The American Druze Society maintained its activities and held several conferences between 1991 and 1994. Here are the minutes of these conferences:
Dallas - Texas 1991
The 45th annual conference of the American Druze Society was held from July 2 to 7, 1991, with the attendance of the Society's President Ajaj Al-Andari, Vice President Bahjat Al-Jurdi, President-Elect Mounir Zein El-Din, and Board Members: Imad Abu Al-Hassan, Sarah Abu Al-Hassan, Tawfiq Al-Ghawi, Raja Al-Aridi, Walid Farhat, Fouad Halabi, Ghassan Abdel Khaleq, Dr. David Najjar, and National Treasurer Sahar Maqassa.
The conference chairman was Raja Al-Aridi, and the conference committee members were: Mark and Katia Hamdan, Halim Zaidan, Hala Azzam, Maan Baz, Marwan Al-Aridi, Ramzi and Houri Qaidbey, Ziad Dallal, Hani and Judi Shtaie, Mazen and Ramzi Al-Aridi, Ramzi and Hafez Ghreizi, Yasser Al-Nimr, Richard Al-Assad, Abdel Majeed Ghreizi, Linda Al-Awar, and Jihad Al-Attar.
The 1991 conference in Dallas, Texas, was crowned by the attendance of the highly respected scholar and authority, Sheikh Salman Al-Masri. Sheikh Al-Masri’s wisdom, eloquence, and open-minded perspective enriched the conference participants. Dr. Anis Obeid, Hebba Al-Sayegh, and Dr. Mohammed Al-Halabi translated the lectures, presentations, and Q&A sessions held during the conference for the participants. Sheikh Al-Masri also visited California and met with the Druze community at the Cultural Center, where he emphasized the importance of strengthening the relationship between the Druze community and their country of origin. Sheikh Al-Masri's intervention focused on understanding the faith and the Unitarian teachings of the Druze creed.
Sheikh Al-Masri also visited the states of Indiana, Michigan, and Connecticut. The Boston and Connecticut chapters invited Sheikh Al-Masri for dinner and a lecture on the Druze faith. This event was attended by Druze members from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire. The Lebanese Ambassador to Canada, Dr. Assem Jaber, was the keynote speaker at the "President’s Night."
In 1991, National President Ajaj Al-Andari and the National Board of Directors intensified their efforts to improve and implement programs to increase membership, improve communication, and encourage youth participation. Al-Andari appealed to the chapters to hold one social-cultural activity annually, where the proceeds would be donated to support the ADS Cultural Center in Southern California. An ad-hoc committee to reorganize the American Druze youth was formed, consisting of Nizar Andari, Mazen Al-Shami, and Tawfiq Al-Ghawi. Nizar Andari corresponded with the American Druze youth and sent them the outlines for the goals and objectives of the newly formed "Bani Maarouf" Youth Committee.
Rutherford - New Jersey 1992
The 1992 general conference was held at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel from June 30 to July 5. The Society President was Mounir Zein El-Din, and the Vice President was Raja Al-Aridi. Board members: Ajaj Al-Andari, Sarah Abu Hassan, Tawfiq Al-Ghawi, Haitham Ballout, Babette Arawi, Ramzi Qaidbey, Julie Makarem, Dr. David Najjar, Dr. Samer Al-Rayes, and National Treasurer: Sahar Maqassa.
The conference chairwoman was Lina Rassamni, and the conference co-coordinator was Sami Merhi. Convention Committee: Linda Qanso, Hossam and Ghida Halabi, Ghassan Al-Eid, Nabil Qassem, Nizar Andari, and Aida Farhat.
The 1992 convention was successful in terms of social activities and interesting seminars. The conference was distinguished by the attendance of the prominent scholar and thinker Sheikh Anwar Abu Khuzam, who was invited by the National President and the Board of Directors to attend the conference and meet with the American Druze community. Sheikh Abu Khuzam was able to connect with the youth personally due to his excellent command of the English language. He also delivered three introductory lectures on the Druze faith that were well-received by everyone.
Among the honored guests at the conference were His Eminence Metropolitan Philip Saliba, His Excellency the Ambassador of Lebanon Simon Karam, Dr. Clovis Maksoud, and the Honorable Antoine Chedid.
Following the conference, Sheikh Abu Khuzam visited California and delivered a scholarly and informative lecture on the Tawhid doctrine at the ADS Cultural Center.
President Mounir Zein El-Din established new committees such as the "Career Employment Network," "Children’s Camp in Lebanon," and the "International Fundraising Committee." In his message, Zein El-Din reminded that "the success of any program depends on the participation of community members." He encouraged the Druze community to join hands and support the establishment of the employment network, and to contribute to the fundraising committee to help pay off the principal loan for the Cultural Center in California.
The Southern California chapter and the community began developing programs, sponsoring activities, and establishing fundraising procedures to support the Cultural Center. Barbara Asrawi, Laila Al-Masri, and other ladies supported the promotion of the Food Certification Program. Ray Najjar donated six months of his time to organize and help raise funds for the center. Casey Kasem and his wife Jean sponsored a Halloween party at their home. The chapter board also conducted a car raffle to help raise funds for the Cultural Center. An Arabic school also began teaching children the Arabic language.
Miami - Florida 1993
The 47th annual conference was held at the Doral Resort and Country Club from June 29 to July 4, 1993. The Society President was Mounir Zein El-Din, Vice President: Raja Al-Aridi, President-Elect: Sami Merhi. Board Members: Tawfiq Al-Ghawi, Dr. Samer Al-Rayes, Haitham Ballout, Ziad Dallal, Maan Hamdan, Ramzi Qaidbey, Julie Makarem, Dr. David Najjar, and National Treasurer: Sahar Maqassa.
Conference Chairman was Tawfiq Al-Ghawi, and the Conference Co-Chair was Akram Al-Jurdi. Conference committee members: Wissam Al-Ghawi, Hind Al-Rishani, Diana Hassan, Nisreen Al-Ghawi, Nadim Halabi, Lamia Asrawi, Adel Radwan, Mark and Katia Hamdan, Bassam Abi Faraj, Salah Ghanem, Akram Bou Ghanem, Suleiman Al-Taimani, and the auxiliary ladies.
The 1993 conference at the Doral Resort and Country Club in Miami, Florida, was a model of organization, and all activities were well-planned. Sessions started on time and ended on time. "CORE" held a seminar on the "Origins of the Tawhid Doctrine," and the session was chaired by Dr. Mohammed Al-Halabi. The CORE program included a video about the Druze of Palestine presented by Zeidan Atshi. A seminar on Arabic poetry was held under the chairmanship of Dr. Anis Obeid and Fouad Ghannam. Sports competitions (ADS Olympics), children’s programs, a picnic, the Orphanage House program, and music and entertainment were also held. The most notable occasion was the wonderful performance by the Southern Florida Debke Troupe, and there was great praise for Tawfiq Al-Ghawi, Salima Azzam, and the Miami community for the good work they did.
For health reasons, Mounir Zein El-Din was unable to attend this conference, and Vice President Raja Al-Aridi chaired the business meeting.
Jumblatt Visit
The main historical event of 1993 took place on October 9, 1993, which was the grand opening of the ADS Cultural Center in Southern California. As a result of the continuous and tireless efforts made by Salim Asrawi, this event became possible. Salim Asrawi, with the help of his friend Dr. Ray Irani, arranged a visit for President Walid Jumblatt to the ADS Cultural Center in Southern California. Before the grand opening ceremony, Dr. Ray Irani hosted a $1,000-per-plate luncheon in honor of Jumblatt at the Occidental Petroleum headquarters. The proceeds from this function were paid toward the principal loan of the Cultural Center.
This historic event was highlighted by the attendance of Dr. Ray Irani, Chairman of the Board of Occidental Petroleum, Dr. Farid Abboud, the Lebanese Consul General, Mr. Dory Chamoun, Mr. Hani Salam, Judge James Kaddo, Sheikh Ziad Kasfi, Mr. Casey Kasem, Mr. Sami Merhi, ADS National President Mr. Ghassan Saab from Michigan, Mr. Abdel Majeed Ghreizi and his family from Texas, Mr. Wajih Al-Awar from Seattle, Washington, members of the ADS National Board, and many others from the Arab-American community in Southern California.
Ms. Meisner, representing the city of Eagle Rock, presented the ADS chapter president with a certificate of congratulation on the occasion of the opening of the ADS Cultural Center. There were welcoming interventions for Walid Jumblatt and Mr. Hani Salam.
The symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony for the official opening of the ADS Cultural Center was performed by Jumblatt, followed by a tour of the center for the guests. Later, they joined hundreds of people who came from all over the country to celebrate this historic event. The event was covered by the Arab press and local television stations.
Long Beach - California 1994
The 48th annual conference was held at the Hilton Long Beach Hotel from June 27 to July 3, 1994. The Society President was Sami Merhi, Vice President: Salima Azzam Joseph, Past President Ajaj Al-Andari. Board Members: Tawfiq Al-Ghawi, Dr. Samer Al-Rayes, Haitham Ballout, Ziad Dallal, Maan Hamdan, Ramzi Qaidbey, Julie Makarem, Dr. David Najjar, and National Treasurer: Sahar Maqassa.
The conference chairman was Fouad Barakat, and the conference coordinator was Ajaj Al-Andari. Conference committee members: Abboud Assaf, Rima Ghosn, Rania Ghosn, Muhiba Merhi, Naseeba Abu Hamdan, Souad Abu Al-Hassan, Hamad Nofal, Bassam Abu Shaqra, Boud and Sami Wehbe, Adel Salah El-Din, Nidal Ramadan, Imad Hassanieh, Hossam Barakat, Yasser Al-Andari, Naaman Taqi El-Din, Laila Al-Masri, Fouad Hariz, Nabila Abu Khuzam, Khaled Zahir, Nizar and Jinan Al-Andari, and the auxiliary ladies of the Southern California chapter.
The 1994 convention was a great success in terms of diverse activities, seminars, lectures, sports, and entertainment. Mr. Halim Hamdan discussed "Reconstruction of Lebanon," and one of the best-received seminars was on the various models presented by professional Druze youth. Another memorable event was the all-day visit to the ADS Cultural Center, the banquet for 400 people, and Dr. Salah Salman’s speech on the "Future of the Druze." The famous poet Mr. Samih Al-Qasim from Palestine was the guest of honor. He recited several exciting poems on Friday night. Ms. Nazek Abed also addressed the conference on the role of "Women in Lebanon." Minister Anwar Al-Khalil was the keynote speaker on Saturday evening. Later that evening, everyone enjoyed the Southern California Debke Troupe, as they danced and performed theatrical skits for the audience. It is important to mention that the auxiliary ladies led by the capable Nabila Abu Khuzam, and the youth led by Rima Ghosn and Muhiba Merhi, contributed greatly to the success of the 1994 conference.
National President Sami Merhi began 1994 by introducing a "Lifetime Membership" plan to help ensure a stable financial base for ADS. He communicated with many Druze scholars, poets, and professionals from Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine and invited them to attend the 1994 conference. He called on the fifteen chapters to develop a fundraising plan to help reduce the principal loan of the ADS Cultural Center in Southern California. He encouraged youth participation and issued a resolution from CORE to adopt the publication of the book "On Druze Identity" by author Nizar Al-Andari. Julie Makarem suggested establishing housing for Druze women in Beirut to accommodate female students living in remote areas so they could attend Beirut universities.
On January 26, 1994, the American Druze community had to bid farewell to Naif Katter from Saginaw, Michigan. Uncle Naif was one of the founding fathers and a pioneer in serving the Druze community. Before his passing, he requested the National Board to hold the 50th conference in the state of Michigan. The Board unanimously responded to Uncle Naif’s request.
On July 18, 1994, Bobby Jaber sent the first issue of Al-Hiwar (The Dialogue) for students and youth. Bobby Jaber was also responsible for the Children in Need program for many years. He was an active participant in the conventions and ADS events since their very beginnings.
It is very important at this time in the history of the community to emphasize the importance of having a Druze Cultural Center in Southern California and what it means to our people in terms of achievement, pride, and caring for future generations.
Cultural Center Activities
During the period between 1994 - 1995, the Southern California chapter president Ajaj Al-Andari and the local board of directors planned and sponsored many social, cultural, and religious events at the Druze Center, the most prominent of which were:
- Monthly Family Day held on the first Sunday of every month. A luncheon is held, along with special programs for children, games, videos, and social activities throughout this day without discussing any community business except for announcements.
Eid Al-Adha celebration.
- A village evening (Sahra) with the help of the ladies, inspired by the village evenings in Druze villages.
- The Arabic school, where more than 65 students from the Druze and Arab-American community were enrolled. Ms. Asmahan Al-Masri is the principal, and teachers Nabila Abu Khuzam, Jinan Al-Rayes, Iqbal Wehbe, Nada Al-Andari, Nazek Zaitouni, and Huda Wehbe are regular volunteer teachers.
- Cultural events, where the Southern California chapter encouraged cultural activities at the center such as plays, and famous Arab musicians and composers.
- Thursday night prayers; the Cultural Center council was open every Thursday evening for the community to come and pray.
- The Cultural Center was used to honor dignitaries. In October 1994, Lebanese Minister Reda Wahid and the Lebanese delegation were honored, and a reception and dinner were held in honor of the Lebanese Consul General Dr. Farid Abboud before his return to Lebanon.
- New Year's Eve celebration at the Cultural Center.
- The Orphanage House day is held every year at the Cultural Center, where Ms. Afifi Masri and the orphanage mother Anisa Assaf sponsor this event, which receives support from the entire Druze community.
- The center serves as a venue for weddings, birthdays, graduations, Mother's Day, youth social nights, and a place where funeral ceremonies are held.
