30 Comments
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Gabriel Sekaly's avatar

Nadine - what a poignant story. And it made me long for one of my mother’s ma’amoul as well. Yes we will endure. And like you, I’ve kept quiet about my heritage for far too long. Not anymore. 🇵🇸

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Susan S.'s avatar

"... because Palestinians endure." So much truth and dignity in this statement, a lesson we all should have learned before this time is history when the world marches beyond the pale. Thank-you❤️

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Porter's avatar

Thank you for this remarkable memoir of terrible events that should never have happened. You've fleshed out the history of Palestinian displacement and the continuing racism that suffuses broadly-held and mistaken beliefs that have been fed for so many generations, and the suffering they have caused.

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Elena Freshman Schumann's avatar

I understand what is happening to you and I sympathize. As a person of both Jewish and Asian (China) ancestry I have had my share of people making assumptions about me which are not true and even insulting me with ethnic slurs. Yet I am proud of my unique ethnic ancestry, it makes me appreciate all peoples, no matter who they are.

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Mary A Lopez's avatar

I read this story and was so moved. Thank you for sharing your journey. My heart is with you. I was also so touched to see Zeena's Bakery and the photograph! Zeena is my niece by marriage, and I am so proud of the beautiful bakery she has created, and the legacy she is keeping alive. Her talent, love and passion are limitless. Brava!!

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Tim O'Neil's avatar

This is one of the most beautiful and harrowing essays I've ever had the privilege of reading. I'm sharing it with as many as I can. Thank you for publishing it.

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Team Zeteo's avatar

Thanks Tim. The further we spread these stories the better

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Bev's avatar

Simply beautiful. I so wish that the events we're seeing hadn't happened,, so it wouldn't have had to be written.

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Brendan Wallace's avatar

What a great read!

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Bob Hammer's avatar

What a powerful story! With tears in my eyes, I am remembering my Grandmother's cookies -- not Mahmoul, but Hungarian Jewish Rugelach -- the point of it all is the same! And what a sad world we all are living in...

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Regina Islas's avatar

The expressed dignity and joy in a cookie-thank you for this beautiful reminder of our human complexity.

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Karen's avatar

Beautifully written and heart-wrenching. The connection of food and memory is strong and endures despite the terrible history she describes so eloquently.

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Cindy's avatar
1dEdited

This is wonderful! It reminded me of a reminiscence by Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye, Gate A-4. And yes, there is no better cookie! https://poets.org/poem/gate-4

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Lynn's avatar

Exquisite. Thank you for this beautiful and evocative essay.

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Mary Schweitzer's avatar

That was lovely. You can endure; the history of this nation is people who have endured. I hope we return to who we can be.

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Diane S's avatar

A beautiful essay … searingly personal yet relatable to so many of us who have loved the country our family adopted yet are dismayed and disgusted with how this same country has betrayed its ideals. What gives me hope is that the younger American generation is more aware of the dissonance and may force us to cease the funding of this genocide.

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John Whitehead's avatar

Really beautiful. Sad but beautiful...and hopeful. Thank you!

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