Farewell To A King
Textbook Monarch
In West Bloomfield's Middle East class, the king is the subject.
JULIE WIENER
Staff Writer
T
o the students in a new
class at West Bloomfield
High School, King
Hussein was a lot more
than a name to misspell on a current
events quiz. He shone bright in their
memory as an advocate for peace and
a monarch with a personal touch.
"When I was in Israel last year," said
Eve Posen, "there was always talk about
how Jordan was the only Arab country
to have warm relations with Israel, and
Jordan seemed friendly to Jews. I went
there and it was nice. I heard Israeli
kids lit candles in his honor. They felt
like they lost someone, too."
A number of Chaldean students in
the class had also visited Jordan, some
en route from Iraq, and said they
noticed how popular the king was there.
"All his people really respected him,"
said Noor Mekha. "Everyone had his
pictures up. He was a peacemaker. You
don't see a lot of Arab leaders like him.
He cared for his people."
The 20-student class on the Middle
East, which began at the end of
January, teaches the geography, cul-
tures and religions of the Middle East
along with a little Arabic language.
While the majority of students are
Chaldean, as is the instructor, a sizable
number of Jews, Muslims and a few
non-Arab Christians are enrolled;
guest speakers from all religions in the
Middle East will be making appear-
ances throughout the semester.
Tuesday, the students informally
discussed King Hussein's death before
heading to the school's computing
center to design "travel brochures"
highlighting points of interest in the
Middle East.
One Chaldean student, Sarah
Karim, said she woke up at 4 a.m.
Monday "out of respect," to watch
King Hussein's funeral on television.
"His son has a hard job ahead of
him," she said, noting that the king's
ability to modernize the country,
bring global enemies together and
maintain the respect of his people
made him a tough act to follow.
"He'll be missed by his country,
but I think the peace process will
continue," said Rami Hamadeh, who
is Muslim and of Lebanese descent.
A Jewish student, Brad Resnick,
described King Hussein's death as
"tragic" and said the king was "one
of the people who invoked peace.
He respected all religions and want-
ed peace."
Resnick, along
with other Jewish
students, commented
on the Arab
monarch's warm rela-
tionship with Israelis.
Eve Posen and Noor Mekha: Both were impressed by the
"I was upset that
king during their visits to Jordan.
he died," said Erin
Sussman. "He was
student said she noticed King
really respected by the Jewish people,
Abdullah
trying to look strong, but
and he was one of the only Arab lead-
shedding a few tears, at the funeral.
ers like that."
That led to some complaints from
The teacher, Talia Hanna, a petite
the
feminist wing of the class, with sev-
woman whose students listen atten-
eral
girls demanding to know why King
tively despite her soft-spokenness,
Hussein's
widow, Queen Noor, had not
developed the course together with a
been
allowed
to attend the funeral.
Jewish teacher, Jennifer Rosenwasser.
"That
was
weird that his own wife
It was originally envisioned as a team-
couldn't be there," said Karim. But
taught class with a Hebrew-language
Hanna, who said she had watched the
component, but too few students
funeral coverage on C-Span the previ-
enrolled to enable the district to use
ous
night, explained that according to
more than one teacher. However,
Muslim
tradition, men and women
Rosenwasser still recruits guest speak-
do
not
mix
at funerals.
ers and helps with planning.
Asked
whether
the peace process
Hanna said she originally tried to
would
continue
without
King
avoid discussions of politics in the
Hussein, most students said yes, but
class, for fear it would create tensions,
Karim was more skeptical. Over
but she's been pleasantly surprised by
time, there'll be peace, but I don't see
the students' openness and the fact
it in the near future," she said.
that none are hard-liners.
"Leaders say they want it, but the
Students said they were optimistic
people
in their countries don't agree
the new leader, King Abdullah, would
with
it.
It's sad." Fl
continue King Hussein's work. One
Students Of The King
Two Jordanians at the University of Michigan recall the monarchy's special touch.
JON HALL
Special to The Jewish News
Ann Arbor
Ec
ana Malhas is studying
business at the University
of Michigan because of
Jordan's King Hussein and
Queen Noor.
The king and his American-born
wife had created a special school in
Jordan for gifted and talented stu-
dents. Malhas says the Jubilee School
in Amman from which she graduated
told me about Michigan" and gave
her an educational opportunity avail-
able to few in her country.
C'
Jon Hall is a freelance writer in
Ann Arbor.
2/12
1999
18 Detroit Jewish News
So when the king died Sunday, "I
was shocked, I broke into tears," said
Malhas, 19, a sophomore who has
applied for admission to the U-M's rop-
rated business school. It touched me
very, very deeply. To be honest, it was
not the reaction I expected from myself.
"He was not just a king," she
explained. "He was more like a father,
a family member.
Jubilee School was created in 1993
in recognition of Hussein's 25th year
on the throne. In that year, 87 of
Jordan's brightest ninth graders,
including Malhas, were picked for the
school from various socioeconomic
backgrounds and regions of Jordan,
each similar in their motivation to
achieve academically, as well as prepare
for professional careers and leadership.
Jubilee is supported by the Noor Al
Hussein Foundation, which sponsors a
variety of educational, cultural, and
development throughout Jordan, the
Middle East and the world under the
leadership of the queen, the former Lisa
Halaby. Without its help, Malhas says,
she and many like her would never get
the education they've received.
"For myself, to me personally, I
admire this man and it was comforting
... to see him trying to make the right
decisions for his country," she added.
Echoing Malhas' reaction was Ala
Saket, a U-M senior majoring in
mechanical engineering. "The fact the
king was a family member to every
Jordanian makes (his death) that
much harder," he said, adding that
the university's handful of Jordanian
students are "all just mourning the
passing of the king."
"The king was a special situation,"
said Saket, explaining that when
Hussein ascended to the throne as a
teenager in 1952, the country was
small. "At that time, there weren't very
many people, it was a very small com-
munity. They (Hussein's family)
weren't by any means a wealthy family.
"He (Hussein) had grown up
among the people of Jordan," added
Saket, who said.that Hussein had a
knack for not acting "like he was
above everybody else." Saket noted
fondly that Hussein often .eluded his
bodyguards to drive himself places,
and at one time early in his reign
worked anonymously as a taxi driver
to get the pulse of his country. Fl