Apr 2006

Contents Of This Issue:

Events - Go to the events page for more details

American-Lebanese Profile-  Dr. Charles Elachi, Director of JPL

Dr. Charles Elachi was born April 18, 1947 in Lebanon. Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and vice president of California Institute of Technology, Elachi is a professor of electrical engineering and planetary science at Caltech, where he taught "The Physics of Remote Sensing" from 1982 to 2000. Elachi was principal investigator on numerous research and development studies and flight projects sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He was principal investigator for the Shuttle Imaging Radar series (SIR-A in 1981, SIR-B in 1984 and SIR-C in 1994); was a co-investigator on the Magellan imaging radar; and is presently the team leader of the Cassini Titan Radar experiment, and a co-investigator on the Rosetta Comet Nucleus Sounder experiment. He is the author of more than 230 publications in the fields of space and planetary exploration, Earth observation from space, active microwave remote sensing, electromagnetic theory and integrated optics, and he holds several patents in those fields. In addition, he has authored three textbooks in the field of remote sensing. One of these textbooks has been translated into Chinese.

Dr. Elachi was recently honored at the Lebanese Ladies Cultural Society of California.  To read more about him please click here for the full article.

From Lebanon To California by Henry Zeiter, MD

Description
"This autobiography is a fascinating reflection on a life of experiences rich enough for three men. A testimony to family, friendship and faith, it is, like St. Augustine's Confessions, a spirited and frank account of the quest for God. Dr. Zeiter is driven throughout his life to find truth, goodness, and beauty, and it is particularly through the beauty and order of music that his imagination is captured and he is brought to see even more fully truth and goodness in their own intrinsic splendor. High culture is not some incidental acquisition for Dr. Zeiter, but part of the nurturing of his daily life for nearly three-quarters of a century, whether in Lebanon, Venezuela, Canada, or the U.S. Dr. Zeiter reveals in his autobiography his wit (evident in his healthy sense of humor), his insight, and his optimism, as well as his intellectual and spiritual depth. This book is a pleasant reminder to us all of the high destiny to which we are called" (Thomas Dillon, Ph.D., President of Thomas Aquinas College).


Reviews:
Henry Zeiter’s autobiography is a compelling account of an examined life. He tells of a delightful childhood in Christian Lebanon under the French mandate, a world long gone. He brings to his examination a mind honed by broad reading and deep pondering. He bares his thoughts honestly as he searches for essential truths across three continents, in science and religion, in the arts and philosophy, in family and society, and in the self-scrutiny that opens his mind to the universal human condition, a quest that brings him to a final phase of deepening faith and committed service.
—Reuben Smith, Ph.D., Dean Emeritus of the Graduate School, and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History, University of the Pacific

“It is a veritable pleasure to be in Dr. Zeiter’s company through the means of reading his autobiography. What a tour de force! He reminds me of Maurice Baring in the sense that he is awash with high culture. The reader is dazzled with his knowledge of the finer things and the permanent things. This book deserves the widest possible readership. In any event, I am in awe!”
—Joseph Pearce, author and distinguished biographer of Soltzenitzin, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Oscar Wilde, Belloc, and Chesterton.

“I have been transported to Mt. Lebanon as I first knew it through this charming book. The combination of reflections from seven decades on this earth, and the evocative literary allusions in juxtaposition with memories from the author’s childhood are warm and engaging. I can picture all the places and people described so vividly, that I wish I could go back in time and visit them all. A remarkable life story.”
—Ann Zwicker Kerr, author; Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Director of the Advisary Board of the Rand Center for the Middle East, and Trustee of the American University of Beirut

A word from the author:

To my fellow Lebanese-American countrymen:

In From Lebanon to California, I wrote about my experiences of seventy years on this earth, as a Lebanese-born who emigrated with his family to the West; and I aimed to describe the adjustment we all had to make to a different culture, while keeping our Lebanese heritage intact. This book is about each one of us -- about our passion for life, our legendary hospitality, our successes and failures, and about our pride in the country we come from. I included many photos of Lebanon, within the text itself. Why within the text? Because this makes it easier for the reader to see on the same page what the author is describing in words.
If I may be permitted to use a cliche: this way, a book becomes very user-friendly!

I then had the book reviewed by prominent Americans and British authors, to impress on both Americans and Lebanese readers that the book is very worth reading to all of us, not as an individual's autobiography, but as a microcosm of everyman's life and aspirations. And most of the reviewers were in agreement that the social, cultural, philosophical and religious thoughts, experienced and presented in this book, are general and universal, thus applying to all of us. An author connects with his reader, if what he says is applicable to more than himself. Thus, every person will find his or her life on every page of this book, particularly as the story unfolds. I hope you obtain the book and enjoy it. As Baudelaire once said, "Lecteur! Mon semblable, mon frere" (i.e. "Reader! My same self, my brother!")

Long live Lebanon! God bless America! Yours, The Author, Henry J. Zeiter

On behalf of Cedars USA we hope you share this book with your club members and contacts.  It makes a great gift.
You can order your copy or read excerpts at this link www.xlibris.com/FROMLEBANONTOCALIFORNIA.html.
You can contact the author at drhenry@sonic.net

Book Review - Life’s Like That!

Ever wondered why Lebanon is such a crazy country? Ever asked yourself why the Lebanese can drive you to despair? Meet Fashion Victim, Plastic Surgery addict, Aspiring Politician, Corniche Jogger, Mobile Phone Fanatic, Daddy’s princess and their friends and get an idea of what the Lebanese are really like. You thought they were mad, egotistical, loving, delusional, grumpy, neurotic, superficial, generous, hospitable, workaholic,

corrupt, paranoid, arrogant and kind. Well guess what? You were right!

The 50 witty Lebanese stereotypes written by Beirut based British journalist Peter Grimsditch and British-born Lebanese writer Michael Karam, accompanied by satirical sketches by Maya Fidawi, gently poke fun at the Lebanese psyche. Fun, satirical and bound to bring a smile to your face, Life’s Like That! has been a number one seller in Lebanon since its release in December 2004. Those who have an insatiable desire for satire will be happy to hear that we are working on a second volume of Life’s Like That! with a new cast of characters. Volume 2 should be on the bookshelves by the end of 2006. 

Life’s Like That! is available through www.Lebanesebooks.com

Featured Organization- Beirut-LA Sister City Project

Recognizing the natural connection between Los Angeles and Beirut, the two international cities formed the LA-Beirut Sister City Committee. The organization will foster friendship, knowledge, commerce and understanding between these people through the exchange of culture, education, public works, health services, arts, science, sport and industry.

A non-profit entity, the LA-Beirut Sister Cities set forth on its mission to create and nourish exceptional opportunities for international partnerships for the citizens, businesses and organizations of both cities.  Both cities understand the value of diversity and the need to reach out across international boundaries to people of different cultural, religious, and political traditions. These are the roots of the formation of the committee.  The committee is slated to visit Lebanon in July to officially sign the agreement into place and form a concrete agenda to cultivate an interactive and diverse exchange program.


Getting Involved

Utilizing the unique sister city model, the LA-Beirut Sister City Committee welcomes membership to combine its current public sector leadership with the grassroots energy, creativity, and commitment from volunteer citizens.
Those interested are invited to call 323-465-6591 or email us at info@labeirut.org for a membership package.


About the cities

California would be the seventh largest economy in the world if it were a separate country. Los Angeles County would be No. 17, placing between Russia and Switzerland and ahead of Belgium and Sweden.

As the leading supplier of entertainment to the world, Los Angeles is also the flashpoint of aerospace technology and health sciences and home to the number one import/export port in the United States.

Beirut is more than just one of the oldest cities in the world; it is steeped in Phoenician and Roman culture with many ancient sites still in pristine condition.

After a successful recovery from its civil war, Beirut is the center of upscale Mediterranean living with a fashionable downtown, sunny beaches, important international ports and a financial center with food processing industries and a thriving tourism industry.

Both cities feature top culinary destinations and world class artistic culture.  www.labeirut.org 
 

House of Lebanon

The House of Lebanon frequently gets asked the same set of questions: "Why do you want to build the House of Lebanon," "why not just donate the money to needy students," or " why not send the money to Lebanon where the need for funds is so dire?”

These questions are all valid and sincere, and would likely produce different answers from different people at both ends of the spectrum. Of course, we do encourage and support the charitable and noble organizations that collect and donate money to disadvantaged students and to the needy in Lebanon. However, our reasons for building the House of Lebanon differ from those organizations. Our reasons stem from the need of all of, as Lebanese Americans living here in the USA and away from our country, to have a place that we can all feel a part of as our own slice of Lebanon.

To that end, I will like to answer the questions above. The future House of Lebanon will be a place that serves many important functions. It will be a place that brings us all together after having been divided for so many years; a place where our children meet each other, help each other, and learn about their roots, heritage, and history; and a place to socialize with our friends while also strengthening our ties with the American society.

If you share with us in recognizing the importance of these reasons, we hope you will continue to support us. Due to your generosity, we are close to achieving this vision of building the House of Lebanon, however we are not there yet. If you would like to help us see this dream become a reality, please consider attending our Annual Banquet which is our main fund raising event of the year.

Warmest regards, Kanan Hamzeh

 

ALNM News

The American Lebanese National Mission (ALNM) believes that many Lebanese men and women have worked tirelessly and unselfishly to promote a positive image of our culture; yet they have gone unrecognized for their contribution. ALNM wants to identify those individuals and acknowledge their contributions on behalf of our country. As such, we will be selecting two individuals and one business from the Houston metropolitan area to be recognized during the ALNM Independence Day Dinner Celebration in November of 2006.
The three categories are:
1- The Lebanese man of the year
2- The Lebanese woman of the year
3- The Lebanese business of the year.
A committee is being put together to draft the criteria that each one of those categories must meet to be selected. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact me at your earliest convenience. ALNM plans to ask the community in Houston to make nominations for each of the three categories by August 31st. You do not have to be ALNM Member to nominate a person. But you do have to be Lebanese.

In July of 2006, we will announce the criteria needed to qualify your nominations and September of 2006, we will announce the nominees and will ask the Lebanese community in Houston-Galveston area to vote for each category. You must be Lebanese and resident of the Houston-Galveston area to vote. Only one vote per person and you must be 18 years of age to participate.

A fourth Category is an award selected and given solely by the Chairman by pre-approval from the Executive Board. This award is:  The “Symbol of Unity” award:
This is an award given to one or more individuals whom the Chairman believes exemplify the symbol of unity in our culture.

For more information or to get involved in this committee, contact me at chairman@alnm.net
 

Other

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