Reputations are fickle things, they come and go, lost and earned, deserved or undeserved. Zgharta and its people have many reputations, some more true than others, perceived stereotypes founded in the mists of times.

One reputation which is true and deserved is that its citizens over the years have served the nation, holding Lebanon's highest offices of state; the Maronite Church; providing help and assistance to all regardless of faith or political allegiance, through private and organisational means. They have not been, against perceived type, insular; both on the social and political level their focus and visions have been broad rather than narrow.

We at zgharta.com have always sought to reach out to the Zgharta Zawie worldwide community, reporting "local" news, of home and abroad events, as well as general interest articles. We have always striven to ensure that our articles are not parochial or "small townism" in content. To maintain this we intend in the future to post more articles concerning people and organizations, who although they still part of the local community, are doing things elsewhere and of general subjects which we believe will interest our readers.

One such example of an organisation, whose roots and soul although in Zgharta reaches communities beyond, is the René Moawad Foundation. Born out of sorrow it has gained a worldwide reputation for helping people of all faiths and locale. It's activities are spread throughout Lebanon and are reported both in the national and international media. The Lebanese newspaper, Al Anwar, reported on 4th April 2008, on the Foundation's LEAD programme concerning schools in Akkar and Mount Lebanon. The article can be read from here.

We hope to report soon on the current activities of other organisations such as the Al Midan Society, the Fayez Mouawad Foundation and Jouzour - Simon Boulos Foundation and more. Send us your comments and suggestions of things you would like us to cover to our email address: contact@zgharta.com

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Saturday midnight sees Lebanon change its clocks for summer time.

As to our neighbours: Iran switched on Friday, 21st March; Israel and Jordan switched on Friday 28th March; Syria will switch on Friday, 4th April; Egypt will switch on Friday, 25th April. Saudia Arabia and Iraq will not change this year. So as in poltics, Middle Eastern clocks are at an variance, especially at this time of the year !

For good measure, Washington DC, switched on Sunday, 9th March and Australia will on Sunday, 6th April.

So remember before you dial long distance, check the time.

We are sad to report the death of Sheikh Hamid Khalil Karam, former President of the Zgharta Ehden Municipal Council, on Tuesday, 25th March 2008. The funeral took place at St John the Baptist Church, Zgharta. Condolences are being received in Beruit on Sunday at the home of Sheikh Igance Moawad, son-in-law.

He was a member of the Council for the term, 1948 to 1952; Vice President of the Council for the term, 1952 to 1959, and President from 1959 to 12th January 1960.

Today in Lebanon, the Maronite Community, is observing both Good Friday and Mother's Day.

When we first realised both would be held on the same day, it seem to be strange, almost contradictory, at odds with each other. One sad, of sacrifice, the other, of joy and celebration.

Yet on reflection both are not dissimilar, sharing a common element, of sacrifice.

Christ sacrificed himself for mankind. Mothers, throughout our community, in their own way, sacrifice themselves, placing their, needs, desires and ambitions in second place for their children, husband and community.

So we mark Mother's Day out of respect to all mother's and wish them a happy Mother's Day.

The main photograph is of the Pietá by Michelangelo, C1499, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican

Good Friday Message

The Sound of Easter

Ana Al Oum El Hazina

Good Friday, 21st March 2008

To listen to the Maronite Good Friday hymn, Ana Al Oum El Hazina, sung by Fairouz, whose Easter songs recorded live between 1962-1965 have become part of the Easter tradition,
click here.

The Parish of Ehden and Zgharta has announced the following, Good Friday, services:

St. Joseph Church: 7.00 a.m.: 10.00: ; 10.30: Burial of Christ; 4.00: Prayers
Saydet Zgharta: 5.30 a.m.: 7.00: Prayers; 10.30: Stations of the Cross; 11.00: Burial of Christ; 4.30: Prayers
St. John the Baptist: 7.00 a.m.; 10.30: Stations of the Cross; 11.00: Burial of Christ; 5.30: Prayers
St. Maron: 7.00 am. 9.00: Stations of the Cross: 9.30: Burial of Christ; 5.30: Prayers
Mar Girgis Church: 3.00; Stations of the Cross: 3.30; Burial of Christ.

The featured painting is, Christ of Saint John of the Cross, by Salvador Dali, 1951.

The traditional date for the Feast of St. Joseph, 19th March, has been moved to, Wednesday, 26th March 2008, this year as otherwise it would have fallen during Holy Week. The practice was announced by the Notitiae, of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, in 2006.

The Church of St Joseph, Zgharta was built in 1989.

The image is of the painting, Saint Joseph with the infant Jesus, by Guido Reni, c1635.

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On Monday, 10th March 2008, the election for the Administrative Committee of Moukhtars of Zgharta Zawie took place.

The following were elected:

Joseph Elias
Miled Dahdah
Boulos Bechara
Nakhoul Chedid
Claudette Abboud
Miled Chahine
Charles Yammine
Said Macary

We are very sorry to report the death of Antonio Jrjis Finianos, age 29, at 3 a.m. this morning, 11th March 2008, in Zgharta due to a car accident. The detailed circumstances of his death are not known to us, but it appears that at the time of the accident, Antonio was at the back of the car sleeping. There were two other people in the car, one, Maroun "Bou Sa3de" Finianos, is said to be be seriously injured. It occurred before Sahel Jdeidi, along the road between Ehden and Zgharta, near the CHN Hospital. No other car was involved.

He was the co-owner with his mother Hasna Seaman née Yammine, of the, "Yvette" Flower Shop", in Zgharta.

Tragedy has already visited his family before, when his brother, Mario, drowned in a swimming pool accident in 1993 in Chekka.

The funeral took place today on Tuesday at 5pm, Saint Joseph's Church, Zgharta. Condolences can be made during Wednesday at the Church Hall.

Our condolences to his family

The main photograph is of Antonio outside Saint Joseph's Church, which was one of many displayed in Zgharta by his friends.

The organisers of the Miss Lebanon Australia Contest are inviting women of Lebanese background between the ages of 17 - 27 to take part in the Contest. The finals will be held on Saturday, 3rd May 2008 at the Grand Westella, Lidcombe, NSW.

For further information send the organisers an email to events@arabicnights.com.au

As it is an uncontestable fact that the best looking women come from Zgharta Zawie, we hope we will be represented in the contest.

Tonight on Future TV at 9 p.m. Zgharta born author, Rachid Daif, will appear on the prestigious programme presented by Zahi Wehbe, where famous guests talk about their life and work.

 

In the summer, Rachid's play," Qu'elle Aille Au Diable, Meryl Steep" (" To Hell with Meryl Streep"), will be performed in Paris, France at the Théâtre du Rond-Point, 2 bis Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, between 19th to 29th June 2008.

 

Those in Zgharta and nearby can now listen to music and dedications on a new radio station, Mazika FM, which broadcasts on wave lengths 81.1FM and 89.3 FM.

The name of the station means, Arabic rhythm, and is run by Tony Antoine Frangieh. One of the announcers is Claire Frangieh, who some may recall was an announcer some years ago on Ehden Radio.

Record requests and dedications can be phoned in on 03 67 54 87. The station has also a Facebook group.

The Zgharta Zawie community in UAE have created their own Facebook group, "Zghrtewiyeh in U.A.E"

To join you need first to be a member of Facebook, which is free.

The Group hosted a dinner for Father Estephan Frangieh on Friday, 1st February 2008, when he was on route to Zgharta from Australia. Originally it was planned that the Zghartawien community in the UAE, would hold an open air event in the well known Safa Park but due to bad weather in Dubai, the event was transferred to the Moulin D'or" Restaurant. Photographs of the dinner can be seen on Facebook, where it seems the Father's recent birthday was celebrated. During the dinner Fr. Frangieh, never missing an opportunity to promote Salam Zgharta, spoke of the Club's Stadium Appeal.

Dubai is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E), which comprises of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al Quwain.

There are 223 groups todate for Zgharta and 68 for Ehden, including our own, Zgharta.com

The, Facebook, group, SAYDET ZGHARTA, has been honoured with an article by Fr. Fadi Tabet, L.M. the Director General Director of the Lebanese Christian Radio Station, Sawt Al Mahaba (Voice of Charity), on the theme of unity.

The article's theme is doubly relevant, as today marks the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is observed annually between 18th and 25th January; and the desire of many within our community, the existence of the group is one outward example, that the community becomes once again unified under the outstretched arms of Saydet Zgharta.

To read the article you need first to be a member of Facebook, which is free, and then join the group, SAYDET ZGHARTA.

We are sad to report the death of the well loved and respected teacher, Georges Aziz Zakhia Douaihy, age 66, on 23rd January 2008. Many who attended the College De Salle will have been taught by him.

He is survived by his wife, Marie-Rose, sons, Engineer's Maurice and Pierrot and daughter, Georgina.

We send our condolences to his family.

Being the editor of zgharta.com brings its own privileges so we are delighted to celebrate today online

the birthday of our beloved El Duce,

The best Editor in the world, the one and only

Graham North
English Site Editor
zgharta.com
London Office

Happy Birthday

Love from the other three of the zgharta.com team

The College De La Salle, Kfaryachit, will be holding an commemorative Mass for, Sheikh Alfred Boulos Makary, on Saturday, 2nd February 2008 at 4 p.m.

The College will also launch an Annual Prize named after the Sheikh Makary, in his memory. He died on Christmas Day 2007, age 72, and was the former President of the Zgharta Ehden Municipal Council(1971-1977.)

Money, or to be more precise the lack of it, is sometimes put as the reason why certain aspects of Zgharta Zawie's cultural heritage are under threat. Our heritage dates back many centuries, even before the early beginnings of the Maronite Church, with many of Ehden's churches being built on sites of pagan times. We believe that there are many boxes of handwritten documents which are at risk of crumbling away. As each generation passes away much oral history is lost for ever. Therefore for those who have projects in mind to preserve our heritage, the recent announcement by the U.S. Embassy in Beirut will be welcomed.

The Embassy has announced, The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation 2008 Competition, which provides funding for the preservation of countries cultural heritage. The Fund provides assistance for historic sites, manuscripts, museum collections, and traditional forms of expression such as music, dance, and language. The deadline for applications is 28th January 2008.

To read the Press Release go to the Full Story page.
Full Story

1/1/2008 - New Year's Day
6/1/2008 - Christmas Day - Armenian Orthodox
10/1/2008 - Hijri New Year
19/1/2008 - Achoura
9/2/2008 - St. Maroun's Day
20/3/2008 - Prophet Mohammad's Birthday
21/3/2008 - Good Friday - Western
23/3/2008 - Easter - Western
25/4/2008 - Good Friday - Eastern
27/4/2008 - Easter - Eastern
1/5/2008 - Labor Day
6/5/2008 - Martyrs' Day
13/5/2008 - Resistance and Liberation Day
15/8/2008 - Assumption Day
1/10/2008 - Eid Al-Fitr
22/11/2008 - Independance Day
8/12/2008 - Eid Al-Adha
25/12/2008 - Christmas Day