OUR MISSION:To foster the understanding, appreciation, and preservation of Arabic cultures.
OUR VISION: One world, united through the power of Arts & Culture.
April 2026 Newsletter
Dear Alif Community,
My parents were born in Palestine. I was raised in New York and moved with my husband and 4 children to Atlanta over 40 years ago. I was always looking for some kind of connection with my heritage. 14 years ago I saw the front page in “Tucker Times” It showed a picture of Angela Khoury, the previous Director of Alif and her family.
The article inside spoke of Alif and their upcoming festival. It was just what I was looking for. I started coming to Knit and Stitch and made some wonderful friends. I volunteered as a bookkeeper and then was hired as Office Manager working at a place that is close to my heart.
With gratitude,
Liz Talmas
Office Manager
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Upcoming Programs & Events
APRIL 4
APRIL 12
APRIL 18
MAY 2
APRIL 10 & 26
MAY 5
APRIL 11
APRIL 25
MAY 7
MAY 1
MAY 9
Free events
In celebration of Arab Heritage Month, we are hosting a free Arab Cultural Day on Saturday April 18th, from 12pm to 5pm. Pass by and enjoy coffee, herbal tea and dates stations and exhibits, explore the rhythms of Derbakeh Tabla, and join a Dabke Traditional Dance workshop! Not to be missed are the Shadow Puppetry: The Journey into the Arab Mind, presentation and workshop, at 1pm, the History of the Arabic Language presentation at 2:30pm, the warm Kan Ya Makan Arabic Storytime and Crafts for kids at 1:15pm, and an arts workshop The Arabic Alphabet as an art form also for kids at 2:00pm. There will be something for everyone, and a chance for us to enjoy our Arabic culture together as a community!
As in every month, we will be having our free event “Ahlan Saturday” (first Saturday of every month celebration) on Saturday April 11. Have your children enjoy an Arabic Storytime, dance and crafts session at 1:15pm, and join us for a warm meal made by the women of Sahtain Wa Hana starting at 11am (menu coming soon!).
Tickets selling fast!
The award-winning Adam wa Mishmish live music show is coming to Alif Institute Saturday April 25 at 4pm!
They’re coming all the way from Jordan for their U.S. tour with “Rana Reads in Arabic”! Buy your tickets today for this rare opportunity and have your kids come watch a live Arabic show that will help them fall back in love with their language through fun performances, singing, dancing and the beloved Adam and Mishmish characters themselves!
On Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 7:30 pm, Alif Institute will take over Rows 1-7 of Section 226 in Mercedez Benz Stadium!
- An evening to come together, watch, and cheer as one community, united by our love of soccer.
- Give your child the chance to walk a pro Atlanta United soccer player onto the field for an unforgettable memory!
- A unique fun-draiser, but don't wait until the last moment!
Have you made summer plans for your kids yet? Sign them up to Zaytoona - our Arabic Cultural Immersion Summer Camp! They will spend the 2 weeks playing, dancing, cooking and learning - all in Arabic, and in an interactive & fun environment! REGISTRATION is open, and space is limited, so don’t wait until the last minute. Click HERE or EMAIL US for more information.
Summer programs
REGISTRATION for all our summer Arabic programs is open! Click the banner above to find out about our in-person, live on-line, intensive & Integrated Arabic Language options starting in June! Questions? EMAIL US and we’ll be happy to help you decide which class is best for you.
Speak Arabic but struggle to read? This Reading Lab is your chance to learn to read all the texts in this beautiful language, from old hand-written family recipes, to heart warming Arabic poetry by the greatests.
This 8-week course helps strengthen reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in Modern Standard Arabic (fusHa) through guided practice and authentic texts. Designed for ages 16+ with basic speaking skills and knowledge of the alphabet, the class meets Saturdays (1:00–2:30 pm) from April 11 – May 30 at Alif Institute.
Need help figuring out if this is for you? EMAIL US and we can answer all your questions.
VENDOR APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN! Vendors, please click HERE to apply for the 19th Annual Atlanta Arab Festival. Spots fill up fast, so reserve your table to avoid disappointment.
March Recap
Our Ramadan & Lent Fundraising Campaign
This season of giving, we made $14,000 in donations; 45% of our $30,000 goal. We thank each and every person who donated, and those who helped fundraise for us - we cannot do what we do without you. This money goes directly into funding all our programs and activities, to ultimately keep our Arab culture and heritage thriving here in Atlanta. Our institute is a place of refuge for the Arab community and its friends, and as a non-profit, we rely on these donations to keep our doors open. When you donate, consider it an investment in our community. So while this campaign has ended, we urge you to continue donating, either as a recurring member as part of our Sanad Program, or in funding or sponsoring any of our programs.
Thanks again for all your constant support!
March 14: The Art of Arabic Cooking: Ma’amool & Maqroudh
In March, and in celebration of Eid Al-Fitr and Easter, we gathered around the table for a hands-on cooking class - sharing two popular recipes of Maa’moul and Makroudh, that are shared all over the Arab World on major occasions. Friends came and laughed together as Hala and Mariem shared their recipes and stories of the dessert and the memories that come with it. Love Arabic food? Join us on May 9 to learn how to make the famous traditional Palestinian Musakhan.
March 7: Kan Ya Makan, Arabic Storytime
Every first Saturday of the month, we hold a free Arabic Storytime for the kids! We have not had a disappointing one yet - with the children following the storyteller with wide eyes, happily jumping to the dance that follows, and engaging with the crafts activity after that. An hour where your child gets exposed to Arabic books, Arabic children's songs, and a fun craft to help them get closer to their mother tongue and culture. There is no age too young for this activity! Our next one is April 11th, and we hope to see your kids and their friends there!
March 22: Free Movie Night “Voice of Hind Rajab”
We try to feature as many free Independent Arabic movies as possible, to keep our community exposed to the stories being produced in the region. This month we played The Voice of Hind Rajab – a powerful and painful true story of the child Hind trapped in her family's car while waiting for the ambulance to save her. As always, our Q&A and discussion after sparked emotional conversation, as we reflected on the state of the world these days.
See you on April 10 for our next screening.
March 4: Alif at Shibam Coffee Shop!
On a beautiful Wednesday night, we all gathered in the Yemeni Shibam Coffee Shop in Alpharetta, with live Oud playing in the background by Mr Suheil and Mohammed, and warm drinks in everyone's hands. It truly brought the month of giving to life - as we enjoyed good food, coffee and conversation through a vibrant community gathering. 10% of their sales that night were donated to us as part of our Month of Giving Campaign and we couldn’t be more grateful to Shibam Coffee for their generosity. Thank you to everyone that passed by that night, and to the volunteers that helped bring it all together!
March 13: Outreach, Alif at Mount Paran Christian School and
Renaissance Fest, Gwinnett on March 28
We love meeting new people! In celebration of National World Language Month, we visited the Mount Paran Christian School and got a chance to meet new students and introduce them to the Arab Language. We were met with curiosity and open minds, as they stenciled Arabic words of thanks and asked us questions. We thank them for being so welcoming and look forward to coming back next year!
We also got the chance to be at the Renaissance Festival in Gwinnett and meet people enjoying this unique festival. Great vibes, open minded and playful people, looking to learn more about the cultures beyond what they know.
Thank you March volunteers!
- Library Archiving: Andrea, Fawzi, Amir, Dyka
- Cooking Class: Mariem, Hala
- Alif at Shibam Coffee Shop: Frannie, Sara, Suheil, Mohammad
- Fig Tree: Sohel for transporting the beautiful fig tree donated by Aubry & Kristen Wooten.Want to help with projects like these? We especially need more volunteers to help us set up the library! Please CLICK HERE to join our volunteer list!
Community Announcements
Send us your community events and we’ll be happy to post them here!
APPLICATION DEADLINE: APRIL 12
Simon Shaheen
Tunisian swimmers win NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships
MARCH 27
Sunday, May 3
Our Office Hours:
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10 AM - 5 PM, not including other programs and events. You can always reach us via email at info@alifinstitute.org.
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