#middleeaststudies

Film Screening and Discussion: LYD in Exile with Sarah Friedland and Rami Younis

This feature-length sci-fi documentary explores multiple pasts, presents, and futures of the ancient city of Lyd, which became part of Israel after its foundation in 1948. Filmmakers Younis and Friedland, Palestinian from Lyd and a Jew from the US, reflect on painful histories in conflict and dare to ask: what could Lyd have become if its history hadn't been shaped by state violence? Before 1948, Lyd was a thriving Palestinian city with rich history; today it suffers from economic divestment, structural racism, and pressures toward ethnic homogeneity. Looking at the past with hope, the filmmakers imagine collaboration across imposed divides. Seeking justice for past atrocities and their legacies, Younis and Friedland envision a creative "what if"— a democratic future beyond militarism, racism, and occupation."

SARAH EMA FRIEDLAND (Director/Cinematographer), is a NYC-based media artist and educator. Her work has been widely screened at institutions including Cannes Film Festival, Lincoln Center, and PBS. She was named one of the “Top10 Independent Filmmakers to Watch” by Independent Magazine.

RAMI YOUNIS (Director/ Producer), is a Palestinian filmmaker, writer, journalist and activist from Lyd. He co-founded “local call,” a journalistic project designed to challenge Israeli mainstream journalism and is host of the Arabic-language daily news show, On the Other Hand. Rami has served as a parliamentary consultant and media spokesperson for Palestinian member of Knesset (Israeli parliament) Haneen Zoabi.

Presented by the Hofstra Cultural Center Department of English and the Department of Religion Jewish Studies Program.

Wednesday, October 9, 11:20 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library, First Floor, South Campus

Academic credit for military training

Like many young men and women, Joseph Bennett’s desire to join the military grew from the events of 9/11. A 2000 graduate of Athens High School, Bennett, joined the United States Army in 2001 and served multiple combat deployments before moving on to flight school. Right now he is an aviator for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard where he has piloted AH-64D Apache helicopters as well as the LUH-72, light-duty helicopters tailored for domestic missions.

Bennett had attended BU many years ago (2004), but multiple combat deployments and flight school training conflicted with his academic schedule so he did not complete his academic degree. Recently though, his desire to finish his degree in history with a minor in Middle East Studies he started years ago became stronger. That’s where Bloomsburg’s Military Academic Credit Review Board (MAC-RB) came into the picture.

“Having the opportunity to get academic credit for my military training was such a benefit,” says Bennett. “The MAC-RB program allowed me to gain 18 credits which reflected the advanced training I had received as a leader and an aviator in the Army. Due to my unique experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, I was given credit that was in commensuration of that background. This program has given me the ability to graduate earlier than initially anticipated.”

After graduation Bennett plans to continue his education by pursuing a graduate degree in either history or international relations as well as continue his advancement in the Arabic language. “These next steps are only possible because of the progressive nature of the MAC-RB program that was vital for me and will no doubt be importantfor countless others in the future.”

Bennett wants to make a difference in government after he is finished with his education. “I would prefer to find myself in a position where I’m helping our politicians making better-informed decisions on foreign policy and helping to craft that policy for our elected officials to deliberate on,” he says. “I could also see myself teaching in some capacity.”

9/11 tragedy inspires academic path

Although just 6 years old at the time, Sept. 11, 2001 is a day Elizabeth Miller can never forget.

Her father, a firefighter with the FDNY Rescue Engine Co. 5 in Staten Island, was among the 343 firefighters who died responding to the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. The tragedy not only left a lasting impact on her life but shaped her academic interests she holds to this day, including a research focus on Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism.

“I decided to look at the United States policies that shaped some of the grievances that Bin Laden had, like the stationing of troops in Saudi Arabia,” said Miller, who will serve on two panels Friday, Oct. 14, at the Liberal Arts Symposium. “Basically, looking at what the United States was doing in the regions of the Middle East that Bin Laden spoke out about in his religious opinions.”

Her research, a look at “Deciphering Osama bin Laden’s Radicalization based on United States Actions, Policies and Presence in Saudi Arabia 1990-2001” was among the works presented last spring at the CERIS’s (Consortium for Educational Resources on Islamic Studies) undergraduate symposium. It set the stage for the next phases of her research journey.

“I needed to understand for myself to help cope with what I have been through,” said Miller, a history and Arabic major, also pursuing a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. “It was also important for me to do this in order to encourage others. If I can see that Muslims aren’t bad, then the average person who hasn’t been affected by terrorism should be able to see that regardless.”

Following the CERIS symposium Miller continued her research via an URSCA grant that also paired with her one month abroad experience in Fez, Morocco. She said she chose Morocco, because it was a safe option to study abroad in the Middle East.

“Just being there opened my eyes to it more” Miller said. “You don’t really know anything until you actually go there and see it. When you study abroad, it really helps to find what you’re looking for and who you are.”

According to Miller, studying abroad has a lasting impact on a person. And she, through her own international experience, has a better understanding of herself and a validation she is on the right path toward her future career aspirations.