Activities

• 1-   ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY -  2007:

  

   

  2-   REMEMBERING BETHLEHEM - 2007  Washington DC

   

  Remembering Bethlehem this Christmas

   

  2nd Annual

  Christmas Procession for Bethlehem

  Saturday, December 22, 2007

   

  Begins with a worship service in the

  Bethlehem Chapel of the National Cathedral

  3101 Wisconsin Ave. N.W., Washington, DC

  9:30 AM Gather

  10:00 AM Worship Service

  Planned joint service simulcast with the people of Bethlehem

   

  Procession will follow service; starting at 10:30 AM on Woodley Road.

   

  Mary and Joseph, with donkey, will lead the procession.

   

   

  Bethlehem, the city of Jesus' birth, is under occupation.  All its residents, including Palestinian Christians, are suffering.

   

  Behind the wall that separates neighbor from neighbor, patient from hospital, student from school and farmer from land, Palestinian Christians will continue to bear witness to their faith this Christmas, as they have done for generations.  Let us join our voices with theirs in seeking and offering hope for a better future.

   

  Sponsored by the Ad Hoc Committee for Bethlehem,

   the Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace

  and Sharing Jerusalem

   

  For updates on location and details, go to www.wiamep.org

  Or contact Samia Noursi at (703) 255-4150, samianoursi@cox.net

   

  For directions and parking info. go to www.cathedral.org

   

  • Annual Mother's Day Celebration - Pasadena, May 13, 2007: The Los Angeles Chapter is holding its annual Mother's Day Banquet & Party. It includes: Dinner, Maza and great entertainment. Lots of fun and prizes for the whole Family.
      Don't miss this beautiful family celebration, seats are limited, book now!

              (see details on the Arab World News site (scroll to bottom of that page) )

   

  • Annual Xmas Party - Pasadena, Dec 10, 2006: The Los Angeles Chapter is holding its annual Xmas Party. It includes: Dinner, Maza and great entertainment by David Wahhab and his band and singers Sameer Saado and Maurice Raad. Lots of fun and prizes for the whole Family.
                     Don't miss this great event, seats are limited, book now!

   

  • Trip to Bethlehem:  Arlette Dibsy, our active member in Los Angeles and wife of Board member Joseph Dibsy, led a group of eight Bethlehemites on a visit to Bethlehem in August. She visited the Arab Women Union, the Antonian Society and other organizations. On September 25, 2005, Ms. Afifeh Hazboun, president of the Antonian Charitable Society in Bethlehem returned the visit by coming to California. Joseph and Arlette Dibsy organized a reception for her at their home in Buena Park. Many Bethlehem Association members attended and a fund raiser was made for the Antonian Society. Photos and a short article on the event were reported in the Arab World News magazine; see link for details.

  • Los Angeles Chapter Meeting, Buena Park, CA , July 2005: The Los Angeles Chapter held a meeting hosted by Joe and Arlette Dibsy to discuss plans and activities after the cancellation of the Annual Convention. It was attended by the Los Angeles Board members and past President Edward Hazboun who had come from the East Coast. Arlette Dibsy was organizing a visit to Bethlehem with many family members and friends in August. Plans for a Christmas function both on the West and the East Coasts were discussed. Dr. Hazboun also met with Vice President William Shahin and his extended family in Santa Maria on July 03 to discuss the organization issues and future activities.  A proposed group visit to Bethlehem at Christmas or Easter was also discussed by conference call with George El-Hihi in San Francisco.

  • Mothers Day Hafleh and Summer Picnic, Los Angeles : (details pending)

  • Convention 2005 Planned for Natal, Brazil -  cancelled

  • Linda & Domingo Handal 50th Wedding Anniversary - April 30,  2005, Totowa, NJ.   The Handal family and many Bethlehemites from the East Coast joined in a great celebration for two of the founding Board members of the Bethlehem Association. It was a beautiful reunion of over 150 family and friends with a sumptuous reception, banquet and great dancing.  Thanks to many generous donors, $3,500 was raised for the Scholarship Fund.

  • South California Annual Christmas Party - December 11, 2004. This annual event was held at St. Pius V Hall, Buena Park, CA. It was a great social gathering of our community in Southern California. Three hundred members and guests attended; they celebrated Christmas in solidarity with their extended family in the birthplace of Christ.

  • Gala weekend in San Francisco - Oct 23-24, 2004. Bethlehemites from Northern California and elsewhere gathered in San Francisco for a successful Bay Area gathering to reorganize a Bethlehem Association Chapter in the Bay Area and Sacramento. [Report & Photos]

  • Mother's Day Party and Fundraiser - May 15, 2004:  The Bethlehem Association and the Nativity Charitable Organization hosted a Mother's day party and fundraiser to support family and relatives in Bethlehem [details]

  • Christmas Party and Fundraiser - December 2003:  The Bethlehem Association and the Nativity Charitable foundation organized a successful a Christmas party and fundraiser to support family and relatives in Bethlehem [Details]

  • Reception for Fr. Amjad Sabbara, Catholic Pastor of Bethlehem. We invite everyone to join our community in Los Angeles in welcoming Fr. Amjad Sabbara, the Pastor of St. Catherine's Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem at a reception and a late potluck lunch at St. Pius V Catholic Church, 7691 Orange Thorpe Ave., Buena Park, CA 90621. You may recall that Father Sabbara was the Franciscan priest in charge at St Catherine's during the 2 month Israeli siege of the Nativity Church. For information contact: Leila Giries (562) 869-1685 or Arlette Dibsy (714) 739-2260.
     

  • Annual Convention - 2003  We had another exciting and memorable convention this year in beautiful San Diego. People flew in from all over for this special convention, including Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, El Salvador, Honduras, Brazil, Venezuela, and both the east and west coasts. The three-day reunion at the elegant Town and Country Hotel Resort was a great success and the program had a little something for everyone. [Details]
     

  • Annual Convention - 2002  Planned for Houston-Texas in July 2002 was cancelled because of the very disturbing situation in Bethlehem. It is hoped that members will donate the savings made, by not attending a convention this year, to desperate families and friends in Bethlehem. See our appeal
     

  • Annual Convention - 2001  Was in Orlando, Florida, July 26 to 29, 2001 at the Marriott.  Go to Report and Photos
     

  • Annual Convention - 1999 was in Washington, DC at the McLean Hilton, August 14-18.   See the fun in Photos and News.

   

• Contact Bethlehemites all over the world: Exchange personal and community news through our message board and guest book.  Go to Guestbook.  (http://www.bethlehemassoc.org/forums/)
   

• Outreach Activities:
      

  • For Networking with other organizations.  Exhibits and talks on Bethlehem, representing the Association at other functions and events, writing letters to the media and government. Contact your regional representative below. Examples of Outreach to the Media.
         
        

• Regional Contacts: