By: Ms. Sally Bland, AHSS Resource Room Teacher
From the kindergarten to high school classrooms, sounds of Palestine—poetry, songs, stories, films and personal testimonies—were heard throughout Abdul Hamid Sharaf School on December 11, 2025. These activities were launched in response to READ PALESTINE, an international campaign which started on November 29th, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, aimed at elevating Palestinian voices. For many, if not all participating students, this was an affirmation of their own identity and commitment to Palestine’s future in the midst of today’s difficult times.
Although READ PALESTINE was originally envisioned as the domain of language teachers, subject matter proved to be no obstacle to various classes joining in. Kindergarten classes sang songs dedicated to Palestine. Students in Miss Reema Ramahi’s 10th-12th advanced math classes viewed a film on the origins of the Palestinian problem entitled “A historical timeline of Israel’s brutality towards Palestinians,” followed by discussion.
The 11th grade English class of Ustaz Refad Khalayleh read articles about Palestine and then wrote short pieces expressing their own ideas and feelings. Below is a paragraph written by Faisal Ismail: Palestine isn’t just a piece of land. It’s a story. A story of resilience, history, geographically and religiously. It’s a symbol of bravery, perseverance, and the eagerness to be recognized as people, not livestock.
The Resource Room displayed books relevant to READ PALESTINE, and teachers and students were encouraged to borrow them for use in their classrooms. Farah Al Badawi and Mira Eid from Miss Farah Tehabsim’s 10th grade history class were among those who availed themselves of this opportunity. Also in the Resource Room, Social Studies and English teacher Miss Amy Reid read aloud books to 3rd and 4th grade library classes, including Palestinian folktale: Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur! and A Map for Palestine.
An impressive conclusion for AHSS’s READ PALESTINE day was held in the auditorium, where English teacher Miss Maram Diab’s 7th grade classes assembled. First, there was a historical review by Abdallah Al Sabbagh and Abdulaziz Musallam, using maps to show how Israel expanded its occupation over all of Palestine.
Lastly, a number of students read poems by famous Palestinian poets, or shared poems they had written themselves. Others spoke about what they felt was important about Palestine. Contributors included: Yosor Saimeh, Elen Awad, Adam Al Sharabati, Taima Al Naimat, Amro Al Sabbag, Celia Al Nffar, Hashem Al Dulaimi, Malak Judeh, Mohammad Al Nawaiseh, Avan Kurdi, Joury Qasem, and Bishara Kharman.
