Dear Visitor:
Welcome to the official website of Birzeit Society, a charitable, non-profit organization established in California in 1987 to render social, cultural and educational programs to its members in the United States and promote strong ties with their ancestral roots in Palestine.
The town of Birzeit has become internationally known because of Birzeit University, the first Palestinian university on the West Bank, and one of its most prestigious academic institutions. The University is proud to have among its graduates many Palestinian leaders, academicians and intellectuals who are spread around the world. Today, the town of Birzeit is considered the hub for cultural, scientific and artistic activities in Palestine, thanks to the vitality and dedication of the University faculty and students and the people of Birzeit.
Birzeit is located about 25 Kilometers (15.6 miles) North of Jerusalem near Ramallah in hilly terrain covered by olive trees, which made it famous for its olive oil and gave it the name Birzeit (Arabic for oil well), where local inhabitants stored olive oil in wells dug in the ground.
Due to economic hardship and lack of employment after the Israeli occupation in 1967, many Birzeitis were forced to immigrate to foreign countries, mainly to the United States, in search of a better life for their families. As Birzeiti communities began to expand in several American cities, Birzeit Society was established to provide services to its members and maintain strong ties with their homeland, Palestine.
Birzeit Society celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2008 at the Birzeit Ninth National Convention in Houston, Texas, with over 600 men, women, young adults and friends attending the four-day conference. The celebration was a testament to the many accomplishments the Society has achieved during two decades of providing essential services to our members and of supporting institutions, needy families and students in our hometown, Birzeit. This support was provided in the form of financial aid to college students, needy families, senior citizens, emergency health care, and small grants to local institutions.
Our main publication, Birzeit Newsletter and our website, http://www.birzeitsociety.org/, have become the most effective tools for keeping Birzeitis connected all over the world.
We invite our visitors to browse through this website and the back issues of our Newsletter (posted here) to learn more about our programs and activities. We welcome any comments or suggestions you may have.
Sincerely,
Musa N. Musallam
National President
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