By Mehdi El Merini / Arab America Contributing Writer Celebrated annually on November 17, national Baklawa Day honors one of the world’s most beloved pastries. Baklawa’s delicate, flaky layers and rich filling of nuts, sweet syrup, and fragrant rose water make it a dessert treasured across cultures. Although commonly associated with Turkish and Greek cuisine … Continued
By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer Zakariya’s passion for calligraphy began when he noticed an elegant script while looking into the window display of a rug store on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. Captivated by its beauty, he stepped inside and asked the Armenian shopkeeper, “What is this?” The shopkeeper replied, “It’s a … Continued
By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer As the 2024 presidential election draws near, it’s more important than ever for the Arab American community to make their voices heard. The message of Salom Rizk, a mid-20th-century Arab American author, remains strikingly relevant today—particularly in discussions around immigration and civic duty. In his 1943 autobiography, … Continued
By: Liam Nagle / Arab America Contributing Writer Like many colonial constructs in the Middle East, the border between Israel and Lebanon is relatively new. Created to separate portions of the British and French mandates, this territory has almost always been a battleground between Israeli forces and guerrilla groups. With tensions between Israel and the … Continued
By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer Abraham Rihbany arrived in New York on October 6, 1891, and quickly found refuge within the Syrian colony. Fellow Syrians promptly came to his aid, lending him the necessary funds to survive. Beyond financial support, the colony helped him secure shelter, employment, and a sense of community, … Continued
By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer Salom Rizk’s Syrian Yankee (1943) has largely been avoided in Arab American literary discussions, not only due to its assimilationist rhetoric but also because of its promotion of problematic views, such as anti-Arab racism and Islamophobic tropes. However, understanding Rizk’s personal history and the historical context in … Continued
Approximately 400,000 Lebanese emigrants are part of Mexico’s population. Families residing in regions such as Yucatán, Puebla, and Mexico City have created a lasting legacy, benefiting both themselves and the Mexican people. Their business ventures and Levantine influence have enriched the vibrant Mexican culture we recognize today. In this article, Arab America’s contributing writer Nissrine Bedda explores the impact of Lebanese emigrants on Mexico’s modernization during the Porfiriato era and their integration into Mexican society.
By Luke McMahan/ Arab America Contributing Writer Jamil Sidqi Al-Zahawi (جميل صدقي الزهاوي) was born in Baghdad in 1863 to a religiously conservative family, with his father serving as the Grand Mufti of an Iraqi Ottoman province. Although initially educated in classical Islamic disciplines, he developed an interest in modern natural sciences through the Arabic … Continued
By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer Weddings are more than just ceremonies—they are monumental events in one’s life. Have you ever wondered how Arabs celebrated their weddings in the nineteenth century? In his autobiography, A Far Journey, Abraham Rihbany provides a unique and detailed firsthand account of Syrian Christian weddings in Greater Syria. … Continued
Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By: Arwa Almasaari / Arab America Contributing Writer Kawkab America is widely recognized as the first Arabic newspaper, founded by members of the Greek Orthodox Church (Mehdi 5, 7). What is less commonly known is that this groundbreaking publication was bilingual, non-sectarian, and transnational. Its efforts to forge connections and promote … Continued
By: Norah Soufraji/ Arab America Contributing Writer Towering over Syria’s largest city of Aleppo is a remarkably preserved medieval castle complex known as the Citadel of Aleppo. Considered to be one of the oldest and largest castles in the world, this fortress was constructed by the Ayyubbids and was later occupied by the Armenians, Greeks, … Continued
By: Norah Soufraji/ Arab America Contributing Writer At its peak the Ottoman Empire spanned three continents and served as the crossroads between East and West. The conquest of the Arab World began in 1516-1517 and control of the Middle East lasted for four hundred years until various defeats during WW I and the Arab Revolt … Continued
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