McFalafel

Yep, that's right! In Egypt's Mcdonald's they carry a popular food item named the McFalafel.

What a Falafel consists of is dried chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, coriander, cumin, flour, and salt. The process seems easy to do, you blend  them together in specific steps, but almost form a meatball. Once the meatball is formed you place in the oven until golden brown. A friend of mine actually dips hers in 'Ketchup." You can eat it just like she did, maybe without the 'Ketchup' if you prefer, or even in a pita sandwhich. I have never personally made them, but I have tried them. I will attach a reciepe I have found to make these at the bottom of this page...I think I might try it out too!

I absoultey love love love Middle Eastern food, especially hummus!
The flavor in the food is to die for! I have decided to break up a few foods that I personally enjoy so that you can go try them, so my next blog will also be on food. I am going to try and get some actually "personal" reciepes from some Middle Eastern families I know!

استمتع -enjoy

The following is from: mideastfood.about.com

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas or 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans.
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil for frying

Preparation:

Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, covering with cold water. Allow to soak overnight. Omit this step if using canned beans.

Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.

Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then let simmer on low for about an hour.

Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl. Add flour.

Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine ingredients in a food processor. You want the result to be a thick paste.

Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.

Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-7 minutes).

Serve hot.

Questions

Please answer the following questions so that I am able to see what you knew before researching, and can know exactly what I should cover in the next blog post.



Do you know the government structures in each country? Which countries do we support, maybe not support? What aid if any do we give, and to which countries? How much money is spent annually in the Middle East? Do you think as a nation that is already in debt that we should give money to other countries? Why/why not?




Side note: Do you like the way the blog is running so far? I realized I have no been able to keep up every single day, especially weekends, but have also realized that many of  my comments that I do receive are throughout the weekday. Any specific topic you would like me to research and blog about? What do you think that I should do differently, maybe something you like in particularly?

Also...Have you started any of the recommended Middle East books?

Thoughts to Ponder...

 "Muslims, for the most part, believe that you don't have to be of Islamic faith to go to heaven as   long as you believe in one God."

   "Christians, for the most part, believe that you have to be of that specific sect of christianity, or at least Christian to go to heaven."

What do you think about this? 

What side do you see yourself favoring, even if it is against your beliefs?

 Did you grow up going to church? As a child did you actively participate in church? Did you take those habits from your upbringing and enforce them with your children and everyday life today? Do you find it important to attend mass? How often do you miss church if you attend? What would be your suggestions for someone to start off and pick a religion if they did not come from a family where religion was a significant part of their life? Do you find it important for children to grow up with those fundamentals, or do you find that religion does not define a person and  one has the right to choose their own religion? How important is religion to you from 1-10, 10 being the highest.

Allah---God

Islamic traditions
The religion does not believe in cremation and as a result they bury
their dead. Those who follow the traditions believe in eternal life and the belief everyone will be called to on 'The Last Judgment'.

Those deceased are generally taken care of by a close family member of the
same gender. They are dressed in simple shrouds, which are pieces of clothing to protect the body. Services are then lead by an Imam, with mourners forming rows behind the worship leader of a mosque, (Imam) facing Mecca. (Mecca is the holiest of all places in Islam.) Prayers are then said for the soul of the deceased and their body is buried with or without a pine box facing Mecca. Three days of
mourning is typical for those who follow the Islamic tradition, along with continuations of prayers. Any sign of grieving is looked down upon. They mark the grave site with a simple tombstone.

Judaism Traditions
Since the Jewish consider a dead body to be unclean, they have trained people care for those who have passed away. Again, the body is ritually 
cared for by a member of the same gender, and dressed in a simple
shroud. Some believe that the burial should happen as
soon as possible, but the Liberal sect of Judaism believes in
cremation. Readings from the Psalms are read
over the body and along with prayers. A Rabbi, who is a teacher of the Torah, then carries on the services.  The mourners wear dark clothes and symbolically tear a hole in clothing to show their grief. There will be no viewing of the body, and sending flowers is looked down upon and should not be sent. Instead of sending flowers, a sympathy food basket sent to the home of the immediate family is allowed.

How are these different, maybe the same, than the way funerals take place within your family?

What Goes Around Comes Around???

GEN·O·CIDE

 [jen-uh-sahyd] 

–noun

The deliberate and systematic extermination of a

national, racial, political, or cultural group.

Origin:
1940–45

Ironically, World War II began in 1939 and ended in 1945. During the war the Nazi Regime took hold of Europe. With the power of Hitler, we all know that Jewish people were hit hard during the Holocaust. What many don't know though is that Jewish people were not the only ones who had died during this tragic event, yet they're really the only group that is main concern when discussing the Holocaust. The last I had learned it was about 11 million or so people who had been murdered. The number changes so often, that the number you see will vary, sometimes day to day, as they find more bodies! People automatically assume that Holocaust=the deaths of all Jewish,

but many other people including, but not limited to,

African Americans, Jehovah Witnesses, Homosexuals, Gypsies, and the disabled.

 It is not about the number of each category that interests me, but the concept as a whole. If I have learned anything, it is that numbers don't always count or the times, sometimes the smallest account leaves the biggest impression. Take for example, Rosa Parks, even Hitler! There are positive and negative leaders and the ones that gain power are the ones we should all be worrying about, essentially as

American citizens we have that duty to our country. As a nation, we have strived, people have fought, died over, to have the ability to vote, and yet, some people don't.

It is not everyday we encounter a "Rosa Parks," Hitler," a "Osama Bin Laden," 

things like that are rare and significant.

None-the-less events like this are happening every day in areas all over,

not just in the Middle East.

Little things that are repeated over and over in history 
become big things that make a difference in our future at hand.

History has taught us many things,
 yet, we avoid because they are happening again years later.

There is no doubt that those of Jewish decent did not face ethnic cleansing, 

but does that give them the right to oppress others?

Palestinian promise:

Time: World War 1, 1916---

After convincing Palestine to support them (Britain) against the Ottoman Empire 

and in return their government would 

support the creation of an independent Arab state in the region, including Palestine. 

1920-1947 Britain had a mandate over Palestine.

The Balfour Declaration of 1917:

a formal statement of policy by the British government, stating they supported the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people---creating Zionism. (Bringing together the Jewish people in one area)

It promised to their best ability achieve this, and made it clear that nothing should be done resulting in prejudice the vicil and religious rights or those already inhibiting the land or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country. 

What is wrong with the Balfour Declaration? 

Do you notice anything similar? 

  Is Britain the cause for the conflict?

Notice how the document doesn't say a when or how? 

There are so many loop holes, and the generality of it makes things difficult. It creates  a major threat. 

At first Arabs had rule over the land, and Israelis inhibited few areas of land. Now years later we have a split state with Israelis being in control. The roles have completed switched and the lack of consideration or respect is being demolished mainly, on the fact that we are dealing with "Jewish people who all died in the Holocaust." I 100% give my respect to all those lost in the Holocaust, but at the same time the Jewish people have pushed millions of Palestinians into two tiny pieces of land, known as the Gaza Strip and West Bank and treated them just as poorly. The Israelis not only have control over the "state" but of mobility, food, and even down to electricity and water. Imagine being the majority in your own country, but being placed in territory not large enough for surviving literally. Even look at the Israeli perspective of being 
the minority in what you claim to be your "state." 
If the Palestinians could try to fight back and seize the land they could successfully wipe out Israel. 


Before I get to U.S involvement and support to either side/etc. let me know what you now think.
Be honest, and tell me did you learn something you didn't know. Do must Americans know this information or is it a big misunderstanding? Think about how uneducated about such topics and the Middle East citizens really are. The average American just jumps to the thought, "Get U.S. out of there!" Is it really fair to say that, when we already know that Human Rights are being violated and other illegal acts are being taken place. 

A different side...

Thoughts or comments?

 Do you agree, disagree? 

I thought this picture was interesting because it shows 

the controversy faced in the conflict.

My next blog I will let you in on my perspectives 

and like I already promised everything I have learned.

Pour out all your thoughts:)

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

What do you know about Israel and Palestine?

I don't want to influence your opinion or stir you in a certain direction so you tell me everything you know and in my next post I will tell you everything I have learned.

Consider: What side are you on? Maybe you don't know who is even involved...the Arabs and Jews. What side does America support, if any? What might be our motive or reasoning behind supporting a side? Who is the victim?

What is America's foreign policy?

Remember that it is okay to have different views than what is right,

I want to know exactly how you feel...not how you think you have to feel.