The Palestinian Heritage Day at Bethlehem University

POP-UP NEWS
SPRING 2015
Bethlehem University Business Market Kicks
Off Successfully For the Second Year
Bethlehem- Razan Tamimi- The annual Business Market organized by the Shucri
Ibrahim Faculty of Business Administration opened from Friday 17 until Sunday 19
April. Senior students in the Social Cultural Center and the surrounding plaza set up
hosts of small businesses.
The university students, their parents,
staff, and faculty came out in large
numbers to support the student’s
enterprises. Their projects range from a
pet shop and local handiwork, cultural
and traditional displays to different
kinds of food, donuts and frozen
yoghurt stands. The market started with
a speech of the dean of Faculty of
Business “Dr Fadi Qattan”, illustrating
the importance of this event and
wishing all people a good time in this
market.
Thousands of people came to the
market. Many show their astonishment
by this great event from the business
senior
students
in
Bethlehem
University. Dr. Kareem Abd Al- Noor,
one of the teachers in the business
faculty of the university assures that
the numbers of people who came to the
market was very huge, showing that
they (business teachers) did not expect
to have this amount of people. Also, he
adds that the student worked very hard
and this hard work met our
expectations.
It is worth to mention that all the goods
had a very good price, lower that the
market price. Also, the market targets
different ages and different people. It
has goods for kids, women, men,
babies, old ones, and housewives. One
of the visitors to the market is “Mrs
Zainb Adel”. She says that, “it is a very
beautiful event, my children and I
enjoy very much, and the children do
not want to leave it”. It was more than
great and successful.
The Palestinian Heritage Day at Bethlehem
University
Bethlehem- Yara Ramadan,
Razam Tamimi- Bethlehem
University celebrated the
Palestinian Heritage Day on
March 29 on campus.
Students joined in big
numbers to celebrate and
enjoy their heritage, which
was
represented
and
embodied in the students who
wore traditional clothes and
played the roles of grooms
and brides. The Palestinian
Clothes, instruments, dances
and foods were the basis of
the day. Traditional music
was played all day long while
students enjoyed dancing
"dabkeh". The Palestinian
food was offered to all the
students in the university
freely, combined by a free
traditional juice.
They brought back all the old
life
of
their
Palestinian
ancestor. Nadeen Lolas one of
the students in the Bethlehem
University, asserted that this
Palestinian day is their way to
revitalize their Palestinian
heritage. She said that in this
way they show to all people
that they are stuck to their
Palestinian identity, and very
proud to their history.
The festival featured many of
the artistic and cultural heritage.
There was a Palestinian tent
"Khaimah" decorated with all
the Palestinians stuff and
symbols.
Moreover, there was much
stuff to be sold at the festival.
All are related to Palestinian
heritage and culture. Added
to that, there were three
brides and three grooms
dressed with the Palestinian
traditional
clothes.
Mr.
Mahmoud Hmad showed that
this event symbolizes our
resistance as Palestinian in
our land, assuring that this
will remind us of our
Palestinian heritage and roots
and to keep our ancestress
history.
It was a great day that
rerouted the Palestinian
sperate in the soles if the
young generations.
NO.3
SPRING 2015
Interdisciplinary
Colloquia
BethlehemYara
RamadanBethlehem-Razan Tamimi- The Dean
of Research Office organizes weekly
colloquia in which faculty and the
public can participate in conversation
with the researcher. The subject of the
colloquia
have
ranged
from
interreligious and literary studies to
environmental and climate change
issues. The colloquia usually takes
place on Wednesdays at 3:15 p.m.
Jamal Arouri; A professional
Photographer Giving a Lesson
to the Media Club
Yara Ramadan– BU– The Chair person
of the Arabic Department, Dr. Said
Ayyad, and Mr. Khalid Faqih, a teacher
of journalism at Bethlehem University,
have
invited
the
professional
photographer Jamal Arouri to give the
students of journalism, media club, and
armature photographers a number of tips
to make their pictures more professional
and appealing. Dr. Said has sat with Mr.
Arouri and welcomed him with pleasure
in the campus.
The latter was more than glad to come
all the way from Ramallah city to share
his expertise with the students, and a bit
of personal events that the photographer
has encountered as a Palestinian
photographer illustrating how the
camera is a tool to tell the truth. The
students encouraged him to visit again,
as they had an interesting session.
For The 14th Year
Fatah Bloc Comes Out First in Bethlehem University
Elections
Bethlehem- Yara Ramadan- The
"Jerusalem and Return" bloc,
whose name is a reference to
Palestinian rights in Jerusalem and
the right of return of refugees
expelled by Israel in 1948, won 18
out of 31 seats in the university's
student union elections. The other
13, meanwhile, went to the leftist
"Watan" (Nation) bloc. Every year,
students at Bethlehem University
head to the elections booths to
select their representatives at the
Students Senate. Around 65
percent of the students eligible to
vote cast their votes to select the
best candidates for the Student
Senate.
One day before the Elections,
students dedicate for campaigning
and debating. The two competing
blocks spread posters, flags and
hand-outs to attract the votes of
their fellow students.
“Election
Day is a sign of democracy here at
the University,” explains Lama Al
Shwalmy, history student and
member of the Popular Front for
the Liberation of Palestine
(PLFP),“through the elections
students are free to choose their
representatives at the Senate; it is
a way to practice our rights”. The
Election Campaign started two
weeks earlier, starting with the
Palestinian Traditional Wedding ,
organized by the Student Union and
attended by all parties.
During
these two weeks, the leaders of
each party present themselves, their
beliefs, aims and objectives to the
students, as a real political
propaganda.
There are 4 parties in
Bethlehem
University:
Fatah
Youth Organization
PLFP (Popular
Front for the Liberation of
Palestine),
whose party is Watan
(homeland in Arabic)
Islamic Jihad
Hamas. The Student Council
Election occurs every year and all
the parties run for 31 seats in the
Student Union.
The university filled with colorful
flags from each party union, and the
leaders and members of each hold
meetings with students: “All the
organized activities should be union
type work, not for real political
reasons or purposes”, tells Motaz
Allan, head of The Student Union
Council and of the Fatah-affiliated
Student Bloc at
Bethlehem
University, “they should do it for
the good of the university and the
students, not to reach political
goals”.
Motaz asks for a student union
made of parties able to represent
and respond to the needs of the
students: "what each party wants to
achieve is reached through the
students that put faith in it”.
The dynamics are the same that can
be found in any democratic election:
“this is a training for the future, most
of
contemporary
Palestinian
politicians were head of student
parties in university” adds Motaz.
“It’s like an exercise for the students
that are interested one day in
becoming well trained democratic
political leaders”. For years, the
Student Senate has been an essential
part of Bethlehem University 's
ambition to provide for its students
an environment characterized by
pluralism, openness and respect. It
acts as a representing organ for the
students coming together from
various
social
and
religious
backgrounds, from cities, villages
and refugee camps.
We do not work politically in the
university, we support the students
and make them want to join the
political life starting from the
university because we believe it is
the right of every Palestinian to
structure ideas and act as active and
rightful political citizens”.
As a Response to the Restrictions
Palestinians and International Activists Cross the Separation Wall
Using Makeshift Bridges
Ramallah-Ameera Ghaboun: A number of Palestinians and international activists used temporary bridges to cross the
separation wall between Qalandya and Northern Jerusalem. This non-violent direct action was a response to the
restrictions Israel had placed upon Palestinian worshippers wishing to access The Aqsa Mosque in the past
month.Activists scaled in the wall one by one at around 10:00 a.m Friday the 14th of November. Only a few hundred
meters from an Israeli settlement, then they set about cutting through a barbed-wire fence that had been placed near the
separation wall.
3
SPRING 2015
Alice in the Holy Land: O little town of Bethlehem
From January 17 until January 27,
U.S.
Catholic
and
Catholic
Theological Union are cosponsoring a
Holy Land Pilgrimage that is led by
CTU’s eminent scripture scholar and
Jerusalem expert, Franciscan Father
Leslie Hoppe. U.S. Catholic’s popular
scripture columnist Alice Camille is
also accompanying the group and
leading prayers, reflections, and
discussions. She is filing blog posts
from the trip. Here is her recap of her
day in Bethlehem: One advantage of
having an intimate-sized group like
the 13 of us is that we learn each
other's names and basic stories pretty
quickly. We were strangers in the
airport in Philadelphia on Saturday
night. By Tuesday in Bethlehem we
were a vitally functioning faith
community gathered around the altar
in the small grotto at Shepherd's Field.
In Bethlehem, I repeat. Like falling
off a Christmas card and into the New
Testament. Not long after Mass, we
were strolling through the backstreets
off Manger Square listening to the
muezzin give the Muslim call to
worship from a nearby minaret.
The chant got me thinking: Unlike
nearly every other place we normally
find ourselves, there is no sacred and
profane split in the consciousness here.
It seems every street reminds you that
you're walking through the land of the
Bible. Everything is holy. Every hour
is sacred.
Ilan Pappé lectures at Bethlehem University
Is there some way to import this state of
mind and bring it home?
nation in the eyes of many, as
marginal residents in a land that only
two generations ago was their home.
There,we had another wave of
sadness pass over us different yet as
full of pathos as what we
encountered
at
Yad
Vashem
yesterday. Displacement of a
community is not a holocaust. But it
is a tragedy that continues to
impoverish one particular people
literally and the world community
morally.
Every pilgrim's challenge. After viewing
the
traditional
holy
sites—the
incomparable Church of the Nativity,
the charming Milk Grotto—and buying
enough rosaries to arm the entire Blue
Army, we made our way to a less typical
stop: Bethlehem University. There we
encountered some Palestinian students
and professors who took us on a short
tour of their divided consciousness as
citizens of a place that is not quite a
This
photo
from
Bethlehem
University's Chapel of the Divine
Child depicts a wall of girl children
who were martyrs. The opposite wall
is covered with boys. It's such a
tender place to stand, in a room
surrounded by children sacrificed to
conflicts none of them invented.
Alice Camille is the author of U.S.
Catholic's
monthly
scriptural
reflection column Testaments which
is only available to print subscribers.
Ghassan Kanafani’s Book
Exhibition
Hidden Histories: Palestine
and the
Eastern Mediterranean’
Bethlehem-Razan Tamimi- After
the well-attended ‘Research and
Scholarship Symposium’ featuring
Dr. Basem L. Ra’ad at Bethlehem
University last month, the Dean of
Research Office organized a follow
up Book Feast on April 21st around
Dr.
Ra’ad’s
book
‘Hidden
Histories: Palestine and the
Eastern Mediterranean’ presented
during his lecture. Twenty free
copies of Dr. Ra’ad’s book were
made available to students, staff,
and faculty with the proviso the
receivers would participate in the
Book Feast.
Bethlehem- On April 14th, Israeli historian Ilan Pappé gave a lecture at
Bethlehem University on “Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine: Past, Present
and Future”. Pappé was in Bethlehem on invitation of Bethlehem
University and Dar Al Karma for Media Research and Publication.
Professor Pappé is a Professor of History and the Director of the
European Centre for Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter. His
research and writings particularly focus on the modern Middle East and
in particular the history of Israel and Palestine. He is a prolific writer
and has also written on multiculturalism, Critical Discourse Analysis,
and on Power and Knowledge.
Furno Hall, where the event took place, was packed with students, staff,
and visitors. Pappé presented the contents of his book “The Ethnic
Cleansing of Palestine” and participated in a lively discussion with the
participants afterwards.
Aya Qassas-Bethlehem– Sansour Hall– In
the third year on a row, Watan leftist party
of BU organizes a book exhibition under the
name of the late Palestinian author, Ghassan
Kanafani. The ecibition was held for three
days starting Monday the 9th of February.
Murad al-Hayik, the secretary of Watan said
that there were roughly 450 books for sale
with almost 10% discount. Most of the
books are political books and poetry books.
The goal of it was to embody the an actual
activism in raising intellectual awareness.
Students attended to buy books, get henna
tattoos, buy embroidery , listen to traditional
music and drink coffee.
Everyone who had read the book
was welcome to attend the Book
Feast; students, staff members, and
faculty members mixed in small
groups and participated in a lively
exchange about the ideas and
research presented in Dr. Ra’ad’s
book. The discussion revolved
around five major themes: remapping
religious
discourse,
Palestinian
cultural heritage and identity,
language and the dialectic of naming
and unnaming, the issue of “selfcolonizing
traps”
and
how
Palestinians can decolonize their
minds, and finally the extent to
which the author and the book
engage
in
mythmaking
in
consecrating the historical basis for
the language of Palestinian rights.
Articles
4
SPRING 2015
31 years of selfless service to Bethlehem University
Bethlehem University Mourns Brother Cyril Litecky
It was a sad moment when the news about the
passing away of Brother Cyril Litecky on
Saturday, 4th of April 2015 – the day before
Easter Sunday- was received by email from Br.
Peter Bray, Vice Chancellor of Bethlehem
University..
Hundreds of the faculty and staff and students
attended the funeral Mass and burial of Br.
Cyril. The Chapel of the Devine Child on
campus was full, and many people had to stand
outside to attend the Mass. The funeral was also
attended by Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto
Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestinian
and Chancellor of Bethlehem University; Auxiliary
Bishop William Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar for
Jerusalem and Palestine; and the Mayor of
Bethlehem, Ms. Vera Baboun, a graduate and
former faculty member of Bethlehem University.
Also present in the crowd were a number of former
faculty and staff of Bethlehem University who
came to pay their last respects to a beloved
colleague.
Following the Mass, Brother Cyril’s body was laid
to his rest in the Brothers’ crypt built into the lower
level of the Library.
Daily Traffic Jam
At the De La Salle Day celebration in 2014, Br. Cyril
was recognized for 30 years of service. He spoke
about his work and love for Bethlehem University;
he ended his speech by saying, “Do not forget to
visit me under the library.”
During Mass, Brother Peter Iorlano, one of the De
La Salle Brothers who serves at Bethlehem
University, delivered a eulogy for Brother Cyril.
Symposium About the Literary and Historical
Heritage for Al-Aqsa Mosque
Written by: Razan Tamimi
After
the
constructions
and
expansion of Gush Etzion Street
which ties Hebron and Bethlehem, it
is noticed that there is a huge traffic
in daily bases. Hundreds of cars are
stucked in this street for hours,
unable to move or to cross the white
lines in the street. Many people
wonder what the reasons for this
traffic jam are, assuring that this jam
did not exist before this expansion.
If anybody goes from Hebron to
Bethlehem will see that the cars are
lined from Bait Ummar, Aroub
Camp, and Gush Etzion . This
astonished the drivers lead them
complains that this huge traffic jam
makes them late for their jobs and
occasions. Many drivers say that the
recent expansion of the street is not
true; explaining that the Israeli
Government pretended to expand the
street from the side of Hebron but
actually it did not.
Brother Cyril made it known that he wanted to die in
Bethlehem, where he spent almost half of his life as
a Brother.
Other group of drivers says that the
reason for this is the amount of cars
that is increasing rapidly. It may also
be the roundabout in the end of the
street that gives only the drivers who
come from Gush Etzion settlements
the right to move first because they
are on the roundabout. This traffic jam
has very negative effects. Many
drivers go beyond the white line
which leads to horrible accidents.
The drivers assure that the number of
accident in this street increased since
the recent expansion.
But still many questions have no
answers. Why does the traffic jam
increased only since the recent street
expansion? Is there any political
reason for this? Why is the need to
hinder the movement of Hebronite?
Could we relate it with the recent
kidnap of the three Israeli settlers from
Gush Etzion region?
Bethlehem University – Kholoud
Abu Yabes: Arabic Department at
Bethlehem University organized a
symposium about the literary and
historical heritage of the Al-Aqsa
Mosque and Jerusalem on Tuesday,
the twenty-eighth of October at
Furno hall in the attendance of a
large number of students and
university professors. Yousef Al
Ozbaki, the symposium investigator
of manuscripts in the library of Al
Aqsa Mosque, participated in the
symposium.
It began with a speech by Dr. Khalil
Issa, who explained that the objective
of organizing the symposium is to
introduce students to the importance of
manuscripts in Palestine. Also to ensure
that Palestine has a written history that
documented thousands of years ago,
which represents the civilization and
culture of the Palestinians. Then, Dr.
Said Ayyad , Head of the Arabic
Department, continued with his opening
word at the symposium, he welcomed
the attendance of the guest, who gave a
detailed explanation of the types of
manuscripts in Palestine and display
multiple images and models for them,
and discussed the importance of
historical and cultural level.
Articles
5
Facebook
By
You're sitting alone in your room
doing your
writing
homework
peacefully. Your cell phone is right
next to you. Your eyes are going back
and forth on your mobile. You're
losing your concentration on your
homework. A peculiar voice buzzing
in your head " Check me please. Check
me please". You give up, and finally
you open your facebook account with
eager
curiosity.
Congratulations,
you're now in the zone of the facebook
addicts. But still, people of different
ages use facebook to promote their
business and to fill their free time.
Firstly, F.B is widely used in the
business stream. Many companies and
institutions find a new and effective
way to advertise and promote their
products and services. Surely enough,
e-marketing is considered as an
effective
way
of advertisement
especially on F.B in which the
companies can create different pages
and groups to upload pictures and
videotapes about their products. So
they'll have the chance to enlarge their
customers circle. Furthermore, many
individuals use their F.B pages and
accounts to publicize their hand-made
products. As they don't have the
required capital to establish an actual
business, they can create their own
small business by F.B . On the other
hand, different T.V channels take
advantage of F.B to announce their
programs, movies, or series. This
creative way gives them a good
feedback about the popularity of
specific movies or programs by the
number of the likes, comments, and
shares. As a result, these channels will
be aware to their viewers wishes.
Secondly, F.B is considered as a good
way to fill our leisure time. Teens and
children absolutely know how to spend
their free time on F.B. Either they go on
chat with their friends and relatives, or
they play on F.B games. This way
enables them to create their own world
and work by which they can invite and
interact with different people and
friends. This also enables them to make
new relationships with others. F.B is
also a good electronic way to stalk and
follow others in your free time. It gets
you in others lives like people you are
interested and concerned of. You can get
several information about their lives,
what they are about, what they like,
what they don't, and even more, what
their relationship status is. Finally,
people use F.B in their spare time to
express themselves. By updating new
statuses, profile pictures, and cover
photos they can share and spread their
thoughts and ideas wittingly. Somehow
F.B plays a key role as a good field for
business and entertainment uses.
Whatever your age is whatever your
position in life is F.B is allowed freely
and easily for everyone this world as a
global social network.
It’s Good To Cheat... Sometimes!
By Yara Ramadan
Cheat
meals
improve
leptin
production levels. (Leptin) is the
hormone that encourages metabolism
of fat and at the same time, it manages
appetite. Normally, the leptin level in
the body is reduced after one week of
dieting and this level is restored to
the normal level during cheat days.
therefore, the body is once again
prepared to burn fat and to contain
appetite for the next diet week. Cheat
meals also lessen cravings during noncheat days. Foods that can be eaten
during cheat days reduce the desire to
eat the same foods when dieting.
Cheat meals are designed to keep you
usually sane, as our natural compulsions
take the better of us, a cheat meal helps
normalize cravings and keeps you on
track with your diet plan or exercise.
According to the expert Hazem al
Meawi, a cheat meal is a meal that has
been designated to one day of any type
of food you like, in my opinion except
trans fats. Some cheat meals include
pizza, cakes, hamburger, ice cream (12
,)‫شيكل‬pan cakes and other foods that
make eating and dieting more exciting.
A caloric restricted diet, metabolic rate
often drops but when a high caloric
meal
is
consumed,
metabolism
increases. Strict weight loss diet works
better if you bend the rules occasionally
SPRING 2015
Bethlehem University Sport Achievements
Bethlehemethlehem University's girls volleyball team are the 1st place
winners of the 2015 Palestinian universities Volleyball competition!
Saving the Land!
Dean Of Student - Bethlehem University organized a voluntary work day
during which students planted over 100 olive trees in the village of Wadi
Fukin in Bethlehem.
What does God mean to you?
When people think of their lives, their relationships, their destiny, and
their future, they might have one thing in common in spite of all the
differences between them. It is that miraculous spirit of the one God of
this universe. God is the greatest king who has full omniscience of
whatever happens and will happen in this mortal and earthly life.
as for a poor person like me, being one of God's blessed creatures
means happiness and comfort in this evil life. But of course, this
blessing is not easily earned. It needs to have great faith and
confidence in your creator, to fight with a full loyalty the wickedness
and vices of the surrounding world, and also to be perfectly devoted
and honest in being one of God's slaves. What an enormous happiness
to feel like your beloved master and king prefer you. It is a sacred
feeling when you realize that God wants you to live this worldly life as
a passing traveler to his everlasting heaven. That what minimizes and
reduces my everyday worries and trifles to rethink of the Greatest
reward and to relive my holy life as a worshipping slave in the
temporary journey of this life.
6
ARTICLES
SPRING 2015
Screens with High Brightness in
Bethlehem Streets
BU Students Abroad
BU Students in the USA With Sir John
McGckin Internship Program
By Ameera Ghaboun
It’s the golden internship and the
gate of new experiences. It’s a
chance that everybody wishes to
have. It’s the internship that
opens the minds and hearts of ten
students in Bethlehem University
with different fields of study that
allows them to get involved in the
work experience in the land of
opportunities and get introduced
to a new culture, new life and real
responsibilities.
Ten of BU students had this
priceless opportunity to work as
interns with
the
Catholic
Charities in different locations
around the USA. The McGuckin
internship program provided the
students with valuable career
experience in the professional
level. That surely helped them to
gain a lifelong work and cultural
experience.
The students started their
internship by attending an
orientation session in the
Catholic
Charities
Office
CCUSA. After which the
students moved to eight different
locations, each worked in their
field of study. Each student
worked closely with the staff as
an employee in the Agencies of
the Catholic Charities that always
focus on providing the help for
the people in need in the States,
regardless their ages, religion,
race
or
gender.
The ten interns did not only gain
an experience of working with
different
marginalized
communities, but also they were
able
to
create
mutual
understanding
between
Americans and Palestinians.
They were able to get introduced
into a new culture; they were
about to represent Bethlehem
University as well as Palestine.
As part of their internship, they
were ready to make presentations
about the complexity of the
Palestinian situation and the
obstacles that a Palestinian might
face in his/her own hometown.
As the McGuckin Internship
program always aims for the
best of its’ interns, the ten
interns had to prepare a final
presentation discussing their
work experience and their living
the in the States, besides
evaluating the trip and listing the
positive and negative points of it
The students also got the
opportunity to meet up with the
Chief Representative of the PLO
in the United States Ambassador
Maen Erikat and discuss the
present situation in Palestine
besides going for a tour around
Washington DC.
A Feminist Perspective to the Image of Women in Media
Women’s Image in the Media
A recent UNESCO report
describes the common images of
women in the media: “the
glamorous sex kitten, the sainted
mother, the devious witch, the
hard faced corporate and political
climber.” The report, released in
2009, states that, at the current
rate of progress on stereotyping
women, it will take another 75
years to achieve gender equality
in the media. Something we do
everyday is seeing numerous ads
on televisions, magazines and
signboards. One thing we do not
do is pausing to grasp the folded
messages behind the highlyspread mass media. Is today’s
media another veiled way to
oppress women? As a young
woman, I start to wonder; Is this
how I want to be represented? Is
this the image I want to send to
the world? Questions that today’s
far–reaching men and women
should also inquire. My goal is to
introduce you to the limited
images that today’s media is
restricting women with, and they
are the images of housewives,
angry working mothers and
decorative sex-objects.First of all,
The issue of housework occupies a
special place in feminist criticism
of sexual role divisions (1975)The
concerning issue lies in media’s
portrayal of women in these roles.
According to (Courtney and
Lockeretz, 1970) Housewives are
often shown as stupid, incapable of
performing simple tasks and
dependent on male advice. Such
negative image demeans women as
equal human beings as men, and it
also demonstrates an image of
weak and passive position. While
this image takes its place in
standard media and takes women’s
housework for granted, women
everywhere waste a great deal of
time, energy and talent to carry out
this daily burden. Despite that, the
housewife image is showing no
sign of improvement , nevertheless
, the quantity of this image is
increasing profoundly. Viewing
women
as
housewives
in
advertisements is not the crisis.
The objection in showing women
in their homes, doing housework
and using house products lies in
the significant repetition of that
image which sends a message
which declares that the women’s
only logical place is at home (X,
NARB, 1975) Another problem
that this representation is
causing is, the indirect definition
of
the man and wife
relationship, as it’s showing men
as superior over women, smarter
and more reliable. Another
obstacle in the face of the
equality process. Second of all,
women of this time are feeling
more confident with themselves
and their abilities to break into
professional careers among their
natural domestic lives as
mothers
and
housewives.
Another negative and limited
image is the image of working
women.
They are shown as angry,
workaholic
and
neglecting
mothers, and thisimage is
repeated frequently, just as if
working women can not be
“working mothers” because they
are incapable of doing both.
While crossing the New Street at Bethlehem
city, I was blinded for a while by the
brightness of one screen for advertisement.
The screen is situated on the corner of the
street facing each car or person is coming
from Hebron-Jerusalem Street. Many people
were surprised by the amount of brightness
that is coming from the Screen, complaining
to Bethlehem Mayor “Mrs Vira Baboun”.
One of the people who complain about this
screen is “Ms Ameera Ghaboun”, saying that
“This screen is damaging. I was going to
make an accident because of this screen, but
God saves me this time”. She also added that
she complains for Bethlehem Mayor and they
assure that they will find a solution for this
problem soon.
By asking the people in Bethlehem about this
screen, it is noticed that they are
uncomfortable by its existence. They say that
its location on the corner of the street is
dangerous as it blinded the ones who come
from the next streets. Thus, many accidents
will happen and the number of injuries will
increase.
“Nasser Nasredeen” one of driving
instructors assures that this screen with this
high brightness may increases danger in the
streets. He explains that the eye in the night
enlarged to be able to see in night and when
we have this amount of brightness suddenly,
they eye will close quickly and the drivers
will not be able to see and that defiantly will
lead to disasters on the streets. Many people
agree that the best solution for this problem is
to move this screen for another high spot or
the decrease its brightness. This will help to
save many lives in the street and will able
people to have a save drive in their city.
7
By Hazem Meawi
Have you ever litter on the street?
Or somewhere else? Like, park,
public garden, sidewalk or on
your university campus? Well, if
your answer is yes. And I'm sure
that all of you have done this
sometime or may be still littering
until now. Have you ever thought
about what is going to happen to
this garbage after you throw it
away? Do you think it will fade
or disappear? Or do you say
between you and yourself well, it
is just a little piece of trash it
won't matter? Or maybe you say,
all people are throwing trash it's
not just me! Well, if your answer
is yes let me tell you, by thinking
like this you will be the most
important cause of leading your
health, your money and your
environment
to
a
huge
catastrophe.
Fortunately,
all
people agree that littering is a
worldwide dangerous problem
that affects everyone's life and it
must be solved immediately
before we sink in our trash.
I have recently become interested
in littering as a very serious
problem
that
requires
an
immediate action. And after
reading several sources on the
internet and doing research on the
subject, I have learned more
about the negative effects that
may accrue as a result of this
issue .so we all need to move
urgently and do something to
prevent this terrible issue from
increasing? But first let me show
you how this hidden enemy can
badly affect your health, money
and your environment as well.
ARTICLES
SPRING 2015
Littering can affect your health
psychologically and physically.
Statistics show that Having litter
thrown
everywhere
in
the
neighborhood affects people who
are frustrated with personal matters
such as work, school, family or
social life, and would be further
stressed out if they see the unsightly
piles of trash on the ground around
them .This would further degrade
their mental and emotional wellbeing.
sick as a result of this problem that
reduces the aesthetic appeal of
public places including streets,
gardens,
and
parks.
Also, when these litters get into our
Another thing, governments can urge
their councils to establish anti litter
signs on streets, schools and all public
places
also,
they
take
the
responsibility to put sufficient number
rivers or the sea it can kill the
aquatic life because it decreases the
oxygen level when it decays in
water. Another example, when
cigarettes are thrown out there is a
big chance to cause fires.
of litter cans or bins everywhere.
For some, litter is a big head ache.
They want to keep their place clean
and tidy. Even a slightest bit of
litter would provoke their mood,
causing them to lose focus on what
they were doing. Such cases occur
in
working
environment
or
academic environment, like your
classroom. You as a university
student, how would you feel when
your feet moves unconsciously and
comes across a litter on the floor,
surly, it causes you to lose your
focus. Littering affects your
physical health as well. Trash in
any area attracts vermin, bacteria,
mosquitoes and all kinds of bugs
and insects which cause many
infectious diseases such as, cholera,
diarrhea, and tetanus. Also, broken
glass and any other sharp objects
are dangerous when left in public
places.
Because littering has many negative
impacts on your health, money and
your environment, we all need quick
solutions to prevent it or at least to
reduce it. A research shows about
85% of littering is the result of
Littering costs money. Removing
litter from the environment costs
everyone's money through taxes.
The governments are forced to
employ cleaners to clear the litter
and buy road sweepers. The amount
of money being spent picking up
litter could be used in repairing
roads, hiring more firemen, building
new public gardens or in education.
Litter also, impedes the economic
development badly. Good stores
and important business will not
locate in a community full of trash.
Littering causes a lot of problems
for the environment, and the most
important one, is pollution. Lots of
plants and animals can die or get
individual attitudes so, changing
individual's behavior is key to
prevent littering and this firstly
comes from family. Parents must
teach their children the importance
of cleanliness, encourage them to
stop littering and show them how
this bad behavior can affect their
health and their environment badly.
Also, education is an important
tool. . People who are aware of the
dangers of litter often make more of
In addition, they can encourage their
intellectual councils to distribute
brochures regularly on citizens with
statistics to inform them about the
negative impacts of this issue. Media
also has an important part in this. It
can provide many advertisements on
TV and radio that urge people to stop
littering and show them how bad it is
on their lives.
The truth, we all know about the
problem and fortunately, we all can do
something to help prevent and reduce
litter so it’s the time to act on it. The
first step, start with yourself, stop
littering or pick up any trash you see.
You can also educate all your family
and friends about littering and how
bad it is. .If you want to take it even a
step further, you can become a guest
speaker about the impact of littering.
an effort to always put their trash the
correct place. They also spread the
word to others they see littering and
teach them to dispose of garbage the
right way. Surly, schools and
universities
must
take
this
responsibility by encouraging their
students to stop litter through many
specialist lecturers in this field; also,
they can urge them to make anti
litter campaigns to reduce or prevent
this issue or support them to make
anti litter signs. Governments have
the most significant rule in this.
First, they can force their citizens to
pay high fines when anybody of
them litter. Governments also can
improve their laws by including
littering punishment. This means
that when anyone litter he will be
punished in addition of paying high
fines.
Create
a
website
about
the
environment or group on facebook.
Gather many statistics and interesting
facts to make it interesting. Also, you
can demote smoking. About 34% of
litter is cigarette butts imagine how
much cleaner the earth would be just
without cigarette butts. 1 in 3
cigarettes are littered.
SPRING2015
2015
SPRING
SPRING
2015
Entertainment
Health
Health
9
88
Run to Stay Young
4 Easy Ways to Prevent Obesity
Health Benefits of Olives
By Yara Ramadan
By Yara Ramadan
Running may reverse aging in certain ways while walking does not, a noteworthy new study of active older people
1. Cardiovascular Benefits
finds. The findings raise interesting questions about whether most of us need to pick up the pace of our workouts in
By Hazem Meawi
order to gain the greatest benefit.
When free radicals oxidize cholesterol, blood vessels are damaged and fat
1. Eat breakfast
builds up in arteries, possibly leading to a heart attack. The antioxidant
Walking is excellent exercise. No one disputes that idea. Older people who walk typically have a lower incidence
nutrients in black olives impede this oxidation of cholesterol, thereby
Many people begin a weight loss program thinking that
they need
to cutheart
out meals
to and diabetes,
of obesity,
arthritis,
disease
and longer lifespans than people who are sedentary. For many years,
helping to prevent heart disease. Olives do contain fat, but it’s the healthy
lose weight. The opposite is actually the case. By cutting
meals,
you
make
your
body
in fact, physicians and scientists have used how far and fast someone can walk as a marker of health as people age.
monounsaturated kind, which has been found to shrink the risk of
not know when it will get sustenance again and cause it to begin storing fat. Also,
atherosclerosis
and that
increase
good
cholesterol.
Whenwith
diets
But researchers
andmany
older calories
people themselves
also have noted
walking
ability
tends to decline
age.low
Olderin
many people are not hungry in the morning because they
are eating too
monounsaturated
fat more
are altered
the difficulty
monounsaturated
fat
people
whosebreakfast
primary to
exercise
is walking
often start walking
slowly to
andincrease
with greater
as the years
after dinner. To start the day off right, you need to eat
a healthy
get your
content (without becoming too high in total fat), research study
pass, fatiguing more easily.
metabolism working.
participants typically experience a decrease in their blood cholesterol,
Many
of
us
probably
would
assume
that
this cholesterol,
physical slowing
is inevitable.
And
past
studies
of aging
walkers,
LDL
and LDL:HDL
ratio.
Allinof
these
changes
lower
our risk
2. Take the Stairs
physiologists have found that, almost invariably,
their
walking
economy
declines
over
time.
That
is,
they
begin
of heart disease.
This simple change can help you burn hundreds of extra
calories
a day. Whenever
you which makes moving harder and more tiring.
using
more energy
with each step,
2. Weight Loss
are tempted to take the elevator, be it at work or the library, hit the staircase and climb
at the University
up. Stairs are a great way to burn some extra caloriesBut
andresearchers
can help energize
you afterof Colorado in Boulder and Humboldt State University in Arcata, Calif., began to
It people’s
appears physical
that monounsaturated
fats, the or
kind
in slowed
olives, or
when
wonder
whether
this
slow
decay of older
ease really is inexorable
if it found
might be
working long hours at a desk or another sedentary job.
saturated
fats, may encourage weight loss. Olive oil consumption
reversed by other types of exercise and,replacing
in particular,
by running.
has been shown to breakdown fats inside fat cells, get rid of belly fat and
3. Choose Low Calorie Beverages
Happily, Boulder has an unusually largereduce
population
highly active older people, so the scientists did not lack for
insulinofinsensitivity.
Many Americans intake an excessive amount of empty
calories
from
soda
and
other
potential research subjects. Putting the word out at gyms and among running and walking groups, they soon
People
who have
the highest
beverages loaded with sugar. Reach for low calorierecruited
beverages
instead,
substituting
30 men
and women
in their midto late-60s
or early
70s. olive consumption eat fewer calories overall
and are rarely overweight. Blood tests show they have higher levels of
diet drinks, water and other low calorie beverages when possible. By cutting out soda,
Fifteen
of
these
volunteers
walked
at
least
three times
a week forsatiety
30 minutes
or more.
The other
15full.
ran at least
serotonin,
a so-called
hormone
that makes
us feel
most people can cut hundreds of calories daily.
three times a week, again for 30 minutes or more. The runners’ pace varied, but most moved at a gentle jogging
The aroma extracts from olive oil can leave us feeling fuller, cutting our
4. Walk an Extra 2,000 Steps Daily
speed.
calorie intake by almost 200 a day, they said.
Just a simple walk around a few blocks can help you The
stay scientists
fit and prevent
obesity.
Over
gathered all of the volunteers at the University of Colorado’s Locomotion Laboratory and had each
CancerofPrevention
the past few decades, Americans have moved awayrunner
from and
physical
and being
walkerlabor
complete
three brief 3.
sessions
walking at three different, steadily increasing speeds on
active. It doesn’t take much to help burn calories and
improve
your
cardiovascular
specially equipped treadmills. The treadmills were designed to measure how the volunteers’ feet hit the ground, in
The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of olives make them a
health. Try to do something every day that gets you walking
evenbiomechanics.
if it is just a
order to around,
assess their
natural for protection against cancer because chronic oxidative stress and
15 minute walk around your neighborhood or workplace on your lunch break.
chronic their
inflammation
can bedata
keythat
factors
in the development
of cancer.their
If
The volunteers also wore masks that measured
oxygen intake,
the researchers
used to determine
our cells get overwhelmed by oxidative stress (damage to cell structure
basic walking economy.
and cell function by overly reactive oxygen-containing molecules) and
As it turned out, the runners were better, chronic
more efficient
walkers
than the walkers.
less
energy to
excessive
inflammation,
our risk They
of cellrequired
cancer is
increased.
CHOCOLATE AS A SUPPLEMENT: THE BENEFITS
move at the same pace as the volunteers who only walked regularly.
OF CHOCOLATE
In fact, when the researchers compared their older runners’ walking efficiency to that of young people, which had been measured in earlier experiments at the same
By
Razan
lab,
they Tamimi
found that 70-year-old runners had about the same walking efficiency as your typical sedentary college student. Old runners, it appeared, could walk with the
pep of young people.
The more scientists learn about chocolate, the more amazing chocolate seems. What
are
the benefits
aside from
the feeling
of satisfaction
that only
chocolate
Older
walkers, of
onchocolate
the other hand,
had about
the same
walking economy
as people
of the same age who were sedentary. In effect, walking did not prevent people from
can
bring?
Here's
a
short
list
of
the
benefits
of
chocolate.
losing their ability to walk with ease.
The importance of vitamin E
surprising
to the researchers,
the biomechanics
of the
runnersboost
and the
1.More
Chocolate,
according
to recent research,
may provide
a mental
by walkers
elevatingduring walking were almost identical. Runners did not walk differently than
regular
walkers,
in terms
ofeffect
how many
they
took or the
of their
strides or other measures of the mechanics of their walking.
blood
flow
to the brain.
The
of thissteps
is that
chocolate
maylength
be good
for improving
one's memory and attention and may be helpful for speeding up reaction times.
But something was different.
2.The
Chocolate
mayspeculate
be good for
A German
study
found
thattheir
women
who were
researchers
thatthe
thisskin.
difference
resides
deep
within
volunteers’
muscle cells. Intense or prolonged aerobic exercise, such as running, is known to
given
chocolate
cocoaof every
day forwithin
a period
of three
hadOrtega,
skin that
increase
the number
mitochondria
muscle
cells, months
said Justus
nowwas
an associate professor of kinesiology at Humboldt University, who led the study.
Kholoud
Abu Yabes
moister
and help
softer,
possibly
as for
a these
resultcells.
of So
improved
blood circulation.
Mitochondria
to provide
energy
more mitochondria
allow people toBy
move
for longer
periods of time with less effort, he said.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient (your body’s fat soaks it up) that helps
alsomay
mayprovide
have better
betweenagainst
their muscles
than walkers
do, Dr. Ortega
said,
meaning
that fewer
muscles
need towhich
contract
during movement,
protect
your
cells from
free radical
damage,
is associated
with cancer
3.Runners
Chocolate
somecoordination
level of protection
heart disease.
Researchers
resulting
in
less
energy
being
used.
and other health conditions. Many scientists believe it may help prevent or
have found that dark chocolate consumption reduces hypertension, reduces cholesterol
delay the onset of dozens of chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s disease,
levels,
adds
protectionmitigated
against
But whateverand
the reason,
running definitely
the otherwiseblood
substantial clots.
decline in walking
economy
that bladder
seems toinfections
occur with
age,
he said, It’s
a result
has the
heart disease,
cancer,
and
cataracts.
also that
believed
implications beyond the physiology lab. If moving feels easier, he said, people tend to do more
of it,can
improving
theirskin
health
and
enhancing
vitamin
help protect
from
UV
damage. their lives in the process.
9
Entertainment
The Palestinian Heritage Day Through Yara's Lenses !
SPRING 2015
Entertainment
10
SPRING 2015
Coldplay angers fans by telling them to check out ‘Freedom
for Palestine’ video
Sabah dead: Lebanese actress and singer, known as the
'Diva of Arab Music' dies, aged 87
Coldplay posted a link to a “Freedom for Palestine” video by the band One World
that featured lyrics like ‘it could be you and your family/forced from your home and
your history,’ and images of Israeli army checkpoints and the security fence,
angering a large number of its Jewish and pro-Israel fan base.
Sabah, one of the Arab world’s most high-profile entertainers, has died, aged
87.
Within less than a day, there were 12,000 comments on their post, including
promises to boycott the band and a Facebook group that demanded an apology to
Israel.
Anti-Israeli fans also posted comments to support Palestine, such as “Zionism is
racism” and “Israel is an apartheid state.”
Coldplay’s sound has been influenced by a number of political bands, such as U2,
Filter, and Radiohead, but until now, the band has kept their songs and statements
largely apolitical.
Glenn Beck responded to the song on his Fox News channel show, calling it
“propaganda” and saying it was “important to look evil in the eye.” Beck then
began to cry. Comedian Thomas and musician Billy Bragg, however, gave the song
their ringing endorsement.
After some Facebook users reported the URL to the song as “abusive,” the link was
blocked by Facebook. But One World quickly created a new site here.
Mafar
Concert
Saturday
Night 6
Get your
ticket
th
of
December
Now!!
The Lebanese actress and singer passed away in her Beirut home of an
unspecified illness.
Born to a Christian family in Lebanon as Jeanette Feghali, she recorded an
estimated 3,000 songs and appeared in more than 90 films.
She released her first song in 1940, aged 13. The singer was promptly signed
by Egyptian film producer Asia Dagher, who enlisted her for three films –
including El-Qalb Louh Wahid (The Heart Has Its Reasons) and she later
became known by her character's name – Sabah.
Her other nicknames included 'Shahroura', Arabic for 'singing bird', and
'Sabbouha', a diminutive of Sabah. She was also known as the 'Diva of Arab
Music' in the Arab world.
Bethlehem University Students Forms a Stunning Musical
Band Called "MAFAR"
Two gifted students of Bethlehem University were able to form a musical band
and produce video clips with very limited instruments. Their music is so good
that thousands of people reached to the video clip within hours. Jeries Babish,
the Nay player and Marwan Samamreh, the Guitarist were able to astonish
their
fans
with
their
amazing
music.
A band that has just started will surely be famous worldwide soon enough!