Violeta Jafet, 103 years young.

From: Riad Khunieser    Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 4:30 PM  Subject: Jafet
The attached information was published in today’s L’Orient – Le Jour; Monday February 7, 2011 Mrs Violeta Jafet Will be 103 on Feb. 10.   I think it’s a nice article to post about one of the Jafet family even though it’s in French, may be someone can translate.

See another centurion:  Helena Ataya in New Zealand.

Another cousin makes headlines
Announcement of the show's Provisório Band.
The pointed guy is Pedro Humberto Merege Choeire

And below at Left

Chueire family ReUnion in Tomazina, Brazil

From: Wagner Chueiri [mailto: wagner.chueiri at hot mail ]
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 3:18 PM
Subject: Chueire family meeting

Hello Anwar,
 
My family and me attend of the religious celebration in the Tomazina principal church on last saturday night. The prayers were dedicated to Chueire family who was present. After that there was a cocktail where I talked with several Chueire (AbuZaid) family members. There was participants from several places of Brazil. On sunday there was a big lunch at the club close from town. I supose there was 200 person there. Luiz read your letter and after that, He distributed the postcards. The wether was very very hot and many participants went refresh in the torrential waters of the Rio Cinzas (Ash River) . On monday They would have a big barbecue with rib roast of beef. I could not participate this barbecure.
Attached some pictures. On next weekend I'll send you the movie of Luiz reading your letter. For sure He'll send you more pictures from meeting.  Hugs,
 
Wagner

---

News from Shweirys in Brazil: 

Congrats to Valdomiro and Victoria Merege Choueri
on their Diamond Anniversary in Jaboti, Brazil

 From: Rosalie Sawaya  -   Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 5:05 AM
Here goes photos of significant example of people from Shweir in Brazil

Now it is about Professor Ana Lydia Sawaya, granddaughter of late Rashid Boulos Sawaya. Professor Sawaya not only is a very important researcher  in matters concerning malnutrition, with projects even with MIT, but also leads a wonderful social project with poor people with nutrition problems. The website is www.cren.org.br but unfortunately is not available in English. Every year around 1000 children are under the care of the institute, besides other activities for the families.

I'm sending my photo with Ms. Violeta Basilio Jafet, 100 years old and daughter of late Basilio Jafet. For many years Ms. Jafet was President of Hospital Sirio Libanês, one of the most important of Latin America. The hospital has around 4,500 employees, 40 specialties and hs also areas of teaching and research and philanthropy. The website is www.hospitalsiriolibanes.org.br and information are also in English and Arabic.

Thank you Rosalie, It was great to see you recently in California with the family. 
Oops that reminds me to put pictures in Nov 2008 

Visiting Brazil  -  May 2007

Sao Paulo

This trip was inspired by my colleague Khalil Khoury telling me that there will
be a World Lebanese Cultural Union Congress that will be held in Sao Paulo in May. 
Since I was quite motivated to return to Brazil to meet more of my long lost family, see
(www.shweir.com/merege.htm ) I decided to go on short notice.

Inner lobby/atrium of Maksoud Hotel - elegant and centrally located

This open air atrium runs all 22 levels - this picture is from the 10th floor.

First evening, I met with my friend Iskandar at the
Nossa Senhora do Líbano em São Paulo Church where its Bishop Faris Maakaroon
drove us to an event at the home of the Consul General of Lebanon, Yousef Siyah. 

Above w/ Pierre Moujaes*, Iskandar and member of Lebanon's parliament, Jamal Jarrah	I recognized many persons from my last visit. A distinguished gentleman came up to me and said:   "You look familiar..."  It was Pierre Moujaes from Shweir. small world.		Later - Great Lebanese dinner & entertainment Claudia & Fatima w/ singer Samer Daou	Claudia Chater, an attorney from Brazilia and a good friend.
	WLCU Leaders with Brazil Senator Hannah Garib at dinner and in the wine cellar of his Italian restaurant > >

*Pierre told me that Moujaes family has many sub families including:
Khoury, Ghosn, Aoun, Hobeika, Saadeh, Kablan and Makdissy

Here w/Claudia and her friends and singer Samer Daou

W/cousins Sami & Beatriz Tebechrani Showing Shweir pictures

Next day there was a big Lebanese party featuring Great singer Samir Hanna who usually does 1 or 2 events a year.

W/Iskandar family & Senator Garib & his wife			It was nice to see my friend Samir Hanna again.  He energized that evening non stop for over two hours	I must admit, Samir sings like a young Wadih Safi
	Talent runs in the Family... Iskandar's daughter Mirielle entertained us on her guitar	Mime students (except one) during break...	> > The next night, we were tired and hungry.  I asked concierge for a Lebanese restaurant close by... She said, ah, Japanese, we have great recommendation... OK, we can shift from Arak & Kibe to Sake, Sushi & Kobe beef... and enjoyed one of the best Japanese food in years. Shintori at 600 Alameda Campinas.	It is nice to be Flexible.

I was happy to welcome my cousin Tony Heshmeh who flew in from NY to join me.

Since we had many cousins to visit and meet, we decided that it would most efficient to meet as many at a popular restaurant  -  Charascuria.

Great to see cousins Mario, Miguel and George and to meet more members
of the family including Helena and Maria Helena and respective families.

		It was so wonderful to spend quality time w/family & that Iskandar and Senator Garib were able to join us.

We regret that we did not have enough time to meet with other friends and family members
including Ique and Tais and their families and Rosalie Sawaya and her family.
Hopefully next visit we will have more time.

Curitiba

Then Sunday morning, off to the airport to Curitiba where cousins Pedro and Wagner and their families live.
Pedro picked us up and drove us to Wagner's home to meet many new cousins who were waiting for us and
were preparing a great BBQ.  Wagner lives on top of a high-rise with a beautiful view of the city. 
Top floor had a social room for gatherings which was ideal for our reunion.

Tony, Pedro, João (disabilited), Juliana (João's sister), Camila (Pedro's daughter),
Elvira (Pedro's sister in law), Tânia (Julio's wife) and Wagner. Seated on the floor: 
Anwar, Maria (Paulo's wife), Julio (Wagner's older nephew) and beside him Paulo (his bro).

				Next day, Pedro gave a nice tour in the morning and Wagner took us in the afternoon.
	Curitiba is a beautiful city of about 2 million people.  Very nice, clean & safe.		The University facing a park adjacent to our hotel.

We spent one day in Curitiba and the next morning, Wagner took us on a 5 hour drive to Jaboti...

On the way, we saw people selling something by the roadside.  It was the largest pine nuts I ever saw.
We stopped and bought two bags.  Each pine nut was about 10-15 times the size of the typical Lebanese pine nuts.
We steamed some... they tasted like a cross between pine nuts and chestnuts.

The statue of the savior above is at the entrance to

Jaboti

Here we will meet more descendants of Antonio Merege Choeire

From 1979 Photo of Antonio Merege Choeire and family

 

A warm welcome at Wagner's home. 
His mom Mariana (Noni) and Edina Choueire, Roberto's wife had delicious lunch waiting for us

Visiting the grave of Jamil and Antonio (Naamatallah) Merege Choeire
Wagner's dad and grand dad and other departed family.

There is a street named after a Chueire

Possibly Antonio went to Jaboti because he knew Ahyd Chueire

And then off to visit Antonio's daughter, Afifi, and her family

with Afifi and her son Waldir Merege and daughter Adije Marege

First time we visit and touch coffee plants

Off to visit Wagner's brother Roberto's farm - We see him driving in other direction, stop and meet.
Later we visit Wagner's brother Pedro at his beautiful estate...

	Strawberry	Fields
			Road and then Driveway to Pedro & Ivete Choueire's Estate
		Pedro w/ his painting	Wife's art work
				Largest tangerines I ever ate.

Around town Jaboti

V  L:  Two Pedro Mereges   Meet again after many years  
V  R:   At Valdomir's home - Showing grandfather's family home in Shweir
 

Cousin Pedro took an overnite bus for about 9 hours from Curitiba to be with us.

Cousin Diva
has one of the most functional and exquisite antique collection I ever seen in a home.

She has a radio and a sewing machine and kerosene lamps from as far back as 1930's that still work.
Here cooking on a wood stove.

  It was the coldest day in decades - Night temperatures went below freezing.
With these Great Smiles and Warm Hearts melted the chill in the air.

	< < Here Noni showing Diva's extensive collection of pots - Some more than 100 years old

Thank you cousin for hosting us.  We enjoyed meeting you, sharing bread and our sleepover.

The last four cigarettes that Antonio Merege rolled and lighter A gift from Valdomir	100 year old silverware that Antonio used. A gift from Diva
These gifts are priceless - We appointed cousin Tony to begin a family Museum in NY starting with these fine artifacts.

Here w/Antonio's son Valdomir and his Family
 

	Our cousins are so talented Whether painting, inventions, etc.  Here > > our cousin invented a functional mechanical clock.

Then off to Itapeva - a 3 to 4 hours ride where Aunts Adelia and Jamileh and their respective families are waiting. 
We were a bit behind schedule.  Temptations were great to spend more time with our cousins.

Tomazina

So on the way, Wagner said that in the next town, Tomazina, there is a store of artifacts that shows a sign with Choeire name.  I asked Wagner if we can take a quick detour to drop or drive by and take a pciture.  He said sure. 

We could not find the store.  By now we were in a residential neighborhood.  Wagner asked an elder if he knows of a store that has a Choueire sign or name.  The store was far away, then the elder pointed to three homes within 200 meters from where he was standing saying that Choueiri families live in them.
Wagner communicated with the occupant of the first house while we waited in the car. 
He came back with Carlos Chueire. 

I asked Carlos via translation courtesy of my cousin Wagner, how is he and his family related to Shweir. 
He said his distant cousin is Sylvia Choueire.  That did not ring a bell.  Try again...  Need More info. 
"Family has a meat market in Shweir..."  Could it be of Kiame family?  No
Our Shweir.com volunteers took pictures of major businesses in Shweir in 2005 including meat markets.
We are getting close... Is there another family name? 
As we were walking into the house, he said:  " Abou Zaid" 
And then I look up at large posters high on the living room wall of Silva and George Bou Zaid and their daughter Vanessa.

Yes, of course I know them.  I watched Vanessa grow via Shweir.com because
her pictures are posted every year at Easter Sunday.  What a pleasant surprise.

We walked out onto the balcony on back of their home to this fantastic view

Ok, now we acknowledge that Tomazina has a river much bigger than Nahr Abou Dawoude of Shweir :)

So here  was cousin Wagner Choueire meeting Carlos Chueire for the first time. 
One from Merege family and the other from Abou Zaid family, both of Shweir origin.

Imagine possibly our great great grandfathers knew each other in Shweir, perhaps played and went to school together. 

Carlos told us that two hours earlier there were over 100 persons of Shweir origin in the Tomazina Church for funeral of a 96 year old matriarch.  If my memory serves me, her name was Zariffe Choueire.
Darn, we missed meeting that many of the Choueire contingency :(

Then Carlos said that his son Luiz visited Shweir two years ago. 
I said of course I saw pictures of Family Reunion on Shweir.com that Silva sent.
Carlos called his son Luiz on the phone and we chatted for few minutes.

(Note:  After my return to California, Luiz sent to me a follow up email with more info about the lady who passed away:
"One more information: the matriarch who passed away, to which funeral many Chueire were in Tomazina, was Zaine Oliveira Chueire, daughter of Khattar and sister of my grandfather Salim. She was 97. There are two daughters and two sons of Khattar still alive.")

Upon saying good by to Carlos, and heading to our car,
Carlos' other son Jorge and his family just arrived and were walking to their home next door.

Jorge is an agricultural engineer.  We took a picture with Jorge & his family and
after we got back in the car to leave, cousin Tony pointed out the name "Dhour Shweir" written in
Arabic on the car in front of us...  I had to take a picture of that car and its owner.

Yes, it was Jorge's.  I felt like I were at Shweir among family and friends. 

Note that Jorge and Carlos Choueire never been to Shweir -
Their love for their heritage and roots is quite evident. 
BTW, they discovered their cousins via Shweir.com two years ago
and they send their love to their cousins in Shweir

See original inquiry and communications by Luiz Choeire & Silva Bou Zaid - click here

Imagine the incredible coincidence that in a country of 180 Million, we knocked on the door of Choeire who communicated with us two years earlier!

Here are these two towns of Jaboti and Tomazina in a remote part of Brazil with many people of Shweir origin.

Amazing similarities: 
Distance between Dhour and Shweir is similar to those between Jaboti and Tomazina
Topography:  Jaboti is more like Shweir and Tomazina is more like Dhour 
Tomazina and Dhour are on higher elevation and Shweir and Jaboti have valley orientation
There are great churches in all these towns. 
Possibly that is why so many Shweirys / Choeire s live in these towns.
they are reminded of their original towns of Dhour Shweir

We hope that these new discoveries will open up more communications among the Shweiry/Choueire communities in brazil.
I bet, if we continue to link the missing dots, we would discover many more connections and distant cousins.

We only spent about 20 minutes in Tomazina since we had large family waiting for us in Itapeva. 
Aside from the fact that Tony's new love, Ariana, was waiting for him.  in his eyes, we were getting close yet far away. :)

I am sure that we would have noted more similarities if we had more time. 
Hopefully, Next visit we will set aside more time.
There is no doubt that similarities will include the beauty, warm hearts and loving nature of these towns' people and their Shweiry spirit.

Itapeva

Adelia's headquarters:  The House of Kibe

Making best Kibe and Sfiha in town

   
Above Middle from Left:  Euridice (Adelia's assistant), Ricardo's son and two daughters, Thais & Giovana
Then Tony, Ariana, Adelia and Anwar

Above: An article about Nicolau Merege
Below Left:  At Jamileh's (center) home

One happy family - All smiles -  Can you spot the love birds?  :)

Taquarivaí

It was nice to visit Rezende home again
here AnaMaria proudly displaying the Lebanese flag

It was wonderful to meet their sons Enio & Joaquim
Below:  Tony, Joaquim & Enio
Enio lives in SP, and Joaquim a few hours drive away.

Joaquim is known for his great BBQs -
And yes, he lives up to his reputation
     

Wagner and Pedro had to say good by to return to Curitiba
Enio drove us back to Itapeva

Tony spent the next day in Itapeva and returned w/Enio to SP airport

Sorocaba

Anwar took the 7:00 a.m. bus and arrived just before noon in Sorocaba

It was so nice to see Nejla, Antonetta and my new cousin Flavia waiting to pick me up.

We had two hours with the family before we had to take the 3 p.m. bus to SP and then to airport.

We enjoyed nice visit at Jorge and Rosalie's home where I showed them pictures of my trip on the laptop.
We acknowledged Birthdays of Nejla and Bruno's, (Flavia's friend).
And then we went to a great Charrascuria for a nice lunch where we took a group picture before heading to the bus depot.

Flavia already had bus tickets reserved and accompanied me to SP where she also had events to attend. 

*********************

Thank you...

I can write on and on about the many wonderful family members, cousins and friends that we met along the way.

A sincere Thank You from the heart to each and everyone who welcomed us and facilitated our travels and made our visit so memorable.

Anwar and Tony

Published in June 2007 on Home page:

	Sao Paulo Jafet Merege Moujaes Ramires Sawaya Tebechrani Families
	Curitiba Merege & Bou Zaid Choeire Zghaib
	Jaboti Merege Choeire
	Tomazina Bou Zaid Choeire
	Itapeva Adelia & Jamileh Merege Families
	Taquarivaí Merege Rezende
	Sorocaba Merege Ramires

Published in April and May 2007 on Home page:

Brazilian Shweir Family Connections-  Check these communities leading to Shweir:
Festa Chueire - Familia Chueire - Familia Choueri - Shuery, Choueri, Chueri - Brasil - Libano - Familia Merege (or Merhege)    

All of the links above except one are from Shweiry descendants in Brazil posted on one website.  Imagime if we were to add other websites and other countries like N. America, Europe, New Zealand, Australia...  Visit these communities above.  You may find a long lost cousin.  I did.  Hundreds of them.  Remeber, Shweiry means a person from Shweir.  Many of them have other family names when they left Shweir... for example:   Naamatallah Merhege emigrated to Brazil around 1910 his name became Antonio Merege Choueri.  Read more about the three Merhege brothers at:   www.shweir.com/merege.htm  

Now, the children and grand children of those who emigrated long ago, are searching for connection to their roots.  Here is one example:  Familia Choueri "I'm Carolina Choueri. Pedro Merege told me about you.  My great-grandfather called Miguel and his wife called Zebeide.  Do you know somebody with these names?" 

Carolina's Grand dad's last name could be Sawaya, Moujaes, Khnaisser, Merhege, etc.  Key is that Miguel was married to Zebeide.  Do these names ring a bell to someone? 

To pique your interest:  The Shweir.com family is offering $100 reward (Please submit by June 30, 2007) for most complete information submitted about any of the following: 

1.  Shweir Family Connection for Dr. Klee in Australia.  -  See www.shweir.com/family_tree.htm and  www.shweir.com/australia.htm
2.  Shweir Family Connection for Frankie Goodson -  See www.shweir.com/family_tree.htm
3.  Shweir family connection for Carolina Choueri's grand parents, Miguel (Mikhael) and Zebeide Choueri (see above).
4.  Nicola Shaya Khnaisser (Abu Daoud as of Nahr Abu Daoud, yes, Shakeeb's grand dad) Family tree and connection as it relates to the sub families of Shaya, Eid, Nasr, Abi Nader, Shaheen, ...
5.  Shweir Merhege Family that is related to Deeb & Saada Merhege.  Their daughter Alia used to refer to the mother of Edmon Halabi, owner of ABC, (I believe her name was Maheeba) as her cousin.  Another of Alia's cousins were Mariam Min3em, wife of Ignatious Halabi, John Mirhej, Edward Bou Azar Mirhej.  More info on  www.shweir.com/merege.htm

Visiting Brazil - August 2006 

Brazil was beautiful indeed... Not only the country, but its people too. 
The great majority were so kind, considerate, caring and gentle.

What made Brazil so special was that we met some fantastic Lebanese people.

And what made it so unforgettable was that we were reunited with dozens of long lost cousins. 

Sao Paulo, Brazil, is home to 18 Million people... that is 25 times the population of San Francisco and 4.5 the population of Lebanon...

Upon my arrival, Iskandar Riachy, a dear colleague was waiting and ushered me to another wing of the airport where many top Lebanese business men and community leaders were facilitating the welcome a few dozens of mostly women and children Lebanese refugees, many lost their homes and loved ones due to that senseless war in July 2006.  It made me very proud to watch for most of the day the humanitarian effort of those fine volunteers help their fellow countrymen.  This long and arduous trip has taken those refugees 5-7 days of waiting in makeshift shelters and dodging bombs in Lebanon, traveling on busses, ships and planes making several connections in different countries before reaching Sao Paulo. 

Sao Paulo, Brazil Population:  18 Million Largest Lebanese community outside of Lebanon
Above:  ^  Helping Lebanese refugees ^		V  Roman Orthodox church  V founded by Syrian and Lebanese		V Roster of Club Homs founders
^ Catholic Church  and Bishop  Faris Maakaroon w/ Iskandar ^				Iskandar Riachi

Food wise, Brazil is known for its fine meat. 

They have specialty restaurants where they bring variety of tender and freshly cooked varieties of beef, lamb, pork and poultry on huge skewers and they cut it right at your table. 

The Lebanese food is so prevalent in most restaurants, even fast food, that visitors think it is Brazilian food. 

< <  Most popular Brazillian restaurants are called Churrascaria.  They include salad bars with savory mélange of Brazilian, Japanese (Sushi) and Lebanese (Tabouleh, baba ghannouge, hommus, kibbeh and sfiha).  Then the variety of meat, lamb, beef, pork and poultry brought to your table on huge skewers and carved at your table.  They continue to bring meat until all had enough... > >

w/Riachy Family

Walking thru the old stores in Sao Paulo reminded so much of the old souks of Beirut or Damascus.

Oh, best natural drink in Brazil is... chilled coconut milk

Maksoud Hotel

Tempting delicatessen

w/uncle John & world famous Lebanese singer Samir Hanna

Shweir connection:  

After Sunday church, we met with Alain Moujaes from Shweir and before long, we were walking to visit his parents, Nadia and Joseph at their home.  Nadia used to have her clothes tailored or altered by my mom.  a couple of days later, we visited Joseph brother, Pierre Moujaes at his restaurant and met with Rosalie Sawaya first at the Hotel and then we visited her at a fund raising luncheon where she made some home made Shweiry style mamoul in both crushed walnuts and another with dates.  It was held at the Hasbaya Club Du Brasil. a beautiful converted old Palace.  The five kids you see below are quintuplets born to a Mid Easter family.  shortly after their birth, the family was without father's support.  So, the the organization that Rosalie is a member of sponsored them and provide basic necessities and education for the family.

My cousin Dr. Fouad Tabsharani who lives in Berkeley, CA, about half an hour drive from me, told me that he recently met one of his long lost cousin who lives in Brazil, Sami Tabsharani.  He told me that if I go to Brazil to make sure to contact him.  Well, I did. 

What a coincidence... Sami and Fouad for decades were looking for one another... A few years ago, when Sami found out that Rosalie was from Shweir, he asked her to check if there was any contact info for his uncle Wadeeh Deeb Tabsharani... and yes, thru her family, she provided contact info... she also told Sami about Shweir.com for which he posted info and made contact with Fouad and later visited Shweir and also visited Fouad in California.

We scheduled an evening to meet and go out to dinner with Sami and his family, and with long lost cousins on my mother's side from the Merhege (Merege) family and Rosalie's and her family.    Unfortunately Rosalie could not make it that evening.  In the course of our discussion about the family relationship, and how Sami and Fouad were related, I learned that Maddool was his grandmother... I was so pleasantly surprised to come face to face with a long lost cousin...  Sami's grandma Maddool and my grandma Amelia, on my father's side, were sisters. 

To see grandma's family tree on my father's side and learn more about that side of the family click here to visit the bottom of the Family Tree web page and click on the Family tree to view the Saadallah Samaha family chart.  after you expand the chart, you will note in green boxes, Amelia is # 32 and Maddoul is #33. 

Also, Sami, if you would like to know more about your Great Grandma, (Maddoul and Amelia's mom), Grandma Mary, and how she came to America and brought the female contingency of the family with her click here to read about Grandma Mary, a true pioneer.     

Amazing the parallels... on my father's side, it was the women who emigrated to N America and the men stayed in Shweir.

On my mother's side, the men emigrated to S America and the women stayed behind.

OK, enough background... back to Sao Paulo.

Anwar, John and Beatriz, Sami & Fred Tabsharani	W/Sami & Beatriz and Col. Miguel Merege Ramires and  his niece Tais Merege Ramires Precious Moment to meet long lost cousins on my mom's side and get a bonus surprise to meet cousins on my father's side at same time...		^  With Lebanese Brazilian Legislative Assembly Congress Said Mourad who was dining w/his family at next table - Friend of Isakandar
		Visiting air force base where cousin Miguel is stationed and new discovered cousin Beatriz, uncle John and Iskandar		Sfiha & Kibbeh
And at the Tabsharani's home, a wonderful gathering with family and friends...          In left picture above, Beatriz showing Rosalie and her daughter Soumaya, a rock they brought from Shweir

  A rock from Shweir is treasured in a beautiful case at the
home of Sami and Beatriz Tabsharani in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Thank you Rosalie, cousins Sami & Beatriz, Miguel and respective families
 and friends for your welcome and warm hospitality.

***************

I came across a link to the Tabsharani - Yafet/Jafet - Chedid family website: 

http://www.jafetbrasil.com.br

Hope it would help link as many of the descendants of these families

*************

2005

From Rozalie Sawaya Khoury,

A poem honoring all mothers and especially her late mother Najibeh: 

Sao Paulo                         Click on photos to enlarge

Meet Rosalie (bint Adib Touma Sawaya) and Georges El Khouri

from left to right up side ) Edgard ( son ), Georges, Rosalie, Elias ( son ), ( from left to right down ) Simone and Sumaia ( daughters)

( from left to right up side ) Elias ( son ), Rosalie ( on my lap Gabriel Simone's son ), Georges, Sumaia ( daughter ) ( from left to right down ) Felipe ( Elias's son ), Juliana (Edgard's daughter ), Fernanda ( Elias's daughter ) and Simone (daughter )

Check out the oldest photos of Shweir (1921) sent to us courtesy of Rosalie. Also, check out some of the contributions to the "Take Five" web page sent by Elias Georges El Khouri.

From Shweir Guest Book
Name: Rosalie Adib Touma Sawaya El Khouri
Location: Sao Paulo, SP BRAZIL
Date: Monday, July 31, 2000 at 21:01:56
Comments:

Hi everybody ! I'm very very glad to know about your site! I don't have words  now to express my satisfaction! It's very important to know that Shweirieh people like you made this great and lovely work! Congratulations!!! If somebody wants to contact me, feel free to send a mail. In Brazil we have a lot of Shweirieh people living. I intend to make a page and send it to publish soon. I know some of the story and if I have some good pictures, I'll send it. Best Reagards from a Brazilian Shweirieh, Rosalie Sawaya 

---

Excerpts from Emails of George Matar and Rosalie:

Sabah il Kheir Ya Rosalie

You don't know how much we appreciate having someone like you in the Southern hemisphere. The material you are sending us are priceless. I had so many people tell me lately about the pictures you send (1921) specially the one on the Sarfad.  Also the tribute you wrote about your family, was very , very touchy. We are finding so many fine Shweirieh around the world through this site and in due time we hope we will find them all. It is so Ironic that you mentioned the direction of your energy. I just want to tell you my Sister Nora is doiong the same. her daughter sent her a computer and she's learning how to use it. You probably read her article in "Memories" also she sent a beautiful poem written in Arabic, also featured in the same section. She just sent another one, written during the war, and will be featured shortly. 

I hope there will be so many others like you two to do the same.  Rosalie I left Shweir in 1972, and have been in Texas ever since. I went to Shweir in 1983, & 1995. The family is planning to go back next year hopefully for eid al Moughtaribeen. I hope you and your family will meet us there. After the new year I am planning on organizing, through the web site, A mega group to join us all in Shweir on the same dates.. This I am hoping will be real big.   I have been married to Janice for 24 years, with two kids ( they are featured on the web site's "Community- Meet our Youth". Se if you can locate them. You can also see then on the Texas page "Shweirieh Bil Mahjar". Hilween mitl bayehun, actually Janice is the good looking one. 

Thank you for George Mitri's message translation (Below). I hope Anwar will cut and past it on the web along with the original message, how about that Anwar? I also think Rosalie's email is a good encouragement for a lot of Shweirieh to follow suit, i hope, Anwar, you will do the same with it.

Rosalie please stay in touch, we are looking forward to keep hearing from you...........One of these days I am planning to visit Brazil, and when I do, you will be the first on my list to visit.

God bless you and all your family. 

George Matar

-----Original Message-----

From: Rosalie Sawaya

Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2000 10:53 AM

To: George Matar                    Subject: Hello!!!!

Hi George,

I'm very happy with all of you, great Shweirieh in the world! This Website gave me new energy to direct my efforts in learning computer's operation!

Now I'm learning how to deal with all of this stuff!  I'm very proud of you all, because you are very kind and you're doing a great job with this site! You know, this project you're managing, gave us a lot of information and good feelings to all of Shweirieh people around the world! Keep going in this way, and please tell me if I can help you more! 

I read the homage to my parents and I cried a lot, because I'm always thinking about them! But, c'est la vie! Thank your for formatting the message, it's a beautiful work!  I'd like to send you more photos and pictures from Shweir, just give me a time to organize all material. How long are you in USA? Are you married?   Do you have children? I'd like to know more about you all. 

I'll send a reprint from Shweir book to you by mail soon!  Thanks for your kind and attention!

Best wishes,

Rosalie

P.S.: about Georges Mitri, he is my cousin's son. I gave him the web address, but he doesn't know English. Please, see bellow the translation:

I'm very happy to know that Shweir got a website. Shweir is my dad's city (Georges Mitri Sawaya ). My dad died in 1982. I've been with him to Lebanon in 1974 and stayed at my grandmother's house ( Samia Sawaya ). My name is Georges Mitri Sawaya Jr. and I live at Santos city, São Paulo state, Brazil. 

Santos is a big seaside city, 70 km ( about 40 miles ), far from São Paulo.  I saw a picture at the website that made me remember a little market place that my uncle Jamil owned that time.  I would like to keep contact with my family members. I don't know if they visited this site! 
A big huge and regards to you all 

Georges Mitri Sawaya Junior

The following is a poem that Rosalie rewrote from this rare book on Shweir.  
Rosalie, please scan some more pages from that book so we can feature them here.

  This thumbnail is another poem from Rosalie  

In this one she used an thin pen and as such it was not as crisp to scan as a picture. 

It is a good example to see the difference between thin and thick pen.  the substance is 100% Shweirieh.  No question about it.  

Stay tuned when we begin to feature more excerpts from a 1921 - 1922  Shweir Guide book.  

Courtesty of Rosalie Touma Sawaya El Khoury.  Thank you Rosalie

A poem to Shweirieh sent by Rosalie Sawaya El Khouri, Sao Paolo, Brazil 

The above was a poem that Rosalie copied from an old book (1921) on Shweir.  To see a couple of  photos from that book, go the "Photos" web page.  

Thank you Rosalie and your family

We would like to hear from More Shweirieh in Brazil and living anywhere else in the world. 

Thanks to all of you who connected with us.