The New York Chapter elected its new board members for the year 2010 and held a special celebration party with 178 Birzeitis and their friends in attendance. Santa Claus was also present with great gifts that brought cheers and drew big smiles on all the kids’ faces.
New Board Elected
The New York Chapter of Birzeit Society held its annual meeting on Sunday 12/13/2009, and elected its new board members for the year 2010 as follows:
Wajdi Rabie, President
Hala Yacoub, Vice president
Mary N. Kaileh, Recording Secretary
Maha Odeh, Corresponding Secretary
Kifah Asfour, Treasurer
The following members were also elected for the local Board of Directors: Hilda Ishaq, Lubna Asfour (Correspondent), Samir and Maha Odeh, Buthaina and Seina Buthaina Shatarah, Firyal Kassis, Rita Kaileh, Khalil Asfour, George & Hala Jaser for Connecticut, and Francis Zaid.
The National voting members who will represent NY at the National Board meetings are: Wajdi Rabie, Kifah Asfour, Hilda Ishaq, Lubna Asfour, and Rita Kaileh.
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Holiday Party
The new Board was initiated in a special celebration party at Pompi Catering Hall in West Hempstead, Long Island, NY. About 178 Birzeitis and their friends of all ages including the new Board members attended the party, which was hosted by Hilda Ishaq and Firyal Kassis as Masters of Ceremony. They did a great job keeping the crowd engaged, informed, and entertained.
At dinner time, everyone enjoyed the appetizers, the great main course as well as dessert, coffee and soft drinks. The program also included Arabic entertainment by local Birzeiti singer Walid Rabie and his band, who donated a big chunk of his fee to the help raise money for the NY Chapter.
Santa Claus (Mousa Rabie) was also present with great symbolic gifts that brought great cheers and drew big smiles on all the kids’ faces. The party could not had been more perfect without the NY Chapter Dabkeh group lead by Maha Odeh who had put many days of her normal schedule to train and coach the young Birzeitis. The party concluded with a prize raffle drawing that included great gifts. The winners were both Birzeitis and their friends. The raffle raised $5,540.
