare and then some Arak, the
"M'befhemsh Inglisi." arabic anisone, to help him start, to give
"Citizens of the United States! You him the words he did not have in his
should be ashamed of yourselves! Five ordinary speech. He would put his hand
dollars and one night in jail. And I'm doing to the side of his head, as he did now
you a favor putting you all up on the city, among the pinochle players in the city jail,
because your wives will not let you in the and moan, "oof, oof, oo oo oo oo 000f!"
house tonight." And then he would begin, as he did now:
The men were put up in a long room Lebanon, land of our birth and
like a dormitory with bars on the hopefully of our dying,
windows. Immediately they began to play We, thy exiled sons, are disgraced in
pinochle. But by twelve o'clock they were the foreign land,
tired of playing, yet far too excited to Confined we are by the oppressor,
sleep. They called upon Abdullah Maroon The sun and wind are denied us,
to sing. Abdullah truly had the reputation Also our game of pinochle.
anywhere in the Lebanese world as the oof! (says the audience)
finest and one of the last singers of ataba.
Wind of the Land itiz first published in the United States by
One improvised and sang alliterative The Association of Arab-American University Graduates, Inc.
poetry on any subject that came to mind 1978 Eugene Paul Nassar

I-1- sir In the "Southend"

IL, enclave of Arab-
Americans, factory
workers, the
'41!ik, jobless, and new
immigrants alike
meet in local
coffee houses to
converse, play
cards and pass the
; time.

146

/ammo

139
Photo Bob Buchta

t4; BEST COPY AYAILAELF,

 /I "I Believe
in You"
proud of being by KahIiI Gibran

an American, In this first issue of The Syrian World,

Kahlil Gibran addressed "young Americans of
Syrian origin":

but also be gbelieve in you, and I believe

proud that your in your destiny.

I believe that you ate
contributors to this new
civilization

fathers and I believe that you have inherited from

your forefathers an ancient dream, a song,
a prophecy, which you can proudly lay as a

mothers came gift of gratitude upon the lap of America.

I believe you can say to the founders
of this great nation, "Here I am, a youth, a
young tree whose roots were plucked

from a land from the hills of Lebanon, yet I am deeply

rooted here, and I would be fruitful."
And I believe that you can say to

upon which Abraham Lincoln, the blessed, "Jesus of

Nazareth touched your lips when you
spoke, and guided your hand when you
wrote; and I shall uphold all that you have

God laid His said and all that you have written."
I believe that you can say to Emerson
and Whitman and James, "In my veins

precious hand runs the blood of the poets and wise men
of old, and it is my desire to come to you
and receive, but I shall not come with
empty hands."

and raised His I believe that even as your fathers

came to this land to produce riches, you
were born here to produce riches by

messengers. intelligence, by labor.

And I believe that it is in you to be
good citizens.
And what is it to be a good citizen?
It is to acknowledge the other person's
rights before asserting your own, but
always to be conscious of your own.
It is to be free in thought and deed,
140 but it is also to know that your freedom is

142
subject to the other person's freedom. Francisco saying in your heart, "I am the
It is to create the useful and the descendant of a people that builded
beautiful with your own hands, and to Damascus, and Biblus, and Tyre and
admire what others have created in love Sidon, and Antioch, and now I am here to
and with faith. build with you, and with a will."
It is to produce wealth by labor and It is to be proud of being an American,
only by labor, and to spend less than you but it is also to be proud that your fathers
have produced that your children may not and mothers came from a land upon The town of
be dependent on the state for support which God laid his gracious hand and Becharre,
when you are no more. raised His messengers. Lebanon, was
It is to stand before the towers of New Young Americans of Syrian origin, I Kahlil Gibran's
York, Washington, Chicago and San believe in you. first home.

It Oat 4.4ffit_...41 I "Ir."1"4.-

tt 11

t.ff

END
_BEST COPY AYAI
 Regional Survey Questionnaire
ADC is inaugurating an on-going project to survey the characteristics of the
American Arab population. We want to know more about ourselves and each other.
Your assistance in filling out this questionnaire will make this survey more
accurately reflect our community. Thank you!

Name
Address
Telephone (please include area code)

I estimate the American-Arab population of my area is

Most American-Arabs I know come from the

regions of the Middle East.

Some of the types of work American-Arabs in my community do are:

Major community, religious and ethnic organizations in my community.

Names, addresses and phone numbers of other American-Arabs in my community

who might be able to help you.

O I am already an ADC member.

O Please sign me up as an ADC member.
O Please send material telling me more about ADC.

143
 Memories are Made of This:
The ADC Oral History Projed
One of our precious resources in the Arab-American community is the memories
of our friends and relatives, from their experiences. Particularly valuable for us are the
memories of people who lived through two marking experiences in the Arab-
American community: The Passage, the great wave of immigration at the turn of the
century, and The Exodus, the flight from political persecution in more recent times.
Please let us know if you know someone who can tell you stories of their own
experience, and if there is a way you can share those memories with us. Fill out this
form to keep us posted:

My Name

Address

Name of person to be interviewed

Address

Telephone (please include area code)

Age (approximately) Year of arrival

From where

Major subject areas (for instance, recollections from the Middle East, experience of
arrival, discrimination, first jobs, and so on)

Do you have any old diaries, books, letters, or photos you can share with us?

144
1 4 tir
 cif

a
"For our parents and grandparents who
came to this new world bringing nothing but
their love for our heritage and a hope for
the future. And for our children, to whom
we bequeath that love and that hope."
Dedication

tWeIr PIVU wp. t5 4

VINI t iris/air:WA
1iC
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Ten Dollars US