Seraj Voices
Volunteers, supporters, and staff
Caesar Haddad, Seraj Volunteer and Scholarship Recipient
My name is Caesar Haddad, and I'm from Bethlehem, where I live with my mother and older brother. My mother is retired from her job as a judge in the Palestinian courts, and my brother is studying at the university. I'm studying law at Birzeit University and, after graduation, I dream to continue my education to the highest degree. I aspire to work as a researcher and intellectual in research centers and institutions, and to one day become a university professor. I'm particularly drawn to intellectual and academic pursuits and research, and their importance to society.
I learned about Seraj through my friends at university. Before volunteering, I went there to see a play. I enjoyed myself very much so I started to study there after classes, and now I'm a volunteer there, on a scholarship helping them with their activities aimed at community development.
I work in the library organizing and cataloging books so they are available to everyone. This highlights the importance of Seraj, as their philosophy is based on helping students, youth, and children, and opening new horizons for them. On a personal level, I've benefited greatly. Seraj has guided me in many ways and, through volunteering, I've met many wonderful people. We are like a family, and I'm so thankful for their encouragement.
Dima Bseiso, Seraj/Palestine General Assembly Member
I was born and raised in Ramallah, Palestine. I studied in the Rosary Sisters school in Jerusalem and finished my degree in Psychology from Birzeit University. I grew up in a home with a big library. Both of my parents were readers. I have fond memories of sitting by the fire in the evenings, sipping sage tea, listening to my father discuss the books he was reading. I remember many nights when my older sister would read aloud “One Thousand and One Nights” (also known as “Arabian Nights”) before we fell asleep. People always gave me books as gifts, which I absolutely adored (and still do!). I met Laurie through my work, and after exchanging many books and discussing them together, we became close friends. I always loved how passionate Estephan and Laurie were about Seraj, and how they invested so much time and effort to develop libraries in rural villages and refugee camps. I was thrilled to be asked to join the board and spread joy to so many girls and boys through the library experience we all love. What I really like about Seraj is that we are reaching remote villages and communities and introducing the world of storytelling through libraries. We are also creating an atmosphere where books are always present and giving hope to young people that they can make a change and improve their lives through books and reading. Seraj works as close partners with the local community and we understand the importance of being real and authentic to make lasting change. At Seraj, we understand that the job of education is not limited to schools, because real education is done by encouraging children to become inquirers (as is their nature) and by seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge. We want to raise a generation of leaders who believe they can make change. This is what Seraj is doing now, my hope is that we can expand and empower more young people across Palestine. My daily hope is that as parents and teachers, we can lead by example and reading becomes part of the lives of all our children. The time has come for us to give our children the skills for learning how to learn and how to search for information. We need to let go of the dependency upon authority figures to force learning that we are teaching our children in Palestinian schools. I hope that teachers will evolve from this into facilitators for knowledge.
Galen Burghardt, Seraj/U.S. Board Chair
My wife Birch and I were drawn into the work of Seraj by Cotton Fite several years ago when he organized a class at St Luke’s Episcopal in Evanston on the history of Palestine and the emergence of Israel. Cotton also introduced us to Estephan and Laurie Salameh and we found ourselves delighted by the work they were doing. We later had a chance to travel to Israel and the West Bank with Pauline Coffman and Paul Parker, who were members of the Seraj board here in the U.S. and who managed an absolutely magical tour that lit fires in our hearts that still burn. Cotton then recruited me to join the board. I can report that the experience has been a delight. To be sure, our main job here is to raise money so that Seraj in Palestine can create children’s libraries. But the task has been a joyful one largely because the work Seraj is doing in Palestine is so delightful and because the people who have been drawn to the cause are so much fun to be around. Others have said this much better, but for me, my love of Seraj stems from the idea that one can never go wrong helping a child. It’s something that we can do without angering anyone, and the gift in return is the chance to meet the people in these communities and make new friends.
Our supporters
Kathy Matsushima, Williamsburg, VA
I support Seraj Library Project because it is a way that whole communities can develop an attitude of peace, hope and learning in their children, while also encouraging creativity and joy for the adults.
Pauline Coffman, Oak Park, IL
I support the Seraj Library Project because reading opened up the world to me; children with limited movement can still become citizens of the world through reading.
Dr. Ghada Talhami, Evanston, IL
Children who live in a war zone rarely learn the benefits and effectiveness of civil society through their daily experiences. The Palestinian children we are influencing today through books, reading, and learning about the world will be the future leaders of the Palestinians. What better way of opening up to the world around them than to connect them with Americans who are committed to the idea that education is a basic human right.
Mai Khader Kakish, Wheeling, IL
Growing up in Palestine, I longed to have a good, accessible library. I dreamt of being able to read lots of colorful books. Reading gives children some place to go when they have to stay where they are. It allows them to escape and experience new adventures. A child who reads will be an adult who thinks.
Connie Baker, Cave Creek, AZ
I support the Seraj Library Project because it opens up the world to children and parents who have lived their entire lives under the restrictions of military occupation. Books give them the opportunity to imagine, dream and explore new ideas, providing them with hope for a safe world where they can have the lives we all want for ourselves and our children.
John Cassel, Oak Park, IL
For me, Seraj is a positive, tangible and simple response to 50 years of Israeli occupation. While it is painful to see and know the injustices visited daily on the Palestinian people, involvement in Seraj is but one small way to respond and stand with Palestinians everywhere.