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Dear Alif Community,We hope you’ve had a great start to 2023! At Alif, our Arabic language classes are in full swing, and we’re gearing up for other classes and events (see below for more details). Mark your calendars for our upcoming Artisan Bazaar and Ramadan Iftar & Lent Dinner.
We appreciate all the support you continue to show us and are looking forward to connecting and creating new memories in the coming months. As always, thanks for reading!— The Alif Team
February Newsletter Sponsors
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Upcoming Programs & Events
Monthly on the last Saturday11:30 AM to 2 PM
This month, Alif’s very own Knit and Stitch club launched “Sahtain Wa Hana,” a NEW COMMUNITY PROGRAM celebrating Arab cuisine and building community. Community members come together to cook at Alif on the last Thursday of each month to prepare a homemade and heartwarming Arabic menu to be served the following Saturday.
Everyone is welcome, but RSVP is appreciated. Next dates are:Cooking - Thursday, February 23Eating - Saturday, February 25
NEW! Story Time, Arabic style, is coming to Alif! What better way to engage your children in language and culture than with a fun and interactive story time? Come and make memories with your children on the first Thursday and Saturday of each month. We’ll read stories in English and Arabic followed by a craft project.
Our guest storyteller for February is local author Mrs. Lara Karam Dempsey from Rumaneh. For questions, please EMAIL US.
Free for all children accompanied by parents!Thursday Winter/Spring Dates:11 AM - 12 PMFebruary 2, March 2 , April 6, May 4, June 1
Saturday Winter/Spring Dates:1:15 PM - 2 PMFebruary 4, March 4, April 1, May 6, June 3
Interested in learning how to play Oud? Our Oud classes begin again soon! 6 sessions, February 7 – March 21. (No class on February 14.)
- Beginners: Tuesdays, from 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm, in-person at Alif Institute.
- Intermediate: Tuesdays, from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm, in-person at Alif Institute.
- PRIVATE LESSONS are also available. The cost is $35 per half-hour. Please email us for more details.
Welcome to our Winter/Spring 2023 Arabic Cooking series, featuring classic Arabic recipes taught by experienced, local caterers:2/11 - Yumma’s Bread (Musakhan)3/18 - Zeina’s Catering (Shawerma)4/1 - Sweets by Diah (Mamool)5/6 - Leon International Foods (Falafel)If you have any questions, please email us at info@alifinstitute.org.
SUNDAY, MARCH 512 PM - 6 PM
Spring is coming and so is Ramadan! Mark your calendars for our Ramadan Artist & Artisan Bazaar will be Sunday, April 5 from 12 PM - 6 PM.
If you’re an artist or artisan and would like to be a vendor, please click below or EMAIL US.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24 7:30 PMUnder the Stars at Alif Institute
Each year, the Alif community and friends gather together for a cultural celebration of the holy month of Ramadan. Over delicious food, we enjoy the company of each other as we hear stories and enjoy a performance. This year, we are taking advantage of the overlap between Ramadan and Lent to share common traditions of fasting, introspection, good food, and good company.
Calling high school and college students! Alif is hosting our second year of summer intensive, in-person domestic program that will allow you to study Arabic and immerse yourself in the culture.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND RESERVE YOUR SPOTS! We’re excited and ready for 2023! Here’s a sneak peek at some of our major programs and events. We’ll be updating our website with more details soon, but if you have questions feel free to EMAIL US.
- Spring Benefit Dinner - Saturday, May 6
- 16th Annual Atlanta Arab Festival - Saturday, September 30 & Sunday, October 1
- Winter Holiday Bazaar - Sunday, December 3
Meet Alif’s 2023 Board of Executive Directors! Please help us welcome three new members to Alif’s Board of Executive Directors: Cherie Imam, Nadia Mahmoud, and Khalil Suleiman. And, we’d like to welcome Mustafa Saadi back to board service. We deeply appreciate the willingness of these members to step up and lead Alif’s staff, volunteers, and community by generously volunteering their time and talents to so that we can continue to foster the understanding and appreciation of Arab cultures!
We’d like to thank our two out-going board members for their service. Haitham Haddad (one of Alif Institute’s founders) and Dimitri Shreckengost have been supporters of Alif Institute long before joining the board and we know they will continue to be a part of Alif. Dimitri explained why he finds working with Alif fulfilling: “For me, Alif actively teaches us to exhibit and share proud cultural traditions from Arab cultures…Alif’s beauty is its means of inclusion, through the ethnic and religious diversity within our own membership as we beckon our larger civic community to join us.”
Another board member, Michael Shikany, sadly passed away in 2022. Michael was a huge supporter of Alif, and often lent his theatrical and vocal talents to our events. We fondly remember Michael’s dedication to community. His keen sense of humor and beautiful spirit is truly missed.
Alif Institute is a proud member of the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), which has just announced a major development in their effort to add a MENA (Middle East & North Africa) category on the Census so that our community can be counted! Please click below to find out how YOU can help us achieve this goal!
We kicked off 2023 greeting new and returning students with our Arabic Language Open House on January 14. The following week, both the adult and children’s programs met on-line and in-person for the first time this semester. It feels so great to be back!
If you are interested in learning Arabic, there still might be time to sign up. EMAIL US about joining a class or private lessons!
For the second year, Alif Institute partnered with Georgia State to bring the Model Arab League high school competition in Atlanta. Led by Dr. Rashid Naim (Political Science, Georgia State University), this is the largest high school competition in the country. We enjoyed meeting the students and teachers at the competition and loved the presentation we organized with Dr. Thomas Simsarian Dolan (Anthropology, Emory University).
On January 27, Alif’s Knit & Stitch ladies launched a new community program, Sahtain Wa Hana! On the last Saturday of each month, we will serve students, families, friends, and community a home cooked meal that is sure to warm your heart.
This program builds community and promotes Arab cultures through cooking, serving, and eating Arabic comfort food. For the next gathering, you can join us to cook the meals on Thursday, February 23 and enjoy the the delicious meal with family and friends on February 25 from 11:30 AM to 2 PM. Please see our website for menus and more information. Yallah, let’s cook, eat, and make new friends!
Looking for a venue for your special occasion? Add Alif’s special touch to your event!
Our newly renovated EVENT HALL is open and ready to host your special event! Our Event Room make-over is complete, featuring freshly updated paint, carpet, and a new stage! We have created an elegant and clean canvas for you to decorate with your own personal touch to reflect the spirit of your special event. And, if you like, ask us how Alif can help you add the beauty of Arab cultures as a special touch.If you are interested in celebrating your special affair in our Event Hall, please email us EMAIL US to reserve and we’ll be happy to help.
Community News & Announcements
2/8 - Lecture:Reporting from the Middle East: Notes from the FieldIn collaboration with GSU’s Middle East Studies Center and the University of Michigan Department of Middle East Studies, the Atlanta Global Studies Center welcomes Dr. Marwa Maziad to Georgia State University.
3/1 - Omar Offendum & Thanks Joey: Performance & Workshop6:00 PMHarland Cinema, Emory University
Fresh off the heels of three sold out shows at Brooklyn Academy of Music, and over a dozen high-profile performances at FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, Omar Offendum brings his love for Hip-Hop and Arabic poetry for a very special performance-lecture event. Joined by LA-based Beatmaker, Thanks Joey, these multi-talented musicians offer a unique perspective on Arab-American artistry that is both forward-thinking and firmly rooted in the time-honored traditions of their Syrian homeland.
Washington, DC May 22 – July 28, 2023Deadline to apply: February 24, 2023This program offers undergraduate and graduate students a ten-week professional, academic, and career opportunity internship with an organization in the nation’s capital. The program features a demanding mix of professional involvement, intellectual challenge, career exploration, and cross-cultural encounters designed to provide students with a rich and varied experience.
Southern Falcon Films is working on a short film in Georgia and asking to borrow the following:
- Wardrobe: Traditional clothing items such as hijabs, thobes, keffiyeh, or similar pieces for men and women, all sizes.
- Props: Antique hookahs, tea sets, palm leaf baskets, wooden boxes, stools, and favorable decorations.
If you would like to help, please contact them at southernfalconfilms@gmail.com.
Please send us an email if your organization has an event you’d like for us to share with the community!
Copyright (C) 2023 Alif Institute. All rights reserved.
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