Fun at the 2008 Convention
Joan Hazbun
The towering elegant glass foyer of the Hyatt Regency in Garden Grove, Orange County, California, welcomed us on Wednesday July 30 after a long flight from Pennsylvania. Following dinner at a Persian restaurant, we enjoyed a luxurious night's sleep.
On Thursday morning
after an early morning swim in the rooftop pool, I set off with about a
dozen others in a minibus for a tour of Newport Beach. Jessica
Qattawi was our very competent driver and Amal
Tafesh our lively and capable guide and minder. From Balboa Island at
Newport we took a boat for long cruise around the harbor and then after
lunch out to sea to watch the seals basking on and swimming around a
huge buoy. It was amusing to hear which famous people ranging from John
Wayne to Dennis Rodman owned the homes around the harbor and how
valuable such property is. The marinas were full of expensive motor
cruisers or yachts and in the afternoon sailboats appeared to take
advantage of the breeze.
The weather throughout the convention was sunny and warm but not humid.
Back at the hotel, the host committee had been busy preparing the registration materials: name tags, tickets, beautiful souvenir ad book and gifts which were put into inscribed canvas tote bags. The welcome Mexican buffet in the evening was delicious and about a hundred guests thoroughly enjoyed George El Hihi and Hazaar Ghaowi in their spirited singing of old Palestinian popular songs accompanied by Ibrahim Dayeh on tableh and professional Samih Murad on his accordion. It was wonderful to meet up with old friends who had traveled from afar.
On Friday morning guests set out on a bus that took us to all the main parts and sights of Los Angeles. It was a marvelous guided tour that showed us the skyscrapers of downtown L.A., the Mission area where L.A. began under the Spanish, a farmers' market for lunch, Hollywood with the Chinese and Kodak theaters and walk of fame, Beverly Hills and homes of the movie stars, the elegant shops of Rodeo Drive, Century City, and finally Venice Beach with its boardwalk by the Pacific ocean. We also saw how extensive the metro area is with so many twelve lane freeways and traffic!
Seating was assigned to guests for the Friday and Saturday evening dinners which made everything much more pleasant. President Muna Dayeh and Convention Chair Joseph Dibsy welcomed everyone. House of Palestine Group from San Diego performed some lively traditional debkes. We danced to the music of the excellent young Iraqi singer Moayed and the Dreams Band. We had been encouraged to wear Palestinian dress as Palestinian night was the theme for the evening so we were a colorful crowd. A photographer John & Scarlette Giries. had set up a scene in which guests or families could don traditional Arab dress and pose for a photograph against an oriental backdrop. The family photographs were especially charming. Argeelas (water pipes) were set up for those who smoked to enjoy outside. It looked just like an outdoor Bethlehem coffee house.
On Saturday, about fifty of us attended a membership meeting in the morning with Muna Dayeh presiding helped out by Joe and Arlette Dibsy and Diana Bandak. They asked for more member’s participation and suggestions about growing the Bethlehem Association. A tentative proposal to have the 2010 convention in San Francisco was welcomed.
The young people socialized at a pool party which gave them a chance to relax and have fun. Others went to nearby Disneyland. The amazing modern and photogenic Crystal Cathedral built by evangelist Robert H. Schuller was only a couple of blocks away.
The Saturday evening gala was attended by almost four hundred guests. Two giant screens showed slides of Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour. Father Hanna Sakkab moved us all with one of his classical Arabic poems about Bethlehem. Master of Ceremonies David Handal cheerfully welcomed everyone. Muna Handal-Dayeh introduced the keynote speaker Dr. Manuel Hassassian, who used to teach at Bethlehem University but is now the Palestinian ambassador to London. Dr. Hassassian inspired us with his uplifting and rousing speech on the steadfastness of the Palestinians living under occupation and his somewhat pessimistic outlook for a political settlement especially since the Israeli settlements have taken over so much of the territories.
The fundraiser was short but successful as so many were inspired by Bethlehem's plight to give generously. People gave either to the Scholarship Endowment Fund for needy students in Bethlehem or the Charitable Fund for helping institutions in the Bethlehem district. Dancing and music by the Nino band and attractive singer Woroud entertained us for the rest of the evening. There were two raffles called later – one that had started at the beginning of the convention for a gold necklace and another for a few prizes that evening.
Sunday Brunch was a time for everyone to take yet more photos and say goodbye to relatives and friends. We were happy to see and visit our Hazboun relatives from L.A. and Sacramento at the convention and I'm sure others had similar experiences.
Our thanks go to
the Convention committee – Joe and Arlette Dibsy, Muna and Ibrahim
Dayeh, Diana Bandak, Suheil & Suad Baddour, Amal Tafesh, Jessica
Qattawi, Hazzar Ghaoui, David & Leila Giries, Awni & Nadia Seikaly, Jack & Mary
Rock, Tony & Rima Handal, Irin Simon, Samantha Murad and others for
organizing such an enjoyable convention and putting so much hard work
and effort into making it a success.
Photo Gallery