Established
2009
Contact Info
Middle Eastern Association, mideastassoc@gmail.com
Mission
To provide a welcoming forum for people of Middle Eastern origins and to promote the rich Middle Eastern Culture in Columbus and its neighboring communities.
Goals
- Organize Information Sessions about the Middle East and its culture.
- Provide Voice and Visibility to the Middle Eastern Community in Columbus.
Membership Info
The Middle Eastern Association is bounded by the Arabic language. Any individual from any Arabic speaking country shall be eligible to join the Association.
Activities & Programs
Under development.
Festivals & Celebrations Organized by Association
- Eid El Adha
- Ramadan
- Eid El Fitr
- Christmas
Background
The Middle East (or, formerly more common, the Near East[1]) is a region
that spans southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa. It has no clear
boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far
East. The term “Middle East” was popularized around 1900 in the United
Kingdom. The corresponding adjective to Middle East is Middle-Eastern
and the derived noun is Middle-Easterner.
The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient times, and
throughout its history the Middle East has been a major centre of world
affairs. The Middle East is also the historical origin of three of the
world’s major monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The Middle East generally has an arid and hot climate, with several
major rivers providing for irrigation to support agriculture in limited
areas. Many countries located around the Persian Gulf have large
quantities of crude oil.
Tourist Attractions
Holy Land: Israel & Palestine

Dome of the Rock (Al Aqsa Mosque): an Islamic shrine which houses the
Foundation Stone, the holiest spot in Judaism and is a major landmark
located on the Temple Mount. It was completed in 691, making it the
oldest extant Islamic building in the world. Significance stems from the
religious beliefs regarding the rock at its heart.

Western (Wailing) Wall: Important Jewish religious site; over half the
wall, including its 17 courses located below street level, dates from
the end of the SecondTemple period, being constructed around 19 B.C. by
Herold the Great. The remaining layers were added from the 7th century
onwards.
Lebanon

Jeita Grotto: Kartstic limestone caves

Baalbek (2900-2300 BC): Famous for its Roman ruins, which include the
Temples of Bacchus and Jupiter – Later called Heliopolis with Alexander
the Great (334 BC)
Syria

Statue of Saladin: Saladin (1174-1193) was a Kurdish Muslim who became
the Sultan of Syria and Egypt and who led the Muslim opposition to the
European crusaders; recaptured Palestine

Sayyida Zaynab Mosque: Shrine containing the grave of the granddaughter of Muhammad.

Bosra: Fist Nabatean city in the 2nd century BC Ruins from Roman, Byzantine and Muslim times.

Ummayad Mosque:
Holds shrine which is said to contain the head of John the Baptist – a
prophet to both Muslims and Christians alike. Pope John Paul II visited
the Mosque in 2001.
Jordan

Petra (cleft in the rock): Capital city of the Nabateans (100 BC); rose-red city half as old as time New World Wonder

Dead Sea (ÇáÈóÍúÑ ÇáãóíøÊ ): 1,385 ft below seal level and contains rich salts and minerals.

Aqaba: Diving and beach resort; Coastal town in far south of Jordan
Saudi Arabia

Mecca:
– Place of birth of prophet Muhammad (570)
– Battle of Badr: Quraysh tribe vs. Muslims
– Millions of Muslim pilgrims from all over the world in their way to Hajj
United Arab Emirates

Burj Dubai:
Tallest man-made structure ever built – 2,684 ft. Expected to be completed by September 2009.

Palm Jumeirah:
One of multiple palm-shaped artificial islands with major commercial and residential infrastructure.

Ski Dubai:
22,500-square metres of indoor ski area; part of Mall of the Emirates.
People
Population
There are a large number of countries in the Middle East. The region is
estimated to have around 800 million people. Some of the countries
commonly associated with the Middle East are: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt,
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman,
Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, and
Yemen.
Religion
The Middle East is diverse with a multiplicity of religions, most of
which originated there. Islam in its many forms has by far the most
adherents in the Middle East. Other faiths, such as Judaism and
Christianity, are also important, not only for people of that faith in
the area, but because the faiths were carried widely through the
centuries to people in other nations, who believe they have a stake in
the historic territory of the faiths. There are also important minority
religions, such as Bahá’í, Yazdanism, Zoroastrianism.
Languages
Languages of the Middle East span many different families, including Indo-European, Afro-Asiatic, and Altaic.
Arabic in its numerous varieties and Persian are most widely spoken in
the region, with Arabic being the most widely spoken language in the
Arab countries. Other native languages spoken in the region include
Syriac (a form of Aramaic); Azeri, Berber languages, Circassian,
Persian, Gilaki language and Mazandarani languages, Hebrew in its
numerous varieties, Kurdish, Luri, Turkish and other Turkic languages,
Somali and Greek. In Turkey, Kurdish, Syriac, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri,
Kabardian, and Gagauz languages are spoken, in addition to the Turkish
language. Several modern South Arabian languages are also spoken.
English is also spoken, especially among the middle and upper class, in
countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Iraq, and Kuwait. French is
spoken in Algeria, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, and Egypt. Urdu is
spoken in many Middle Eastern countries, such as Arab states the United
Arab Emirates, Israel, and Qatar, which have large numbers of Pakistani
immigrants.
Customs, Traditions & Celebrations
The cultures, histories and traditions separating or defining the lives of the people of the Middle East can be mind-boggling. The Middle East is a continent of cultures, a world of histories, a whirlwind of customs and traditions that are very diverse.
Lifestyle
The Role of the Family
An Arab’s family is built around an extended family system. The members
usually live close to one another, meet frequently, celebrate occasions
together and coordinate their
business and political activities. The father traditionally acts as the disciplinarian and
authoritative figure, children are not encouraged to seek individuality or dependency.
Couples do not enter marriage with idealistic or western romantic
expectations which could be the reason behind the low divorce rate in
the region. Inherited status normally outweighs personal achievements in
determining one’s place in society.
Meals and Socialization
There is a great deal of socializing during meals. Expect to take second helpings.
Meals are generally served family-style with the serving plates in the
middle of the table. Special occasions are often celebrated by eating a
lamb served over rice. Spices like allspice, cumin and cardamom are
commonly used.
Middle Eastern Cuisine

Falafel (ÝáÇÝá):
Fried ball or patty made from spiced chickpeas and/or fava beansý.
Originated in Egypt; later adopted by early Jewish immigrants to
Palestine.

Shish Taouk:
Traditional Turkish shish kebab common in Lebanese and Syrian cuisines; typically eaten with garlic paste sauce.

Shawarma (ÔÇæÑãÇ):
Middle Eastern style sandwich-like wrap usuallycomposed of shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey or beef; popular dish and
fast-food staple across the Middle East and North Africa, has also
become popular worldwide. Made by placing strips of meat or marinated
chicken on a stick; an onion or tomato is placed at the top of the stack
to provide flavouring. Common dressing would be tahineh or hummus.

Kibbeh (ßÈÉ):
Dish made of burghul (different wheat species) and chopped meat.
Best-known variety is a torpedo-shaped fried croquette stuffed with
minced beef or lamb. Now common in Dominican Republic (DR).

Kofta (˜æÝÊå):
Meat often mixed with other ingredients such as rice, burghul, vegetables, or eggs to form a smooth paste.

Musakhan (ãÓÎøä):
Palestinian national dish; spicy bread-based made of whole chickens,
cinnamon, nutmeg, olive oil, pine nuts and finely sliced onions.

Mansaf (ãäÓÝ):
Jordanian national dish made of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice.

Mahshi or Dolma (ãÍÔí, ÏæáãÉ ):
Grape-leaved family of stuffed vegetable dishes. Stuffing may or may not
include meat (meat dolma generally served warm, and meatless cold).

Humus (ÍãøÕ):
Levantine Arab dip made from cooked mashed chickpeas, blended
with tahini (sesame paste), olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.

Tabbouleh (ÊÈæáÉ):
Levantine Arab salad made of finely chopped parsley, bulgur, mint,
tomato, scallion, and other herbs with lemon juice and olive oil.

Fattoush (ÝÊæÔ):
Levantine Arab salad made from several garden vegetables and toasted or fried pieces of pita bread.

Kanafeh (ßäÇÝÉ):
Very fine vermicelli-like pastry used to make sweet pastries and
desserts. Palestinian Nablus kanafeh most well-renowned in the Arab
world.

Baklawa:
Rich, sweet pastry made of layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped
nuts and sweetened syrup or honey. Claimed by many Mediterranean ethnic
groups.
Additional information regarding the Middle East may be found at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East
Restaurants in the area
Persian:
Saffron’s Mediterranean
131 W Market Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 584-7800
Somali:
Safari Restaurant
5602 W Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46241
(317) 240-2882
Turkish:
Anatolia
405 E 4th Street
Bloomington, IN 47408
(812) 334-2991
Afghani:
Samira’s Restaurant
100 W 6th Street
Bloomington, IN 47404
(812) 331-3761
Egyptian:
Egyptian Cafe
6265 Carrollton Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46220
(317) 255-4400
Iraqi:
Mix 5
2989 W 71st Street
Indianapolis, IN 46268
(317) 298-5355
Moroccan:
Casablanca Cafe
402 E 4th Street
Bloomington, IN 47408
(812) 335-9048