Despite the raging nor'easter storm engulfing the much of the Northeast, about 400 enthusiastic people braved the  driving rain and wind to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Palestinian Heritage Foundation, PHF. At a gala dinner in Teaneck, NJ, prominent speakers came to pay tribute to the PHF for its commendable efforts to not only preserve Palestinian embroidery but to ensure its perpetuity and exposure to the to larger American public. Keynote speaker, Hanan Ashrawi reflected on the tumultuous conditions befalling the Palestinian people and offered some suggestions and insights as to needs to be done to extricate our people for the current "debacle"-  as she correctly described the internal and external variables taking shape. Yet while she was eloquent and at ease with the subject matter, I was not so enthused by her unusually reserved demeanor. She was not the fiery and intuitively exciting speaker I have come to expect of her. She appeared exhausted, perhaps overwhelmed by and almost resigned to the debilitating sense of hopelessness many of us feel. Because she had come to symbolize Palestinian resilience, intelligence and above all an unequalled voice for embodying our national aspirations, I hope to see her (again) recapture the unabashed and unapologetic advocacy role of our cause.

On the other hand, I was impressed by the words spoken by  Archbishop Atallah Hanna, Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.  He not only told the audience that the wounded city of Jerusalem will never succumb to the sinister plans of the Israelis to sever the ties Palestinians have with their  the holy city , but his plea for our America Arab community to solidify its voice and unite its efforts. This is he call that needs to be told now and everywhere.