Alif Institutes April 2025 Newsletter

April 2025 Newsletter

OUR MISSION:To foster the understanding, appreciation, and preservation of Arabic cultures.

OUR VISION: One world, united through the power of Arts & Culture.

Dear Alif Community,

National Arab American Heritage Month takes place in April and empowers Arab Americans from all around the United States to honor our culture and traditions. Alif Institute, the representative of Arabs in the Atlanta community and beyond, won’t let this opportunity to celebrate and share such an integral part of our identities pass us by; Alif opens a window for curious individuals to peep through and be captivated by the richness of our spices, the intellect of our literature, and the diversity of our art.

Whether or not you’re of the Arab heritage, if you’re looking for a reason to celebrate Arab cultures, Alif is here to meet your needs and answer your questions. As a Tunisian, I’ve had the privilege of representing my culture at Alif; from sharing a traditional meal through the Sahtain wa Hana program, participating in the Atlanta Arab Festival fashion show, screening a Tunisian film, and sharing our holiday traditions with the entire community. Alif is always open to fresh ideas and welcomes individuals from all backgrounds. If you have a passion for contributing to our mission, feel free to reach out. Join us and become part of the Alif family.

As always, if you have questions, comments, or ideas please EMAIL US. We’d love to help!

In appreciation,

Mariem Sellami

Secretary, Board of Executive Directors

Newsletter Sponsors

Thank you, newsletter sponsors! We couldn’t do it without your support!

This is it! Don’t miss Marcel Khalife in concert!

ONLY 10 days left until Alif Institute welcomes iconic Lebanese artist Marcel Khalife on April 11, 2025. Don’t wait until the last minute to reserve your seats for what is sure to be an incredible evening. Also, please don’t forget that we need your support! Join the team of sponsors below and help us bring the beauty of Arab cultures center stage in Midtown Atlanta. The top three levels of sponsorship packages include a pre-concert reception with the artists! Click on the button above or EMAIL US for more information!

Thank you, concert sponsors!

OUD LEVEL

QANOUN LEVEL

KAMANJA LEVEL

DARBAKEH LEVEL

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Programs

APR 5

APR 5 (1st SAT/month)

APR 8

APR 11

APR 15

APR 19

APR 25

APR 26

MAY 10

May 13

May 15

JUNE 9-20

Apply now!

Arabic Music Workshops & Jam Sessions

Don’t have the time to commit to a semester of music classes? Just want to explore a new instrument? Try our workshops!

Play an instrument and just want to have fun with other musicians? Try our Saturday Jam Sessions on the first Saturday of each month! Open to both amateur and professional musicians.

APR 5 (1st Sat/month)

APR 15 (1st Sat/month)

MAY 13

Summer 2025 Arabic Language Program

Now is the time to plan for your summer adventures in Arabic learning!

Summer Camp 2025

SUMMER CAMP IS BACK!

We’re excited to welcome campers ages 3 to 10 back to Alif this summer! We have two sessions available; join one or both.

For more information, EMAIL US at info@alifinstitute.org.

March Recap

THANK YOU, ALIF VOLUNTEERS!March volunteers really showed up! Huge thanks go to Yacoub (lighting & stage construction) and Hiyam, Mariem, and Lara (decorations) for making our Ramadan Iftar & Lent Dinner the most beautiful indoor event yet! Each one of you really left your mark on this special evening. Dina Fawakhiri, illustrator and graphic designer, helped us design a NEW exhibit, Fasting Traditions in the Arab World, which debuted that evening.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: If you would like to volunteer to help us with programs, events, or projects, EMAIL US for more information.

3/8/25 - RAMADAN IFTAR & LENT DINNER

March 8 was a perfect example of community coming together to celebrate our shared traditions. A special performance by local world music band, Surya, completed the evening. The delicious food was catered by Mediterranean Bakery, Nasser Samad (Ray’s Pizza), Yumma’s Bread, Zahra’s Kitchen, and Zeina’s Catering. Thanks to everyone who attended and made this such a rich experience. Special thanks to our sponsors, Mr. Nayef Abuaisheh, Drs. Imad El-Kebbi & Rana Hajjeh, and Dr. Shajih & Mrs. Ghada Muhanna.

3/11/25 - CULTURAL PRESENTATION

3/11/25 - CULTURAL PRESENTATION Alif Institute’s Arabic Language Program Director, Kinda Hanano, gave a virtual presentation to students and teachers around Georgia about Ramadan cultural traditions in the Arab world. Thanks to Atlanta Center for Global Studies and the Small Town & Rural Language Teachers for inviting us into your classrooms!

3/12 & 13/25 - MUSEUM SCHOOL ART WORKSHOPS & EXHIBIT NIGHTFor the second year, Alif Institute’s Executive Director, Mouna Abdelhamid, was invited to The Museum School to spend the day leading workshops for 7th grade students to learn how to create Islamic Geometric Art. The following day, Alif was invited to attend their Exhibit Night, where students present their projects. Alif’s tabla instructor, Matias Hazrum, played an Arabic song with music students and led everyone in a quick tabla workshop. We always have such a great time with these students and their teachers!

3/15/25 - COOKING CLASS: HOLIDAY MAMOUL

Guest chef, Widad Saad, show our nine participants how to make delicious mamoul cookies. As she explained tips and tricks of the trade, Widad also talked about her family traditions which led to a wonderful conversation. If you'd like to join the next class, CLICK HERE. We have one class each month, so check out what is coming up in April and May!

3/15/25 - Dukkan Alif

Our Arabic Language Program students loved using their new Arabic vocabulary to bargain the traditional Arabic way for sweets and treats from our bi-monthly Dukkan. They used tokens earned in class throughout the month. Well done, ya shatreen!

Thanks to Mrs. Kinda and our teachers for always finding new and creative ways to grow the Arabic Language Program and make language learning fun and engaging for our students.

4/2/25 - Proclamation Signing by Mayor of Clarkston

Beverly Burks, City of Clarkston Mayor, welcomed Alif staff Mouna Abdelhamid and Alta Schwartz to receive her signed proclamation recognizing the month of April as Arab American Heritage Month.

Thank you for always making our community feel welcome!

Alif Announcements -

18TH ANNUAL ATLANTA ARAB FESTIVAL - OCTOBER 4 & 5

VENDOR APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR:

Artists & Artisans
Caterers
Businesses
Nonprofits

INSTRUCTORS, VOLUNTEERS, & INTERNS NEEDED: Alif is looking for two instructors to help us expand our cultural class offerings! To apply, please send an email with your resume to info@alifinstitute.org. And, please share our call for applications in your circles.

Tableh Instructor - Teach children 5 - 14 years old on Saturdays from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM at Alif Institute and Sundays from 12 PM - 1:30 PM in Roswell.
Arabic Calligraphy Instructor - In person at Alif Institute.
General Volunteers - We always need volunteers! Send us an email and we can add you to WhatsApp and/or email list.

Community Announcements:

Send us your community events and we’ll be happy to post them here!

As a service to the community, we offer this space as a bulletin board to announce events in the community. The following events are not planned, endorsed, or verified by Alif Institute. Please click on the images and reach out directly to the event organizers for more information.

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AMGeorgia State Capitol, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA 30334

Georgia House of Representatives Morning Order

Recognizing the Very Reverend Father George Shukri Makhlouf, Advocate for Peace and Justice in Palestine

The Georgia House of Representatives is proud to recognize Father George Shukri Makhlouf for his profound impact, unwavering commitment to human rights, equality, dignity, and lifelong advocacy for peace and justice in Palestine. Your attendance and support are greatly appreciated.

4/12/25

4/13/25 - 4/14/25

4/15/25

4/26/25

Rescheduled: 5/3/25

Applications Open for Juzour Summer 2025

Jouzour is Lebanon & Beyond’s inaugural program, designed to bring young adults from the Lebanese diaspora back to their homeland for a 5-week immersive experience. Through service projects, cultural exploration, and educational seminars, participants will reconnect with Lebanon in meaningful ways while building lasting relationships with their peers.

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