The Palestinian Experience Series
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Series, PART II:
"The Palestinian Experience"
Start off your 2024 with the intention of developing deeper empathy and greater understanding of what is going on in the world. Join us on three consecutive Sundays in January immediately following worship for Part II of our Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Series led by Senior Minister, Rev. Dr. Benjamin Boswell featuring special guests.
In Part II, we will have the important opportunity to hear first-hand stories from Palestinian-Americans about their experiences of what it means to be Palestinian, the history of the conflict in Israel, and the recent war in Gaza.
January 7 - Obaida Mohammad, Palestinian-American Muslim from Charlotte
Activist, Human rights advocate, and youth mentor at the Muslim Community Center. Palestinian American born in Chicago and raised in North Carolina. He spent 5 years in Palestine in the occupied West Bank from 2005-2009 and made several other visits from 1998-2023. He works in the solar industry and resides in Charlotte with his wife and 3 children.
View the PowerPoint presentation
January 14 - Ghassan J. Tarazi, Palestinian-American Christian from Northern Virginia
Dr. Tarazi was born in Beirut, Lebanon to a Palestinian father and a Lebanese mother. His parents were driven from their home in Jerusalem in May of 1948 as Israel was being created. His family fled to Beirut, Lebanon where he was born. The family migrated to the United States in 1956.
Dr. Tarazi received a bachelor’s degree in history, a master’s degree in history, with a concentration in Middle East history, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Dr. Tarazi spent 37 years in public education as a teacher, coach, principal, and a central office administrator for school systems in New York, Virginia, and Maryland. He ended his career as professor in the teacher preparation program at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Dr. Tarazi is very active in his home church, Ravensworth Baptist Church in Annandale, Virginia. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Alliance of Baptists. He is a founding member of the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace. He and his wife have led members of their church on three trips to Israel and Palestine. They have been very involved locally, nationally, and internationally in the struggle for justice for Palestinians in the Holy Land.
To prepare for this session, read an article by Dr. Tarazi here
January 21 - Film Screening of The Present and Panel Discussion with local Palestinians, Dr. Emile Khuri, Randa Eldarini, Izzat Symeh, and Obaida Mohammad.