Access and post more content, build your own profile page -
Home » Levantine Review

Levantine Review

  • children-tanks-210.jpg
    War and Peace, From Gaza to Los Angeles
    a young activist speaks out on censored Palestinian children's art exhibit
    In March 2009, I travelled to Gaza with an international peace delegation organized by CODEPINK, Women for Peace. Our mission was to witness the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead, Israel's 22-day assault on Gaza and to celebrate International Women's Day with the women and children of Gaza.

This Month

  • cindy-corrie-translator-craig-corrie-sm.jpg
    Uncovering the Rachel Corrie Story
    a student intern attends the trial with the late activist's parents in Israel
    [Haifa, Israel] "The trial is this weekend," my boss said without feeling the need to fill in the details regarding which case she was referring to. She had assumed that, as an American female and empathizer for Palestinian rights, I would know about Rachel Corrie. The truth is, I should have known about Rachel Corrie, but before that moment I had never heard her name.
  • Building a Blue-Green Coalition in California
    a progressive Democrat leaves the party for greener pastures
    After the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, with its codification of imprisonment without charge or trial, I could no longer register voters for the Democratic Party—even with the hope of involving new registrants in the California Democratic Party's popular Progressive Caucus. If I could not ask someone to join the Democratic Party, I could not in good conscience stay in the party, even as an insurgent writing resolutions and platform planks to end our wars for oil.
  • wadi-nisnas-sm.jpg
    My New Life in Wadi Nisnas, Haifa
    a young American's first impressions living and working in Israel
    When I heard that I would have the opportunity to work abroad in Israel during my last months of college, I was thrilled! However, I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't have my doubts in the last couple of weeks before my trip or even during the 18 hour flight it took to get there. I was nervous about traveling to a new country where I didn't know anyone personally and where I couldn't speak either official language, Hebrew or Arabic.
  • Cartoon of the Week by Khalil Bendib
more

Film

  • london-river160.jpg
    "London River" Asks Us to Reconsider the "Clash of Civilizations"
    Rachid Bouchareb's quiet drama dissects Islamophobia across the pond
    Not a whole lot happens in London River, which sets it apart from Rachid Bouchareb's other recent films - sweeping epics like Days of Glory and Outside the Law. Here, the Franco-Algerian director has elected to work on the other end of the scale, and the result is a small, subtle piece that nevertheless packs a hefty emotional punch.
  • all-american-muslim175.jpg
    The Everyday Muslim in America Comes to Cable
    TLC's "All American Muslim"
    The Learning Channel's new reality show, All American Muslim, comes along at just the right time to counter Fear, Inc.'s river of anti Arab/Muslim rhetoric. While right-wing pundits like Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch make a living spewing anti-Islam epithets, 1.7 million Americans tuned in to watch TLC's first episode take take fear out of the equation by following the mundane lives of several Lebanese Muslims of Dearborn, who turn out to be your everyday, garden-variety Americans.
  • richardiii1-150.jpg
    Arab Documentary on Theatre Stands Out in Festival
    Shakespeare's "Richard III" as seen through Arab eyes
    The 15th annual Arab Film Festival made its way from the San Francisco area to Los Angeles for the fourth time on the weekend of October 21, bringing a wide range of narrative and documentary features and shorts. While much of the hoopla revolved around the opening night and centerpiece film (Mohamed Amin's Egyptian Maidens) as well as epics like Rachid Bouchareb's Outside the Law, other films played to smaller but equally enthusiastic audiences.
more

Music & Dance

  • coverage-acrassicauda-200.jpg
    The Arab Revolution Hits the Sunset Strip
    Middle East metal bands Acraussicada and Massive Scar Era play the Whisky
    It's not often that heavy metal bands from the Middle East make it to the States, but in July the Sunset Strip witnessed what was surely the first meeting of three powerhouses of Middle Eastern metal on its hallowed ground-Egypt, Iraq and Iran.
  • caracalla-zayed-royce250.jpg
    Beirut and Abu Dhabi Collaborate on UAE Dance Spectacle
    Caracalla Hagiography of Sheikh Zayed Comes to Royce Hall
    Late in July, Beirut's venerable dance company, Caracalla, presented their latest grand epic, "Zayed and the Dream," at Royce Hall. Under the watchful eye of Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, who sat quietly in the theatre dressed in jeans and a baseball cap, some 100 cast members entertained an audience made up almost equally of Arab Americans and non-Middle Easterners.
more

Op-Ed & Satire

  • Building a Blue-Green Coalition in California
    a progressive Democrat leaves the party for greener pastures
    After the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, with its codification of imprisonment without charge or trial, I could no longer register voters for the Democratic Party—even with the hope of involving new registrants in the California Democratic Party's popular Progressive Caucus. If I could not ask someone to join the Democratic Party, I could not in good conscience stay in the party, even as an insurgent writing resolutions and platform planks to end our wars for oil.
  • Cartoon of the Week by Khalil Bendib
  • children-tanks-210.jpg
    War and Peace, From Gaza to Los Angeles
    a young activist speaks out on censored Palestinian children's art exhibit
    In March 2009, I travelled to Gaza with an international peace delegation organized by CODEPINK, Women for Peace. Our mission was to witness the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead, Israel's 22-day assault on Gaza and to celebrate International Women's Day with the women and children of Gaza.
  • the-wandering-who160.jpg
    Jewish Censorship in Britain Hounds Outspoken Israeli
    Gilad Atzmon and Norman Finkelstein marked as Enemies Number One
    There was a time when Jewish politics and culture were associated with liberalism, human rights, pluralism and freedom of expression. Those days are clearly over. Nowadays, it is pretty much the opposite. Here in Britain, Jewish nationalist lobbies are engaged in several kinds of repressive behaviour. Their practices include: bullying and harassment, disinformation, and smear campaigns.
more

Literature

  • ArtOfSteppingThroughTime_3f_thumbSM.jpg
    "The Art of Stepping Through Time" poem
    "The Art of Stepping Through Time" is a poem from the eponymous collection by H. E. Sayeh and translated by Chad Sweeney and Mojdeh Marashi...
  • red sunrise
    "Red Dawn" poem
    Tehran, 1971
    "Red Dawn" is a poem from "The Art of Stepping Through Time" by H. E. Sayeh and translated by Chad Sweeney and Mojdeh Marashi...
  • Ghazal_Album-150.jpg
    "House of Ghazal" poem
    Tehran, Summer 1975
    "House of Ghazal" is a poem from "The Art of Stepping Through Time" by H. E. Sayeh and translated by Chad Sweeney and Mojdeh Marashi.
  • art-of-stepping-through-time150.jpg
    November/December Poetry Selection from Sholeh Wolpé
    "The Art of Stepping Through Time" By H. E. Sayeh
    Hot off the press, poetry editor Sholeh Wolpé introduces Levantine Review readers to "The Art of Stepping Through Time" by H.E. Sayeh. The volume is the fruit of eight years collaboration between Mojdeh Marahsi, an Iranian poet and artist, and Chad Sweeney, an American poet.
more