Are You a Lebanese Jew?
If you or anyone you know is a Lebanese Jew or of Lebanese descent you are kindly encouraged to please listen to our call and tell us about yourself, your experiences, your story, your thoughts, your wishes, etc.
If your ancestors are Lebanese tell us about your experiences and how this heritage has influenced you in any way.
Security and privacy of any blog contributor is respected and upheld and members are encouraged to remain anonymous if they wish to do so.
August 6th, 2006 at 2:59 am
http://www.fortunaszpiro.com/
August 6th, 2006 at 7:32 am
I wanted you to know that one of Seattle, Washington’s most prominent & wealthiest Jewish residents is Jack Benaroya. The link will tell you about his involvement in this country & his descent from Leanese Jews. You should try to contact him if you can find an e mail address. If you want to do so & have any trouble I might be able to do some research for you.
I’m going to add your feed to my Israel Palestine Blogs peace blog aggregator site & hope that you will blog more often. I wish you all well.
BTW, my Wordpress blog uses the same theme as the one you chose. But I’ve tweaked mine a bit.
August 6th, 2006 at 7:33 am
Oops. Here’s the link for Israel Palestine Blogs.
August 9th, 2006 at 12:59 am
Myself, I”m born in America. I was raised by my mothers parents. I was told my parents died when I was a baby. The only thing I know about my father is that he was born in Lebanon in around 1947 because this is stated on my birth certificate. His name is Ephrium Bashan which I understand is a Jewish name. I tried to contact people with this last name but noone knows of this person and most of the time it’s not their real name. If someone out there can tell me anything about the name or knows someone in Lebanon let me know.
August 10th, 2006 at 5:55 am
I live in Brazil,Rio de Janeiro. I’m askenazi, but my husband’s family cames from Lebanon. They lived in Sidon. My husband name is Moises David Balassiano and he is the president of Temple Sidon since 2000. You must change our chazan name, cause he died very years ago. You must change too, chazan names of the others sefaradic synagoges in this city.
I’m curious to know how you can live in Lebanon this times?
I’m Wizo President in my city, and every day Mundial Wizo’s chairpersons send us how it is difficult now to the Israeli people survive.
Here and in 54 Wizo Federations at world, we work hard to make campaigns to help the jewish of the north of Israel. I don’t believe that you haven’t anything in your heart that claims: I’m not a lebanese, I’m a jewish and the right land to live is the state of Israel.
Money, stores, good recipes we can get at any time and eveywhere, so, left Lebanon: don’t insist like the jewish that lived Germany jewish people made when they believed that they were German. You are not lebanese and they were not german, cause i’m not a Brasilien. FIRST OF ALL WE ARE JEWISH DON’T FORGET! JERUSALEM IS OUR CONTRY.
We have many “lebanese “friends: families Khalili Boukai, Balassiano, Nigri, from Beirut and Sidon. My best friend every times tell me their finally days at Sidon: they get out the sefer torah at night, to send to Israel. It was in 1980 and the escape to Eretz. Where are the fotos of the jewish who live in Beirute NOW???????
August 10th, 2006 at 5:59 am
You don’t have this gallery cause, there are no place to the jewish people at Lebanon.
Don’t forget: You are not lebanese jewish: You are jewish that born in Lebanon.Have proud to say this.
August 10th, 2006 at 9:43 am
silene balassiano welcome to the blog i respect your opinion but let me ask you something so i can get your message clear
Is Judaism a Religion or Race?
why when every jewish in this world is born he/she should be From Israel? there are Lebanese Jews, Polish Jews, Syrian Jews, Turkish Jews, Spanish Jews and many other
are all the christian in this world From Vatican? or are all the Mulmis in this world from Meca?
you know in my school i learned that Judaism is a religion nothing else a country should never be based on religion because there is not a single place in this world where all people beilive in the same thing you cant have justice if you want it like that so think Secular because if you do so it will bring peace to our hearts and mind no one should be proud of what is happening in Lebanon & Palestine we all should stand for justice
August 11th, 2006 at 7:09 pm
wow this site is great. I am LEBANESE jew myself. Small family living here in Montreal since 1985. I must say that I am proud of my Lebanese heritage. Lebanon is my country and I feel bad for what is happening right now.
It’s a bit paradoxal, As a jew I am automatically associated with Israel because it is supposed to be the land of all Jews. I must say that I am Lebanese above all; I am from lebanon not Israel. Judaism in my religion and Lebanon is my country. Although I wish peace will establish in this region between these two country.
Whatever happened I will always remain a Lebanese and so proud of it. I am what you can say a true patriotic. You do not choose where you come from- My grand parents, parents, myself and my children will be lebanese- It is in our blood
My am a Lebanese Citizen and NOT Israeli. My religion is judaim.
August 13th, 2006 at 9:34 pm
It is really sad that Lebanese Jews cannot be visible. I am a Lebanese Canadian and fully support your website and its efforts. I used to know one Lebanese Jew who only came out as a Jew when he moved to Montreal. I hope, the Lebanese jews who currently live in lebanon but were coerced into converting into Islam or Christianity will one day “come out” and be able to express themselves more freely.
I am so sorry that a great website such as yours has received hate e-mail. We need to continuously educate and teach each other compassion. I hope that the Lebanese Jewsih community will one day thrive again in Lebanon and that Beirut’s synagogue will be rebuilt.
Best,
Khalil
August 14th, 2006 at 12:59 am
I am not Jewish, but I am Lebanese, My Partner is Jewish, I live in Australia. I am so happy to see this site and proud. I have shiite, druze, sunni, maronite and orthodox friends from all over Lebanon. Now I can include Lebanese Jews among them.
That is the spirit of Lebanon.
Peace to all.
August 15th, 2006 at 1:38 am
After this horrible conflict, it has become clear to me that the Lebanese diaspora must return (at least periodically) to Lebanon if it wishes to participate in the political and social process. We cannot count on America’s war hungry government to create a better Lebanon. This war should not deter any Jewsih Lebanese from returning, including those who live In Israel. I would be up for drafting a campaign that ensures the safety of returning Lebanese Jews. We should encourage the Lebanese government to welcome back All Refugees.
To my western friends, I am too Lebanese and to my Arab friends, I am too western. Well, maybe that is what it means to be who I am, to be Lebanese.
Does this site reach Lebanese Jews and non Jews living in Israel?
Khalil
August 15th, 2006 at 2:02 pm
bonjour a toutes et a tous
je suis tres tres content de vous lire tous
je suis libanais maronite vivant en France.j avais un ami juif qui habitait a beyrouth et qui en 1993 est parti aux etats unis pour habiter
je suis ravi de decouvrir ce site merveilleux car moi meme mon associé est juif et beaucoup de mes amis aussi .
je n ai qu une seule envie c est que la communité revienne au liban et qu elle rebatisse les synagogues
car le liban est un message de tolerance et il appartient a tous ses citoyens juifs musulmans et chretiens
August 16th, 2006 at 8:48 pm
Hey Adam,
God bless you! I am a Lebanese Muslim, and I am so happy to hear that you consider yourself a Lebanese. I would never think of you in any other way. Man, you are cool!
I understand why there is mistrust within a nation when it comes to its local Jewish community, but that does not give the right to anyone to persecute others. We are Lebanese, and Lebanese Jews have a home in Lebanon … always!
August 17th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Hello. I saw this article by Henri Picciotto, he grew up in Beirut, which will be of interest to your readers.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/15250169.htm
Reprinted from Mercury News:
By Henri Picciotto
I grew up Jewish in Beirut. Although I left nearly 40 years ago, my memories of Lebanon — vibrant and multicultural — have stayed with me. And so, my wife and I had started talking about taking a trip there.
I would show her the neighborhood where I grew up, the beaches where I swam in the warm Mediterranean waters and the small mountain hotel we loved to stay at in the summer. I would also show her my school, where Jewish, Christian and Muslim children learned and grew together.
After the past few weeks, we may never be able to take this trip. Israeli bombings have killed more than 700 Lebanese civilians. Hundreds of thousands — more than one-fifth of the population — have become refugees, uprooted from their homes. Lebanon’s civilian infrastructure has been systematically destroyed.
We, as Americans, bear a special responsibility for this carnage. If Washington would withhold its unconditional military, economic and diplomatic support for Israel, the Israeli government would waste no time in starting genuine negotiations. Current U.S.-backed cease-fire proposals are so unfair to Lebanon that the Lebanese government has already indicated it cannot accept the terms, which do not even include a full Israeli withdrawal.
This one-sided U.S. policy is the result of a combination of factors, but it thrives on the myth that all American Jews stand uncritically behind the Israeli government.
Many believe that American Jews unanimously and unconditionally support the Israeli government. That what we learned from the Holocaust is to shoot first and ask questions later. That our commitment to justice and equal rights is a quaint feature of our past.
There is a saying “two Jews, three opinions.” Now we are told “1 million Jews, one opinion.”
In fact, our community is profoundly divided:
• Hundreds, if not thousands, of Jews all over the country have demonstrated to demand an end to the bombing of Gaza and Lebanon. In one of these demonstrations, 17 Jewish protesters were arrested in an act of civil disobedience.
• In the past few days, thousands of Jews have signed a petition demanding that the United States intervene to stop the wanton killing of Lebanese civilians by the Israeli war machine.
• Jewish organizations that sponsor such demonstrations and petitions, such as Jewish Voice for Peace (on whose board I serve), are experiencing exponential growth. Jews are looking for ways to express their outrage at the actions of the Israeli government, and of the blind support accorded by the Jewish establishment in this country.
We are appalled by the Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israeli cities, just as we were the earlier attacks by Israel on Lebanese cities. We mourn the loss of Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese lives equally. We are outraged by the destruction of Lebanese airports, roads and bridges, the bombing of homes and private cars, the killing of children, and the other horrors visited by the Israelis on their neighbors.
It is this kind of past Israeli behavior that gave birth to both Hamas and Hezbollah, organizations that have strengthened immeasurably in recent weeks. Israeli intransigence has made Israel a pariah state, and is the biggest enemy of all the people of the Middle East — Arabs and Israelis alike.
Jewish American leaders work tirelessly to promote the myth of Jewish consensus. Their tactics include refusing to rent space to dissenters, threatening funding cuts when Jewish institutions question Israel’s actions and canceling meetings when they suspect debate might occur. Their most ubiquitous weapon is the hurtful charge of anti-Semitism, hurled at both dissenting Jews and Gentiles.
Many Jews question Israel’s policies, but are afraid to speak out in their congregations or even to their families. But the time has come for Jewish dissidents to challenge the policies of the Israeli government. In the short run these policies kill Arabs, mostly innocent civilians; in the long run, they can result only in disaster for Israelis and Jews worldwide. Our silence in this time of crisis is complicity. We need to help bring about the peace that would one day make my visit to Beirut — and the visit of all Jews — possible.
——————————————————————————–
HENRI PICCIOTTO of Berkeley is a mathematics educator and chairman of the board of Jewish Voice for Peace (jewishvoiceforpeace.org). He wrote this article for the Mercury News.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/15250169.htm
August 19th, 2006 at 8:50 am
I am a Lebanese Jew..I just want to know though,who started this blog?
Are you a Lebanese jew? And what is the purpose of you starting this blog? I hope I get some answers.
September 10th, 2006 at 4:31 am
i am lebanese shia it is great that a website is used for the lebanese jews. i hope one the lebanese jews do return to lebanon
as i know muslim christian and jews can live together only.the zionist state is the one who is causing all the trouble in the middle east and it should be dismantled
October 3rd, 2006 at 7:45 pm
I am an American of Lebanese descent. The family comes from Fourzal in the Bekaa. I have been back several times and have enjoyed it tremendously.
The family here and there is, of course, concerned about the political situation, and the attitude of Hezbollah. Unlike the Jew, the Christians of the ME have no other place to go.
October 8th, 2006 at 10:45 pm
hi,
I met Lebanese people of juish descent in Canada, and showed them this website. I’m a lebanese patriot, christian actually, and I liked the Lebanese feel of this website. The people I showed it too said they would make contact but they’re concerned. They still carry memories of being bullied (I suppose like almost everyone in Lebanon, at one time or another), and they’re worried that this is a way of collecting information about them. I didn’t think so of course, but maybe something can be done or said on here to reassure them. This community is very large in Montreal Canada.
Hala
October 12th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
Please teach us about lebanese jews.I am from maghdouche south Lebanon.I am thankfull.Max Hayek
October 17th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
Hi,
I am not lebanese, but am a Jew of Syrian Descent….as I was raised in a syrian-lebanese community , i have a soft spot for lebannon in my heart.
I just want to send out to everyone in Lebannon my wishes for your country to be rebuilt speedily, and please god, it will be more magnificent than ever before!
If history has shown us anything, Lebanese are resilient! and they can get through this!
I send my love and support to all the lebanese who believe in peace for all peoples.
God bless you all,
I want to leave you with the words of our most beloved Khalil Gibran on religion, something, that I feel, unfortunately, is manipulated at times and weilded as a weapon to fight amongst ourselves…surely this is an offense to god. And as Gibran says, while we go forward with our religions, let us all cary eachother in our hearts…”
“And take with you all men:
For in adoration you cannot fly higher than their hopes nor humble yourself lower than their despair.
And if you would know God be not therefore a solver of riddles.
Rather look about you and you shall see Him playing with your children.
And look into space; you shall see Him walking in the cloud, outstretching His arms in the lightning and descending in rain.
You shall see Him smiling in flowers, then rising and waving His hands in trees.
October 17th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
I hope this part of the Lebanese Mosaic will come back to Lebanon. I am a Maronite priest who would like to see the 19 religious denominations in Lebanon living in peace, respecting one another.
I have an article about the Lebanese Jews:
http://www.maronite-heritage.com/html/lebanese_jewish_community.html
and I have some pictures of a synagogue that is still standing in good shape in Deir El Kamar.
If anyone would like to search for Lebanese family names just visit http://www.leb.org
God bless
December 28th, 2006 at 7:02 am
beyrouth
Interesting post. I came across this blog by accident, but it was a good accident. I have now bookmarked your blog for future use. Best wishes. Wael Kfoury.
February 26th, 2007 at 8:23 am
Hi,
I am very happy to find this blog. 7 years ago I had a good jewish friend in Lebanon, he used to say he was Christian (it is sad in a way though I am Christian myself but it’s a loss of identity for him)… then he left Lebanon with his family they came to Canada and we never spoke since…his last name was spelled Arout i think…
keep it up man!
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Hi i’m a lebanese/brazilian, who return to lebanon. i know in Sao Paulo a jew thats came from lebanon too, he’s my best friend and i hope to him to return to beirut he’s family moved from beirut in 86… his family’s name is Jeff-Albina… (plz return to lebanon)
March 25th, 2007 at 12:44 am
I am a Christian Lebanese. And have long been interested in Lebanese Jews. Actually there is a Jewish family living near my sister’s house and another near my aunt’s house. Eventhough the 2 sons of my aunt’s neighbour are now in New York and the father is dead she still lives in her home and feels she wants to die there not on some foreign soil. I really respected her for saying that and it stayed in my mind for a long time. I hope that more Jews will return to Lebanon and increase the influence of their people there. Lebanon is rich because of its diversity. The more diverse the richer. There are those who want to strip Lebanon of its diversity. If we all unite under one umbrella of Lebanese patriotic people then Lebanon will be strong. And we will have a country to be proud of and go back to. My family has had a long history of association with good people of Jewish origin in Lebanon. My father-in-law recalls his favorite partner who was a jew.
March 27th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
to: Adam
A meesage of peace to you from a fellow lebanese
leabanese ( shia-muslim) above all Lebanese
Note: I hope you like lebanese food, favorites ?
March 28th, 2007 at 6:58 am
Family came here by way of India. Ellis was my Grandmother’s name. My Grandfather was an Orthodox and my Grandmother was a Catholic (so I am told) There are many secrets and many questions. My brother has recently converted to Judisum. Our last name comes from my fathers side, he is Irish, Welsh etc. My mother’s side, above, is unknown. She (my mother) was only allowed to speak english and not allowed to learn her mother’s native language. They came here and never contacted the family left in Lebonon. I have tried to put together the family tree but am completely unable to. There is a strong pull in my family toward Judisum, two out of 5 brothers have converted. My mother was brought up as a Catholic but many of our family traditions are not Catholic but are Jewish it has all been confusing and a little scary. I think that my mother’s family did everything to make sure she and them were thought of as Americans period, which is what they are but where the descended from is a unknown. I tell people I am a American that descended from the Middle East as well as Europe and Native American, but I do wish I knew more.
April 29th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
i’m a lebanese maronite living abroad. always heard from my parents about lebanese jewish friends i recall the family names zaytouni and baghdadi. i lived in lebanon during the war in a christian area and walked many times next to the jewish semetary in sodeco. i also have a friend who’s mom is jewish. whyle reading all ur comments a thought came to my mind. since i read that some of you are interested in visiting lebanon(Henri Piccioto)or comming back to live there you should pressurize the Israeli goverment to allow the palestinians back to their mother land and for the Lebanese Jewish community to come back home where you are realy from and where you belong.
I write this with peace in my mind and love in my heart for all of you peace loving humans
July 1st, 2007 at 1:07 am
hey…im lebanese shiite and also supportin resistance against israel i am fully giving my support to ur freedom to come back to ur homeland..ur true who knows whos next well if we dont start from u comin to lebanon then i guess our country will be for zionists…..u(jews) have the full right to come back its ur country as it is mine its ur ancestors land as it is mine from ur website u really really show how jewish people are i hope evry1 supports you but till then u must do a better job which should be atleast a program or show on lebanese tv so that ur voice will be heard among all lebanese god support u
July 8th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Hello to every one. I must reaally say that I’m proud of this website. myself I’m a not a jewish lebanese but I have many respect to all religions.. I had many jewish friends in south africa where I lived for long time enough time to become south african but I always see myself as lebanese who loved lebanon and south africa. I think it is time for all generations to start changing things.. I wonder why I have many friends from all over but not lebanese jewish. it time to be able to go back lebanon all of us and live like we lived before the war and be example to the world.
God bless you all…. mohamad (jahjahm@yahoo.com)
July 13th, 2007 at 4:29 am
Just wanted to say that it’s up to each and everyone to define themselves as what they want - Some Jewish people born in Lebanon or with Lebanese Jewish ancestors may consider themselves Lebanese or Lebanese-Jews or just Jews.. whatever rocks your boat I suppose.
Most Lebanese-Jews I’ve met though have usually defined themselves as Lebanese…which feels good…
August 26th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
let me introduce my self i am a lebanese/brazilian muslim from south lebanon!!i support the resistance against the zionist state which has terrorized many young lebanese and palestinians,but i fully support the point of having 19 sects in lebanon including LEBANESE JEWS…i mean ive been searching for lebanese jews here but they all live in hidden identities in fear,WHY should they isnt lebanon their ancestors land they shud take pride in holding their identity especially as lebanese and they are more than welcome to come back to their homeland,living peacefully with muslims and christians LEBANON SHUD BE AN EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD,that humanity comes first above all we shud hold hands together and build a rich,tolerant and trustful society,the problem in lebanon is that they dont see u for who u are and wats inside ur heart,people here look at u and their main purpose is to know what ur religion is and jump into bad conclusions about u,this is a big issue for me cus i have to deal with people like that everyday of my life this is becuz alot of lebanese are ignorant and i hope one day, THEY wake up from their sectarianist nightmare and realize that this is affecting MY BELOVED COUNTRY LEBANON,b4 the war in 1975 we all use to live together peacefully and side by side,i grew up in a muslim\christian house since my mom is a maronite and my dad is a shiite but i thank god that i grew up in such a house having tolerance of the other religion as a main thing in life,i remember as a kid my mom use to tell me dont look at people and critiscize them for their religion always put in ur mind that he is a human being just like u and there is no difference between u and him just becus his religion is not like urs.THERE IS ONE THING I WUD LIKE TO SAY OUT LOUD ALL U LEBANESE JEWS START COMING OUT AND REVEAL UR TRUE IDENTITY AND DONT FEAR OTHERS I AM A MUSLIM AND I WUD SERIOUSLY LOVE TO HAVE A JEWISH COMMUNITY LIVING HERE AMONGST ALL OTHER SECTS,ITS UR GODDAMN GIVEN RITE TO LIVE IN UR LAND WITH DIGNITY JUST LIKE THE OTHERS,I THINK UR VOICE SHUD BE HEARD THE ONLY SOLUTION IS JUST TO STAND UP AND SHOUT FOR WATS RIGHT AND WRONG,AND PLZ ALL OF THE LEBANESE JEWS I WUD LIKE U TO BE PROUD OF UR IDENTITY AND PRACTICE UR RELIGION FREELY ANYWHERE U WANT,BTW THE SYNAGOUGE IN BEIRUT STILL STANDS but its deserted it needs to be renewed and have all the jews worship there with no fear or worries about anything as i always say lebanon is ur home and there is nothing better than home!!!i hope there will be a day where we prove the world that lebanon is the greatest country in the world having a rabi,priest and a sheikh standing together as ONE under the LEBANESE IDENTITY AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST AS MANKIND, i wud like to send all my best regards to all the lebanese jews out there.PEACE
September 13th, 2007 at 12:53 am
I am a lebanese citizen & i realy feel proud of the lebanese jews who commented on this page.
I don’t think that the lebanese people have any problem with the lebanese jews, but surely Israel has!
Lebanon will always be your home country & i wish we’ll see you here “in Lebanon” soon.
& we’ll shake hands & I’ll say “ahlan wa sahlan”
October 10th, 2007 at 3:27 am
please bring back lebanon old beautiful and glory days where all religions lived next to each others without any fear .i m a maronite who love lebanon and wants to preserve lebanon special place on earth as a country foul of telorance for all 19 religions and a country founded by a minority for all minorities i live in america for 30 yeares the war was too of a high price to pay so i beg all of you to work for a long lasting peace in our fragile homland i love and i respect all religions all of you wthho thing lebanon is unstable we must work harder to prove once again that lebanon is multi cultures and believes
October 13th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
i am a lebanese jew i was forced to change my family name because my family origins are from wady abu jmil i still live there under a false name my family did not emigrated during the war we hided in a seged town in the shouf district named deir al kamar were i got a new ame i am a father of 3 kids my wife is a druze women she knows i an jewish but my kids dont i work as a road engeniar igive you my life story to tell you that i love lebanon i want to live in it i am a lebanese jew
October 22nd, 2007 at 4:42 am
For the record, future contradicting and misleading posts, such as those written by the same people with two completely different opinions will be deleted. It’s interesting how the same IP addresses are detected for the same people… play your games somewhere else. And this is not a political website.
Welcome to Jol.org.
November 18th, 2007 at 2:04 am
HI MR ADAM SAID
First of all,I am a lebanese druze.I read your comment & I was impressed.I live in Montreal with my family since 2005,but I miss lebanon so much.I hope peace will be in the region very soon.
February 2nd, 2008 at 8:46 pm
My father was adopted by Scottish couple who were Christians. It is only recently that I discovered that my father’s real parents’ last name was Kheir. I have been told by some that this is a Lebanese surname. Others tell me it could be Syrian, Pakistani, or even Jewish. The two beginning consonants of his lastt name–KHEIR—are the letters kh leading me to believe that the name is of Arabic origin. Some believe KHEIR or KHAIR could be of Sarphidic Jewish orogin. I hope someone can shed some light on this .
February 28th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
hello everyone,
i want to say to mahmoud harb that his article is very good, i felt so sad and so far from my country. Im a lebanese jew too, live in lebanon, i though my familly was one of the only jew familly. I hope for you a lot of courage. One question: who made this web site?
March 5th, 2008 at 4:38 am
I’m a Lebanese 2, but I’m not a Jew. I’m happy with what I’m. I’m from Sidon, where 2000 Jews used to live normal life like every one else. It is deeply sad to see some Lebanese citizens leave Lebanon, just because of the religion. I would Love to see Lebanese Jews back in my city, and my country. Lebanese Jews have the same right like any other Lebanese. I don’t see what is the deferent between a Christian Lebanese and a Muslim Lebanese, or a Jew.
When Peple will put religion down, and start use their brains? Dose it meane if M a Muslim , I have to move to Saudi Arabia, or I have to belong to Saudi Arabia? I don’t even like this country. It is so sad to see uprooted ppl that has no heritage. I would pray for peace and love, and hope to see everything getting better, and Lebanese Jews back.
June 17th, 2008 at 4:27 am
well, Hi all….loved the website!!!
I really don’t know what to say, Im an Aussie muslim of Lebanese oigins but really I do feel and look lebanese but still Im proud to be an Australian Leb!!!, its an amazing feeling but I often feel so bad with what is happening in Lebanon and it looks as though things might stay that way.
I got engaged to a lebanese from Lebanon and hopefully oneday we can raise our children there in the future if things get better, I really enjoyed my stay in Lebanon and I would recommend all the jews of Lebanon to do so. I promise that once you step off that plane after its landing, you will feel as though your in a new world, GOD i loved that feeling everytime I went to Lebanon. You’ll also enjoy the shopping…..I loved shopping for souvenirs, walking 3am at night on the beach which felt safe, I also loved going to the Cedars and hiking the mountains.
………………………………………………
It’s ashame how many of the jews left the country, you shouldn’t hide what you are!!!
June 26th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Judaism to me is a religion not a race.. and every single religion tells u to respect all other religions , there is no doubt that Lebanese jews are just like christian jew or muslim jews… Im sorry to hear that jews were attacked in lebanon but so is every other religion .. the only different is that Jews were a very tiny community and cant defend themselves as much as others did… I hope Lebanese jews will never have to hide their religion again and go back to their synagogues in lebanon … never ever have to change their names… cuz Lebanon is lebanon with all its 19 religion sects.. I always was interested to meet Lebanese jews.. and I did meet one.. the CEO of PUMA the shoes company is a lebanese jew and i was very happy to meet him cuz he was not ashamed to say he is a lebanese jew… but before anything he said he was LEBANESE… GOD BLESS LEBANON!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:40 pm
George, I respect your opinion even if your idea is different from of mine. Judaism is a religion for all but attention please… First thing, “race” is a bad word, above all in Europe (Hitler said “race”). No “race” but “people”, “origin”, “generation”. These are positive words. About religion… I knew, some year ago, hebrew persons without “religion”, without “God” (Adonay / Allah). This people, hebrew-people without Judaism religion, were (and are) always hebrew. “Jew” is a religion-word, “hebrew” is multi-word: religion-word but also “people-word”. I think in DNA test, in “people / homeland”. There is a lot of hebrew people without religion in their life: they are, at the same way, hebrew persons. Pretty often, “hebrew people” is “jew people”. Pretty often, not always. Hebrew person is, also and not only, to be person speaks hebrew language, person with semitic-origin (with others semitics, arabs and maronites, if for you these last are not arabs) etc. etc. Judaism is the religion for hebrew people but not all hebrew people has got Judaism (I say this thing with MAX respect). Salaam, Andrea.
July 8th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Hello to all my fellow Lebanese citizins first of all and then to everyone who loves Lebanese people cause we as Lebanese we love all peoples and nationalities and reliogions.Iam a Lebanese and i want to say this is our connection together and our identity that ties us strong wherever we go in this world.i challenge anyone of you when he is somewhere in this planet when hears about a Lebanese people or hearing someone talking our accent not to feel his heart jumping out of his chest and when we hear of Lebanon our eyes not to be full with tears,and i wish it will be always tears of happiness rather than tears of sadness of what we do bad with our own hands against our great land and culture,and then what our (beloved) neighbors do to us like israel and syria and many far (good friends) like america and others…let me call you my brothers cause we were all of us Lebanese before we were christians,jews or muslems.Enough my brothers Lebanon was before all reliogions and from our Land we have the reliogions delivered to the world.we must accept each other as it is and im proud to have a Lebanese jew friend and as families too sharing each other our ceremonies good and bad.Lebanon is for all its sons,and just who believe in this land and its glory and great herritage must be called a son and a brother.Iam a Lebanese Syriac Aramean christian and im proud of this but this identity will have no meaning without my other partners which i call brothers the muslim shia or sunni or druze or jew and all other sects in Lebanon…this is the case that hurts the enemies of our great culture and herritage and wants us to believe that we are barbarians and cant live with each other and wants us to belive this and leave our country and bases and run away from our land.let us close the door and protect our home from winds of evil and open this door to everyone who believes in this diversity and great herritage and this unique Lebanese identity.My brothers its so warm feeling to hear you and read your encouraging threads,keep it the good work and spirit,we will return and win back our gloriuos way of life and this Great Lebanon which no can find a place equal to it on the face of earth.God bless you and your families and bless and protect our HOMELAND LEBANON.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I WAS BORN IN BEIRUT.AND I CAN’T SAY THAT I AM PROUD WHITH THIS COUNTRY.PRESIDENT CHOCOLAT SOLDIER.THE HISBALLA HAS NO ALLA.
lebanon is miserable .to see what THE lebanease citizens done to
the synagogue MAGEN ABRAHAM TELL ALL THE STORIES.NO NEED
MORE WORDS FOR
COMMENT.SORY
July 14th, 2008 at 1:14 am
Hello
i just want to show my sadness seeing jewish community decreasing in number in lebanon , i think that it s a big loss to the country
it needs huge efforts to let the jewish heritage in lebanon comes out of ruins , but i think that it s worthy to be done and it s the responsibility of every free mind in the world
July 14th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Good day to all of you, i know that i am Lebanese and i feel so sorry that most of the Lebanese people have left there country just because of a reason or another, any one who live his country and do not demand the right of returning then he is selling his roots.
for those who are thinking of returning to Lebanon, let me put it this way, i live in africa and every body look at me like if i am white they don’t see that i am a human like any body else, i can breath the same air eat and drink and for sure i can enjoy, no matter how hard i try, i will always be seen as white men.
so concerning Lebanon, Lebanese people are fighting over stupid things.They hate each other in the morning .
At night!! they go and drink in the same places, they got drunk and the next morning they start talking about love of this country(knowing that with the money they spend on there own pleasure can help some families)about how there plan will help Lebanon grow faster, and how they are planing to make Lebanon a free country, since when my country is not free ???
i see that love is in the air, Lebanon is such a lovely place and believe me i’ve met a lot of Lebanese and went almost every where and yet i see that at the end it is only us who are hurting Lebanon.
please (sorry to say it ) “don’t come back”, not because i don’t want you to come back, but just because i love Lebanon, maybe i can see how much you care about this country, because of all this i don’t want you to be hurt by the love you have for this country, Lebanon loves everybody anyone and it is a small country with a big heart, but always you will see a lot of Lebanese people that they say ” i love Lebanon” while in fact they only Love them self, and believe me if i say it they will hurt you.
not only because you are Judaist , but they will use it as an excuse to tell you that you are not welcome .
you don’t believe me ???
ok look what is happening now, how many Lebanese killed each other just because of the religion .
even more than any other foreigner( Israel, Syria, French , and many)
and at the end we will say I love Lebanon, how many times you stand up when you hear the National anthem, or you defend what is said about another Lebanese person,
So now take a moment and think about it, i love this country and every day they fight over basic and stupid things, are they going to spare me or my life.
there is no country belong to a men, always there is a men belonging to a country.
August 24th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
My great grand father migrated from Lebanon to Latin-America somewhere in the 1890’s or first decade of 1900. Either in the way to his final destination or upon arrival he changed his whole name for something phonetically similar to his real. By questioning my grand father (one of his children) we know his given name were Assad Faris, which he changed to “Jose Francisco”, it is not clear what as his last name since he hardly learned Spanish and he never wanted to tell his children and new family (it is assume he left family behind) anything about his pass. Our last name ended up to be Ferreira, some of his children claim his real last name is something that sounded, in Spanish, like “Jaraira” or “Jairallah”.
By researching, I found there is an Arab surname Jairallah but taking in consideration that the guy was Caucasian and married a catholic woman of Spanish descent and raised his children catholic, makes it hard to believe he was Muslim or Arab/Lebanese. Would like to find a list of Lebanese surnames to find something that phonetically would sound like the last name he was given when he was clearing customs in America or perhaps Portugal which is another assumption.
Thanks