Rima Nasir Tarazi
1949
I have such fond memories of my days at the AJCW.
I left Palestine when I was 15, in the fall of 1947 just before the Nakba. The only person I knew then was Dr. Salwa Nassar, a friend of the family, who had taught at Birzeit College where I was a student. The atmosphere at AJCW was very warm and welcoming; the friendships we made in those days lasted a lifetime, and the teachers’ dedication helped shape careers for some of us.
One of the landmarks of my days at the college was related to the Nakba, the huge student demonstration after the declaration of the partition plan and our role in helping Palestinian refugees.
The college was very keen on encouraging talent; music, drama, and sports were very much part of our lives. I was active in the Drama and Glee clubs and played two major roles in Al Abassa the Sister of Al Rashid and Adonis by Farid Mudawar. One memory in particular stands out: The day we met the young Rahbani brothers. During one of our rehearsals, Miss Marie Sabri brought them along and, by way of encouraging them, asked us to learn a song and dance they had just composed. And there we were, young women giving a boost to Assi and Mansour Rahbani who would later become musical icons in Lebanon and the Arab world!
