Tuesday, March 1, 2011

ACC CULTURAL NIGHT‏

Dear EAS Members,

Egypt needs to be represented at this event.

Currently May Razik (Farrag) has been so gracious as to volunteer. Please help her out and show up in force to celebrate our heritage.

Sherif Zaafran, MD

President, Egyptian American Society




Proposed Expanding of EAS

My Dear friends,

The Egyptian American Society is undergoing phenomenal change inspired by the revolution that changed Egypt...and reminded us to Raise our head up high...We Are Egyptians.

The EAS Board has received suggestions regarding expanding the scope of the Egyptian American Society to be more than just a social organization. We had excellent discussions with groups in Houston focusing on looking at a comprehensive role for Egyptians in the Greater Houston area. The EAS board met and we agreed that we should work on merging into one large group. We are currently reviewing the bylaws and looking at possible updates to achieve our goals.

We will be meeting this Sunday, 3/6/11, at the ACC, from 3 to 5 pm, to continue our discussions towards formulating our new expanded group. Everyone is welcome to join in the discussions and participate in the proposed creation of this new great organization. We will keep everyone updated as we move forward.

Below is the email from Mostafa Borahay to the rest of their group also informing of our aspiration to join forces.

Also, keep in mind that we are now intent on holding our "Celebrating Freedom - Egyptian Style" on March 26th from 5 to 9 pm. We want to have the largest showing of Egyptians in the history of Houston. I look forward to seeing everyone there.



God bless Egypt and God bless the USA



Sherif Zaafran

President, Egyptian American Society





Dear friend,

Here is few updates:

1. Please, note that date and time of meeting has been changed to:
Sunday 3/6/11 3-5 PM
Location: same
Arab American Cultural and Community Center.
10555 Stancliff Road
Houston, Tx 77099

2. Yesterday, some of us had a meeting with the board of the Egyptian American Society. The agreement is to form one new organization for Egyptians in greater Houston area.

3. We strongly encourage each of you to inform your family members, friends... especially youth, to join us. One of the lessons of the Egyptian revolution is unity. Together, with large numbers, we can achieve far more than what we can do individually.

4. For this upcoming Sunday meeting, committees are expected to start discussing specific proposals. Please, prepare your proposals, forward them to me to get them for discussion.

Committees formed last meeting [L=lead];
Committees are expected to grow this upcoming meeting.
Leading persons in committees, please communicate with your members and prepare proposals for discussions,

1. CULTURAL:

Lillian Gaber (L)
Tony Najjar
Samia Khalil
Rahmans
Mona Ghazi
Dalia Teima
Sandra Yacoub

2. ECONOMIC:

Hani Khalil (L)
Waseem Shaaban

3. SCHOLASTIC:

Nabil Ahmed (L)
Lilian Gaber
Nadia Sharkawi
Rahmans
Osama Gaber

4. POLITICAL:

Waleed Gaber (L)
Mostafa Borahay
Farid Shawky

5. MEDIA:

Tarek Ghazi (L)
Hany Khalil
Mohamed Ismaeel

Please, extend this invitation to your friends.

Link to facebook event invitation:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=143026039095500

Link to Egyptians for change and beyond in Houston facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Egyptians-for-Change-and-Beyond-Houston/164793513567705

We are all excited about this activity. Success depends on active involvement of each Egyptian in Houston area.
Please, ask your interested friends and family members to forward their emails to me to be added to the mailing list.

See you all there.


Best regards,
Mostafa Borahay.

Friday, February 25, 2011

They are Twins !!!

Sumayya Salem has just let us know about the birth of Suzy Salem's twins. They are Aiden and Ferris, who were born on 2/21/2011 at 8:16 am.

Alf Mabrouk to the proud parents and family.

Celebrating Freedom - Egyptian Style‏ - UPDATE

The event is being placed on hold indefinitely until we know how the events in Libya will transpire.
We'll keep everyone updated.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Celebrating Freedom - Egyptian Style‏


What: Celebrating Freedom - Egyptian Style
When: Saturday, February 26, 4:00PM to 8:00PM
Where: Discovery Green Park, Downtown Houston

Dear EAS Members and Friends,

Come join us on Saturday, February 26th to celebrate the recent historic events that occurred in Egypt on Feb 11th. Many of us have been glued to our TV screens watching the events unfold and holding our breath. It’s time to get out and commemorate freedom and the initiation of a democratic process in Egypt, as well as to honor those who have fallen in the process. The 18-day dramatic protests have not only changed the Middle East, but have been a worldwide inspiration to those who value human rights and democracy.

Come enjoy great food, music and entertainment as we take you through the 18 day experience with videos, pictures and monologues. Bring all your family and friends, Egyptian and Non Egyptian.

Everyone is welcome.

Please forward this and email to all your friends and family. We would like to have a huge turnout.

Event organized by the Egyptian American Society.

Friday, February 11, 2011

ألف مبروك لمصر




ألف مبروك لمصر

EAS Elections - Update

Dear Friends,

The events of the past week has been difficult on all of us. I know we all have family back in Egypt and as much as the events back home are inspirational, we are all concerned for their safety and wellbeing.

As you all know, we had scheduled elections in the coming weeks. With all the events that are going on in Egypt, the timing is obviously less than ideal.

As such, we will postpone it until events settle down at which time we will regroup.

Thanks, and may God bless Egypt.

Sherif Zaafran, MD

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

EAS Next Meeting and Elections

Members of EAS,

Our next meeting and Board election are planed for Feb 12, 2011. Further details on the location and agenda will be posted/sent out shortly.

We are asking everyone to nominate individuals for all posts of the board. Please direct your nominations to aeltaher@hotmail.com.

FECC Gala

Dear EAS Members and Friends,

Friends of Egyptian Children with Cancer (FECC) is a nonprofit organizationwhich raises money to help treating Children with Cancer in Egypt. Attached is an invite for the FECC main fund raising event for the year. This year, it will be on the 5th of February. We encourage you to be part and participate in the fundraising efforts. The children with Cancer in Egypt need your help.

May God bless you and reward your good deeds.

Many thanks





A Message from EAS President


To all my brothers and sisters from the Egyptian Amerian community who celebrated christmas, merry christmas and may you have a blessed year ahead of you.

I would also like to offer my deepest and heartfelt condolence to the community for the savage act that happened in Alexandria several weeks ago. Attacks like that are an affront to every single one of us who take pride in our Egyptian culture and heritage. We stand together in savage acts like this with unified condemnation as this is an attack on all of us as Egyptians.

Thanks, and God bless all of you.

Sherif Zaafran
President, Egyptian American Society

Egyptian National ID

Fellow EAS members:

Below is a message from our Consul General, Mr. Alaa Issa, regarding the ability to obtain or renew an Egyptian National ID card. This can be done from Feb 2-6th. Please read below the message from the consul with more detailed information on the process needed to obtain this document.

Thanks,

Sherif Zaafran, MD
President, Egyptian American Society



Dear Friends and fellow Egyptians,

Greetings to one and all. I hope that 2011 will be better year for all of us and our loved ones and our country. Let us pray and hope for that goal, as human beings and Egyptians first and foremost.

My name is Alaa Issa. I am the Consul General of Egypt in Houston, TX. Since I arrived here in September 2010, I have had the pleasure of meeting some of
you but unfortunately not all.

I am writing regarding a matter that may be of interest to a number of you, namely the need to obtain or renew or replace the National ID card for Egyptian Citizens (Rakam Kawmi).

For those of you who are unaware of this issue, it is in brief, the new system implemented in Egypt since 1997 whereby every Egyptian citizen is issued a National ID number (similar to the Social Security Number in the USA). Egyptian citizens above the age of 16 years are issued a National Identity Card containing their picture, vital information and, most important, a unique National ID number for each individual. This number functions in a manner similar to the Social Security number in the USA. It has become essential to conduct any transaction in Egypt (apply for a bank loan, purchase a new car, apply for a credit card, buy or sell or register property, file a police report, issue a power of attorney to your lawyer or relative in order to execute any business on you behalf, request any document from Government offices or Egyptian Consulates abroad such as
passports, marriage certificates or birth certificates................).

National ID cards are issued to citizens 16 years and older and must be renewed every 7 years. Once created, your unique National ID number does not change - it stays with you for life. Citizens have only to renew their National ID cards every 7 years, which affords them a chance to indicate any change in occupation, social status (married. divorced, widowed....) or other pertinent information.

A Committee / Task Force from the Civil Affairs Authority of the Egyptian Government will be visiting the Consulate General of Egypt in Houston from 2-6 February 2011 with the objective of issuing or renewing National ID cards for Egyptian citizens residing in the USA (they will be visiting the Egyptian Consulates in New York and Washington D.C. before coming to Houston to transact for Egyptian citizens in the Northeast).

A detailed circular is attached in both PDF and WORD formats. It contains all the necessary information for Egyptian citizens wishing to get a National ID card for the first time or to renew cards that were issued more than 7 years ago or to replace cards that were lost or stolen.

Please read it carefully. Should you have any questions, you may contact the Consulate General of Egypt in Houston via this email or by telephone from 09:00 -11:00 am Monday to Friday (this email will cease to function on 7 February 2011 - it is created exclusively for the National ID Task Force ).

I would like to stress the following issues which are outlined in detail in the attached circular:

1. It is essential that any interested individuals come to the Consulate's premises in Houston in person. National ID cards carry a digital photograph of the bearer, similar to a driver's license, and individuals must be photographed at the Consular
premises.
2. You may need to get some certificates notarized at a Notary Public beforehand . You may also need to have some documents translated and certified at the Consulate when you come in before you submit you application for a National ID Card. So please, please read the circulars carefully and plan your time accordingly.
3. There are NO appointments. This will be a walk-in service during the hours indicated - First Come First Served.
4. Ample parking has been arranged as indicted in the circulars and refreshments will be available.
5. This email address will be checked daily to respond to any queries - egyconsnationalid@gmail.com


Once again, I have had the pleasure of meeting some of you since my arrival in September 2010 but I sincerely look forward to meeting you all should you be coming to the Consulate during the period 2-6 February or at a later time.

Finally, PLEASE circulate this email and the attachments to any Egyptian citizen in any State in the USA whom you think may be remotely interested

Thank you,
Alaa Issa
Consul General
Consulate General of Egypt in Houston
5718 Westheimer Rd
Suite #
1350
Houston, TX
(713) 961-4915