Behind the Blog: Letter from the Administrator
January 12th, 2007 at 12:56 pmDear reader,
Thank you for visiting my site and giving me the opportunity to render my cause and the cause of so many around the world, a cause founded, initiated, and pursued by righteousness and a desire for the good for all mankind. I hope that with my modest undertaking, and an infinite desire for good, a precedent will be set and an example to be followed by more of our world’s youth. While the young are desperate for guidance, the purported “leaders” have fallen short of our expectations and of their own responsibilities. In 2007, more than any other time, the youth of Lebanon and the world are yearning for change, for peace; something only possible and resultant by the initiatives and leadership of real and genuine leaders, men and women who seek the greater good for all mankind and not solely of their own.
My project and undertaking here is only bit and parcel of my real dreams and ambitions, only a fragment of where I believe our world should be led. For years I’ve watched fellow countrymen tear the land of the cedars apart by their sectarian fanaticism, blind hatred, political prostitution, and unreserved ignorance. I invite you to my site as we witness a real desire for change, an authentic intention to lead our country towards genuine national unity. I’ve been called everything from a hero to a traitor, I’ve been threatened and harassed yet this cause is unwavering, and I remain steadfast to my beliefs. This site has been attacked by hackers and individuals who propagate lies and heresy in the name of their so-called “causes” yet I ask, what is more noble than the cause of humanity? Protecting our heritage as Lebanese and citizens of this world is our only guarantee for a better future- neglecting your past equates to nullifying your future.
I have no political motives, I’m not a self-hating Lebanese or Muslim, I have no affiliations to any foreign country besides my own; there are not any underlying motives, so I ask that you do not contact us with unfounded and baseless accusations and threats. I direct my comments to both ends of the obvious political and ideological spectrums. What joins you is hatred, ignorance, and a lack of education and respect. What united us here is our common humanity, values, and genuine desire for peace. We shouldn’t yearn for peace without conciliation, without understanding. God gave us two ears and one mouth so we listen twice as much as we speak. Without acknowledging the rights of others and acknowledging an individuals value as a human being and granting them their fundamental and inalienable rights as human beings, we will continue leading the lives we’ve led for the last 50 years.
I have dedicated my life to the land of my ancestors out of respect and appreciation for what our respective civilization has contributed to the world. The land of the cedars, the land that gave the world its alphabet. This cause, of rebuilding our nation is far greater than any cause prescribed in Lebanon, greater than the hollow political slogans and ideologies broadcasted in the capitals of the world. The Lebanese cause is not the Zionist cause, the Lebanese cause is not the Arab cause, nor the Christian or Islamic cause- the Lebanese cause is humanity’s cause; the struggle for mankind to live together, peacefully, and most noteworthy, it’s distinction of being universally applicable. We must end the tendency to regard ourselves as individuals in this increasing globalized society.
Lebanon was and will always be the model for religious coexistence and cultural pluralism in the Middle East and the world. It’s by no coincidence that Lebanon is the only country in the world besides the obvious exception of Israel whose Jewish population increased after 1948. My site and its content are purely Lebanese, national in character and spirit. No propaganda, agendas; what you see here is who I am and what I believe in. They showed us where they could lead Lebanon and the youth see it differently. I am only one voice in the collective courage of our youth, the children and the diaspora of our great nation.
I invite you visitor, Lebanese or non-Lebanese, as a brother in faith and humanity, welcome to my site, your site, the site where good people are all welcomed.
A human being, an inhabitant of civilization, a son of the Holy Cedars of Lebanon,
Aaron-Micaël Beydoun
Mohamad Said,
January 12, 2007 @ 3:04 am
Aaron,
Wonderful blog. Would be great to get in touch with you independently to ask you a couple of things. Thanks for posting on our blog, you’ve made The Thinking Lebanese community even more full and representative of Lebanon.
all the best,
Mohamad
thethinkingleb.blogspot.com
Faysal Said,
January 12, 2007 @ 12:57 pm
Aaron,
I’ve placed a link to your site on my blog. If you list other blogs, please include mine. I have a group of readers who would be very interested in what you are doing here.
Salamaat,
Faysal
thethinkingleb.blogspot.com
IndyanaJones Said,
January 13, 2007 @ 2:42 pm
Aaron,
), so, co-existence isn’t a pipe dream
as a confirmation of your main idea about co-existence, in Brazil the 2
groups (jews and lebanese) get along very well (more than they admit
Anyway, just an small correction, in your site banner picture you have
“Os jedeus do Líbano” the correct portuguese word for jew is “judeu” not
“jedeu” (and yes, I’am such a nitpick)
Thanks for restoring my faith in mankind
ps - send a link to this site to Nas boy
maybe he learns something
ps2- hat tip to The Thinking Lebs for the link
Mohammad Diab Said,
January 13, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
Great job Aaron, We Muslims, Christians, Druze, Jews of Lebanon are proud of you.
Keep up, your honesty and truth is incredible…
Keep up dudeeeeee
Howie Said,
January 13, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
Rebuilding of the synagouge could be a nice symbol…but getting decent human beings to connect is what is truly exciting.
Fabienne Said,
January 13, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
Aaron, from today you will be as a son for me - just as my son’s Jewish name is Aaron as well. He will be 24 on the 24th of January, God willing;
what age are you?
You are doing what is exactly the Godly mission we all should have fullfilled long ago:Go and do your thing to make the world a better place!
I once had hopes I could have done some real BIG thing that way like you are doing now.
I didn’t succeed and tell myself it is not such a big loss as I do try to make a lot of small things to make the world a better place.
Supporting you, however, gives me a tiny chance do help on the BIG level you are working now - and that makes me proud and very gratefull to you.
Please do keep up your excellent work and please see to it if there might be any way you could delegate some tasks to other people around the world so that we might double or triple you efforts: making ALL of us around the world, realise we are brothers and siters indeed, children of One God, no matter how and what we think of him (her?);
and: that we should treat each other the way we would have liked to be treated ourselves: and who would nòt have liked his or hers house of God being restored if it is perishing?
In fact, you are exercising God’s two very important words!
Again, be blessed my son for your good work and may God be with you and your family and bless the effects of your hands!
Love,
Fabienne. (The Netherlands)
Lydia Sizer Said,
January 13, 2007 @ 11:36 pm
Hello, my name is Lydia Sizer and I am working on a thesis through Brown University in the United States looking at blogs. I am looking at how blogs affect mutual understanding among people of different ethnic backgrounds and I was wondering if you would be willing to take a survey I have prepared for my research. This research would give you a voice in determining whether blogs would be useful in aiding global security. If you are interested, don
Roman Kalik Said,
January 14, 2007 @ 9:53 am
Thank you, man. Thank you for showing me that this world can be a better place if we just try.
I know a few people here in Israel who would at the very least like to visit Lebanon again. It used to be their home, and they want the younger amoung them view it as something they have to do to understand their past. Will they choose to live in Lebanon if given the chance? Not too likely, I think, but maybe.
That depends on Lebanon, and the Lebanese.
Elie Said,
January 14, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
Wow I am living in Lebanon and wonder where are those Lebanese Jews!!
Guys, work hard, its your country too… if u ignore ur place, u will be commiting a sin to your own selves…
JEWS OF LEBANON COMEBACK TO YOUR HOMELAND,
Lebanese people
Roman Kalik Said,
January 15, 2007 @ 4:16 pm
Aaron, thank you. Thank you for making this world just a little more optimistic.
Not sure how many of my friends here in Israel would like to live in Lebanon again, but some would like to visit.
Bruno Said,
January 15, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
Aaron, this is an inspiring site! The famed archeologist Dr. Jones is correct on both counts above;-); our contry has many problems but sectarism is not one of them. And instead of ‘Os Jedeus do Líbano’ it should read ‘Os Judeus do Líbano’.
Roman Kalik Said,
January 15, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Damn, I thought my first comment didn’t come through. Ah, nevermind. Least of my worries.
Ali Said,
January 16, 2007 @ 11:44 am
I am muslim from south Lebanon,
Mr. Beydoune, you will be surprised if I tell you that most of the people (young and old) especially shiites and those sunnis in Saida miss their jewish neighbours, untill now we still look at the jewish remnants on the borders of Israel and all of lebanon with so much pain of missing that community. I really dont know what stops jewish community to prosper when everything talks about judaism is religous. They should show up as soon as possible, coz they are just like any muslim or christian. com’on guys go ahead rebuild all the temples especially that Maghen Avraham. It is high time ya3ny. Sho natreen????????????????
my admire for the jewish sect in Lebanon,
Ali
Anonymous Said,
January 16, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
Elie, we are here. We are among the Lebanese people, in Lebanon, but the Lebanese people don’t know we’re here. For now, that is the way it is supposed to be. Maybe in the future it will be different.
Sandrinou Said,
January 18, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
I was told a couple of times that there was a large jewish community in Lebanon in the past but only a few families at the best still remained after the war kinda “under cover”, but it was always such an abstraction to me…I can’t even describe what I felt after reading all your messages…It gives both judaism and lebanon a whole new meaning to me… God, I wish everything would be uncovered and there would be the synagogue, the church and the mosque right next to each other in some village surrounded by cedars…. It must have been splendid to live in lebanon before the war, but maybe we could someday soon go back to those times. The will is there, isn’t it?
Aaron, finding this link (Remarkz.blogspot), is making my day probably for the next couple of weeks.
If you feel like it, please get in touch. I have so many questions to ask you, so many things to understand. Your heart-felt message about lebanon, when so many took the best of it and still rolled it in the dirt amazes me.
I look forward to talking to you soon
Alexandra Said,
January 28, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
Aaron,
I am so delighted to visit your site whenever I have free time. I was born in Lebanon, but didn’t live there so long; i have been for a few visits in the past couple of years; and to be honest I don’t know much about the history of my country. But I love Lebanon, and will never deny where I come from because this is where I belong.
Your blog is a message of peace and tolerance and it brightens my day to see hope still exists and people like you are making Lebanon a better place.
I know many jewish people and have many friends and colleagues among them and I was so happy to learn jewish people still live in Lebanon!
The Magen Abraham should be rebuilt because it is a symbol of Lebanon; and the jewish community shouldn’t live in the dark. Without the respect of every single religious community, our country looses its identity.
Please Aaron, feel free to contact me as I also do have many questions to ask you.
I wish you all the best
Joseph Matta Said,
February 6, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
What does it matter Muslim, Christian or Jewish…Thank you for the voice…Thank you for the wake up call…many have been awaken… many questions asked…
The Jews of Lebanon are and will remain Lebanese…The dark will cease…
Good luck to you and all those supporting your good intentions
Cedra Said,
February 23, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
Good luck Aaron ((:nice name :))
i would like to see some jews !!!where are you ????we don’t know anything about you and if we know something im quite sure is all wrong So Com’on rise your voice Speak up loud !!!!
gladys Said,
March 27, 2007 @ 3:33 pm
Aaron,
I was reading through the website, it’s so interesting and peaceful! Very nice work
I’ve always heard that there are Lebanese Jews still living in Lebanon, where are they? I’ve been living in Lebanon all my life, howcome i’ve never met a Lebanese jew?! although i’d love to..
Keep up the good work,
Peace
jack Said,
March 1, 2008 @ 9:34 pm
When will Lebanese will stop this : jew,christian or muslim thing.
We are all lebanese and lebanon belong to us. I felt very sad reading some things here. I wish we can all come back and live in peace. I hope.