Welcome to Kafarhata's GuestbookIf you have a minute, please sign our Guestbook
| Name: | Gail Railton |
| E-mail address: | gailrailton@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | I am told that my grandparents came from Karfarhata and I am interested in finding out if I have any relatives there. My grandmother's name was Sadie Esber. She became Sadie Mansour when she married my Grandfather, John Mansour. They emmigrated to The USA in the 1920's. First to Toledo, Ohio and then they moved to Los Angeles, Calif.
I would be interested in hearing from anyone who may have any information for me. Gail Railton (nee Mansour) |
| Country: | England |
| Name: | Tala |
| Comments: | Hi!
cant wait to see you all in summer! x |
| Country: | Abu Dhabi |
| Name: | murphy collins |
| E-mail address: | murcollins@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | Dear Sir,
Let me ve some business email contacts so that we continue our transaction. I await your reply |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | Surfing |
| Comments: | Thanks for allowing me to sign your guest book. You have a very impressive web site. Being a soul winner is an awesome experience. To the many outreach workers looking for working material, fishingforsouls.com has over 135 Christian tracts they can print direct from their web site free. God Bless, |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | tala and fwendz |
| Comments: | hi!!!!!!!!!
i miss kafarhata and cant wait until i come on da christmas holiday!! my fwendz say hi!!! kisses xxxxxx <3 :D ;D =) |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Name: | Ghida |
| E-mail address: | smartgogicute@hotmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://smartgogicute.bebo.com |
| Comments: | hey,
It has been so long since i have written about two years. I just want to say i can't wait to come to lebanon!!!and see all my relatives and friends.also i want give a shout out to my teta and jedo and all my other family waiting for me in lebanon.I love you guys and hope to see you soon xxx |
| Country: | U.A.E |
| Name: | rabia |
| E-mail address: | rabiamurab@hotmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.kickinchicken.org/forums/portal.com |
| Comments: | zajal lebnan zaglol wade3 el safi dabki fairouz............ |
| Name: | Fouad Abi-Esber |
| E-mail address: | fouadabiesber@yahoo.com.au |
| Homepage URL: | http://books.google.com.au/books?id=i-BxAAAACAAJ&dq=the+rise+and+fall+of+christian+minorities+in+lebanon |
| Comments: | I always miss my small village Kafarhata. I have made every effort to promote my village overseas through my book.I am also planning to write a book in English and in Arabic about Kafarhata. This will take me several years to do.I do also need the help of everyone. I only meed important document about the village, any previous book .I like also to search for writers. I like to produce a unique book for a unique village. I have obtained the main family tree of the main families in the village when I last visited the village. You can also read my previous book,'The rise and fall of Christians minorities in Lebanon on the above website. I also like to dedicate my new book series Math Doctor to my beloved village Kafarhata. i am no match to most educated people in my viollage who have achieved so much in their lives and the world. My very small contribution may encourage younger Kafarhatian to take the lead and hold the village name very high in the world.God bless Kafarhata and it's people.It is known that it has given ministers, lawyers, doctors enginneers and educators.
I also call for establishment of the world union of Kafarhatian people.God bless you |
| Country: | Sydney Australia |
| Name: | Mohammed Elahi |
| Comments: | I had a look at your website from my friend Jad Abi Esber who is a very proud Lebanese. Your little village looks very warmiing, beautiful and sincere community. And i bet if i ever visited that id be welcomed like a 'villager' as well. When i visit Lebanon i'd very much doubt i'd leave without visiting Kafarhata!
keep up the good progress! |
| Country: | Abu-Dhabi |
| Name: | mmugu |
| E-mail address: | mmugu@yahoo.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://1 |
| Comments: | mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu |
| Country: | lome togo |
| Name: | kassem raya |
| E-mail address: | admin@tamnin.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.tamnin.com |
| Comments: | nice site ;) |
| Country: | lebanon |
| Name: | jack |
| E-mail address: | jackibrahim@tpg.com.au |
| Comments: | Home Town! |
| Country: | Australia |
| Name: | Lilly Bergheim |
| E-mail address: | lilly.bergheim@online.no |
| Comments: | It looks like I have found an old friend from Lebanon on your site!!!
JIPPI!!! :) |
| Country: | Norway |
| Name: | Lilly Bergheim |
| E-mail address: | lilly.bergheim@online.no |
| Comments: | It looks like I have found an old friend from Lebanon on your site!!!
JIPPI!!! :) |
| Country: | Norway |
| Name: | Jessica Ward |
| E-mail address: | jlgrappe@ualr.edu |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | George Tamer Khalil |
| E-mail address: | george.blueocean@gmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://] |
| Comments: | It was quite some time ago that I visited farhata, however the memories are vivid. I've not been back for some time, but I hope to return in the near future. |
| Country: | Australia |
| Name: | walid kantari |
| E-mail address: | kantarilaw@kantarilaw.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.kantarilaw.com |
| Comments: | interesting website |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Name: | Nadim Abou-Absi |
| E-mail address: | elmarj-info@elmarj.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.elmarj.com |
| Comments: | Very good website. Keep up the good work.
You can visit our website to know us better. |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Name: | Rami S. |
| E-mail address: | ramisalem1@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | I have new ideas for This website, Please try to contact me, Thank you, Rami Salem |
| Country: | Clearwater, Florida, USA |
| Name: | mmugu |
| E-mail address: | mmugu@yahoo.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://1 |
| Comments: | mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu mmugu |
| Country: | lome togo |
| Name: | Abd El Na2ees |
| E-mail address: | na2ees@kifakinta.malainta |
| Comments: | No cares Omar...! |
| Country: | Mareekh |
| Name: | omar mansour |
| E-mail address: | sheguevara_6@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | hi everyone, it's been 3 weeks since i left i miss lebanon so much and i can't wait to come back again eventhough i m having fun in usa u know............ |
| Country: | usa |
| Name: | omar mansour |
| E-mail address: | sheguevara_6@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | hi everyone, it's been 3 weeks since i left i miss lebanon so much and i can't wait to come back again eventhough i m having fun in usa u know............ |
| Country: | usa |
| Name: | tala |
| Comments: | DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
I HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON. GOOD LUCK, FROM TALAXOX |
| Country: | UAE |
| Name: | RODNEY S. ESBER |
| E-mail address: | esber_rodney@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | I wonder why in our country, Philippines the surname ESBER are very few, also I found out that ESBER surname had so many in Kafarhata, Lebanon. Kafarhata seems a nice and good place to visit. |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Name: | Rose |
| Comments: | Hi,
I like your website. Keep improving it. BYE! |
| Country: | Philipines |
| Name: | Peter Shelfoon |
| E-mail address: | peterjames@pei.sympatico.ca |
| Comments: | Hi, I am trying to trace my origins to the exact City in Lebanon. It could be Deir Mimas but not sure.
I would appreciate any help from anyone who may know something. My grandfather's name is Joseph A Shelfoon born around 1880's Thenk You Peter Shelfoon |
| Country: | Canada |
| Name: | Liliane Issa |
| E-mail address: | lilianei@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | hey everyone in kafarhata,
i just wanted to say hi, I miss you all and see u this summer:D:D:D get ready!! LOVE YOU!!!(L) |
| Country: | Canada |
| Name: | Ghosn Leila |
| E-mail address: | leila.ghosn@club-internet.fr |
| Comments: | Je suis ravie, fière et émue de voir le site de mon village, de constater après de longues années que le nom et le souvenir de mon père Melhem Ghosn est toujours là!
Je vis depuis de longues années en France mais je suis toujours la fille du Liban Nord de KFARHATA. Fière de tous ses habitants et de ce qu'ils ont fait de mon petit village. Bravo pour le niveau culturel, pour l'embellisement de ce studieux village, pour ses hommes dont nous sommes tous fiers. Si je peux apporter au point de vue culturel ou artistique quelque chose à ce site, je le ferai avec joie de la France où je réside vous n'avez qu'à me le demander. Merci et continuez à améliorer et à avancer. Leila Melhem Ghosn mobile 06 98 82 70 50 home 01 76 00 16 31 |
| Country: | France |
| Name: | Claudia |
| E-mail address: | Claudiaaandfgirl@aim.com |
| Comments: | Hello Everyone....
i made it home! Thank you so much for all your prayers and hope! Let God be with you! Love you! Claudia |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | christina jabbour |
| E-mail address: | angel_2_die4@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | hey guys
miss you all so much. i finally got back to australia. i hope everyone is fine. were really worried about you guys. hope to see all of you soon. love christina x0x |
| Country: | NSW, Australia |
| Name: | celina jabbour |
| E-mail address: | bubble_joy_@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | hi everybody i am in kafarhata now and i am having a great time.
love u all sorry i actually hate u joking:) asta lavista baby lol c.j xox mwah so funny hahaha whats your favourite song by massari? love xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox |
| Country: | Australia |
| Name: | Mgbada joe |
| E-mail address: | maga@gmail.com |
| Comments: | I LOVE THIS SITE MAKE UNA KEEP ON WITH IT IS VERY NICE |
| Country: | AFRICA |
| Name: | Sam |
| E-mail address: | samesber@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hey guys watsup?!?!
Its JUNE 25, 9:30 pm, and IM COMING TO LEBANON TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CANT WAIT Hi Patric, Christina, an Celina Hey Jad, Tala, And Ghida SEE YOU GUYS THE SECOND I GET OFF THE PLANE!!!!! NO JETLAG CAN HOLD ME BACK!! CYA IN 1,1/2 DAYS CYAAA |
| Country: | AMERICA/LEBANON |
| Name: | christina jabbour |
| E-mail address: | angel_2_die4@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | OMGGG im so exiteddd..! im coming to lebanon in less than 3 weeks. i cant wait to see everyone there especially gedo Albert nad tayta Jamal..! im soo exitedd.
x0x |
| Country: | australia |
| Name: | Ronny |
| E-mail address: | sfinecs67@yahoo.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://steroidportal.com |
| Comments: | Your webpage is very informative for me. I'm a complete beginner to weight training. I'd like to make gains as fast as possible, but when I ask people how I should go about it all I keep getting different answers. And for those who are just getting started it can be very confusing. I understand what you are going through because I went through the something when I began bodybuilding. We all have to start somewhere, like there http://steroidportal.com/, and it can be overwhelming at times because people often make things more complicated then they really are. When you put aside all of the hype you can see that building muscle and losing fat is not very complex. What I am going to do is outline a good weight training, nutrition, and supplementation program that you can follow. You do not need to have much exercise equipment. In fact you can make great gains by training in a small home gym. So by gradually increasing the workload you put on your muscles your body will become bigger and stronger.. I'm looking for something else. |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | Victoria |
| Comments: | Great small country with good people! One of them is Cesar you are great person ! You are great friend! If Lebanon must ne great country if there are people like you! Victoria |
| Country: | Geo |
| Name: | Mauricio González Treviño Hamze |
| E-mail address: | magt@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hi, i'm Mauricio from Mexico. I am 18 years old. In a family reunion, my grandmother, Leyla Hamze, told us a little bit of her story and she told us about her father. Her father was Mahmoud Ale Hamse Yesdine. She told us that he is from Kafarhata and I am in a kind of investigation. Please, if someone knows about him or his actual family, contact me. Mahmoud ran away from Lebanon at his 13 years, he went to Argentina and later to Mexico. His name in America was Manuel Gonzalez Gonzalez.
Please someone who knos about him, i would be very pleased to know. Thanks |
| Country: | Mexico |
| Name: | Jad |
| E-mail address: | jadabiesber@yahoo.com/jadodude@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | The concrete jungle
The moving boxes The grey rivers The coulourful dots Beirut is more than that The heart of the body The love of the dots The city of ever-lasting happiness The city of never-lasting hopefulness The city of quick-ending arguments Through the ups through the downs It will still be The pearl of the Mediterranean The wave of the sea The leaf of the plant The branch of the tree The cloud of the sky The wing of the bee The sand of the beach You see a big happy family They live in the same building A few floors away from each other Children playing, jumping, smiling A lady in her 60’s walking towards me Her scent of fresh jasmines are skipping past me Adults sitting, talking, laughing, smiling Smiling. Fly to the sky Discover the giants With their vascular systems The streams that halt the sand The white woods The sot falling cotton. The mountains. With it’s perfumed breeze And it’s light coloured ink That seems ever so close. Find a place nestled in the bushes. A lively villiage rising from the olive trees A bald man of smart stature walking to his house Hidden behind a big mansion and a small corner shop Grape vines were swimming in the air. He politely bends down and slips a lirah into the man’s pocket. Smiling. It turns out he’s the mayor. You here the birds chirping a tune that lightly starts to move into your ear Tap the beat on your brain Your heart starts beating to the tune “We’re all for the country For the high for the flag We’re all for the country…” You realize it’s the Lebanese national anthem. Smiling. By: Jad Abi Esber (me) (13) |
| Country: | U.A.E. |
| Name: | Ibrahim FARAH |
| E-mail address: | ifarah@ogero.gov.lb |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.ogero.gov.lb |
| Comments: | very nice |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Name: | Richard Elias Bacha |
| E-mail address: | richardb@terra.com.br |
| Comments: | Dear Sirs,
I am proud to find my ancestors home town in this page. I will be visitng Kafarhata in May. I hope that somo people will help me to find Ayoub Elias family which is one of my grand father JORGE ELIAS AYOUB family who immigrate for Brazil in the last century. Thank you, Richard Bacha |
| Country: | Brazil |
| Name: | Jad, Safiya n moe |
| Comments: | Hi guys, this is saf! jads friend! luv all ya'll lebanese ppl;! u rok! N this is mo your website really rocks i wanna cum to the village!!!!!! save a seat for me! LOL
Cya in a few months JAD Abi Esber! |
| Country: | UAE |
| Name: | Claudia Esber |
| E-mail address: | Claudiaaandfgirl@aim.com |
| Comments: | Hello everyone!
i will see you this summer! Say hi to everyone for me! bye! |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | natty boo |
| E-mail address: | milkman135@aol.com |
| Comments: | i no this lebanese kid and he is crazy slick, lebanon is so slick and turkey! |
| Country: | bostwana |
| Name: | Claudia Esber |
| E-mail address: | Claudiaaandfgirl@aim.com |
| Comments: | hey everyone!
How is everyone in Kafarhata I hope to come and see everyone this summer! We all miss you very much! Best wishes to all, Claudia Esber |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | Claudia Esber |
| E-mail address: | Claudiaaandfgirl@aim.com |
| Comments: | hey everyone!
How are all of you? I love you! bye! Claudia Esber |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | Filman Esber |
| E-mail address: | esberfilman@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | Hello everyone,
This is a continuation of my brief overview regarding my grandfather's lineage. My grandfather's (who looks very european)name is Daniel Javier Esber and according to my father's account,he came from Spain on a Spanish galleon recruited by the Spanish government as mercenary.I have searched for Esber family name on many spanish documents but could not find one. I have worked in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as a company nurse for 22 years (1981 to 2003). There, a syrian friend from Latakia told me that there is a big christian Esber family who owned a famous restaurant. That was the first time I learned that my grandfather's long lost relatives could be there. After I visited your website, i realized that Kafarhata could be a more likely place my great-grandfather has originated. In my grandfather's birth place in Sorsogon a province in southern part of Bicol in the Philippines, there are about 3 families who sounds Kafarhata native family names, the ESBER, the BICHARRA and the HONASAN or could be GHONASAN.I hope I can learn more about Kafarhata, where I have a strange feeling, my great-grandfather's birth place. My mother has an old photograph of my grand father and it is surprising to note that his features are not Filipino just like the Bicharra and the Honasan (Ghonasan) family who could be from Kafarhata too. When I was in Jeddah,Saudi Arabia I have lots of Lebanese christian friends but not among them ever told me my surname Esber is lebanese in origin.I enjoyed eating lebanese foods like KUOBA NEH (raw fresh beef)rolled in a pita bread, ZAATAR and many more. Most of my lebanese friends are from Beirut. I hope that someday, I can visit Kafarhata and searched for my grandfather's relatives. Thank to your wonderful website, some of questions have been answered.By the way, me and my family will be migrating to Florida, USA very soon. Filman Esber |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Name: | filman esber |
| E-mail address: | esberfilman@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | hi, i'm surprised to know that my great grandfather's decendant is not a native of the philippines. i was always wondering how my granfather doesn't look like a filipino. although our features is very asian, it is always a big question mark to me how and why my grandfather looks european.i am begining to understsnd why there are very few ESBER in the philippines.i will be migrating to USA very soon and probably meet some the ESBER family.
Filman Esber |
| Country: | philippines |
| Name: | ALAA ISAA SARAHNEH |
| E-mail address: | SARAHNEH@YAHOO.CO.UK |
| Country: | JORDAN |
| Name: | Fadi Zafer Sakr |
| E-mail address: | fwego@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hi Kafarhata, and that includes all, residents and immigrants. I am willing to put time helping upgrade the site, and I am sure that a lot of new material can be uploaded. If I can help in any way let me know please. It would be great also if anyone has new photos of the area and mostly the village and its people to forward me those photos on my email.
Regards to all |
| Name: | Tala abi esber |
| Comments: | hello my name is tala,
i say hi to everyone there missing my teta & jedo and cousins nicole & sam plus all my friendz anne,nour,alia, yara&reem etc i actually come from kafarhata and always have a great time! bibi* tala! |
| Name: | Penelope Forestone |
| Comments: | Dear whoever it may concern,
I am Penolope 12 years of age, I live in London. I have visited Lebanon various times, as my dad goes there a lot for work. So I will sign this guestbook again sooner or later. Bye Bye or as we London people say, Talee-Ho! Yours sincerely, Penelope Forestone. Long live the Queen. |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Name: | Ghida Burcha |
| Comments: | Sory me rite a lot! exuse meself!
But realy I from vilag from next kafarhata sory so much love u all so mucha-lucha! Bye. Kelkon halween! And me birsday tommoroe! So happy birsday two me happy birsday two me Sory for mistakes, but me not tolk lots of engleish |
| Name: | Ghida\\ |
| Comments: | Hi! I love u all
xxxxx |
| Name: | Ghida\\ |
| Comments: | Hi! I love u all
xxxxx |
| Name: | Ghida\\ |
| Comments: | Hi! I love u all
xxxxx |
| Name: | talal elias sakr |
| E-mail address: | talalsakr@hotmail,com |
| Comments: | i like to see new incidents on the website kfarhata.com
for example new phones,new e-mails,residence etc.... |
| Country: | lebanon |
| Name: | George Rizk |
| E-mail address: | rizk_99@yahoo.com |
| Comments: | My best man is Kafarhatian and I would like to apply for citizenship in Kafarhata. Please advise me on this process.
|
| Country: | U.S.A. |
| Name: | Bassem Samaan |
| E-mail address: | Bassem@gardener.com |
| Comments: | Hello kfarhata. Although I'm not from this village, but my sister is married to George ferekh and she lives there. I spent so much time there, and everyone is so friendly. I remember drinking the water from the Ain, and the walk to the church.
I remember the old days when I used to play with my nephew nadim ferekh, and Salim.... many people leaving the village and Living abroad. I like to say hello to everyone I know in kfarhata. |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | mohamed morua |
| E-mail address: | alimorua@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | como puedo encontrar zajal de zaglol damur cracias |
| Name: | Jad Abi Esber |
| E-mail address: | jadodude@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hey guys,
I miss everyone there so much and i can't wait till the summer! I know it's along time till the summer, but I would like to just say that this summer we should include a larger variety of activities for the younger group of 'Kafarhatians'. For example; Organizing 4 groups or teams of kids and giving them a certain team name and as a team they would be included in several activities, like football (soccer), Basketball, Voleyball.....And at the end of the summer they would give the winning group a prize or trophy. If you like this idea I would appreciate it if you'd send me an email (at jadodude@hotmail.com). Just trying to make every summer funner..... Kafarhata ROX!!!!! ~*>.`!Jado Abi Esber!`.<*~ |
| Country: | UAE |
| Name: | tala |
| E-mail address: | coolgirltala |
| Comments: | Hi every one in kfarhata miss you all see u soon |
| Country: | UAE |
| Name: | ONYEZE MUMU |
| Comments: | GOOD WORK AND ALLH BLESS
I HAS BEEN HERE OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUMU |
| Country: | LOME |
| Name: | talal sakr |
| E-mail address: | sakr.talal@gmail.com |
| Comments: | i was a math teacher and director of kfarhata official secondary school.retired on 2000 |
| Country: | lebanon |
| Name: | maria krikorian |
| E-mail address: | maria |
| Comments: | maria |
| Country: | krikorian |
| Name: | Nicolas esber |
| E-mail address: | nicolas_esber@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | This is the first time i visit this site and i found it really nice .
thanks for all who they work to do this incredible job . it is really nice |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Name: | fouad Abi Esber |
| E-mail address: | fouadesber@optusnet.com.au |
| Homepage URL: | http://http://phoenicia.org/christiansmea.html |
| Comments: | Hi
I am happy to be able to have the opportunity to visit my village last month.I also have pleasure talking to the youth of Kafarhata about too many issues.I came to promote my book and everyone will have a free copy , when it will be printed in Lebanon.Otherwise people can still read it on the internet.Please give me your feedback. |
| Country: | AUSTRALIA |
| Name: | Cedars USA |
| E-mail address: | cedarsusa.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.cedarsusa.com |
| Comments: | Nice site, we added your link. Please visit our site.
Cedars Network USA a great American-Lebanese resource. |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | Jihad Elias |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.lebweb.com |
| Comments: | Very nice website for the very nice Kafarhata. |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Name: | Jorge Sawaya |
| E-mail address: | sawaya@fibertel.com.ar |
| Comments: | Estimados Amigos, desde la Argentina les mando mis saludos y felicitaciones por la pagina. Soy nieto de Georges Elias Sawaya y pariente muy cercano de Elie Y Bassam |
| Country: | argentina |
| Name: | Sônia Hercos |
| E-mail address: | soniahercos@terra.com.br |
| Comments: | Hi. I´m from Brazil and I´m studing about my family. I know that they came from Kafarhata. But our surname changed. I think that is Heros or Herus. Here we write HERCOS.
If somebody knows someone from this family, please, contact me. It will be so nice. Thanks! |
| Country: | Brazil |
| Name: | Fouad Georges Choueiri |
| E-mail address: | fouadchoueir@yahoo.fr |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Name: | fouad ABI-ESBER |
| E-mail address: | fouadesber@optusnet.com.au |
| Comments: | I would like to send you my new published book,'The rise and fall of christian minorities in Lebanon".
The Rise and Fall of Christian Minorities in Lebanon Fouad Daoud Abi-Esber BA.MA.UNSW.JP Published by: Academic Research , Sydney Australia Publication of the Academic Research Sydney, Australia 2005. Abi-Esber, Fouad. The rise and fall of Christian minorities in Lebanon. Bibliography. Includes index. ISBN 0 9757709 0 X. 1. Christians - Lebanon - Politics and government. 2. Christianity and politics - Lebanon. 3. Lebanon - Politics and government. I. Title. 956.9204 ©Copyright 2005 Fouad Daoud Abi-Esber No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author. This is the book version of the Graduate Diploma by Research thesis” The Rise and Fall of Christian Minorities in Lebanon" by Fouad Daoud Abi-Esber. University of New South Wales, Sydney 2002 This book was published by Academic Research. P.O.Box 9276 Harris Park NSW 2150 Mobile: 0414496272 Email: fouadesber@optusnet.com.au Printed by World of Print, 702 Harris Street, Ultimo CONTENTS Author remark 7 Synopsis 8 Acknowledgments 10 Book dedication 11 Preface 12 Chapter one Christian Status prior to 1945 14 Chapter two Christians maintained hold on power 29 From 1943-1975 Chapter three Christian Nationalism vs. Muslim 39 Nationalism Chapter four Christian Political parties and 48 Organizations Chapter five The Christian role in the Lebanese 64 Civil War of 1975-1990 Chapter six Causes of the Decline of the Christian 72 in Lebanon Chapter seven The End of the Lebanese Civil War and 91 the Ta’if Agreement the ‘Last straw’ Chapter eight Implication of the Christian’s decline 107 in Lebanon Diplomatic opinion Christians and the lions: From hostility to outright rejection of Syria by Ambassador Abdallah Bouhabib 110 Epilogue 116 Bibliography 119 Photo source 126 Logo source 127 Image dedication 128-134 AUTHOR REMARK Since the writing of this thesis in 2002, many things have changed in Lebanon. General Aoun had returned from exile on 7/5/2005 after the withdrawal of the Syrian troops from Lebanon on 26/4/2005. Also the assassination of ex-PM Rafic Hariri on 2/5/2005 was a major event in Lebanon. The passing of Hariri led to the independence uprising on 14/5/2005. In the next edition, I will include all the events which took place from 2002 up to the time of the next publication. The recent events of the adoption of 2000 electoral laws for this year election proves that Christian’s role have really fallen in Lebanon. What is needed is for the Christian and Muslim people to get united and refuse to follow corrupted traditional sectarian leaders who have ruled Lebanon since 1990. I would like to pay a tribute to all Christian and Muslim political leaders who have either being assassinated by foreign powers or by their own people. Moreover not forgetting all the victims of the Lebanese Civil War. SYNOPSIS The thesis traces the history of the Christian community in Lebanon. It discusses the reason for its loss of power in the last fifty years. There are many interpretations of the causes of the Christian loss of power in Lebanon; nevertheless, this thesis will focus on true events which took place in Lebanon and will give a balanced interpretation. Thus the reader will not be misinformed about Christian history in Lebanon. The first Chapter discusses the Christian status prior to 1945, where Christians enjoyed some privileges over Muslims. In the second chapter, it discusses Christians maintaining the hold of power from 1943-1975. It focuses on Christian-Israeli early relations, the Lebanese Civil unrest of 1958, the 1967 Arab-Israel war and the Palestinian increased involvement in Lebanon. The third Chapter explores how Lebanese Christians and Muslims espoused different nationalistic views. The spread of nationalism can be considered as one cause of the rise and fall of the Christians in Lebanon. The fourth chapter explores Christian political parties and their role in the rise and fall of Christians in Lebanon. The fifth chapter discusses the Christian role in the Lebanese Civil War of 1975-1990. It attempts to give a balanced and accurate interpretation of the events, which led to the Civil War. The sixth Chapter explores the causes of the decline of the Christian status in Lebanon. It focuses on four factors, the typical strife with the Muslims foes, the internal Christian division and fighting, foreign intervention and the voluntary or forced immigration of many Christians. In the seventh chapter, it discusses how the Civil War ended and how the Ta’if agreement made Christians lose privileges in favour of the Muslims. It also discusses major events, which indicate the steadily diminishing influence of Christians in Lebanon. The eighth chapter discusses the implication of the Christians’ decline in Lebanon. The thesis has been modified to include a valuable contribution from former Lebanese Ambassador Abdallah Bouhabib and several photos. The thesis finally considers that the Christian survival in Lebanon is uncertain In memory of my father, Daoud (David) Abi-Esber, 1941-2001 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Assoc.Prof. Ian J.Bickerton for supervising my thesis and for his assistance and guidance. I would like to thank Lord Jesus and my beloved wife Josephine who encouraged me to study. I appreciate the help of Maureen Mastellone, my brother, George Abi-Esber, Baheya Salibi, and my cousin Dr Abdallah Hayar, for their reading and commenting on my work. I would like also to thank Professor Ian Tyrrell, Dr Helen Milfull, Laurie Alsop, Jenni Granger, Inge Mayne and Laurie Ferguson MP for their support throughout my thesis. Moreover I would like to thank my Abi-Esber family (mother Marcelle, brothers Antoine and Nicholas and sister Mounira) for their support and encouragement over the past two years. Also my uncles Eddy, Samir , Charbel, Joseph, George Harb ,Unties ( Sawad Abi-Esber , Samira Ayoub, Josephine Dib Abi-Esber, Houda Saba). Final thanks to the moral support of all my brothers and sisters in Lebanon and Brazil. BOOK DEDICATION Finally I would like to dedicate this book to my wife, Josephine, and my two children , Rita and David-Elia Abi-Esber, Anthony Amid Abi-Esber, Salim Abi-Esber, Hana Esber, Salim George Khalaf, Michael Tawk, NSW Governor Marie Bashir, NSW premier Bob Carr, Laurie Ferguson (Reid Federal MP), Barbara Perry (Auburn MP), Julie Owen (Parramatta Federal MP), Archbishop Paul Saliba, Bishop Ad Abi-Karam, Bishop Issam Darwich, Nicholas Mansour, Abdallah Bouhabib, Najah Wakim, General Michel Aoun, Samir Geagea, Boutros Harb, Gebran Tueini, Bruce Bailey (GIO insurance), Kim Yeadon (Granville MP), David Borger (Parramatta Mayor), Michael Newton from WEA College, Kamal Dastyari (Angus Roberston Merrylands), David Maggs (Business World Parramatta), Walid Kalouch, Michael & Chery Ayoub, Maurice Marcos, Dr Mounir Younan, Dr Mounged Dagher, Dr Elham Nashed, Dr Fady Sidrak, Dr Arvan Najjar, Solomon Rofael, Naomi Berman, Benjamin Barrak, Majeda Abboud-Saab (SBS Arabic Radio), Joseph Khoury (Future newspaper), Antoine Kazzi & Mamdouh Sukariya (El-Telegraph newspaper), Anwar Harb (Nahar newspaper), Hussein Khoshnow (Al-Furat Newspaper), Edmon Tawk (Australian Business Directory), Abu Hussein mixed business, Milad Abla, Tony Kattar, Tony Mattar, Fred Bounassif , Murad Hanifa, Mahmoud Farhat, Younis Hassib (World of Print), Amir Karimi (Aria digital production), Joe Becharra ,my previous / existing students of Unique Coaching Academy & WEA College especially, Louie Haykal & George Kafrouni and to the University of New South Wales. PREFACE Christians in the Middle East are fast disappearing from the area. The Lebanese Christians, who constitute the only influential Christian community in the Middle East, are fast declining in numbers and power. This paper discusses the history of the Christian minority in Lebanon, and the decline of their hold on political power, in favour of the Muslim majority. It will focus on the Christian contribution to the cause of the civil war and the Ta’if accord which brought an end to that war. The paper will be divided into eight chapters. The paper will start by giving a brief overview of the special influential Christian position in the 19th century and its survival during the 1860 civil war with the Muslim Druze. Then it will discuss the role of Christians in the formation of the Lebanese Republic and Lebanese independence. Christian nationalism is looked at in depth, in order to discover the roots of the civil war with the Muslims. Moreover, it was the existence of many different ideological Christian parties that incited the Civil War. This paper will concentrate on the role of Christians in the Civil War of 1975-1990. The main focus will also be on the causes of the decay of Christian status in Lebanon. In 1990, the Civil War ended following the Christian Army’s General Michel Aoun defeated by the Syrian military. The paper will show how at the end of the Civil War, Christians were perceived as losers and Muslims as winners of the civil war. It will demonstrate that the role of the Lebanese Christians has become negligible and it is a matter of time when the Christians will surrender their remaining powers to their Muslims counterparts. Chapter One Christian Status prior to 1945 The Birth of Christianity in Lebanon and the Advent of Islam Despite the fact that Islam prevailed 600 years after Christianity, the Middle East is now overwhelmingly populated with Muslims, with the Christian minority comprising about 14 million Christians or 10% of the population. The Christians, mainly Maronite, have existed in the area, of what is known today as Lebanon since the fourth century, and moved in large numbers to Mount Lebanon (Jabal Loubnan) in the eighth and ninth centuries. The Maronites took their name from John Maron, a learned monk who was Patriarch of Antioch in the 8th century . The Muslim (Shi’ite, Sunni and the Druze sects) community emerged in Mount Lebanon at a later stage. Marguerite Johnson traces the heritage of the Lebanese Christians directly to Jesus . By the 5th century, Christianity became the dominant religion in the area of Lebanon . After the forceful advent of Islam beginning in the 7th Century, many Christian communities along the coast of Lebanon converted to Islam. However, the mountains of Lebanon remained a Christian haven. Peter Kolvenbach saw that the history of Lebanon’s Christians and the history of Lebanon were so intertwined that without the Christians, and especially its Maronite sect, there would not have been a Lebanon and without Lebanon the destiny of Christians in the Middle East would have been different . The 1860 civil war between the Maronites and the Druze erupted when Maronite peasants revolted against their landlords who were given land ownership by the Ottoman Empire. The Druze launched a pre-emptive strike against villages in the north with the help of Turkish officials . Engine Akarli mentioned that few Shi’ites and SUNNIS joined the Druze against the Maronites and the Greek Orthodox Christians (even though the Greek Orthodox had been friendly with the Druze before this incident) . Akarli said that the Ottoman troops themselves failed to stop the Druze attacks due to their unwillingness to fight fellow Muslims . The 1860 civil war left more than 15,000 Christians dead and more than ten thousand homeless . Later, however, the Ottoman foreign ministry imprisoned the Druze leaders involved in the war, and even punished a number of Ottoman officers and officials for having failed to prevent the 1860 civil war . This was the first Lebanese Civil War between Christians and Muslims. It is important to note that the Maronites had been subject to persecution by the Turkish rulers over centuries. However, the 1860 war was the first of its kind between the Lebanese people themselves. It is hard to ignore the role of the Maronite Church in Lebanon in any study of the Christian political status in Lebanon. The role of the Maronite Church in Lebanon focused on strengthening the status of Christians during the Ottoman rule. Following the purge of the Druze leadership by the Turkish authorities, the Maronite Church emerged as the only significant institution in the Lebanese Mountains . The Church’s special position encouraged it to aspire to greater influence. It was very conscious not only of the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Christians over the Druze in the Mountains, but also of the greater educational and material advances of the Maronites. The 1860 events had created uproar in Europe, particularly in France. Although the Turkish Empire took swift action against the Druze, a large French force landed in Beirut for the purpose of protecting the Maronites and other Christians . Foreign intervention by the French persuaded the Ottoman Empire to form a small force in Mount Lebanon, which comprised of 160 men, 97 Maronites, 40 Druze, 16 Greek Orthodox, 5 Greeks Catholics and 2 Muslims . Later on, Mount Lebanon was able to mount a military force of 10,000 men where Arabic replaced Turkish as the language of command and instruction. This development helped to strengthen the Christians who were the main core of the force. Moreover Christians were happy to be given a sort of autonomy by the Muslim Turkish Empire. John Spagnolo wrote that in this particular period of 1860, international communities were looking after the interests of communities within Lebanon of a similar faith. For example, Russia wanted three seats to be reserved for the Greek Orthodox. In its turn, France wanted the Maronite representation to be increased on the administrative council of the mutasarrifiyya . The protection of Christianity by the international community helped increase its survival chances in the midst of the Muslim conquest in the Middle East region. Marguerite Johnson noted that from the Byzantines and the Crusades in the Middle Ages to the French and Americans in 1984, the Christians have repeatedly relied on foreign powers to guarantee their survival and political power . Photo 1: Lebanese Christian leader Youssef Karam who have fought against Druze. Autonomous government and birth of sectarian power sharing following the 1860 Civil War The origin of the Christian hold of power in Lebanon can be dated back to 1861. In 1861 foreign powers imposed what is known as the “Reglement Organique” in which the Ottoman government designated Mount Lebanon as an autonomous Ottoman province to be ruled by a non-Lebanese Ottoman Christian governor, selected by the Sultan, and approved by the great powers of Europe. The autonomous province was to become a special Ottoman governorate or mutasarrifiyya . A new 12-member council whose seats were allocated on a sectarian basis aided the governor. Aziz Abu Hamad said that this system increased the Maronites power at the expense of the Druze and other sects . In the opinion of one historian, Aziz Abu Hamad, Christians from 1861 were able to be autonomous during the Ottoman rule. This was very crucial for the development of their nationalism and their aim of forming a Christian state. Many Maronites conceived the mutasarrifiyya as the basis for an independent Lebanon that would be a Christian bastion and an out-post of Western Europe in the Middle East . The Christian–Druze confrontation spilled into the beginning of the twentieth century. For instance, in September 1903, Christian and Muslim clashes resulted in the death of 7 Christians and 15 Muslims. An estimated 20,000 Christians, mainly Maronites, took refuge in the mountains until sectarian tempers cooled . The French mandate and the increase of the Christian political influence Christian power in Lebanon increased in September 1920 with the establishment of the state of Lebanon under the French mandate. The creation of Grand Liban (Greater Lebanon) by general Gouraud, High Commissioner for Syria and Lebanon, was the first step taken by France to fulfil its pledges to its traditional Lebanese Christians, especially the Maronites for the establishment of a Christian state with extended borders, and under French protection was the realisation of a centuries old dream of Christians especially the Maronites. For the Muslims in Syria and the areas newly attached to Lebanon (Akkar, Tripoli, Beirut, Bekaa and the South), however, it was the final blow in a series of demoralising events which had began six weeks earlier, with the defeat of the Arab army at Maisalun, and the subsequent occupation of Damascus by the French and the expulsion of Faisal the Syrian king from Syria . The Lebanese Muslims were disappointed about not being able to unite with the Muslim dominated Syria. Christians welcomed the French mandate power that sided with them. The governance system, which the French designed for Lebanon, favoured Christians over Muslims. The establishment of a pro-Christian system strengthened the status of the Christians in Lebanon and in the Middle East. Abbot Paul Na’aman adjudged the establishment of the republic of Greater Lebanon to the efforts of the Maronite Church, and considered it as the Church’s greatest accomplishment . Following the creation of Greater Lebanon in 1920, the relations between Muslims and Christians in Lebanon deteriorated rapidly; Muslims attacked Christian villages in Lebanon . The creation of Greater Lebanon set a time bomb by forcing Muslims, whose allegiance was to Syria and to the Arab nation, to be citizens of the new state . Eyal Zisser explained that the Christian population in Lebanon dropped from 85 per cent to 54 per cent once the new areas were added to the new region of Lebanon’s Mountain . The creation of Greater Lebanon would contribute to their fall 70 years later, with the addition of those Muslim populated areas. Sami Ofeish elaborated that the sectarian system was at work as early as 1920s: Seats in the first parliament, initiated in 1926s were allocated on a sectarian basis. The sectarian allocation of top state offices also started to take shape during this period, although the Christian elite predominantly filled them . Christians were given the lion share of the top state offices. The problem with the Lebanese political system is that it was sectarian from the beginning. It benefited the Christians in the beginning and later the Muslims under the Ta’if agreement. The 1943 PACT It is very important to look carefully at the structure of the Lebanese political sectarian regime. That structure has ensured Christian political dominance until 1990. The sectarian system was reinforced with the declaration of independence in 1943 following the collapse of the French mandate. President Bishara al-Khouri (a Christian) and Prime Minister Riad Soleh (a Muslim) joined in an unwritten agreement, which was called the National Pact. The National Pact set a new political system for Lebanon. It resolved to preserve the position of the presidency for the Maronites, the premiership for the Sunnis, and the parliament speakership for the Shi’ites. Moreover, the Pact agreed to distribute parliamentary seats, cabinet posts, administrative and army positions at all levels on a sectarian basis. Sami Ofeish said that the National Pact favoured Christians and in particular the Maronite elite . The 1943 Pact cemented the Christian political power, which was given to them in the 1920s by the French Mandate. It enabled Christians to rule Muslims for the next 32 years until it started to crack in 1975. Certainly, Christians enjoyed overwhelming control of the political system, despite the allocation of the next two top political office positions to Muslims. Photo 2: President Bishara al-Khoury, the hero of the independence Similarly Mark Tomass noted that the Christians acquired the lion’s share of sectarian jobs: This pervasive sectarianism was reflected in the constitution of 1943 drawn under the French Mandate (1920-1945). It allocated specific government posts to sect leaders. Because of their greatest and specific ties to France, Maronite-Christians acquired the lion’s share of posts . All the above may give the indication that the Christians were given the edge over the Muslims, and, therefore, they dominated the country until the start of Civil War. Photo 3: Pierre Gemayal, another Christian hero of the independence Chapter Two Christians maintained hold on power from 1943-1975 This chapter argues that the Christians managed to hold on to power despite the Muslims attempt to demand a far more share of power from the Christians. According to Brenda Seaver, the Lebanese political situation between 1943-1975 endured periods of severe internal strain. The major causes of this strain were the 1958 civil war, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the influx of Palestinian refugees and the PLO’s arrival in Lebanon1. These above-mentioned events would serve as a catalyst for the civil war of 1975 and the fall of the 1943 political system in 1990. The establishment of the new state of Israel and its effects on Christian_Muslims in Lebanon The creation of Israel in 1948 greatly affected the cordial harmony between the Lebanese Christians and Muslims. The reason for this is that some Christian leaders publicly met with Israel. However, Muslims saw Israel as the main enemy to the Arab world and that any cooperation with it would be considered treason. Patriarch Antoine Arida was the first Christian leader to sign a Zionist-Maronite treaty of 19462. The treaty laid down the guidelines for the establishment of close ties and co-operation between the Maronites in Lebanon and the Jewish Yishuv in Palestine, on the basis of mutual recognition of rights and national desires3. The Christians made no secret of the fact that they believed that they could benefit from the ties and experience of the Jewish Yishuv4. Eyal Zisser explained the reason for the Maronites seeking ties with Israel: The only thing the Maronites wanted was to recruit discreetly Israel support for their struggles in the Lebanese domestic arena, keeping these connections as tightly under wraps as possible5. Despite the fact that the parties involved did not execute the treaty, it shows how Christians were looking for an ally to protect them from the enemy within namely “the Muslims” who started to gradually distance themselves from the National pact of 1943. According to Eyal Zisser, there were other Christian leaders who voiced their sympathy to the Zionist movement publicly, namely the archbishop of Beirut, Ignatius Mubarak6. Since the Muslims saw Israel as an obstacle for a mightier Muslim Arabic world, they sought support from outsiders such as the Palestinians in the early stages of the Lebanese Civil War and Syria in the later stages. The Civil Unrest of 1958 The political power of the Christian political elite was challenged in 1958. The country was shaken during this period. In 1958 Syria and Egypt came together in the United Arab Republic (U.A.R) under full Egyptian command. The union received support among the majority of the Lebanese Shi’ites and Sunnis7. The Lebanese government dominated by Christians was fearful of the supporters of the pro-Arab unity who were trying to topple the government. President Camille Chamoun backed by the bulk of Christians was absolutely determined to preserve Lebanon. As a consequence, only a small spark was needed to ignite widespread violence8. Therefore on 8th May, unknown assailants killed an anti-regime Maronite journalist in Tripoli (the Second largest Lebanese city). Public order instantly collapsed in Tripoli and the Muslim sections of Beirut, as riots extended into the mobilisation of gangs and small militias by radical parties Nasserites and Ba’th9. President Chamoun, a Christian, asked the Eisenhower administration to curb the civil unrest of 1958. The Eisenhower administration quickly responded by sending 10,000 Marines, in order to shore up the government’s forces. Aziz Abu-Hamad cited that the Maronite-led government troops and the Maronite militia battled an alliance of Muslim militias and their leftists and Nasserite allies in Tripoli, Beirut, Sidon and Tyre10. Aziz added that the 1958 crisis was defused when President Chamoun dropped his plans for a second term11. Christians and Muslims were finally content with the election of the army commander Fouad Shihab as the new president, and, consequently, the US withdrew from Lebanon. During the 1958 civil war, the Christians dominated government fought alongside the Maronite militia against Muslims and leftists. Even though the 1958 war was caused by the clash of pro-Lebanese sovereignty and pro-Arab unity groups, it reinforced the belief that the Lebanese community was divided along sectarian lines. Thus, the Christians favoured Lebanese sovereignty while the Muslims favoured Lebanon joining a more desired unified Arabic League Nation. The 1967 Arab-Israel War and the Palestinian increased involvement in Lebanon The 1967 Arab-Israel war further strained the relationship between Christians and Muslims. This was due to the fact that the Lebanese political leadership refused to commit its troops to the June 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The non-commitment enraged many Lebanese Muslims12. After the defeat of the Arabs in the 1967 war, the Palestinians started to launch attacks against Israel from Lebanon. Israel retaliated by shelling Lebanese towns and villages. Photo 4: A Palestinian fighter in Lebanon Aziz Abu-Hamad showed that the Palestinian military action against Israel divided Christians and Muslims again: Muslim leaders proclaimed support for the Palestinian cause, Christian leaders expressed their opposition to dragging Lebanon into the Middle East conflict13. Although Lebanese Muslims had only minority representation in the Lebanese Parliament, they outnumbered Christians in 1968. This was largely due to the higher rates of Christian emigration and higher Muslim birth rates. Aziz Abu-Hamad explained that in 1968, Muslims demanded several government changes including an end to the accord that reserved key positions for Maronites, such as the Commander of the army and the Governor of the Central Bank14. The Cairo agreement of 1969 gave Palestinians the right of autonomous administrative control over their refugee camps in Lebanon. Christians objected to the agreement arguing that it was a betrayal of Lebanese sovereignty15. The Christians’ anger compelled Christian parties such as Phalanges (Kata’ib) and Camille Chamoun’s National Liberal parties to establish military camps for their militias16. These newly trained Christian militias assisted the Lebanese army in their clashes with Palestinians in 1970. Although that crisis was temporarily resolved by reaffirming the Cairo Agreement, the Christian leadership, girded for the next round, determined to uphold Lebanese sovereignty and the Christian character of Lebanon17. The Jordanian army expelled Palestinian fighters in September 1970 from Jordan. The move was aimed to stop the Palestinians from attacking Israel who used to militarily retaliate by bombing Jordan18. Many expelled Palestinian fighters entered Lebanon taking advantage of the 1969 Cairo agreement, which granted Palestinians relative autonomy in Lebanon. Aziz Abu-Hamad said that several Lebanese factions, mostly Muslim and leftist groups, used the PLO’s autonomy and political and military power to press for greater participation in decision-making19. Photo 5: Palestinians in military action against Christians During the 1973 Arab–Israeli war, differences between Christians and Muslims deepened. The Christians were upset to see South Lebanon a battlefield between Israel and the Palestinians, while the Muslims took the opportunity in return to show dissatisfaction with their economic and political status in a Christian dominated political system20. Photo 6: Christian militia training before the start of the civil war Chapter Three Christian Nationalism vs. Muslim Nationalism This chapter explores nationalism in Lebanon. Nationalism can be considered as one cause of the rise and fall of Christianity in Lebanon. Meir Zamir described the spread of Christian nationalism in Lebanon as one of the three nationalistic movements that emerged simultaneously in the Middle East. The other two being the Muslim and Jewish movements1. It is very hard for people with different nationalistic persuasions in the same country to stay unified. I will limit my study to the Christian and Arabic/ Muslim nationalism, due to the fact that Lebanon housed only few a hundred Jews. Theodor Hanf stated that the Lebanese nationalists, mainly Christians, tried to prove that Lebanon had existed since time immemorial and stressed its independence and uniqueness. He added that Arab nationalists, usually Muslims, tended to present the history of what is now known as Lebanon as a provincial chapter in the history of Arab-Islamic empires2. He added that there had been disputes about when which part of the country was first called Lebanon, and whether one or other of the contemporary communities was already a nation in the past3. Marguerite Johnson identified Christian nationalism in terms of their distinctive cultural identity in the Middle East4. The cultural character of the Christian community was rooted in their religious separateness from the rest of the Near East and was nourished by centuries of long cultural ties with Western Europe. Christian nationalism helped increase their survival chances in Lebanon. However, it also contributed to their own downfall. Their nationalism clashed with Muslim and Arabic nationalism. The Muslims showed an equal resolve to claim Lebanon and tried to remove the Lebanese Christians from political power. In Lebanon, until recently, most Christian children were taught that Lebanon is a Phoenician and a western oriented nation, while most Muslim children students are taught that Lebanon is an Arabic country and an integral part of its Islamic World. Many Christians believe that they are Lebanese and not Arabs. Ghassan Hage reasoned that the Muslim Shari’a’s differentiation of people on the basis of their religious identity led Christians to become acutely conscious of their status as a religious minority5. The biggest fear Christians have had is how to survive in such a Muslim dominated region. This has prompted them to deny Muslims the opportunity to turn Lebanon into an Arabic and Muslim nation. This was done by spreading their notion of nationalism, which they associated with Lebanese sovereignty away from Arabic and Islamic influences. Christian nationalism made the Christians reluctant to share their power with Muslims until the commencement of the 1975 Lebanese civil war. They were worried about their future as a minority, surrounded by a majority Muslim population that was hungry to claim its fair share of power due to their superiority of numbers. Lebanese Christians were always keenly mindful of past atrocities inflicted on their brethren in the Middle East at the hands of the Muslims- namely the demise of Armenians in Turkey and the persecution of Coptic Christians in Sudan and Egypt. The majority of Christians associate themselves with Phoenician roots and not to the Arab Bedouin (Originally Arab). Antoine Najm did not agree that nationalism ran along strict religious lines. He saw that Arabists, be Christian or Muslim, aspired to either annex Lebanon to the “Greater Arab Nation” or to establish an Islamic or quasi-Islamic state. Lebanese nationalists rejected this political stand6. The clash of nationalism between Christians and Muslims in Lebanon may be illustrated by a recent incident surrounding the celebrated poet Khalil Gebran. Recently, the American Maronite Union wrote to the American Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, clarifying that the famous Lebanese poet Khalil Gebran is Lebanese and not an Arab7. Their protest was to the Middle East Descent Association in America, honouring Khalil Gebran as an Arabic American in the presence of Powell8. Tom Harb the chairman of the American Maronite union explained: While we certainly would not be opposed to any party that would honor Khalil Gibran, we express our concerns as the identification of this great Lebanese-American as an “Arab-American”9. David Gordon discussed the view of Muslims and Christians about each other. He outlined Muslim opinion about Christians as follows: Firstly, Muslims rejected the maintenance of a Christian state. They objected to the way power was distributed so that it enabled Christians, particularly Maronites, to dominate a nation whose majority were Muslims. Moreover, Muslims believed that power should be based not upon sectarian distribution but upon the principle of one vote per person. Secondly, Muslims claimed that the Christian establishment has repeatedly sought to split Lebanon, politically and culturally, from the Arab world. They argued that the Maronites supported the crusaders and that the Maronite Patriarch Ignatius Mubarak had explicitly supported Israel. Thirdly, Muslims argued that the Christian establishment had favoured and promoted private and foreign education, in order to erode the position of the Arabic language. Typically, Muslims believed that many textbooks had Photo 7: Two of Lebanese forces strong Christian national leaders Samir Geagea and Bashir Gemayel belittled Arab accomplishments and promoted the image of Lebanon as once a Phoenician and now a Christian state10. The Christians’ view of Muslim nationalism was put succinctly also by David Gordon. He explained that Christians believed that Arab nationalism was inevitably "Muslim". He added that they further claimed that Muslims were hypocritical in calling for a secular state, while at the time never abandoning their “personal status” (according to which matters of inheritance and marriage are determined by Koranic prescription). Lastly, Christians believed that integration of Lebanon politically or economically into the Arab world with its authoritarian and socialist tendencies, would only jeopardise the freedom and prosperity that both Muslims and Christians enjoyed in Lebanon. Christians further saw that the realisation of Muslim demands would be killing the goose that laid the golden egg11. The Christians’ belief was that Arab nationalism was inevitably Muslim. This is true, owing to the fact that the ordinary Arabic citizens and government stressed the Islamic nature of the Arab world. This chapter explored how Lebanese Christians and Muslims espoused different nationalistic views. The spread of this divided nationalism was made easier by the existence of political and religious political parties, which I will discuss in the next chapter. Photo 8: Lebanese force has it’s own version of a cross Chapter Four Christian Political Parties and Organizations This chapter explores Christian political parties, and their role in the rise and fall of Christians in Lebanon. These parties have used nationalism as a vehicle to promote their political platforms. These political parties were involved in the 1975 civil war. Moreover, despite the end of the civil war in 1990, the Lebanese Christian parties still try to influence politics in Lebanon. These parties’ aim has been to be recognised as the ones who safeguarded the Christians’ rights in Lebanon. The Phalanges Party (Kata’ib) It was clearly the single most important actor among Lebanese Christians in the events leading to the 1975 crisis. In the early 1950s, the Phalanges became a parliamentary party and a participant in the traditional game of Lebanese politics1. It recruited non-Christian and non-Maronite members. Yet, the Phalanges remained essentially a Maronite party and according to Rabinovich, the Lebanese entity it envisaged was in reality Christian2. In the summer of 1975, when it appeared that the preservation of Christian control over the traditional political system in Greater Lebanon was no longer feasible, the party, or at least its radical wing, opted for the less desirable goal of a smaller Christian Lebanon based in East Beirut, the Northern part of Mount Lebanon, and the coastal area north of Beirut3. This sentiment was expressed through the publication of an interesting pamphlet by the Maronite Intellectual Centre in Kaslik, under the title Greater Lebanon a half century’s tragedy. The pamphlet stated that the creation of Greater Lebanon in 1920 by the French mandate was not in favour of the Christians. However, as events later showed, Muslims were not just interested in taking power in Lebanon but also to prevent Christians from ever forming a small or larger Christian Lebanese nation. As a result, the party was very interested in protecting Christian interest in a country, which started to slip away from them in favour of the Muslim majority. The Phalanges party was divided between two schools of thoughts-the school of thought represented by Pierre Gemayel’s elder son Amine and that of Karim Pakradouni. They believed that Lebanon’s Christians could only survive by coming to terms with their environment. It sought accommodation with Syria, with Lebanese Muslims and with the larger Arab world. The second school of thought was represented by Amine’s younger brother Bashir, who, in the summer of 1976, became the Commander of the party’s armed forces. This school according to Itamar Rabinovich is sceptical of Arab and Muslim willingness to tolerate a Lebanese Christian entity in their midst, and believed in the need to develop that entity’s resources, the establishment of an alliance with Israel, the mobilization of the Lebanese Christian Diaspora, and the obtainment of American support4. The second school of thought prevailed over the first one. When Bashir sidelined his older brother, many believed that Bashir ignited strong nationalistic support among Christians. He later became the President of the country for twenty-one days, until his assassination. His brother succeeded him but was much weaker than he. Photo 9: Amine Gemayel The Lebanese Forces Logo 1: Lebanese forces The Phalange army called itself the Lebanese Forces (LF). It mustered up to 20,000 troops, of which a core of 3,000 was a full-time soldier. Under the leadership of William Hawi, and later of Bashir Gemayel, it evolved into a formidable and highly organized fighting force. The Phalange party practised conscription in the area it controlled, drafting eligible young men to swell its ranks. In internal fighting throughout the Civil War and up to 1982, the Lebanese Forces consolidated its leadership of the Lebanese Christian Front by assimilating other Christian militia, often by force5. Photo 10: Lebanese forces soldiers praying to God, in order to help them to fight for survival The National Liberal Party Logo 2: National Liberal Party The Phalanges‘principal ally in the Lebanese front, Camille Chamoun’s national Liberal party, was a markedly dissimilar political formation6. A small party organized around the person and personality of its leaders, it lacked the coherent doctrine, elaborate structure, and large membership of its senior partner, the Phalanges. Camille Chamoun presided over Lebanon from 1952 until 1958. He was a bitter opponent and critic of Pan-Arab nationalism, and the only Arab ruler who accepted the US president Dwight Eisenhower’s doctrine, which was aimed to help the Middle East nations fend off armed aggression from any communist nation. It even offered to protect the political independence of such nations7. The party is currently heading the opposition against Syria’s presence in Lebanon. Al Marade Party This 3,500-strong unit, also called the Marada (Giants) Brigade, was named after a Byzantine border guard in ancient Lebanon. They represented the interests of Suleiman Franjieh, President of Lebanon at the outbreak of the Civil War. It was also called the Zhagartan Liberation Army after Zgharta, Franjieh’s hometown. It operated out of Tripoli and other areas of northern Lebanon, but it also fought in Beirut. The military alliance between the Phalanges and the Marada, which was evident at the start of the 1975 Civil War, ended on June 13, 1978, with a surprise Lebanese Forces (LF) attack on Ehden, the Marada headquarters, during which the Marada commander, Tony Franjieh was killed8. The Order of Maronite Monks The Maronite church has played a big role in Lebanese politics. It has sought to safeguard the right of Christians. During the 1975 Lebanese Civil War, Patriarch Paul (Bulus) Khureysh, the head of the Maronite Church, did not have any political impact9. On the other hand, the head of the order of Maronite monks Father Charbel Qassis took the activist and militant line within the Maronite church. The Maronite Monastic order, the owners of a sizable portion of Lebanon’s agricultural land, provided financial and political support to the Maronite militias10. The Order of Maronite Monks militia consisted of 200 priests11. Father Paul Na’aman, another powerful militant cleric, later replaced Quassis12. Rabinovich explained that Maronite monasteries were storing weapons, ammunition, and food for Christian militias13. Priests saw the need to protect Christians against Palestinians and Muslims who were threatening the status quo of Christians. Maronite League The Maronite League was a militant militia headed by Shaker Abu Suleiman, an ardent supporter of Qassis. Like the Guardians of the Cedar (see below), it was a purely Maronite militia without the inhibitions of the politically sophisticated Phalanges and National Liberals. It, therefore, chose to fight alongside these groups rather than to merge with them14. The Guardians of the Cedars The Guardians of the Cedars consisted of about 500 men15. Although they advocated a non-confrontational confessional ideology, the Guardians have in practice been among the fiercest fighters for the Christian cause. The political and military le |
| Name: | Martha Musse |
| E-mail address: | marthamusse@ilhanet.com.br |
| Comments: | Hello!
My name is Martha and i´m from Brazil. I am sourching for my relatives in Lebanon, it´s the family Musse. They have come from Kfar Akka ou Kafarhata i don´t know the exactaly name of the city. WOuld anyone helpe me please? |
| Country: | Brazil |
| Name: | Marie Fidawi |
| E-mail address: | fabtania@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hello |
| Country: | Australia |
| Name: | Dave Elias |
| E-mail address: | dmelias@verizon.net |
| Comments: | Nice website. I'm not from your village. My village is Aaba. However, I'd like to see more Lebanese villages go online so that those of us abroad can see what is going on at home. Keep up the good work. |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | israelnicolinomoura |
| E-mail address: | israelnicolinomoura@bol.com.br |
| Comments: | nicolas,tank for atentions for me,i write after for you,my family is cristhian,surname is yosef an sassina,my relativies ,my grandfather is ezau jose moura,your brothes,is elias(birth kafarhata),miguel(birth kafarhata),helenah,genoveva(is married of jon girjis(joao jorge),your father is jose moura(surname yosef) and your mother sofia sassina(i believe surname sasseen),imgration to america in 1890,and lived in brazil ,in city miguelopolis,country sao paulo in brazil,are catolicis,thanks,bye |
| Name: | Liliane Gemayel |
| E-mail address: | petelil@southcom.com.au |
| Comments: | Hey everyone
It's been three years since I last said "Hi". Mind you as I read the guestbook, there are so many names I don't know...and that's probably because the last time I was there was 13 years ago. But I thought, for those of you still there and who still might remember who I am "HELLO" and I think of you all and miss you terribly. Can't wait to come back one day with my little family and see you all again. Keep up the great work of this website and all that you are doing in Kfarhata. Love Liliane (LouLou) xx |
| Country: | Australia |
| Name: | Israel moura |
| E-mail address: | israelnicolinomoura@bol.com.br |
| Comments: | hello,my name is israel,my city is miguelopolis in brazil my jido is ezau ,he is son of jose de moura{iliterad} and sofia sisina,my relatives is ,yosef and sassina family of kafarhata,i need contact for ralatives for cultural rescue.in my city has big colony of imgrants´kafarhata,families{moura,moyses,miguel,daher,beetar and jorge!!!bye thanx.
my family is moura{yousef},sissna in brazil since 1905,i need news of my family,thax and congratulations of work of site. |
| Country: | rescue cultural,hello brimos! |
| Name: | Fouad Abi-Esber |
| E-mail address: | fouadesber@optusnet.com.au |
| Comments: | Hi
The Australian Kafarhatian community is happy to welcome our village priest Toufik Fadel.He reminded us of our village. He encouraged us to continue our link with the village. |
| Country: | Australian |
| Name: | Christina Jabbour |
| E-mail address: | angel_2_die4@hotmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://prettiestrose.friendpages.com |
| Comments: | hey my names christina i live in australia
i visit lebanon mabye once every 2 years. when i am in lebanon i have heaps of fun especially in summer!! ilive with my grand parents albert and jamal ayoub!! i love going to lebanon exept that the time inb the plane is ages. i miss everyone there and a HUGE huge and kiss to everyone of my friends!! mauh mauh christina |
| Country: | Sydney, Australia |
| Name: | Mourad mourad |
| E-mail address: | meridius78@hotmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://groups.msn.com/rasnhach |
| Comments: | Hello my friends in Kafarhata..My second village, and where i finished my secondary school...
Merry Christmas and Happy new year for all the village families , and special greetings to all my friends there: Bahaa Rachkidi, Fady Farah, Carla Ferkh, Jihane Habib, Hady Bachir, Mazen Bachir, Randa Sakr, Francois Sarkis, Chirine Rizk, Samer Salem, Diala & Micheline Chdid.. I hope that i didn't forget other names.. Best Regards MOURAD^2 |
| Country: | FRANCE |
| Name: | Ali Chalhoub |
| E-mail address: | chalhoub@sbcglobal.net |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.tamnin.com |
| Comments: | Its nice to know about lebanese villages, special as Kfarhata, nice, cute and lovely town I wish one day back to lebanon and visit your town.
Miss Lebanon and everyone in. Ali |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | GEBRAN ESBER |
| E-mail address: | gebranesber@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
WISHING PEACE AND GOOD HEALTH FOR ALL. Gebran |
| Country: | USA |
| Name: | mazen iskandar |
| E-mail address: | themazen@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | what a great site for kafarhata.thank you for all responsible in putting it all together .with the help and input off all kafarhatans,we will be able to make it even more accurate and ever expanding. congratulations to minister Elias Saba for his appointment(again).Best regards to all in our great village. |
| Country: | usa |
| Name: | Tala abi esber |
| E-mail address: | coolgirltala@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | hi,i want to say imiss my friends and cousins and family
good luck TALA |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Name: | ghida |
| E-mail address: | smartgogi@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | hi ,
my name is Ghida.I want to say that I miss lebanon and wish that I WILL COME SOON.I hope my wonderful teta and jedo are happy. |
| Country: | lebanon |
| Name: | George Andre Lahaie |
| E-mail address: | andre-lahaie@excite.com |
| Comments: | Beautiful, Marhaba to all of Kafarhata's residents. Would love to visit your town. I have a friend there and he is in the picture you have on this web site. |
| Country: | Canada |
| Name: | LEBANESE_LEGEND |
| E-mail address: | habib_is_@hotmail |
| Comments: | shuu how is everyone
i love lebanon |
| Name: | Jad |
| E-mail address: | jadthegenius@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hi kafarhata I would like to say that this website has influenced me to start my own website if anyone has any suggestions or things to put into my website please do not hesitate to email me and tell me.
Thanks. |
| Country: | U.A.E. |
| Name: | ASaba Owerri |
| E-mail address: | homeboy@yahoo.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.ase.com |
| Comments: | I love this page. It looks really nice and very much informative. Keep it up |
| Country: | Lagos |
| Name: | Sam |
| E-mail address: | Funkeymonkey_25@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hi, I'm Sam Abi-Esber. I am 11 years old and I live in America. I visit Lebanon every year, and every year when I come back I miss it more and more. I want to say hi to all of my friends from kafarhata. Hi wissam, Jad, Hadi, George Saleem, Elias, Joujou, Johny, Shadi, Laloose, Elie, NouNou, Fawzi, and Omar! I miss you all alot and my msn name is funkeymonkey_25@hotmail.com. Bye! |
| Country: | America |
| Name: | Nicole Abi-Esber |
| E-mail address: | nacnac99@hotmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://www.kafarhata.com/nicole |
| Comments: | Hey everyone!
It's only been about 2 days since I've left but i miss everyone so much! Hugs and kisses to all my friends, my cousins, my tayta and jiddou(s). ;) I organized a sucessful English class for kafarhata's youth this summer. It was fun for me and the students. I had 6 students, although i was anticipating more. I have a suggestion for the Mahrajan. We have programs for the older generations (Moussa Zghaib) and the younger ones (the Ghenwa play). We previously had a sahara night with a good singer for the teen generations, but this year the singers that were hired sang songs that were more appropriate for the older generation. To be frank- me and my freidns got bored. I think that next year we should have a good singer so that villagers of all ages can dance and have a good time. Like that one time we got Katia Harb. Anyways, hello to everybody in the village! I can't wait to come back next year! |
| Country: | USA/ Lebanon |
| Name: | Rami Salem |
| E-mail address: | ramisalem1@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Kafarhata is my village,I can not live far from this paradise more then 2 months. Wherever I travel, I open this site to remember everyplace and everyone in my village. Maybe I love my village because I am a hunter who knows every small peace in kfarhata. I want to say thank u for Mr Fares Abi Esber and Nicolas Choueiri for their efforts, and I want to tell u That I am ready to help u if u need any help.
Thank u for everything. Rami S. |
| Country: | USA,Lebanon |
| Name: | ONYEIGBO |
| E-mail address: | ONYEIGBO@YAHOO.COM |
| Comments: | I LOVE THE SITE VERY WELL KEEP IT UP. |
| Country: | LOME TOGO |
| Name: | Manhattangirl |
| E-mail address: | Manhattangirl@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hello guys!
A chatfriend from Libanon tells me from this page! I´m from Germany,14 and very interrested in learning about other lands! Specialy the photos and the informations about history are very nice and informativ! Bye |
| Country: | Germany |
| Name: | firas |
| E-mail address: | firassalem@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | hi to all |
| Country: | dubai uae |
| Name: | omar |
| E-mail address: | sheguevara_6 |
| Homepage URL: | http:// www.nicesite.150m.com |
| Comments: | hello my name is omar i'am 16 .
i found this site really discusting i don't find the words to describe it . i'am just kidding this web is really nice ..... |
| Country: | senegal |
| Name: | Sam |
| E-mail address: | Funkeymoneky_25@hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hi, my name is Sam Abi-Esber. I go to Lebanon almost every summer. I have a blast every time I go. The most fun I have is when I'm chilling with my friends around the village. We go to the Nadeh, to other people's houses, to Samer's, to the Firrinn, and just plain nowhere in kafahata. I get pretty depressed when we leave though. I'll miss all you people!
Weessam, JouJou, Laloose, Joujou, Laloose, Jad, Hadi, and many other people!! |
| Country: | America/USA |
| Name: | Bassam Sawaya |
| Comments: | Emigrants Festival 2004
Programme of events has been finalized as follows : - 6th of August : Moussa Zgheib - 7th of August : Salateen Al Tarab + Female Singer + Belly Danser - 8th of August : Dababir (theater play) Ghinwa (play for children) We hope you would enjoy all the events . By the way , all who would like to participate in the Tennis Tournament , please send your names by email . Bassam Sawaya , for Kfarhata Youths Club |
| Country: |
| Name: | Jad and friends |
| E-mail address: | jadthegenius"hotmail.com |
| Comments: | Hi I am at school now, and i wanted to say hi but bye now! |
| Country: | U.A.E. |
| Name: | Bassam Sawaya |
| Comments: | Kfarhata Club's 4th Emigrants Festival
July 30th - August 8th 2004 Dear Moghtaribin . Mahrajan Al Moghtaribin has become a yearly event . The first week of August must be a set date for all of you to come and meet in our lovely village . The Mahrajan will take place between 30th of July and 8th of August . The programme in summary will include the following : 1- Volleyball competition : Senior Residents Team / Gulf Team / North American Team 2- Tennis , Likha , Tarnib, Mahbousseh , Frangieh and ping-pong competitions 3- Official opening ceremony and Jawkat Al Kalaa (Moussa Zgheib) on the 6th of August 4- A famous singer or band on the 7th of August (we are still negotiating different alternatives) 5- A children play or show on the 8th of August 6- Closing ceremony on the 8th of August : distributing the medals and the cups of the different competitions . As usual , we insist on having very cheap entrance tickets , and hence your financial support is indispensable . Many of you were very generous last year . We hope that they keep it that way , and that the others are encouraged to do the same . On the other hand , sports training for emigrants children will be offered at the club starting the 1st of July (volleyball , tennis..) See you then . |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Name: | Fawzi Khoury |
| E-mail address: | lb_hacker@hotmail.com |
| Homepage URL: | http://khoury.4t.com (i made it when i was 12 years...) |
| Comments: | Salamat to all kafarhatien ppl (inside and outside) hope to keep that little village special that's all for now...great web-site keep upgradind-it ... fawzi.k |
| Country: | Quatar |
| Name: | GEORGE FOUAD SALEM |
| E-mail address: | george.salem@human-soft.com |