It all grew out of a personal tragedy: In 2009, Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish lost his three teenage daughters and a niece when a missile was fired into their apartment during the Gaza War. He wrote a book, “I Shall Not Hate” and created the Daughters for Life Foundation, a charity that provides scholarships to young women in the Middle East in memory of his slain daughters.
The scholarship program came to New College in 2013 when five young women from the Middle East received full four-year scholarships to New College. The accomplishments of those five young women — and the program itself — were celebrated at the Daughters for Life luncheon at Michael’s on East.
Nearly 350 guests enjoyed the luncheon including mothers and daughter co-chairs Renee and Karen Hamad and Dorothy and Sue Jacobson, honorary co-chair Georgia Court, Shannon Duvall, Rose Chapman, Lou Bertha McKenzie Wharton and Richard Wharton, Katherine Schersten, Bruce Berg and Joe and Ora Mendels.
New College President Donal O’Shea took center stage for a panel discussion with the five students: Leen Al Fatafta, Najla Fawwaz, Rasha Masara, Loureen Sayej and Ayah Tafesh.
O’Shea then introduced Abuelaish, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and who will receive an honorary doctorate from New College at the May 22 graduation. “Women are the key to peace in the Middle East,” he said. “People tell me they have lost hope. We bring you these girls to give you hope. Forget behind every successful man, it should be beside every successful man is a successful woman.”
Evening of Excellence
As it is every year, the artwork at this year’s 20th annual Education Foundation Evening of Excellence was simply stunning. More than 400 guests packed the Michael’s On East ballroom to see and bid on the top 25 works of art selected from hundreds of submissions from local high school art students.