It all grew out of a personal tragedy: In 2009, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish lost his three teenage daughters and a niece when a missile was fired into their apartment during the Gaza War. He wrote a book, “I Shall Not Hate” and created the Daughters for Life Foundation, a charity that provides scholarships to young women in the Middle East in memory of his slain daughters.
The scholarship program came to New College in 2013 when five young women from the Middle East received full four-year scholarships to New College. The accomplishments of those five young women – and the program itself – were celebrated at the Daughters for Life luncheon at Michael’s on East.
Nearly 350 guests enjoyed the luncheon including mothers and daughter co-chairs Renee and Karen Hamad and Dorothy and Sue Jacobson, honorary co-chair Georgia Court, Audrey Coleman, Shannon Duvall, Rose Chapman, Debbi Benedict Mona Jain, Lou Bertha McKenzie Wharton and Richard Wharton, Katherine Schersten, Marilyn Maleckas, Christine Jennings, Hillary Steele, Bruce Berg, Beth Waters and Gil Waters, Joe and Ora Mendels, Marie Monsky, Dennis and Graci McGillicuddy and Mark and Jennie Famiglio.
New College Provost Stephen Miles welcomed guests. His remarks and a video about the program were followed by a delicious lunch that included Mediterranean chicken, Israeli Cous Cous and Baklava.
New College President Donal O’Shea then took center stage for a panel discussion with the five students: Leen Al Fatafta, Najla Fawwaz, Rasha Masara, Loureen Sayej and Ayah Tafesh.
Loureen spoke about the opportunity to teach Arabic and Middle Eastern cooking, saying how rewarding it was to teach other students that “it’s about more than politics. It’s about our culture.” Leen described the her favorite part of the experience as student life. “Everyone is very loving. It’s just like one big family,” she said.
O’Shea then introduced Abuelaish, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and who will receive an honorary doctorate from New College at the May 22 graduation. “Women are the key to peace in the Middle East,” he said. “This is a blessed moment for me,” he continued. “To see these young women, my daughters, alive and spreading our message.
“You are our hope, our present and our future,” he told them. “People tell me they have lost hope. We bring you these girls to give you hope. It is time for women to take the lead in this world. Forget behind every successful man, it should be beside every successful man is a successful woman.”
The luncheon ended with dance performances by Leymis Bolanos Wilmott of Fuzion Dance Artists, with a reading by Susan Marks, and by Virginia Mendez, founder of C.O.M.E. Dance and Rakstar Productions.