Lani Lanchester: What are some of the biggest misconceptions about middle east that you in encounter in your work?
Mona Naffa: First and foremost, everybody asks me, is it safe? I’m a female traveling. I’m bringing my family. I’m a corporate gentlemen, female coming here to do some business. So I tell them, I never want to say safe, as the name. But I tell them, I feel more comfortable, living, residing, thriving, working in Jordan, than I did in my life in California. So I let them make the interpretation. So, that really is the number one question. Our world has changed, Lani, And anywhere, anytime, anything can happen.
Narrator: Welcome to Learning to Listen to Palestine, where stories come alive and hearts connect. Each week, your host, Lani Lanchester, will dive into the untold histories, powerful narratives, and insightful interviews that bring us closer to understanding Palestine. Ready to be educated, empowered, and motivated?
Let’s get started.
[00:00:00] Lani Lanchester: Welcome everybody Learning To Listen To Palestine. My name is Lani Lanchester. And I have been learning to listen to the Palestinian people.
[00:00:07] Lani Lanchester: Listening does not come easily. And this has been my personal to learn, to listen to the Palestinian people. Really, this listening is about hearing what others to say, and to be vulnerable, to be affected by a different person’s perspective than my own.
[00:00:24] Lani Lanchester: So today, we’re going practice listening without injecting my own Western ideas. Sometimes, this this does not make sense, when I hear somebody else, because my worldview has no place for an idea to stick. When that happens, this is time for me to make a statement or own ideas. Instead, it’s a time me to for me to ask the question.
[00:00:46] Lani Lanchester: In my book, Learning to Listen Palestine, I learned to listen to difficult things like this. For instance, one time, I’d sitting with a Palestinian Christian in Jaffa, for hours. We talked [00:01:00] about our families, our faith, and our churches. But then, we heard a siren go by. And and my friends started cursing the Israeli police, and I was shocked. And I didn’t know what to say, so I asked her the question. Can you tell me about this? And then, begin to learn.
[00:01:18] Lani Lanchester: So, if you want to know more about what I learned, get the book, Learning to Listen to Palestine, and you’ll hear the stories that I heard my friend, and also, the research that I did afterward, to try to understand even better.
[00:01:32] Lani Lanchester: Today, I have who has been teaching people to listen to stories about Jordan. Welcome, Mona Naffa.
[00:01:40] Mona Naffa: Thank you. Good to be here.
[00:01:42] Lani Lanchester: I’m so glad to have you here. Mona and met in Jordan. There are many stories in my book in Jordan. In one of them, you brought a group of Americans to Mafraq, where I was also with Syrian children.
[00:01:56] Mona Naffa: Yes, that was a great day. And we were so [00:02:00] fortunate to meet you. And a little bit to go back. So basically last summer, I hosted a group of 16 elementary school teachers, under a Fulbright Program. And the objective was for the teachers to visit multiple refugees, personnel, sites, individuals from Syria, Iraq, Palestinians, Somalians, and Sudanese, as Jordan is a host country, for many to come and have a safe haven.
[00:02:30] Mona Naffa: So that day, we went to Mafraq, we had a chance to meet you, engage with the Syrian refugee students. And here we are, fast forward, a year later. But that was a day of engagement, storytelling, and sharing stories. And for our teachers to really learn, how Jordan accommodates refugees, and why Jordan is an optimal country in this part of the region to be the host country. And add to your story and to your book, as [00:03:00] we have this conversation.
[00:03:01] Lani Lanchester: Thank you, Mona.
[00:03:02] Lani Lanchester: Mona, you began your career in the corporate sector. But then you pivoted to promoting travel. In learning to listen to Palestine, how to travel the path, of Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, my understanding of the world.
[00:03:15] Lani Lanchester: Can you tell a you tell a bit about your background, and about what inspired you to focus on promoting tourism and cultural change in the Middle East?
[00:03:23] Mona Naffa: Sure. I was born and raised in California. My parents were from the region. My mom is half-Palestinian, and half Lebanese, and my father is from Jordan. They came over to the land of opportunity.
[00:03:36] Mona Naffa: Originally, my father first being an educator, he received a scholarship to Columbia. And then from that point on, he loved America, became an American. Then fall, and then later, married my mom. Fast forward. I was born, raised, educated in the States, worked in corporate America, and from telecommunications to pharmaceuticals.
[00:03:58] Mona Naffa: And what brought me to [00:04:00] travel to Jordan was a marriage. So that’s how I came to Jordan, from the beautiful state of California. And entered the world of travel, tourism, and hospitality.
[00:04:13] Lani Lanchester: So in my book, I found many things that I thought that I never did, but I did not. What are some biggest misconceptions that you encounter in your work?
[00:04:21] Mona Naffa: First and foremost, everybody asks me, is it safe? I’m a female traveling. I’m bringing my family. I’m a corporate gentleman, female coming here to do some business.
[00:04:34] Mona Naffa: So I tell them, I never want to say safe, as the name. But I tell them, I feel more comfortable, living, residing, thriving, working in Jordan, than I did in my life in California. So I let them make the interpretation. So, that really is the number one question. Our world has changed, Lani. And anywhere, anytime, anything can happen.
[00:04:59] Mona Naffa: [00:05:00] But I’ve been here now for 18 years. And I believe that I am very comfortable here. I drive everywhere. I go to my place of worship, very comfortably. I embrace the community. And I go to bed at night at peace.
[00:05:17] Lani Lanchester: When I was in Jordan, I found people so welcoming and hospitable. The hospitality was amazing. And just of everybody, always safe and comfortable, and open, and everybody was willing tp tell a story. It was an amazing time there.
[00:05:35] Mona Naffa: That’s Jordan. That’s Jordan from Newark.
[00:05:38] Mona Naffa: And basically, it comes from the top. Our King and Queen are great monarchies. They travel the world. They share our culture, our stories, our women, our men, our youth. They’re our greatest ambassadors. So the story trickles down to the community. I’m an Arab American, expat as myself. We love telling our stories.[00:06:00]
[00:06:00] Mona Naffa: In fact, Bedouins in Jordan are the best storytellers in the world. And you’ve got to come to Jordan to hear the best stories in the world.
[00:06:09] Lani Lanchester: Oh, I love that. So how do you use platform, bridge the cultural gaps that we’re talking about, and foster understanding the West the Arab world?
[00:06:19] Mona Naffa: I find that a great question. Why? Because the perception of most, I’m okay to say this, being that I was raised in the States, born and raised, educated, the perception of Arabs, mostly in my community, in our media, and our educational system has always portrayed us the secondary, the bad guys, the women with no rights. Let’s be honest, in the movies, the Arabs always tend to be the bad guys. And that is a perception that is instilled in so many minds.
[00:06:54] Mona Naffa: Though, coming to this part of the world, educating yourself, knowing the [00:07:00] community, embracing the culture, having dialogue, you’ll see that this is a perception and not the reality. That can be changed through travel.
[00:07:12] Mona Naffa: Travel not only opens up your experiences, checks off many bucket lists, but it’s also a great way to really learn. And for you to make that informed decision, by knowing both sides of the story. That is done, I believe in a combination of travel, education, and the will. You’ve got to have the will to have that open mind and open heart, to bring in a new culture.
[00:07:39] Lani Lanchester: I experienced that, as well. I grew our media and the fears that instilled in me. And travel just changed that, for me. And I find that so important because that is one of those things that’s essential for me to listen to another culture.
[00:07:58] Mona Naffa: Exactly. And Lani, if I [00:08:00] may, I know that many of us don’t have the means to travel, can’t afford it, timing, can’t leave our work. So what to do if you can’t travel?
[00:08:10] Mona Naffa: I wanted just to share with the listeners that America, I love America. It is a land of opportunity. And it’s so diverse in cultures, and ethnic groups, and religions. So, if you can’t get to this part of the world or other nations that interest you, to learn about the culture, learn about the food, have that dialogue. We have multiple festivals. We have multiple ethnic groups in the States, great restaurants. Every ethnic community has their own cuisine, their stores, their communities. Embrace, go out, research, find that community, and immerse yourself, educate yourself. Ask those great questions. Listen, as you say in your book. I can’t wait to get an autographed, a signed copy from you.
[00:08:58] Mona Naffa: Listen, ask, [00:09:00] and then that would produce dialogue, conversation, and a thought process.
[00:09:06] Lani Lanchester: That’s a great point. Had a student who had a booth at a bazaar in Modesto. And she was doing henna. And so, I have opportunity to go and see her there. And whole community was so welcoming to me. I sit with so many people, tried so many foods, and it was just a beautiful experience, right there with Modesto.
[00:09:29] Mona Naffa: Exactly. Yeah. I know Modesto. And I’m from Anaheim. So, especially California, we’re so diverse. We’ve got everything under the sun.
[00:09:38] Lani Lanchester: You talked about the gender stereotypes, a little bit. Yet, in Arab world. And this one thing was that surprised me, about the Arab world, are the women.
[00:09:49] Lani Lanchester: In my book, I talked about an organization that run by women, to serve the Syrian refugees.
[00:09:56] Lani Lanchester: Some Al Badia women have far more [00:10:00] strength and freedom than I had known from stereotypes. There are many initiatives to female entrepreneurs and pros, to promote gender equality. Can tell me you tell me more about this?
[00:10:10] Mona Naffa: Once again, it’s the perception. One of the stories, the media, the films that women are covered and 10 feet behind the man, that has changed. Though, we are still struggling, we are not at the level of the US, and we accept that we’re growing. I come from a family of female activists.
[00:10:31] Mona Naffa: My aunts on Dad’s side are instrumental in human rights, women’s rights, all rights, to be honest. They are instrumental in baby steps. For instance, women keep their maiden name on their official documents, bank statements, passports or what have you. And this is the identity that my aunts really wanted to instill in their legacy. So, I’m very proud to be from that part of that family.
[00:10:57] Mona Naffa: Once again, the perception is [00:11:00] not what you think in the West. Many of the women are behind the scenes, educating the kids, making earned income through, let’s say a home-based business, initiatives like you said, running a community center, a camp.
[00:11:15] Mona Naffa: The women, like women in the West, tend to be the backbone of the family, of a community, though they’re not heard. We’ve got a long way to go, and I fight often, having women on essential boards. For instance, we don’t have women on the tourism board, regularly. They’re on and off. And I tell myself, how can a board without women know what women want and travel?
[00:11:40] Mona Naffa: It’s always been a conversation. And if I don’t stop talking, things won’t change. So, we definitely need platforms, board positions, key positions to make those small changes. It’s not gonna happen overnight, didn’t happen in the States, but the more are out there trying, we will [00:12:00] have wins, small wins.
[00:12:01] Lani Lanchester: So, you have passion for your heritage. And a lot of this strength of women comes from their family, just like you said. Can you tell me about your parents?
[00:12:10] Mona Naffa: Sure. Thank you. I’m very proud of my family, if I may. We didn’t come from money. We came from the importance of education. My father, God rest his soul. He came to America via a scholarship. So he used his will to learn, to be a better person, that scholarship from the American University of Beirut to Columbia University launched his journey. So with that, my mother was a nurse. And my mom taught nursing, let’s say in the Middle East. And then took her nursing career to open up hospitals in Southern California. And basically, teach others.
[00:12:51] Mona Naffa: So we came from a family of educators. With that, my parents instilled equal education. There’s three girls and one boy, in [00:13:00] all of their children. So education was our investment. Money comes and goes, relationships come and go, but you will always have your degree or your investment. So that was my upbringing.
[00:13:12] Mona Naffa: And with that, if I could share a story. My father was an Arab educator in the university system, and he was always an advocate of justice, of rights. My father is Jordanian. There’s not an ounce of Palestinian in him. But he always talked about the Palestinian self-determination identity, and he brought it in conversation, brought it in with his students, and was attacked.
[00:13:40] Mona Naffa: Dad was attacked, often by people in the educational system, who wanted to suppress the Palestinian story. So, what we’re seeing now on the college campuses is fantastic. It’s life-changing. As a Palestinian woman, I’m half-Palestinian. I like what [00:14:00] I’m seeing in the youth movement. Dialogue is very important. It’s very important to understand the Palestinian story and the Israeli story. Problems will not be solved unless we know both sides of the narrative.
[00:14:11] Mona Naffa: But I wanted to go back to my own personal life. So, Dad was a college professor in the 70s and 80s. So, his speaking up, he was attacked, but he was defended by his dean and the college president, to allow him to have that platform to share the other narrative.
[00:14:30] Mona Naffa: So, that was from my father’s side. And of course, coming here to this part of the world, having my aunts, really stand up for human right. That’s my family background.
[00:14:40] Lani Lanchester: That’s a strong family background and beautiful.
[00:14:44] Lani Lanchester: The culture in Jordan is one of kind places as I’ve ever been, as I said. What is something in the Jordanian culture that you should not miss when visiting Jordan?
[00:14:53] Mona Naffa: There’s so much. This is why Hollywood loves coming to Jordan to film their movies because we are a universe. We’ve [00:15:00] got beautiful deserts, to lush greenery, to the lowest point on Earth, the Dead Sea, to the Red Sea that we know in the Bible.
[00:15:09] Mona Naffa: So you’ve got this vast terrain and beautiful landscape. We’re small. The key components would be the people, the terrain, the food. I believe, some of the best cuisine now is coming out of Jordan. And with that are the stories behind the food. Sitting at a table, and knowing where the ingredients came from.
[00:15:35] Mona Naffa: The story of the grandmother, or mother, or the heritage of the family cooking. The diverse landscape, when you travel north, south, east, and west. So you’ve got everything in Jordan. And I just believe, it’s a very special place. And like you, Lani, people who come to Jordan, it changes their life. They come with expectations and they leave with [00:16:00] exceeded expectations.
[00:16:01] Lani Lanchester: Yes. I can hardly wait to get back to Jordan.
[00:16:05] Lani Lanchester: It’s been an ache in my soul, ever since I left. So, can you tell me more about your mother? Did she come from Palestine?
[00:16:12] Mona Naffa: Mom’s side is Lebanese, father’s side is Palestinian. Mom was born in a town called Nablus. Nablus, Palestine. And then moved during the era of 1948 to Ramallah. It was more of a safer haven. She experienced the formation of Israel and the mass exodus of most. Her family did not leave Palestine. They moved. Many families, such as my mother-in-law, was vacationing in Lebanon, and couldn’t go back to Palestine. So she became a refugee in Lebanon. There are stories across the world, how Palestinians didn’t know what was going on, so they thought there’s a turmoil going on. So let’s stay where we are in Egypt, Lebanon, Australia, South America, and we will go back when this turmoil is over.
[00:16:59] Mona Naffa: Fast [00:17:00] forward, many years later, 75, 76, 78 years later, the story continues. So, I would just want to go back to my mom, a little bit. So, she is a very passionate woman of her culture. My mom was a nurse. She loved her work. She loved medicine. She loved helping people. And one kind of cool thing about my mother, she’s a beautiful woman. And at the time before 67, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Nablus was all under the Jordan mandate.
[00:17:31] Mona Naffa: So my mom became Miss Jordan. And represented Jordan in an international beauty pageant in Long Beach, California. So, these were women from all over the world, from Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Bolivia, Sweden. So as we see, the international pageants now, my mom came in 1960, to represent Jordan in the beauty pageant.
[00:17:54] Mona Naffa: So I think that is pretty cool, to have the mother, not only [00:18:00] represent the women, but the culture, the beauty, the image of a woman to the international world.
[00:18:07] Lani Lanchester: That’s amazing.
Narrator: Like what you hear so far? Make sure you never miss an episode show by clicking the subscribe button now. Don’t forget to check out Lani’s book, Learning to Listen to Palestine. Now back to the show.
I met Palestinian refugees for the first time in Bethlehem, then later in Jordan. I actually never heard the Nakba, before traveling to Israel.
[00:18:19] Lani Lanchester: And I know, a lot of people have never heard of that term, either.
[00:18:23] Lani Lanchester: Can you tell us about the Nakba, from family experience, what mean does it mean, Nakba?
[00:18:29] Mona Naffa: Disaster? I didn’t know this word, either. I grew up in the States. I never heard of this terminology. So it is a word that is used in this part of the world. And on the Independence Day of Israel is the Nakba Day for Palestinians. It was a disaster’s day, that you lose your country, your identity, your people.
[00:18:50] Mona Naffa: This part of the day, it’s not a celebration, but it is a reminder of the occupation and the [00:19:00] exodus of Palestinians, Palestine. And it’s a word that means, to fight the fight, to have justice, and get Palestine back to where it should be. It’s a new word for me. I really learned it when I’m living here in Jordan. In the States, because it doesn’t touch us, as an American, it’s a word that did not resonate in our upbringing.
[00:19:23] Lani Lanchester: Yes. And that’s one of those things I’ve learned. If there’s no place for it to fit in your brain, there’s a learning curve, there’s some time and some research that it takes to places to put it in your brain.
[00:19:35] Lani Lanchester: And another word, understand that this moved on to people that I talked to, is the word occupation. That’s a difficult word for people to handle. Can you explain that work?
[00:19:47] Mona Naffa: Americans cannot relate to an occupation. This day and age, how can another nation occupy and not allow rights to another nation, [00:20:00] to another people, to another community? We can’t comprehend that, growing up.
[00:20:06] Mona Naffa: I knew this word because I have a Palestinian mother who was uprooted. My father was an activist for human rights, Palestinian rights. So this occupation was understood in my household. My friends couldn’t relate because it didn’t affect them, personally. And it was suppressed in the US, due to the interest of not having the Americans understand what it means. So this part of the world coming here and understanding.
[00:20:33] Mona Naffa: And actually, I’ve been to the other side. I’ve been to the West Bank. I’ve been to the Palestinian territories. I’ve gone through the occupation process. And it is unbelievable, that we are living in modern ages and Palestine, Israel is the Holy Land, so important for multiple faiths and cultures. And Palestinians are being occupied in their own [00:21:00] home. It’s hard to really wrap the logic behind that.
[00:21:02] Lani Lanchester: Yes. I think that’s one of the goals of this podcast, is for us, to be able to take a word occupation, and break apart of it, and learn what this means. And I think this needs to take some time because there’s so many airs that affect the Palestinians. Some of them are really devastating. This is going to be something that we’ll have to do, of work on to understand.
[00:21:26] Mona Naffa: True. It’s not going to happen overnight. To change a system, change the mindset, change the world, won’t happen overnight. But steps should need to be in place, to get this region in a better position.
[00:21:41] Mona Naffa: One thing I can understand is, Palestine wants to be recognized, and goes to the United Nations, and is recognized by most. And then a few powers don’t want to recognize it. But why? I asked myself, why is there a constant veto to recognize [00:22:00] Palestine?
[00:22:01] Lani Lanchester: Yeah. So those questions like that, drive our research in our listening, to have those questions.
[00:22:07] Lani Lanchester: How can individuals outside region best support Palestinians in their class, you think?
[00:22:12] Mona Naffa: Thank you for asking that question. I believe I am impressed how the youth movement wants to learn.
[00:22:23] Mona Naffa: I don’t think, all those college kids, and supporters, and diverse backgrounds, American, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, so diverse, have put their degrees, put their selves on the line, put their reputation on the line if they didn’t think that something was wrong. So for them to have a voice for justice, and to understand the Palestine story is a movement, we are starting.
[00:22:54] Mona Naffa: I believe, biggest component is that for so long, [00:23:00] people were told a story. And that story is now evolved, and most are not agreeing with the story that they were told. So now, there’s a bit of anger. There’s a bit of confusion. Why was I told a story this way, and the actual story is that way? So, they’re questioning, they’re seeking information. They’re finding the truth. Who’s behind that story?
[00:23:28] Mona Naffa: I believe, to continue on educating yourself on Palestine, we’ve got lots of opportunities in the US and other parts of the world. I’m not sure if this market is, or this podcast is only for the US, but you’ve got multiple Palestinian museums, communities. You’ve got representatives in Congress now who are of Arab background, or different faith background, reach out, educate yourself, talk to Palestinians, [00:24:00] talk to Israelis. What is the conflict in between?
[00:24:04] Mona Naffa: If you can travel, I know, this part of the world is far and kind of a dream for most, but come to this world like you did, Lani, like my Fulbright teachers, my 10 years with Expedia, hosting travelers from all over the world. They come here, and they learn on their own.
[00:24:22] Mona Naffa: We are blessed now with the open media sources. Don’t believe everything on what you see on social media. This is why it’s so important to come and educate yourself. But if you have the opportunity to travel, to converse, to attend lectures, it’s your due diligence to learn. Because the youth movement is only going to get stronger. Right now, it’s summertime. I’m not sure what’s going to happen come September when kids are back at school. But this is life, this is changing. And it’s exciting.
[00:24:55] Lani Lanchester: That is exciting. As I met Palestinians, I was overcome by the home and the [00:25:00] resilience they carry, even with all of the suppression.
[00:25:02] Lani Lanchester: Can you share with me a story of resilience that inspired you?
[00:25:06] Mona Naffa: Palestinians have gone through a lot of hardship, have gone through a lot of suppression. Myself growing up, we were shy to call ourselves Arabs or Palestinians, because of the media. Though, I’m so admired. And I respect their resilience, and their seeking knowledge of education. Some of the best-educated individuals, and some of the most successful entrepreneurs, business owners, are Palestinians. That gives me hope. That, to me, is our driver.
[00:25:46] Mona Naffa: Some of my key successes is when I’ve invited many of my American friends, college friends, high school friends to this part of the world, and they shared with me, Mona, we knew you were Arab, your mom made amazing [00:26:00] baklava and tabbouleh, and almost everything was homemade at the time.
[00:26:03] Mona Naffa: We didn’t have the tools. Trader Joe’s selling all this stuff. Everything was from scratch. And then, they came to this part of the world. They traveled, they saw what my culture is all about, what our struggles are all about. They came to me later, and they said, wow, now we understand you. So many years later, I want to tell you my age. But we understand your struggle.
[00:26:25] Mona Naffa: We understand your father’s speeches. We understand your dilemma and your identity. We understand a bit more on the Palestinian-Israeli story because we knew you, we knew how kind and hospitable, and how your parents didn’t let you go out on Friday night because I had to study. We knew why education was so important.
[00:26:50] Mona Naffa: So, it was that aha moment in my community, that really made me feel at peace, that I was instrumental [00:27:00] in changing your perception.
[00:27:01] Lani Lanchester: That’s beautiful. So what resources do you recommend to those who wanting to learn more about Jordanian and Palestinian history and culture?
[00:27:09] Mona Naffa: Nowadays, the movie scene in this part of the world is fantastic. If you go to Netflix, there are some great movies about stories, about Palestine, Jordan. It’s not about the war. It’s not about this and that. But it’s life under occupation. It’s life in the Jordanian school. It’s like buying a present for an event and living the struggle. These films are worth the watch. They are worth your time to understand the day in the life of a Palestinian.
[00:27:43] Mona Naffa: I believe, movies are very impactful. I would love to see our film and creative scene here, get to the big screen, with stories that can resonate to you, Lani, your listeners. And they can just say, wow, that was done by a Palestinian Jordanian, [00:28:00] but I can relate to that story. I can relate to that struggle. I can relate to those values.
[00:28:05] Mona Naffa: That’s where I would love to see Palestine moving towards, through the media. We are not the bad guys. We are not the women who are suppressed. We are a population that wants to live. We want the rights to go to school. We want water rights. One of the biggest dilemmas and problems in this part of the world is water access. When you are denied water, you’re denied life. A key component to the struggle.
[00:28:29] Lani Lanchester: Yeah. I noticed that when I was in Jordan. And I’ve been heard the stories about how much worse it is there.
[00:28:35] Lani Lanchester: Thank you so much. This is an amazing conversation. And I’m so excited to know you more and to get to travel and meet with you in Southern California, at some point.
[00:28:47] Mona Naffa: I would love it. I welcome your visit back to Jordan. Spend some more time with you. I would love a signed copy. I’ll have to get that from Amazon or wherever you’re selling it.
[00:28:58] Mona Naffa: I collect a [00:29:00] library behind me. I’ve got books from my father’s library and my mom’s library on philosophy, history, religion that was what my father taught, my medical books. So I would love to add more books from great writers to my bookshelf.
[00:29:17] Lani Lanchester: What are some favorite of your writers about Palestine?
[00:29:21] Mona Naffa: I love Edward Said, Khalil Gibran. I believe you can use poetry and philosophy in your writings, to resonate to the readers. I have some great books from Khalil Gibran that are translated into English. I’ve got a great book from Ann Kerr. Anne Kerr was a wife of Malcolm Kerr, who was the president of the AUB. And she wrote a book. She was teaching, or part-time teacher at UCLA, so I’ve got her book. I love books from expats who are living here and they see Jordan through their lens, married to Arabs. I can relate to that, a little [00:30:00] bit more. I believe in documenting your story. So, the more people who have great stories to share and to tell put it in a book, put it in a hard copy, and let us retain that history.
[00:30:12] Lani Lanchester: That’s beautiful.
[00:30:14] Lani Lanchester: Yes, I have found so many good stories from Israel and Palestine that really helped me to understand more about what’s going on. This is one that’s really important, Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Elon Musk. And he’s actually Israeli Jew, who went back to original documents on what was going on 1947, 1948, in Nakba. He describes it detail by detail, looking at original documents and interviews with people. So this one book I encourage you to get. It’s good, as well as learning about the Nakba.
[00:30:53] Mona Naffa: Yeah. Lani, I want to agree. Yeah, it is a good book.
[00:30:57] Lani Lanchester: Yeah. And there was one other thing. There was a [00:31:00] was a book that my mother just loved. And it was called The Blood Brothers by Elias Couture. And she couldn’t put it down when she read it. And a moment ago, you said that we feel like we’ve been lied to, we’re confused, but we’ve heard stories wrong. And what happened, my mom and I went through this, she read this book. She was like, oh my goodness. And it was so enlightening to her. It’s another really great book.
[00:31:30] Mona Naffa: Yeah great. There’s both sides of the story. And I believe, it’s the Palestinian narrative storytelling. It’s our time. I’m very diplomatic. I’m very compassionate to all religions and cultures. But over that is honesty and justice first. And then, everything else will trickle down from there.
[00:31:52] Mona Naffa: I believe, we’re on a path to hope. I believe we will see this horrible catastrophe going on in Gaza [00:32:00] come to an end. But it can’t go back to status quo. There’s gotta be significant changes to give our youth the hope that the world cares, that the world understands their cause, self-determination for all individuals, all human beings is a must, in this day of age.
[00:32:20] Lani Lanchester: Right. Thank you so much, Mona, for being here, and for having this conversation with us. And for all of you who want to learn more about Palestine, I encourage you to get my book, Learn to Listen to Palestine, and some of the other resources that we talked about today will be in the description.
[00:32:37] Lani Lanchester: And continue to learn, and to support the uncovering of the truth of what is happening in the Middle East.
[00:32:46] Mona Naffa: Thank you.
[00:32:47] Lani Lanchester: Alright, thank you.
Narrator: Thank you for tuning in to this enriching episode of Learning to Listen to Palestine. I hope today’s stories and insights touched your heart and opened your mind. If you found value in our conversation, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this podcast with friends and family. Your support helps us reach more listeners and foster a global community committed to understanding and peace.
Don’t forget to explore our book, Learning to Listen to Palestine, for a deeper dive into these poignant narratives. And if you’re inspired to take action, join a local group or start one at your library to engage with Palestinian stories firsthand. See our show notes for inspiration. We’ll be back next week with more profound stories and thoughtful discussions.
Until then, remember to listen, learn, and build bridges. Keep the conversation going and stay connected. Thank you for being part of this journey.
