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All in You Should Know
Zaki Haj has been pitching for the Palestinian national baseball team since 2021 and has thrown as fast as 91 miles per hour. Haj, whose lineage traces back to Beitunia (a village near Ramallah), notched three strikeouts in three innings on the mound during the West Asia Cup. He most recently pitched for Florida National University.
Tarik El-Abour is the first and only Palestinian to be signed by a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Back in 2018, with the help of team advisor Reggie Jackson, El-Abour was signed by the Kansas City Royals to a minor league deal with the opportunity to earn a spot on the major league roster. He is currently a free agent and has been staying in shape by training daily and playing for the Palestinian national team.
Adam Musa is an outfielder and pitcher for the Palestinian national baseball team. Musa pitched seven solid innings for Team Palestine during the West Asia Cup. The team had a small pitching staff, so his performance was a huge stress reliever. He struck out 10 batters and only gave up one hit as he pitched half the team’s innings during the group stage and semi finals.
Rumsey Yasin had an explosive debut with the Palestinian national team last January in Pakistan. Yasin, who currently plays NCAA Division II baseball, led the team with 10 runs batted in and a batting average above .400. The first baseman joined the team late last year, but is already committed to helping this team grow on and off the field.
Yunis Haleem’s performance on the mound against Sri Lanka and his steadfastness against Pakistan in the finals earned him the “Best Pitcher” award at the West Asia Cup. Haleem, who pitched for Chicago State University, is currently team Palestine’s pitcher, infielder, outfielder and captain. Originally from Beitnunia, Palestine, Haleem led the team with nine innings pitched, five of which came in a complete game shutout against Sri Lanka—the 2019 West Asia Cup champions.
Tariq Suboh joined the national team a few weeks before it traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan for the team’s first international tournament, and he quickly became a cornerstone of the team. The catcher hit the first international home run in Team Palestine’s history in the stage-clinching game against Sri Lanka.Suboh most recently played professionally for Nebraska’s Lincoln SaltDogs. His leadership, experience and execution on the field has brought legitimacy to the team.
Ghunim is currently accepting requests for film festivals to screen her most recent and highly anticipated work, Traces of Home, a documentary about her family that “explores migration, trauma and identity through an intimate family journey.” After years in the making, the film is expected to be completed by fall 2023.
Nehad Khader, director and managing editor of Blackstar Film Festival, decided to pursue her dream more than a decade ago when she was invited to curate the DC Palestinian FIlm Fest in 2010.
Not long after Nizar Wattad earned his Masters in screenwriting from USC in 2006, he was recruited by Walt Disney Pictures to write The United, the first Arabic-language film produced by a major studio. He was also head writer and lead producer of “Aya and Yusef,” an animated series for Muslim children.
Rolla Selbak is a self-taught filmmaker known for featuring strong female characters in her work. Selback has come a long way since the humble days of her first film, which was shot by a crew she hired from Craigslist.
Writer and director Reem Jubran is best known for her short film Mariam, which tells the story of a young Arab American drag queen who has to confront their father and grandparents about their identity.
Jubran joined the podcast to discuss her dream cast, why she became a film maker and what she hopes to accomplish.
Cherien Dabis broke into the entertainment industry with the film Amreeka, which she wrote and directed in 2009–and she hasn't looked back. Most recently, the Palestinian-American actress and director is known for directing episodes of popular television shows “Ozark,”“Ramy” and Emmy-award winning “Only Murders in the Building.”
Through this edition, I have offered you readers a mere glimpse into the rich world that is Palestinian film–there are so many artists, producers, curators, editors, and more that I would love to share with you, but we only had so much space and time. That said, I am thrilled to be able to offer you a piece of my teachers and peer practitioners who are rebuilding the Palestinian image archive.
Sabrin Kasem, Noor Qasem and Mirah Abulaban joined the Palestine in America podcast to discuss their thought process, Steve Harvey’s reaction and the stories behind each of the thobes they wore.
Danny Dubbaneh, who joined our podcast to answer some questions for the Palestine in America Food Edition, says he wants customers to have an experience when they visit his family’s bakery. He also gave us insight into his Palestinian identity, his relationship with Palestinain food, and why cultural preservation is so important to him.
Zahr gave Palestine in America insight into being a Palestinian chef in the U.S., why preserving Palestinian food is important to her and her advice for Palestinians wanting to follow her path.
Assil joined the Palestine in America podcast to discuss her experiences in the food industry, why she focuses on Palestinian dishes and why musakhan is her “hands down” favorite.
The founder of Lulu’s Gourmet Crackers joined the Palestine in America podcast to discuss her Palestinian and Brazilian identity, starting her online business, and why she focuses on baking Palestinian goods.
