Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship: What's New

_________________________________________________________
15 August 2011 - We regret that we will no longer be accepting applications or donations for the Deir Yassin Remembered scholarship program at this time. Here are some other organizations that provide scholarships or scholarship information for Palestinian students:

_________________________________________________________
The following article by Saleema is reposted from the Ink Spot blog

Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Mideast Visit Inspires Texan to Create Scholarship for Palestinian Students

IOLA--Six years ago, Steve Beikirch became interested in the educational opportunities available to Palestinians students after visiting the Mideast, and established the Deir Yassin Remembered scholarship, a charitable and educational non-profit organization, which aims to seek "peace through education."

"Four years ago, I didn't have any children," said Beikirch. "Now I have two in college. God does work in mysterious ways."

On his first trip, in 2003, Beikirch met and quickly became friends with Hassan Hamdan, a public school teacher in the village of Al-Walajah. Beikirch became such good friends with Hamdan and others in the village that he went back in 2004 just to visit them.

Hamdan told Beikirch about his son Nafiz's dream to attend Bethlehem University, something that was impossible, because Hamdan's civil servant salary just wasn't enough.

A couple of weeks after Beikirch returned home to Iola, Texas, from his second visit, he received an e-mail from Hamdan.

"He then did something that I know was difficult for him," recalls Beikirch. "He asked me if there was any way that I could help pay for his son's university tuition. I didn't have to think about it for long. Since I don't have any children of my own, I decided to adopt Nafiz financially."

Nafiz is now in his fourth year studying computer science at Bethlehem University.

Beikirch established the Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship foundation in January 2007, when he financially adopted another student, a girl named Reem Khalifah.

"Reem wanted to attend Al-Quds University in Jerusalem," said Beikirch, "but when her father died a couple of years back, her hopes pretty much died also."

Khalifah became the first recipient of the newly established Deir Yassin Scholarship and was awarded $2,500. Khalifah is now in her second year studying dentistry. The scholarship award covered only half of her tuition, so Beikirch picked up the other half of the cost.

"Like with Nafiz, I just wanted to give another young Palestinian a chance at a better life," said Beikirch.

All scholarship awards are renewable for up to four years. According to Beikirch, $2,500 dollars cover the tuition costs and book fees for most universities in the Palestinians territories.

Most of the fundraising effort for the scholarship awards is done by the Deir Yassin Remembered founder and retired professor of economics, Daniel McGowan, who resides in Geneva, New York.

In a statement on the Deir Yassin Remembered website, (www.deiryassin.org), McGowan writes that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "threatens the health and welfare of future generations."

McGowan writes that founders of the scholarship "believe that education offers a path to empowerment and understanding, which in turn may open new doors toward justice and peace."

_________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release (8/31/2008)

For More Information Contact
Daniel McGowan
315 781-3418
mcgowan@hws.edu
www.deiryassin.org
www.dyr-scholarship.org

DYR Scholarships in Honor of Issam Nashashibi

The Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce a $3,100 award and a $2,500 award to two Palestinian women. The first of these scholarships is given jointly by a Palestinian gentleman in Kuwait and a gentleman from Texas. The second is given by our Board member Henry Herskovitz.

Both scholarships are meant to honor Issam Nashashibi, a founding director of Deir Yassin Remembered; Issam died seven years ago yesterday, shortly before the death of Edward Said and the dedication of the Deir Yassin Memorial in Geneva, New York.

Deir Yassin Remembered is a charitable and educational not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Its scholarship committee makes modest awards for post-secondary study in Israel/Palestine and champions the cause of "peace through education."

The current members of the DYR Scholarship Committee include:
Steven Beikirch (Chair)
Henry Herskovitz
Susan Abulhawa
Israel Shamir

All contributions are tax-deductible and may be sent by check or by PayPal.

_________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release (8/13/08)

For More Information Contact
Daniel McGowan
315 781-3418
mcgowan@hws.edu
www.deiryassin.org
www.dyr-scholarship.org

Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarships in Honor of John Karkar

The Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce a $2,500 award to be divided equally between two Palestinian women.

With the kind assistance of Badil, the committee has selected Haneen Abu Eisha and Nida' Ahmaru. Haneen is a graduate of Young Women's Muslim Secondary School and Nida' is a graduate of Jericho Girl's School. Haneen is enrolled at Al Quds University where she is studying English Literature. Nida' is enrolled at Hebron University studying Islamic Studies and Social work.

This particular award was funded by John Karkar and his wife Sonja. John is Palestinian by birth but lives in Australia with his family. Sonja is on the Board of Deir Yassin Remembered, but is best known for her activism and leading Australians For Palestine.

Deir Yassin Remembered is a charitable and educational not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Its scholarship committee makes modest awards for post-secondary study in Israel/Palestine and champions the cause of “peace through education.”

The current members of the DYR Scholarship Committee include:
Steven Beikirch (Chair)
Henry Herskovitz
Susan Abulhawa
Israel Shamir

All contributions are tax-deductible and may be sent by check or by PayPal.

_________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release (11/2/07)

For More Information Contact
Daniel McGowan
315 891-3418
mcgowan@hws.edu
www.deiryassin.org

Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship to Honor the Memory of Issam Nashashibi

The Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce its third $2,500 award this year. The committee has selected Aya Bustami, a graduate of Dar al Tifl al Arabi, a secondary school started in 1948 with orphans whose parents were murdered at Deir Yassin.

This particular award was funded by a long-time patron of DYR and is dedicated to the memory of Issam Nashashibi, a DYR Director and tireless advocate of Palestinian human rights. Issam died August 28, 2003, just prior to the dedication of the DYR memorial in Geneva, New York.

Please consider supporting Deir Yassin Remembered either with a contribution for our annual commemorations (of which this coming April will be the 60th) or with a specific bequest for the DYR scholarship fund. We are a 501(c)(3) organization and your contribution will be tax deductible.

_________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release (8/24/07)

For More Information Contact
Daniel McGowan
315 891-3418
mcgowan@hws.edu
www.deiryassin.org

Second Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship Awarded in Honor of Mordechai Vanunu

Mordechai Vanunu is a Prisoner of Zion. After serving 18 years in prison for telling the world that Israel has nuclear weapons, he is still denied freedom to leave Israel and join his adopted parents in America. Both Israel and the United States seek to prevent him from speaking against nuclear proliferation. He is being further punished for speaking with foreigners and for his active participation in the Deir Yassin Remembered commemorations in Jerusalem.

In honor of Mordechai Vanunu a second Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship of $2,500 is today granted to Reem Ibrahim ali Khalifa of Al Walajah, a small village near Deir Yassin on the west side of Jerusalem.

Reem has been enrolled at Al Quds University in Jerusalem where she is studying medicine.

The DYR Scholarship is open to all students, Israeli or Palestinian, under age 25 who live and study in Israel/Palestine.

A DYR Scholarship is renewable for up to four years. Application may be made through DYR Scholarship Committee, c/o Steven Beikirch, 22066 FM 244, Iola, TX 77861-5081.

DYR Scholarship Committee is actively raising funds to expand this worthy project to enable DYR to afford more and greater scholarships. Steve Beikirch chairs the current DYR Scholarship Committee. Susan Abulhawa (Playgrounds for Palestine), Henry Herskovitz (Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends), and Israel Shamir are also on the committee.

Deir Yassin Remembered is a charitable and educational not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation offering opportunities for public discussion and remembrance of the history of the creation of the state of Israel and the destruction of a Palestinian community that lived and continues to live there, in an effort to foster better understanding between Jews and Palestinians.

Donors and volunteers are invited to contact steveb@suddenlink.net or mcgowan@hws.edu.

_________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release (1/26/07)

For More Information Contact
Daniel McGowan
315 891-3418 w
315-789-3524 h
mcgowan@hws.edu
www.deiryassin.org

First Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship Awarded

The inaugural award for the Deir Yassin Remembered Scholarship of $2,500 was granted to Reem Ibrahim ali Khalifa of Al Walajah, a small village near Deir Yassin on the west side of Jerusalem.

Reem is enrolled at Al Quds University in Jerusalem where she plans to study medicine.

The DYR Scholarship is open to all students, Israeli or Palestinian, under age 25 who live and study in Israel/Palestine.

A DYR Scholarship is renewable for up to four years. Application may be made through DYR Scholarship Committee, c/o Steven Beikirch, 22066 FM 244, Iola, TX 77861-5081.

DYR Scholarship Committee is actively raising funds to expand this worthy project to enable DYR to afford more and greater scholarships. Steve Beikirch chairs the current DYR Scholarship Committee. Susan Abulhawa (Playgrounds for Palestine) and Henry Herskovitz (Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends) are also on the committee.

Deir Yassin Remembered is a charitable and educational not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation offering opportunities for public discussion and remembrance of the history of the creation of the state of Israel and the destruction of a Palestinian community that lived and continues to live there, in an effort to foster better understanding between Jews and Palestinians.

Donors and volunteers are invited to contact steveb@suddenlink.net or mcgowan@hws.edu.

_________________________________________________________

What's New:

What's New: