Pictures Summer 2002 by Nabil Matar

SSS CLASS OF 62

40^TH YEAR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION ANNIVERSARY

This summer the SSS class of 62 celebrated their 40^th year high school graduation anniversary. Members of the class came from USA, England, Kuwait, near by Shreen, Kfarselwan and Beirut to celebrate the occasion. One member from Canada Habib Sawaya and wife Afifi were not able to attend due to personnal problem. The members who attended were Riad Khuneiser (Dhour Shweir), Adel Baaklini (Dhour Shweir), Ziad Hatoom (Kfarsilwan), Bechara Merhij  (Beirut) Rafic Saliba (Shreen), Walid Samaha (England), Wajih Sawaya  (Kuwait) and Nabil Matar USA.

I really don’t know how to start describing this fantastic event and how I will end it. All I have to say that it was Fun Fun Fun and it was way above what was expected. So the picture we are going to post in this web site will say it all.

We had four wonderful gathering and I will try to summarize briefly each and every one.

 The first gathering was held August the 8^th at the Jwayzi restaurant hosted by Wadad and Nabil Matar with the help of Riad Khneiser and his wife the queen of Tabbouli Loulou. This gathering was meant to be for the families of the classmates to have a chance to get to meet. The location was great, the food prepared by Loulou’s Sister, Loulou’s brother and of course Loulou was outrageous and the companion couldn’t be better than this. For me the high light of this event was having the privilege to meet Walid Samaha’s wife and children for the first time. It was really great.

 The second gathering was very special, It was held August the 10^th at our old high school SSS. Rafic Saliba and his wife Pascale were the organizers to this gathering. I said it was so special because it reminded us of our high school good old days. All 8 of us with our spouses attended that branch which was prepared especially for us.

I would like to take this opportunity and thank the director of Ain Al Assis center Mrs. Najla Kassab who made us feel welcome to that great establishment.

 The third gathering which is THE PARTY. It was held August the 11^th at Al Sid restaurant. Walid and Kathrine Samaha hosted this great party. Guys I must admit it were the night of all nights.  The setting was great, the food prepared by the owner of the restaurant Mr. George Samaha was some thing out of the world. The Arak couldn’t be better.  Walid Samaha presented each classmate with a special picture of our graduation in a silver frame prepared in England. It was engraved on the frame “Class of 62” and the initial of every classmate. It was so special that it hit the cord of each and every one of us. And to make things more dramatic Riad and Loulou Khuneiser prepared a cake writing on it SSS, 1962, 40 and the name of each classmate. So thank you Walid and Katharine for that memorable night and Thank you Loulou and read for that beautiful cake.

 The four and final gathering was Ziad Hatoom and family special or in other word Abou Wa Im Sultan special. It was held August the 17^th and in Ziad's home in Kfarsilwan. Four of the classmates attended the gathering with their spouses. To the classmates who missed this one I have to say my friends you missed a lot. Guys I could have swore that Im Sultan and her daughters work all week lone preparing for that event. I never seen in my life so much variety of foods was made. As for entertainment Ziad's son in lows were some thing else one of them was a processional Zaj’jal  (fashar Zaghlool Al Damour) who fascinated us with his poems and the other is a singer that can play the 3oud very well. Walid, Bechara, Adel and Habib I wish you were able to be there, you really missed some thing fantastic.

 Finally to the class of 62 I will say, Guys I am lucky person to be a member of your class. We really did it this year. I pray to god to keep you and your families in a good health so we can celebrate this event every year. And for you Habib and Afify we wish you will be able to join us next year.

Long live the class of 62, you are the greatest my friends

Nabil

SSS Reunion Breakfast

Reunion at Alsad Restaurant

Z. Haitoom

Jwaizy Night   

Sheikh Jamil Houbeika

Sheikh Jamil Houbeika, co-recipient of Shweir.com Life Achievement Award for 2002

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

Shweir Night 

Photos courtesy of Nabil Matar

At least the dust was cleaned off our old souk. At least a little action was taken to expose the real beauty of our village.

On Saturday 17^th of August, people gathered in the old souk to watch its beauty and to look at our heritage which everybody is proud of. On the old walls, pictures and paintings were hung in addition to architectural projects and other paintings were displayed inside the beautiful ‘La voute’.

 One of the amazing things that took place was the reaction of some shweirieh who set up barbecues, Saj , antiques shops etc….

The artists who displayed their works were:

Georges Oréan (from Baskinta), Shehade Moujaes , Nisrine Moujaes, Naji Sawaya and me from Shweir, and some of my friends from the Lebanese University-faculty of fine arts: Elie Khalife, Zeina and Juliana choufany.

 The architects who displayed their works and ‘maquettes’ in ‘La voute’ were Samih Halabi (his shweir project), Sandra Kassab and me.

Before the evening in Dar el Saydeh, the Scout of Shweir performed a traditional Lebanese wedding near the Ain el abou.

  The prime activity of our day was the performance of my friend from Jbeil, Micheline Matta and her group , who sang the best of Fairouz. Her voice and performance astounded the crowd who cheered her a lot , under the beautifully lighted Sindyeney. Also Bachar Sawaya played music and he was fantastic(as usual) , and the 2 beautiful girls Hanin and Sanaa played ‘violon’ and ‘flute’.

  My favorite activity in this day was the ‘kid’s corner’ in the souk, where I and a friend of mine-juliana- , gathered the kids and ‘colored’ their faces with beautiful designs and devoted a wall in the souk to display their little paintings, and their were very excited all the day.

 I would like to thank all the people who cooperated with me such as Georges Samaha who offered the ‘La voute’, and created many activities during the evening –Thank you Georges, and to Agrinet (Nehme moujaes), for the beautiful plants which decorated the souk.

In addition to the Municipality who facilitated the work in order for me to make my idea come true.

   During the evening, the issue of the SINDYENEH was raised and the Municipality promised to find solution to the tracks hitting our beautiful TREE, and the stones of the fence of the church  which are blocking its growth.

             Finally I believe that this evening will jump-start the formation of a committee to preserve the heritage of Shweir, hoping that next year a bigger event will be held.

 Best Regards

Oula Aoun 

Ain Al Shweir

Shweir Social Services and Rescue (SSSR) at Mtull Restaurant

-----Original Message-----
From: Riad Khunieser [mailto:rk26@aub.edu.lb]
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2002 4:23 AM
Subject: Picnic Day For Families

Shweirieh and friends, Emigrants and Inhabitants, single or married with their families were gathered in one of the best location places in Shweir.
More than six hundred citizen from all ages, young and old, men and women met, talked, laughed and danced together at the “Picnic Day For Families”.   Both groups, the Al Beshara and the Is3af, “BAYTNA project” invited everybody to join them in this gathering, which was welcomed from all.  The “Mtyl Restaurant” was presented free of charge, for a whole day use, by the owners, the family of the late Mr. Wadeeh Elias Moujaes. While the delicious food, plenty of cold and hot, and the drinks, soft and alcoholic, for lunch and light food and drinks for breakfast was offered with the generosity of Mr. Shaheed Abou Samra and family, (CANDY), who wanted to put hand with others in helping the Baytna project to grow. 

Sunday, July 28, 2002 was the day for us to meet and eat, drink and think, play and pay and assist Baytna in every way.   A whole day was planned perfectly to make everybody happy. Games, magician, face painting for the young.  Music, singer, fortuneteller and Miss Beauty for the grown ups. Miss Lebanon, Christina Sawaya was there, as always, because the elderly project is her target.  I am sure you want to ask me about the TABOULY.  Well the Queen of Tabouly was there and she used her magic touch to give us the best Tabouly ever done…ask Mr. Nabil Matar.
And the Eternity Queen of Arkely was there too, the lovely lady Mrs. Antoinate Gergy Kenicer. She took pictures for every one there.
Almost $ 6000 was collected from food price and other activities. The money went to cover expenses in Baytna.  For more information about that lovely well-planned day ask any Shweiry who was there.

Thanks to every body who, by his presence or by his generosity, made this day possible.  Being together in a whole day “Picnic Day For Families” was more than a EID for all of us.

Riad

 

				What a great event... Thanks Nabil for taking the pictures.

Anwar, the following is a list of materials to be published in the web site, some of them you already have the pictures others I have and will provide you with and some we need to ask others to provide.

* Eid Al Mughtaribeen ( need volunteers to write about each event)

1. Opening night
2. Second night (Musical concert by Tony Kiwaan)
3. Honoring Dr. Saadi
4. Honoring Mr. Farid Abou Al Kheir
5. Seventh night ( Sami Clark Night)
6. Shweir.com Honored and Shweir band night
7. Teenager's Party
8. Beauty pageant night
9. Soak Shweir night
10. Last night or the car show night
11. Dr Ghosn Activities during the Eid

* Class of 62 40th year graduation reunion ( Nabil will write about this)

1. Night at the Sid
2. Night at Jweizy restaurant
3. Branch at Ain Al Assis
4. Launch at Ziad Hatoom in Kfar Silwan

* Al Is3af party in Mtel restaurant ( Riad will write about this)
* Alwazeer Bechara Merhej activities in Dhour Shweir during my visit

1. at opening night representing prime minister Hariri
2. at the youth of Lebanon for one Lebanon representing President Luhoud
3. The aghathy Kiddas
4. Class of 62 Reunion