NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 2003 DRUZE ORPHANS & CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION VOL. 5 NOS. 2 &3

Salute to Our

Volunteers

International

Princess Hayat Arslan

Visits Akron, OhioBy Kamel Muakkassa, M.D.President

L to R: Rabha Eidi, Mrs. Amne Orra, Mrs. Leila Mansour, Mrs. Rola Muakkassa,

Mrs. Sonia Alameh, Princess Hayat Arslan, and Mrs. Linda Masri

DOCO President, Dr. Kamel andMrs. Rola Muakkassa, of Akron,

Ohio, hosted Princess Hayat Arslan,President of the charitable organization“Society of Lebanon the Giver”, and herdaughter Princess Ghina during their visit tothe city in the second week of October2003.

On October 8, Dr. and Mrs. Muakkassaheld a dinner in their honor, attended bymany friends and community representa-tives. Also present were Mrs. Leila Mansour,President of the Ladies FriendshipAssociation of Lebanon and Mrs. RabhaEidi, advisor to Great Lake Consortium inLebanon and Toledo, Ohio. During theevening the Princess exhibited culturalhandicrafts, beautifully embroidered table-cloths, shawls, and handbags made by theartisans of Lebanon.

On October 9, Mrs. Rola Muakkassainvited Princess Arslan and her guests to aluncheon fundraiser (a fashion show bene-fiting the Akron Symphony Orchestra) that

Ihope that you had a pleasant summer.Here at DOCO, we were working hard to

ensure another year of excellence that canonly be made possible by you, our support-ers and friends. Great work requires greatand persistent effort for a long time.DOCO’s volunteers continue to work tire-lessly, motivated by their love and compas-sion for their fellow Druze

Lila & Nabil Ibrahim held the secondannual “Falafel Fund Raising Fest” tofinance the building of a new computer labfor the Vocational School at Beit al-Yateem.Dr. Souraya Aboulhosn and Mrs. DeniseAckley Rutgens are working around theclock to generate financial aid and resourcesto help ease the burden of the forgottenand often neglected disabled. Mr. RichardShowkier is working tirelessly to help ensurethat DOCO and its mission will continueand prosper by creating and managing theReserve Fund for DOCO.

If you have a project you would like toshare with DOCO to help your brethren, orif you would like to help any of the existingprograms, please contact our office in NewYork.

This October we were very pleased andhonored to host Princess Hayat Arslan,another tireless worker for the disadvan-taged, and her daughter who were on a mis-sion of their own: to promote culturalawareness of Lebanon and its artisans andto raise funds for the Hasbaya Women’sClinic. Their mission is a very worthy one.

I would also like to acknowledge, withgratitude, Mr. Michael Mofeed Arnouse forunderwriting the costs of this issue of thenewsletter. Mr. Arnouse is a staunch sup-porter of Beit al-Yateem as well as DOCOand its mission.

Princess Ghina Arslan, showing

the Lebanese artisan work

Continued on Page 3

Chairperson

Afifi Masri

President

Kamel Muakkassa, M.D.

Secretary

Leila Masri

Treasurer

Abboud Assaf

Assistant Treasurer

Sahar Muakasa, Ph.D.

Advisory Council

Emad Aboulhosn

Kamal Aboulhosn, M.D.

Michael M. Arnouse

Bassam al-Ayass

Nawal Chehayeb

Souad Ghosn, Esq.

Salim Israwi

Hadia Katter

Faez Masri

Farid Muakkassa, M.D. (Past President)

Roger Shaar

Co-Founders

Aniseh Assaf (1908-2002)

Dr. Fuad K. Muakkassa (1914-2000)

Volume 5 - Numbers 2 & 3

September 2003

DOCO NewsletterPO Box 1433

New York, NY 10018

(800)641-5440

DOCO Home Pages

http://www.doco-charities.org

http://www.druzeorphans.org

Email: docoinc@hotmail.com

EDITOR

Sahar Muakasa

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Leila Masri

Kathy Jaber Stephenson

Published by

DRUZE ORPHANS & CHARITABLE

ORGANIZATION

© Copyright 2003, DOCO

Letters to DOCO

2

Dear Mrs. Masri,

My parents, Mr. and Mrs. RachidBoudiab, have always been strong

supporters of Beit al-Yateem and the finework your organization does to help ourDruze children. Each time our family hasvisited Lebanon, we have also visited Beit al-Yateem and feel proud to see the wonderfulschool and facilities giving Druze childrenopportunities to have a successful future.

As a young child, I was taught theimportance of helping our people. Nowthat I have recently graduated from collegeand have just started my career, I too wouldlike to personally support the DruzeOrphanage. Today I received my first pay-check, and I am proud to donate part of itto Beit al-Yateem. I hope this small contri-bution will help make a difference for ourDruze children.

Please list this donation as a gift frommy brother and me: Linda and OmarBoudiab. I appreciate all of your efforts tohelp this cause and plan to continue to sup-port Beit al-Yateem in the future.

Sincerely,

Linda Boudiab

Saginaw, MI

Salimi is very weak and couldn’t talkmuch on the telephone. But the conversa-tion that we did have was nostalgic andmeaningful. You may recall that her hus-band, Mack Joseph, was one of the earlypioneers in helping the Druze immigrantsto get a start in America back in the earlypart of the 20th Century. His father was hisinspiration, I believe, in that he also gave somany first Druze immigrants an opportuni-ty to begin a new life in this country. Afterfather and son passed away, Salimi picked upthe baton in helping the Druze communityin any way that she possibly could, and nowshe is very ill. I am sure that some of ourcommunity would like to send her a card ofencouragement. Her address is: 13701 SW71st Ln., Miami, FL 33183.

On that same note, I called the home ofDr. Wahbeh Sayegh and was privileged tohave a good conversation with his wife,Siham. Unfortunately, Dr. Wahbeh couldnot come to the phone, as he was too weak.I just want to say that while I was workingwith the American Druze Society back inthe 1980s, Dr.Wahbeh was always there –working harder than anyone I knew. Hegave so much time and effort in leading thecommunity towards understanding ourfaith, writing books, lecturing, and research-ing. I am sure that there are many DruzeAmericans who appreciate his efforts andmight want to send him a note of salutationas well. His address is: 1550 Maumee Dr.Benton Harbor, MI 49022.

There are many of our elderly thatsome of our young people may not know.But those of us who do remember thesetwo wonderful Druze will always be indebt-ed to them for all their good works towardother Druzes. I pray that we will rememberthem as well as others who are sick at thistime, but who still love the Druze commu-nity and who have given so much of theirlives to it.

Thank you.

In the Faith,

Kathy Jaber Stephenson

Palm Desert, CA

Dear Mrs. Afifi Masri,

On behalf of the University StudentResident (USR) we thank you for all

the great work that you do along with theDOCO team for the benefit and welfare ofour community.

We, also would like to thank everydonor of our brethren in the US for sup-porting the goals of USR, and for the$340.00 we received from you throughDOCO.

Sincererly,

Farida Fuad Rayes, President

Leila Khaled Souki, Treasurer

Najwa Najeeb Beaini, Secretary

Dear Sahar,

Thank you for giving me the phone num-bers for Mrs. (Mack) Salimi Joseph and

Dr. Wahbeh Sayegh. I have wanted to get intouch with them for some time. I am sorryto tell you they are both in ill health. Continued on Page 7

3

God has bestowed a precious giftupon human beings – the gift of

emotional feeling or compassion, whichenables us to react and respond to joyand sorrow within ourselves and withothers.

This act of sharing is in itself aservice. We can carry this service fur-ther when we act or react at the sight oftragedy or misfortune in other humanbeings.

Sometimes this compassion andconcern is so intense that a person iscompelled to act to relieve the pain andsuffering of others. There are instanceswhere even a hungry beggar has sharedhis alms with another hungry person.

Compassion knows no barriers oflearning or economic status. When weact to help out a deserving person, wederive great joy and experience a divinehappiness and a sense of fulfillment.

Serving the needy in the society isthe natural duty of the rest of the mem-bers of the community. Service shouldbe rendered in such a way that thoseserved are enabled to gain confidence,develop and progress by themselves andfeel that they are part of us and we arepart of them.

When each one of us works for thegood of others, our community willgrow stronger and healthier.

The ultimate aim of DOCO is toserve our deserving brethren and assistthem to stand with self-respect and dig-nity. It is a matter of great satisfactionthat we are taking big strides in this areawith the help of our selfless volunteers,supporters, and you, our donors.

Sahar Muakasa

Editor

Back Row L to R: Renda Hamze, Rabha Eidi, Sahar Muakasa,

Princess Hayat Arslan, Leila Mansour, Rola Muakkassa,

Front Row L to R: Ann Reibe, Princess Ghina Arslan, Leila Muakkassa

Service

A Natural Impulse

she was chairing. In her speech, Mrs. Muakkassa introduced and welcomed the Princess andher daughter. More than 300 guests were present.

After the luncheon, guests were treated to a beautiful exhibit of Lebanese artisan workthat the princess had brought with her, all the way from Lebanon.

Princess Hayat Arslan received donations in the form of medicines for the Women’sClinic in Hasbaya, Lebanon, from Drs. Waleed and Rachid Nemer as well as Dr. KamelMuakkassa.

Thank You Mr. Michael Mofeed Arnouse

Princess Hayat Arslan Visti to Akron, Ohiocontinued from Page 1

DOCO salutes Mr. Michael Mofeed Arnouse, of New York whose gen-erosity is indeed exceptional. His donations extend to every project and

cover every need related to Beit al-Yateem and its orphans. He continues tocontribute regularly and with pleasure and humility.

DOCO is especially thankful to him for underwriting the entire cost ofthis issue of the Newsletter. In the next issue we will report on the many spe-cial contributions he has made and we will try to give you a glimpse into this

stellar personality.

4

The Mejlis LettersPart Two

by Kathy Jaber Stephenson

In the last issue of the DOCO Newsletter, we

printed the first part of “The Mejlis Letters”.

These were a series of correspondences between the

late Joe Jaber (Jeber Shekeir) and the late Sultan

Pasha al-Atrash. They were in relation to the build-

ing of a Mejlis (Druze place of worship), during

the mid - 1950s. Following are the last of these let-

ters:

The Mejlis Letters

Translated by Dr. Sahar Muakasa.

Letter from Sultan to Joe Jaber

dated 4/30/52

“Greetings, I received your letter after along period of time. I was happy to knowthat you are in good health and you areready to finish the project in Krayah. Thisholy place, the only one of its kind in theDruze mountain and possibly in all of Syria,is visited by Druze from all over the world.Every one who sees it is impressed by yourgenerosity and your vision; they salute youfor this legacy that will be here for genera-tions to come.

Now, you are asking us to present youwith a schedule for the amount needed tofinish the project. As I recall, the amountneeded was around 11,000 Syrian pounds,which is barely enough to complete the tiles,doors, iron door, and other works.

We await your response along with thetransfer of money in the amount of 11,000Syrian pounds God willing. Everybody heresends you greetings.”

Letter from Salloum Fares Shokier to

Joe Jaber dated 5/5/52

“Greetings. We ask God to keep you andgive you a place in heaven for your generos-ity and faithfulness to your beliefs and com-munity. We ask God to give you goodhealth and long life so you can return to seethis holy Majlis complete. (There is adetailed description here of the moneyneeded to complete the Mejlis, which hasbeen repeated in previous letters.)

We read your letter Thursday night inthe Majlis and prayed that God keep youand protect you and your precious children.We read your letter also to his Grace PashaSultan. All the Ajaweed (Sheikhs) and our

brethren send you greetings. Our brotherHamad and his family, your brotherMuhammad and his family, Abu Farid Ikab,Abu Salam Suleiman, Abu Najeeb, etc.(there are 20 names with their families send-ing greetings to Mr. Jaber)”.

Letter from Salloum Fares Shokier to

Joe Jaber dated 6/8//52

“I send you greetings hoping you are alwayswell and that your work is successfulbecause you have built the house of Gloryand honor that will serve us forever. Dearbrother, we have received your letter, and weread it on the eve of Friday after prayers andin the presence of most of our brethren aswell Sultan Pasha and we all said a prayer foryou. We sent you a letter on 5/ 5/ 52 and weare not sure if you have received it. This let-ter is to inquire about your family. How areour beloved Ghaleb and Nuhad? How isbrother Fahd? We hope his health is good,and also how is brother Mansur AmeenShokier and his brother Rasheed and chil-dren?”

Letter from Sultan Pasha al-Atrash

dated 5/10/1955

“I received your letter in which you thankme for finishing the floor covering of the

Mejlis in Krayah. I have to thank you, mygenerous brother, because of you this holyMejlis was built and with your own money.We celebrated the inauguration of theMejlis on May 6, which happened to be alsothe Day of Eid al-Khodr and Martyr day, acommemoration of those who died at thehands of the brutal Jamal Pasha.

The gathering for this ceremony wasenormous. More than 1200 of our Ajaweed(Sheikhs) attended and their white turbansfascinated the eyes. Everybody rejoiced,especially when they read the marbleplaque that carries your name at theentrance of the Mejlis in acknowledgmentof the sacrifices that you made to completeit. We pray to God to keep you and rewardyou for your humanitarian efforts.

Let it be known to you brother Jaber,that I will never forget you, nor forget yourvirtue and sacrifice for the old countrybecause this Mejlis has no parallel in theJabal (Syria) nor in Lebanon. Everybodywho visits the Mejlis glorifies this eternalwork.

We ask you to visit the Krayah thissummer with your family because every-body is anxious to meet you, and I hopethat my wish comes true so that we canfinally meet. This is what I wish for with allmy heart. Accept my best regards to youand your family.”

Front view of the Mejlis in Krayah, Syria, located in Jabal al-Druze

Photo by Sahar Muakasa -August 2002

5

These letters are a reflection of the generous charac-

ter of many Druze immigrants the likes of Joe

Jaber. Those who first came to America during the

latter part of the 19th Century and the early 20th

Century ventured to America for a better life for

their future generations. As Henry Flehan wrote,

“At first they had no intentions of remaining in this

country, but because of their circumstances, they did

remain.”

However, their hearts and minds never left the

old country. As much as they loved America, they

could not forget their motherland or their families.

Those early years in Lebanon and Syria would for-

ever be ingrained in their inner beings. The Druze

Doctrine of “watching over the brethren” guided

many in the steps they would take over the years.

They helped each other in any way they could – both

here and abroad.

“The Mejlis Letters” printed in this and the

last DOCO Newsletter were written during a five-

year span. The inauguration of the Mejlis took

place on May 6, 1955. Joe Jaber died on September

18, 1955 – only four months after the completion of

the construction. He never set foot in the building for

which he had given so much of his life. However, he

was thankful to have seen photographs of it with

Sultan Pasha and some Druze American friends

standing on the front steps.

This then concludes this article. Manythanks to Dr. Sahar Muakasa, ever faithful,ever vigilant DOCO Newsletter Editor; Dr.Abdallah Najjar, standing by and willing tohelp in time of need and Dr. Anis Obeid,assisting with his expertise and scholarly

capacity whenever asked.

My Dream Came True

My name is Rowiada Hasen Ward fromHasbaya, South Lebanon. I would like

to add my voice to those offering thanksand gratitude to the USR and to DOCO andits supporters for encouraging young peoplelike me to achieve a good education and ful-fill our aspirations. After I received my high-school Diploma, I went to the capitalBeirut, where I applied to the LebaneseUniversity to pursue a degree in law.

I was very lucky to find a place at theUniversity Student Resident (USR) where Icould live in a safe environment and con-centrate on my studies. I joined other Druzestudents from different Lebanese, Syrianand Jordanian villages and made manyfriends. I was very happy during the fouryears of my residence at USR. ThePresident, her colleagues and the supervi-sors treated me as a member of the family,so that I didn’t go through the feelings ofhomesickness and loneliness that one suf-fers when separated from close family andfriends.

At last, my dream came true when Igraduated and wore that lovely long blackgown with my cap and held my B.A. (Law)in my hand.

Thank you again for enabling us to pur-sue our dreams and to become productivemembers of our society.

Rowaida Hasen Ward

Outing for USR Residents to Southern Lebanon

Group Picture of USR students

University Student Residents (USR) organized its annual trip for the residents to Southof Lebanon to learn about that area and offered them lunch in Hotel Abudeeb

Restaurant on Kassimiya River.

Upcoming Articles

In the next issue of this news letter we willfeature the new library, that is being cre-

ated in memory of the late Miss AnisehAssaf at Beit al-Yateem, which was madepossible by donations from you, our sup-porters.

Also featuring the second annual“Falafel Fund Raising Fest” by the Ibrahimfamily to build a new computer lab for theVocational School at Beit al-Yateem.

Look for a complete coverage of thenew Computer Lab Project spearheaded byLila & Nabeel Ibrahim and supported byIntel Employees and Intel Foundation.

Also featuring Mr. Michael MofeedArnouse and his boundless generosity.

6

There is an old Arabic saying that a badcarpenter will blame his tools. With

what could be considered limited resources,the Druze community in both the UnitedStates and Lebanon has accomplished self-less and visionary achievements directedtoward the care of the less fortunate in ourcommunity. The commitment of time,money, and resources demonstrates that weare not acting as philanthropists, but ratherinvestors. The long-term investments beingthe youth of the community, who, we hopewill prosper through opportunity andassume future roles in communal responsi-bility.

Still, we must ask ourselves, “what if agood carpenter were to have better tools?”What if there was a financial resource thatdid not interfere with the immediate mone-tary needs of the organization? Perhaps aresource exists that needs a very limited andinexpensive commitment in order to beestablished. In fact, there is a resource thatcan grow while simultaneously providing atax-free income for future projects. It is alsoa resource rooted in a strong and historical-ly reliable institution.

During an interview Albert Einsteinwas asked what he thought was the singlemost powerful force in the universe. Hereplied, “compound interest”. Though thiswas said half in jest, any economist will tellyou that this is not a joke.

Being a man of limited resources (asI’m sure we all are), I wish to make a pro-posal for an endowment project. Anendowment is a large monetary resourceproviding capital (cash) for charitable use.As a friend requested, I’ll use straightfor-ward, non-economic lingo to describe theprocess.

Companies need money to function.They use it to expand business, make pur-chases (such as other companies), payemployees, etc. In order to obtain thismoney, also known as capital, companiesallow individuals to purchase small amountsof the company, known as securities; themost common type of security is commonstock. As the company prospers, the stocks

increase in value and may or may not paydividends, which are the investors’ share ofthe profit. Good companies are judgedmainly by diversification (how many facets

of the business exist in order to ensure sta-bility), and whether or not they pay divi-dends.

Stocks are made available to the publicthrough brokerage houses; these are com-panies, which make legal financial transac-tions as well as holding the stocks that arepurchased. They essentially function like abank. The people who make the actualtransactions are called stockbrokers; theyare employees of the brokerage firms. Withthis in mind, I will detail the process ofestablishing an endowment for DOCO.

1. An account has been establishedwith Ameritrade Inc. This is an online bro-ker that has inexpensive fees for the pur-chase of stock. The account is in the nameof DOCO. Since DOCO is a nonprofitorganization there is no minimum amountto establish the account, and therefore itcould be established with as little as $25. Asdonations are sent in, they will be depositedinto this account. Every month, or whenfunds are sufficient, I will purchase sharesof GE common stock. GE (GeneralElectric) is a cornerstone company in thestock market. It is one of the world’s largest,wealthiest, and most diversified companies.It also pays quarterly dividends. This meansthat every three months the company paysits investors in accordance with the amountof stock that is owned. For example, ifevery three months GE pays out 25 centsper share and you own 100 shares, youwould receive $25 every three months,either to reinvest or spend.

Once the stock is purchased, it is thenposted by the broker as a position. Forexample, if 100 shares were purchased, yourposition in the company would be 100shares. These positions are reflected by thebroker and can be accessed at any time, thesame way one would access a savingsaccount.

2. Once $10,000 worth of stock orpositions in the company is acquired, itwould then be transferred to an accountwith the Charles Schwab Corporation.Schwab is much like Ameritrade, only largerand more versatile. It provides services thatAmeritrade does not, such as automatic

dividend reinvestment. However, there is

a $10,000 minimum to establish an account.Also the broker fee to execute a stock trans-action (where they buy stocks for you) isalmost double the Ameritrade fee.Therefore, it is obvious why there are twoaccounts: one used to buy, the other usedfor long term holding of the stocks.

3. Automatic dividend reinvestmentis a wonderful thing. Without lifting a finger,the profits from the dividends are automat-ically used to purchase more stock.

4. Stock splits are where real powerand progress is made in investing. As I havealready said, companies need money, whichmeans that they need more people to buymore stock. As with all profitable compa-nies, the price of the stock keeps going upand up. After a while it becomes too expen-sive for most people to purchase, usually thecompany will then announce a stock split.For example, a company needs money tostart a new venture, but it does not have thecapital to make this happen. Suppose thiscompany’s stock is at $100 per share. Mostpeople will not want to purchase the stockat $100. To make it more accessible, thecompany will split the stock 2 for 1 or 3 for2, thus lowering the price. Existing share-holders will then get 2 shares of stock at $50per share for every one share that they own,and new investors will want to buy the stockat its new and lower price. This does notlower the value of the stock; it just makesquick money available. Therefore, if youcalled your Schwab account, which had1000 shares of stock worth $25,000, yourposition in the company would now be 2000shares of stock worth $25,000. At thispoint, the benefit is that this is still a prof-itable company. So now, rather than 1000shares of stock yielding 25 cents per share,

Endowment Proposal

By Richard Showkier

Richard Showkier

7

there would now be 2000 shares of stock.This would yield less than 25 cents pershare, as profits are now distributed over agreater number of shares; however, sincethe new income helps to grow the business,it is not long until the profits fill the gapcaused by the split. Therefore, your volumeof stock and dividends effectively doubleover time (this also encourages investors tohold on to the stock over the long term).

5. DOCO is a non-profit organization.THIS MEANS THAT THE DIVI-

DENDS ARE NOT TAXED!!!

Historically, GE announces stock splitsabout every three years. So, at a certainpoint, dividend reinvestment would becomeunnecessary. The fund itself would providetax-free dividends to DOCO, which wouldthen be distributed to Beit al-Yateem as wellas other charities, while the endowmentgrows in volume by the stock splits.

Now that we have this concept inmind, let us discuss how I propose to makethis a reality.

The concepts of investment are to beviewed as taking place over the course of 10to 20 years and we cannot overly burden ourresources. I do not wish to take away fromthe immediate needs of the orphanage ororganization. Therefore, I am only asking

for 10 to 15 volunteers who are willing to

pledge $50 a month for a period of three

to five years, or two to three thousand

dollars up front. This amount should be

enough to start the endowment. Afterthe five-year period, depending on theMarket, the stock splits and automatic divi-dend reinvestment will allow the fund togrow on its own.

Every contributor and/or potentialcontributor is well aware of the possible pit-falls concerning the stock market. Nothing Ihave mentioned is guaranteed, and with therecent scandals involving companies such asEnron and Arthur Anderson, it is natural tobe apprehensive or skeptical about puttingmoney into the stock market. However, thisis a good thing.

It is this very skepticism and apprehen-sion that is causing the companies, account-ing firms, and government agencies to reex-amine themselves and take steps to makeearnings and accounting reports more trans-parent (a nice way of saying that every one’shands stay on the table).

The economy, stock market, and poli-tics are very dependent on one another.They all need each other to grow and pros-per, and they need investors who believe

and trust in this system in order to prosper.Therefore, we must remain open-mindedabout the nature of the economy and thestock market. There is a potential for hugelong-term growth in GE. The companypays dividends, is diversified, and has a his-tory of success. Please keep this in mind-theeconomy has been much worse in the past,but historically continues to grow.

I have been an employee of GE forseveral years. One of my primary benefits isGE common stock. I developed the con-cept of this proposal by researching GE andthe Market, in general, to develop my ownstrategy for retirement. Therefore, it is mypersonal belief in this idea that allows me tohave peace of mind in this venture.

The long-term intentions for thisendowment are to go beyond the immediateneeds of food, clothing, shelter, and health-care. The future proceeds of the endow-ment will hopefully be used to address theroot causes of poverty, outside of unfore-seen tragedy. We must work towards aninterdependence between the community,local businesses, local politicians, and localeducational and vocational facilities. Still,more importantly, young people must havethe education and the abilities to attract out-side investment opportunities of corpora-tions such as GE, Microsoft, Intel, etc. This,in the long run, can only help to empowerthe future community. As an old friend oncesaid to me, “my grandfather was a farmer,so my father could become a merchant, so Icould become a poet”. We must take thesesteps toward a larger goal.

If you are interested in this proposal,simply wish to discuss the principles of thisarticle, or wish to critique and make sugges-tions, please feel free to contact me at (806)773-0606 or e-mail me at

RSHOWKIER@NETSCAPE.NET

Thank you again for your time andinvolvement

We thank Richard Showkier for establish-

ing DOCO Endowment Fund and under-

writing the costs entailed as well as donat-

ing 100 shares of GE stock.

We encourage our donors to build up this

Endowment fund for the benefit of our

community.

Letters to DOCO:continued from page 2

Dear Mrs. Masri,

Ihope that you and your family are doingwell. Although it may have been a little

delayed, enclosed is a donation for theWomen’s Clinic in Hasbayya, Wadi al Taym,which I heard about during our last tele-phone conversation. Also enclosed is mygraduation photo at UCLA.

This June, I graduated with a bachelor’sdegree, with honors, in Molecular, Cell, andDevelopmental Biology from UCLA. I willbe applying to medical schools and graduateprograms in biotechnology for next fall.Thank you for your continuous efforts, andGod Bless.

Omar Nasser-Eddin

California

Omar Nasser-Eddin

12

Happy birthday to our B.D.C.A. mem-bers who celebrated birthdays in the

months of April, May, June, July, Augustand September 2003:

Samer N. Assaf, Ramzi A. Assaf, BakerK. Aboulhosn, Yousef H. Noueihed,Makram E. Hasanieh, Rina Adnan Buziab,Fuad K. Muakkassa, Talin A. Salaheddine,Dona S. Abu-Khzam, Wasim N. Noueihed,Linda F. Muakkassa, Michael AdamArnouse, Jawad M. Aboulhosn, Amir Jurdi,Natali R. Kantar, Yara T. Abou-Hamdan,Ned Saab, Kareem F. Muakkassa, Sami H.Noueihed, Sami R. Najd, Rania Ghadban,Adam (Masri) Siqueros, Rayan N. Assaf,Nader W. Alghawi, Zander M. Kazzie, NajdK. Aboulhosn, Nizar B. Abu-Shakra, RanaN. Masri, Wasim A. Assaf, Randa A.Hamden, Lamar N. Masri, Ramsey N. Masri,Naji S. Assaf, Kamal S. Halaby, Rashad K.Aboulhosn, Leila N. Aboulhosn, Eyad H.Aboulhosn, Jeena F. Noueihed, Camille F.Muakkassa, Sami F. Israwi, Mona LindaMousharrafieh, Omar A. Salaheddine, ShadiW. Azzam, William S. Masri, Leila K.Muakkassa, Sami N. Aboulhosn, Andrew H.Joumaa, Firas S. Mashtoub, Ramen M.Masri, Rami N. Assaf, Elisser N. Aridi,Rayan O. Nouiehed, Omar A. Masri, RayanF. Muakkassa, Rayan N. Aboulhosn, Jad S.Abou Diab, Naji W. Muakkassa, Iman(Masr) LaVine, Hikamt R. Shmeit, Joe(Masri) LaVine, Rahal K. Aboulhosn, RolaR. Aboulhosn, Firas N. Aridi, George O.Rafeh, Rami M. Ghazzara.

If you wish to enroll your child in

B.D.C.A., please call:

Mrs. Afifi Masri @ 818-244-1286

Please send two pictures of your child, one

for DOCO Newsletter and one for the

Mithaq Magazine, a publication of the

Druze orphanage in Abey, Lebanon.

B.D.C.A. Members

DOCO is a not-for-profit

501(c)(3) organization whose

mission is based on the belief

that every child deserves

the best this world has to offer.

Please help us in our efforts

to make a difference in the lives

and futures of the orphans.

Announcing a Unique Book on the Druze

“Comprehensive Bibliography

of the Druze Religion”By Sahar Muakasa, Ph.D.

ISBN 0967026911Library of Congress Control Number: 2002109402

A comprehensive bibliography aimed at providing

an in-depth understanding of the development

of Druze history and theosophy in a wider

geographical theater.

The hope is that it will help discover and bring

together several million Druze in present-day

Druze communities.

Table of contents of this 540-page book includes:

Preface

I. Introduction: Inter-Digitations of Religion and Culture1. Age of Manifest Destiny, Religious Expansion and Coexistence

2. Age of Conversions, Conflicts, and ViolenceII. Books

1. English and Miscellaneous Languages: 1603 - 18992. English and Miscellaneous Languages: 1900 - 20033. Arabic Language: 1755 - 18994. Arabic Language: 1900 - 20025. Urdu Language: 1860 - 20016. Persian Language: 1810 - 2000

III. Journals: 1783 - 2003IV. References: 1712 - 2001V. Manuscripts

1. Arabic and Persian Manuscripts2. Druze Manuscripts

VI. Chronology: Year 106 - Year 1919

Price: $50.00

20% DISCOUNT WITH THIS SPECIAL OFFER

Please use the form on the back cover to place your order

10

allowing a student/child to do so. * Consider the skills you have before

you start looking. * Don’t over-commit. Any time you

devote should fit into your availability. * It’s not the quantity of time you give,

it’s the quality.

Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering offers educators and stu-dents many benefits:

* It allows you to help others and givesomething back to your community.

* It gives you the opportunity toexplore a career and find out if it is really anarea you want to pursue.

* Working for an organization relatedto your field (or intended field) provides youwith the opportunity to share your skills andexperience, as well as develop new skills andreceive training in new areas.

* It provides the opportunity to meetpeople in your field and develop a rapportwith them. These contacts can be helpful infinding employment later.

Volunteering refers to any activity inwhich an individual gives freely to benefitother people, groups or organizations.Volunteers, however, also benefit greatlyfrom their giving. Volunteering is part of ageneral cluster of helping activities andcould mean involvement in voluntary asso-ciations as well as activism focusing onsocial change or donations of money, sup-plies or blood.

One of the workshops at this year’sADS Convention focused on volun-

teerism. Specifically: how one can get start-ed, the benefits, the individual’s skills, inter-ests and values. We played the “Party game”,which gave participants the opportunity toshare and discuss ideas and interests.

We also had a surprise guest fromLebanon, Dr. Patricia Nabti, President andDirector of the Association for VolunteerServices in Lebanon. She briefly spoke onthe various volunteer programs in Lebanonand the efforts that are now going on to getpeople involved in volunteerism. Mostimportantly, we talked about the NationalRehabilitation Development Center(NRDC), which is the only Disabled DruzeCenter in Lebanon that provides servicesand rehabilitation to children and adultswith disabilities.

One of our main purposes for present-ing this workshop was to bring awareness tothis center and to collect donations to helpmeet the needs of its residents. Two hun-dred and twenty dollars were collected onthe spot and the word is spreading.

Also, I want to take this opportunity toacknowledge Omar Nasserdine & IsmaelNawfal for donating $1100.00 collectedfrom pledges, for running the LA Marathonon March 2nd, 2003. It is with this kind ofdedication and commitment that we as acommunity are to come together and makea difference for our people in Lebanon.Thank you to the sponsors for their dona-tions and support.

I encourage you to make a donation toNRDC to support the often forgotten dis-abled children and adults.

Below is a brief summary of theWorkshop I conducted.

What is community service?

In a nutshell, it can be described asservices designed to improve the quality oflife for community residents or to solve par-ticular problems related to their needs. Butfor those of us who volunteer, we know it’smuch more than that. The gift of our timeis priceless and the rewards are immeasura-ble.

Consideration

* Adults should check out each organi-zation thoroughly before volunteering or

Workshop on VolunteerismBy Dr. Souraya ElHessen

Dr. Souraya ElHessen & Mrs. Afifi Masri

Other emerging terms associated withvolunteering include community service,neighborliness, experiential learning, corpo-rate social responsibility, friends groups,self-help, public service, service learningand community involvement.

Our list of donors is increasing. Thankyou for supporting the disabled Druze in

Lebanon.

We would like to encourage

you to make a difference

by making a donation

to DOCO

to support our

disabled children.

by filling the enclosed

donation form

It is through your donation

that you show gratitude for

the good health

of your children

and those you love.

Donor US�$

Aboulhosn, Fouzie & Najla 400 Ackley, Rodney 200 Beaman, Marvin 200 Makarem, Raed 130 Said, Dr. Hayel & Hiam 130 Ghosn, Rabih & Yasmeen 130 Nawfal, Hamad 128 Mohtar, Hassan & Suzy 104 Ackley, Diane 100 Ackley, Daisy W. 100 Alley, Ali & Romona 100 Jamal, Edie 100 Bou-Salman, Riad & Hind 100 Elhessen, Dr. Souraya 78.Masri, Karim & Ibtisam 52 Mosrie, Ronnie & Afaf 50 Ackley, Daisy W. 50 Anonymous 20

Waseem Abboud Assaf has graduatedfrom South Pasadena High School and

is now enrolled in Pasadena City College tobecome a Fire Fighter/Paramedic.

Love of Giving Moves On

The First Four Babies to join B.D.C.A.

Baby Waseem Assaf

Abboud & Amal Assaf with son Waseem at graduation

This year marks the 18th anniversary of the B.D.C.A. We are proud and pleased to congratulate the very first

members of the B.D.C.A. who have graduated from their respective high schools and are on their way to pursue

higher education and bright futures.

Baby Leila Muakkassa

Dr. Kamel & Rola Muakkassa with daughter Leila at graduation

Leila Kamel Muakkassa has graduated from Walsh Jesuit High School in Akron Ohio, andis now enrolled at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio to study medicine.

8

Randa Adel Aboulhosn has graduated fromAlhambra High School, and is attending

UC Santa Barbara to study medicine.

Rana Nabil Masri has graduated fromAdolfo Camarillo High School, has enrolledin Moorpark Community College for twoyears, and will transfer to UC San Diego tostudy pharmacy.

What joy it brings to watch these youngadults as they each go on their way carryingwith them the lessons learned from theirparents on the importance of giving tothose less fortunate. It is indeed rewardingto know that these graduates askedGrandma Afifi to form the Y.D.C.A. repre-senting Young Druze Community inAmerica because they want to continuehelping the needy students at Beit al-yateem.

More than 300 babies have participatedin this program; because of that Beit-al-

Yateem has honored them by naming one ofthe kindergarten classes in their honor andhanging their pictures on the wall of theclassroom. Every year and in every class, theteachers tell their students about the Babiesof the Druze Community in America whocare about them and continue to supportthem.

Every year, over the past 18 years,Grandma Afifi has remembered the childrenof B.D.C.A. and mailed birthday cards toevery one of them and thanked their parentsfor their support.

Thank you Grandma Afifi for

your thoughtfulness and tireless effort andthanks to the parents and all the members ofthe Babies of the Druze Community inAmerica (B.D.C.A.) for their continued sup-

Baby Randa Aboulhosn Randa Aboulhosn, High School graduate

Baby Rana Masri Rana Masri, High School graduate

9

11

Congratulations to:

Mr. Ghassan Assi, son of Mrs. Salimaand the late Mouhib Assi of

Missouri, and Miss Mayra Said, daughter ofDr. and Mrs. Hayel Said of Simi Valley, cel-ebrated their wedding on July 12, 2003. Thebeautiful luncheon reception, held at thelovely Castaway Restaurant in Burbank,California, was attended by family and manyfriends. The newlyweds have set up resi-dence in Missouri.

Mr. Nadim Aboulhosn, son of Mr. andMrs. Anis and Nadia Aboulhosn of

Covina, California, and Miss Suha NaimGhannam of Dmeet, Shouf, Lebanon, cel-ebrated their engagement among family andfriends on the 13th of September inLebanon.

Hala Masri, daughter of Mr. & Mrs.Kareem Masri of San Gabriel, CA,

graduated from Gabriel High School withhonors earning many scholarships. She isnow attending UC Pomona to studyEnglish/Law..

Mr. & Mrs. Fares and RoueidaNoueihed, on the birth of their son

Chad, on the 9th of October in South

Pasadena, CA.

Social News

Ms. Oumaya Abi-Saab graduated fromSt. John’s University, New York, with

an MBA in Executive Management withhonors in May, 2003. She received a bronzemedal for the 3rd highest GPA and a certifi-cate of excellence in Business studies.

She was inducted into the Beta GammaSigma Honorary Society for best businessstudents. Additionally, she participated inthe Executive-in-Residence program, a pro-gram specifically designed to provide aforum for interaction between practicingexecutives and selected business students.Congratulations Oumaya.

Zina Masr, daughter of Mr. & Mrs.Zuhair Masri of Granada Hills, CA,

finished two years at Pierce College withhonors and is now attending USC to studyBusiness Administration/Law.

Dr. Jamil Anis Aboulhosn and Miss Julie Casey Kasem shared wedding vows on May24, 2003. The beautiful ceremony took place at the Bel Aire Country Club overlook-

ing the Pacific Ocean, on a typically perfect California day. The numerous guests enjoyedsumptuous food and great entertainment. The couple now resides in Los Angeles,California.

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Nizar andTania Masri on the arrival of their first

born, son Lamar on the 22nd of June, 2003in Granada Hills, CA.

Dean Tobin & Oumaya Abi-Saab

Services were held on June 16, 2003, inBaltimore, Md., for Dr. J. Mehsen

Joseph. Dr. Joseph, who served asLaboratories Administration Director forthe Maryland Department of Health andMental Hygiene passed away on June 11,2003, at St. Joseph’s Medical Center inTowson, Md. of complications from dia-betes. He was 74, and had worked at thedepartment for 46 years.Born in Whitesville, West Virginia, Dr.Joseph was the son of the late Majeed andBahia Joseph.

At age 20, after graduating from WestVirginia University, in three years, with an A.B. Degree in Microbiology and Chemistry,he went on to earn a Masters Degree. Helater attended Columbia University and thenthe University of Maryland, where, in 1952,at the age of 23, he earned his Ph.D. inMicrobiology and Chemistry. He also earneda B. S. Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistryin 1955, at the University of Toledo, wherehe was assistant professor of microbiology.

In 1957, Dr. Joseph, microbiologist,research scientist and epidemiologist, beganhis career with the Maryland State HealthDepartment’s Bureau of Laboratories aschief of the microbiology division. In 1959,he served as Assistant Director of theHealth Laboratories Administration, a posi-tion he held until 1977, when he wasappointed Director of the HealthLaboratories Administration, a position hewould hold for the next 26 years.

Among his many accomplishments, Dr.Joseph established the first comprehensivepublic health virology laboratory in the stateof Maryland. In 1963, he was instrumentalin establishing the first of only two labora-tories in the United States to screen forPKU, the first hereditary disorder to bescreened in newborns. This was the begin-ning of today’s national newborn screeningprogram conducted by state public healthlaboratories. The Maryland HealthLaboratories Administration includes,among its responsibilities, the screening oftreatable hereditary disorders of all babiesborn in the state. Last year, Dr. Joseph wasthe driving force in obtaining two expensiveinstruments to expand the number of disor-ders tested from nine to twenty-one. In the1980s, he was a key player among a smallgroup of state public laboratory directorswho developed and implemented the cur-

rent national testing protocols covering HIVtesting. In the 1990s, he was the drivingforce behind establishing and expandingnew molecular testing methods that greatlyimproved identifying causes of food bornedisease outbreaks. He was a major contribu-tor on issues such as, diagnosis of lyme dis-ease, legionnaire’s disease, hepatitis D., toxo-plamosis, and chiamydia; rabies immunolo-gy; alpha-fetoprotein screening; neuroblas-toma screening, as well as personnel stan-dards and quality assurance. He also played amajor role internationally in the field ofpublic health.

In recognition of his many achieve-ments, the state health department honoredDr. Joseph by naming its LaboratoryAdministration Tower the J. Mehsen JosephPublic Health Laboratory in June 1998. In2002, he was named by the Association ofPublic Health Laboratories, as recipient ofits most prestigious Lifetime AchievementAward, for his contributions and dedicatedservices, both nationally and internationally,in the field of public health. He alsoreceived the Governor’s Citation for hismany years of dedicated services.

Dr. Joseph had a deep interest in thepeople who worked for him, urging them tofurther their education. As AssociateProfessor, at the University of Marylandgraduate school, he was able to help manystudents to achieve their goals. He alsoserved as senior associate in epidemiology atJohns Hopkins School of Hygiene andPublic Health, consultant and advisor to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention,the Food and Drug Administration, theNational Institutes of Health, the NationalAcademy of Sciences, Aid for InternationalDevelopment and the World HealthOrganization. He was also the author ofmore than 90 scientific and professionalpublications.

Dr. Joseph was a member of theAmerican Academy of Microbiology, anhonorary member of the American Societyof Microbiology and is recognized in“Who’s Who Among Men and Women ofScience.” He served in leadership capacitiesin numerous professional health organiza-tions. He was past president of theAmerican Society of Microbiology, past sec-retary of the Association of State andTerritorial Public Health LaboratoryDirectors, past president of the Maryland

Epidemiological Society, and past presidentof the Maryland Branch of the AmericanSociety for Microbiology. He also served asAssistant Delegation Leader of the Peopleto People Scientific Exchange to thePeople’s Republic of China, and Chairmanof the Board of Scientific Advisors, Centersfor Infectious Diseases, and the MarylandGovernor’s Commission on HereditaryDiseases.

Dr. Joseph was also the backbone ofhis large extended family. Grandchildren andnieces would seek him out when they camehome from college, just to talk. It was notout of a sense of obligation, but rather agenuine desire to see him. He was eulogizedby his family, friends and colleagues as a manof extraordinary vision, a genius, a dedicat-ed leader in all aspects of the field of publichealth, but he was also a very humble manwho was warm, loving and compassionate.

Dr. Joseph is survived by, LaRue, hisloving and devoted wife of 51 years, fivedaughters, Dorothy Rossman, KathyGoicochea and Donna Joseph of Baltimore,Susan Gallo of Chevy Chase, Md. andBarbara Albretsen of Watertown, Conn.;four sons, Richard Joseph and RobertJoseph of Baltimore, Phillip Joseph ofRichmond, Va, and David Joseph ofColumbus, Ohio; five brothers, Chester M.Joseph of Baltimore, Adel M. Joseph ofLeesburg, Va. Nadeem M. Joseph ofPortsmouth, Ohio, Fred M. Joseph ofRichmond, Va. and Jim M. Joseph ofCharleston, W.V.; four sisters, Julia Talhoukof Whitesville, W.V., Jeanette Bennett ofPortsmouth, Ohio, Juanita Richani ofBristol, Tenn., and Eva Crum of Charleston,W.V.; and 22 grandchildren.

13

Dr. J. Mehsen Joseph1929 – 2003

14

Ronnie Lee Mosrie passed away on July24, 2003 at his home in Orlando,

Florida, after suffering a heart attack at theyoung age of thirty-seven.

Ronnie was born in Princeton, WestVirginia on January 12, 1966 to the late Samiand Afaf Mosrie. Survivors include his wifeDoha, daughter Deana, son Samer, motherAfaf, brother Sami, and sister Aida.

Ronnie touched the lives of everyonehe encountered, as is evident by the over1500 Druze who attended his service inLebanon and the overwhelming number offamily and friends who attended his funeral,in his hometown of Titusville, Florida, fromall over the United States.

The generosity and kindness he exhib-ited to others will keep him alive in thehearts of anyone who knew him. Theunconditional goodness he showed toeveryone should be a standard by which allDruze strive to live. Ronnie lived his lifeaccording to the doctrines of theMuwahiddun Druze. He exhibited a truebrotherhood for the enhancement of hisTawhid Faith.

Ronnie had the best attributes – per-sonality, looks, empathy, selflessness, andcharisma. If you met him, you were drawnto him. If you were drawn to him, youcouldn’t get enough of him. He made all ofour lives better. He put a smile on the faceof anyone who knew him.

Ronnie, the light of our family, was atrue gift from God. He blessed our familyon the day he entered this world. He was therock of our family. When anyone had aproblem, he was always the first one there.We have never and will never know some-one as loving, caring, giving and as strongphysically, as well as, mentally and emotion-ally as Ronnie. He was the best Son,Husband, Father, Nephew, Cousin andFriend that anyone could ask for. Ronnie

Ronnie Lee Mosrie

1966 - 2003was a true Man’s Man.

No one on this earth can ever replacehim or his beautiful smile. His memory willlive through his children. His memory willbe cherished deep within our hearts forever.

The Mosrie family contributions inRonnie Lee Mosrie’s honor to Beit al-Yateem total $2,255.

Danny & Lela Hatoum 500Nadim & Aida Masri 300Najy Masri 250Fady & May Masri 250Central Florida ADS Chapter 200Bassam & Norma Hatoum 100Diego & Amy Garcia 100J.I. & Nadia Alkateeb 100Eddie & Reem Smien 100N.B. & Farid Radwan 100USACE- New Orleans District –(Sami Mosrie’s – Office) 75Nadine Mosrie 50Barbara Vickers 50Gayle A. Fernadez 30Almett & Mona Mosrie 25Nick & Viki Moustakas 25

Donor US�$

Edna Milhelm Sangid Hamed

1927 – 2003

Edna Hamed passed away on May 16,2003 in Gainesville, Florida. Services

were held on May 20, 2003 at the Beckman-Williamson Funeral Home. Mrs. Hamed issurvived by her husband Hussein MouhibAboulhosn, and her children Raymond,Ronnie, and Jeannette. Donations in hermemory were earmarked to the NationalRehabilitation Development Center(NRDC).

James Katter

1920 - 2003

James Mohammed Katter passed away inWednesday May 21, 2003. The son of the

late Nafe W. Katter and Lila Rashid, wasborn in Lebanon. He came to the UnitedStates as a child.

After serving in the U.S. Army duringWWII, he went back to Lebanon and mar-ried Salwa Selman, daughter of Selman andEmily Selman. His loving wife of 54 yearspassed away in 2001. He was the owner andoperator of the Model Bakeries Inc. inSaginaw, Michigan until 1966. The bakeryhad been in business for over 60 years, withthree generations of the family serving thecommunity.

James was a life member of the SaginawMasonic lodge #77 earning his 60 year pin.He was also a member of the AmericanLegion Post 248, and a member of the ElfKhurafeh Shrine and Bay City ConsistoryScottish Rite. He is survived by daughter VedaNasser, son Roger Katter, grandchildrenRyan & Rachel Katter and Nolan Nasser, sis-ter Elnora Hamady, brother Dr. Nafe E.

Katter, both of Connecticut and brotherBashir Rashid of Batloun, Lebanon. Donations in his memory totals $1,290.

Safa, Riyad & Marylin 100

Safa, Imad 100Katter, Henry & Jane 100Katter, Hadia 100Hamady, Elnora 100Zeitler, Cindy 50Younes, Mohsen 50Tarantolo, Rosanne L. 50Silman, Jimmie & Nadine 50Salamy, Ahmed & Hanan 50Ramah, Peter & Marcia 50Nash, Jack Weston 50Karam, Art 50Gosaynie, Hiam N. 50Carter, Amien & Florence 50Baz, Riad & Amal 50Fuerbringer Elementary Scholl Staff 40Salem, Alva 35Hamd, Salloum & Frieda 25Fischer, Clyde & Diane 25Wressell, James & Valeria 20Soddt, Nada 20Derop, Don & Anna 20Arndt, Luann 20Armstrong, Stuart & Jane 20

Reinig, Frederick & Janet 15

Donor US�$

We at DOCO wish to thank the following for generously donating to DOCO’s various charities. This list acknowledges donationsreceived from March 16, 2003 to September, 30, 2003. Please note that donations made for National Rehabilitation Development

Center (NRDC) and in memory of Mr. Ronnie Morsir & Mr. James Katter appear separately on pages 11 & 14.

Bani Ma’rouf - a Tradition of Giving

Donor US�$ Donor US�$ Donor US�$Arnouse, Michael M. 20,500Muakkassa, Dr. Kamel & Rola 2,000Masri, Dr. Akram & Luna 800Masri, Faez & Afifi 650Brothers & Sisters Dr. J. Mehsen Joseph 650Jaber, Bobby 500Masri, Nabil & Iman 500Merhi, Sami & Raghida 500Rayes, Nada Malak 500Salman, Dr. Melhem 500Masri, Dr. Sami & Leila 475Sleit, Riad 450Aboulhosn, Fouzie & Najla 400Joumblat, Bassam & Rima 300Lavine, Dr. Sean & Lena Masri 300Mayyasi, Noha A. 300Assaf, Anis & Suad 250Assaf, Monah & Diane 250Ibrahim, Lila 250Kantar, Rabih & Rima 250Muakkassa, Dr. Farid & Rima 250Noueihed, Hayat 250Showkier, Richard S. 250Saab, Dr. Ghaleb & Deda 250Shaban, Hisham & Abeer 250Wahby, Wahib & Ikbal 250Aboulhosn, Omar & Gada 240Baz, Wassif & Amal 210Masri, Karim & Ibtisam 202Aboulhosn, Kamal & Ghada 200Boukhzam, Fred 200Chway, Nadia 200Kantar, Jad Rabih 200Sleem, Walid 200Wehbe, Jihad & Dunia 200Yakzan, Mounira 200El Chaar, Issam 160Ackley, Daisy W. 150Anonymous & wife 150Anonymous child 150Ghosn, Souad Y., Esq. 150Jaafar, Akram 150Katter, Hadia 150Nasr, Yasser & Melissa 150Porte-Neuve, Aida 150Hakim, Afif 140Noueihed, Ghada 130Anonymous & wife 120Ayash, Afif & Ferial 120Simpson, Edward & Nezeema 110New York Life Insurance 104Aboul Hosn Chaouki & Joulia 100

Aboulhosn, Dunia 100Aboulhosn, Housein & Samira 100Aboulhosn, Samir & Nahia 100Aboulhosn, Samir & Siham 100Aboulhosn, Samir Y. & Majda 100Abu-khzam, Bahij & Suzan 100Al-Ali, Wael F. 100Albee, Roger & Patricia 100Andary, Anise 100Anonymous 100Assaf, Abboud & Amal 100Assaf, Nabil & Jumana 100Ayass, Salim 100Baz, Ghassan 100Boudiab, Linda 100Boukhzam, Dr. Mark & Suha 100Budare, Justin & Najah 100Durham Charles 100Eddine, Omar N. 100El Fakih, Adonis 100Elattrache, Hassan A. 100Fotoohi, Mehran & Rima 100Gharzeddine, Waleed & Samar 100Hamoud, Hamoud 100Hamzy, State Rep. William 100Hareez, Ghassan T. 100Jamell, Adeeby 100Jordi, J. F. 100Kasem, Casey 100Mashtoub, Chowki & Hoda 100Masri, Nizar & Tania 100Merhi, Faheam & Ihsan 100Mire, Ihsan 100Moukarem, Mustafa 100Mounzer, Nizar 100Najjar, A. H. 100Richani, Raouf & Suzan 100Salman, Jihad E. 100Salman, Dr. Salah & Wadad 100Samico, Inc. 100Sanjad, Najat 100Shaar, Nasib 100Shaar, Norman & Noha 100Shoujaa, Kareem & Adham 100Tay, Zak 100Wilson, Sara Najjar 100Alami, Fares 75Anonymous 60Anonymous 60Anonymous 60Shaheen, Layla 55Anonymous 50

Assaf, Jamal 50Bousaleh, Afif 50Durham, Daniel 50Ghazzara, Mustafa & Souhad 50Hamadeh, W. M. 50Hamzy, Hassan 50Hatoum, Hatoum 50Maher, Ghaleb & Christine 50Masri, Najy 50Masri, Zeina 50Mosrie, David & Linda 50Nassereddine, Naji 50Torbeih, Samir 50Wahab, Walid G. 50Zahereddine, Celine & Nicole 50Zahr, Shaheen & Siham 50Stuaffer, Eleanor R. 50El-Ahmadiyyah, Ali 40Zouhairi, Aziz 30Anonymous 25Ayash, Waseem 25Dakdouk, Kamil 25Johnson, Carol 25Masri, Mona S. 25Masri, Riad & Nadia 25Spring, Kie 25Abi Chahine, Khalid 20Abifaker, Ayman, Eman & Shady 20Abou-Chakra, Walid 20Aboulhosn, Samira A. 20Alshouher, Fouzi 20Anonymous 20Baddour, Fawzi 20Baz, Kassem Y. 20Boukhzam, Peter A. 20Dahouk, Kamal 20Dakdouk, Anis Salman 20Dakdouk, Samer 20Halaby, Gassan & Najah 20Hamden, Adel & Nadia 20Hani, Issam 20Kourdab, Anis 20Nesman, Randa 20Nistler, Timothy & Randa Wahbe 20Noueihed, Aida 20Abou-Hosn Rabih & Rola 20Ghossaini, Dr. Soha 20Hammad, Dr. David & Mary 20Richani, Dino F. 20Fayad, Wassim & Samar 20

Anonymous 10

Anonymous 10Anonymous 5Yahya, Sultana 5

15

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