Speakers BIOs

Dr. Douglas A. Learned is the Executive Pastor of the National Presbyterian Church (NPC). He was elected to this office in June, 2006 bringing 12 years of pastoral experience to this assignment. He has a particular passion for international missions, believing that Christian communities in the U.S. can play an important role in the work of the Holy Spirit among churches around the world. Prior to his current position at NPC, he was the Pastor of Farnumwood Presbyterian Church in Burton, MI and then later Pastor and Head of Staff of the Southminster Presbyterian Church in Glen Ellyn, IL

A native of St. Joseph, MI, he attended the Christian Reformed Church and learned the Heidelberg Catechism, part of the Presbyterian Book of Confessions. In 1990 he graduated with honors in Religion from Kalamazoo College (Michigan). Moving to Ann Arbor he joined The First Presbyterian Church there, serving as youth leader. Eventually he came under care as an inquirer and candidate for the Ministry of Word and Sacrament. The senior and associate pastors of that congregation served as his mentors in preparation for ministry until he left to attend Princeton Theological Seminary.

While at Princeton, he became a teaching assistant in Speech Communication for the Rev. Dr. G. Robert Jacks, who also served as his spiritual advisor, encouraging him in his evangelical faith. He received the George L. Rentschler Prize in Speech Communication upon graduation in 1994. He received the Doctorate of the Ministry Program in Preaching through the Chicago Theological School and the McCormick Theological Seminary in 2007.

As the Pastor/Head of Staff at Southminster in 1998, Dr. Learned initiated the formation of small groups for Bible study and Christian fellowship. He has worked with congregational leaders in the implementation of short and long-term congregational goals, the development of personnel review and child protection policies, and the institution of a family program for worship and fellowship called Wednesday Night Live! For six years, he served on the Committee on Ministry in the Presbytery of Chicago helping congregations through times of transition and conflict. In 2004, he traveled to Florence, Italy with his family on a grant from the Lilly Endowment to study at the Waldensian Church, the oldest Protestant denomination in Italy.

Dr. Learned and his wife Cindy have two children. She holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Organ Performance from the University of Michigan and is also a talented harpsichordist. She is currently the Assistant Director for Wheaton Associates in the Advancement and Alumni Relations Division at Wheaton College and is also active with the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at the College and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. 


Dr. Victor Hanna Jubrail Batarseh is the Mayor of Bethlehem. He assumed this office following his election as mayor in May 2005. He is a native of the city. Prior to assuming this office, he has had a long and distinguished medical career as an ear-nose-throat surgeon. His education beginning in Egypt, led him to the London University for the G.C.E. (General Certificate of Education). His graduate and medical studies continued at Ein Shams University, Cairo, receiving the Diploma in Otorhinolaryngology (D.L.O.) in 1964. This was followed by post-graduate training in microscopic ear surgery in London and rhinoplasty in Paris. He served as a medical officer with the Jordanian Army from 1959 to 1962.

His outstanding leadership and life-long contributions to the medical profession are widely recognized. He is the founder of the Palestinian Otorhinolaryngological Society and was the Society’s Vice Chairman for 5 years. In addition for several years, he was the Chairman of the Medical Syndicate in the Bethlehem Governorate and Chairman of the Health Work Committees in the West Bank, Palestine. He is a member of the Central Medical Syndicate in Jerusalem, a member of the Palestinian Higher Medical Council and a member of the Examining Board for Otorhinolaryngology.

Outside his medical profession, his civic contributions to Bethlehem and the Palestinian people in general are preeminent and numerous. He has served as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Bethlehem University for 22 years, was Vice Chairman of the Arab Graduate Club in Jerusalem for 3 years, and President of the Family Union Club in Bethlehem for 10 years. He is married and is the father of three children. 


Rev. Gary M. Burge, Ph.D. is a member of the HCEF Advisory Board. He is Professor of New Testament Studies, Wheaton College and Graduate School since 1992. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside, a Master of Divinity in Theological Studies from the Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in New Testament Studies from the King’s College, University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Dr. Burge is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church and has served in the U.S. Navy as a Presbyterian chaplain. Dr. Burge specializes in the Gospels and the Life of Jesus, leading to an academic specialty in the Fourth Gospel. His writings include the The Anointed Community: The Holy Spirit in the Johannine Tradition (1987), Interpreting the Johannine Literature (1982,1992), the Revision of the Gospel John in the New Living Bible Translation, The NIV Application Commentary, John’s Letters (1996), and the The NIV Application Commentary: John’s Gospel (2000). He is currently working on a major introduction to the New Testament for colleges and universities and a devotional volume, Finding a Wilderness Spirituality.

Dr. Burge has had a strong interest in the Middle East ever since he was a student at the American University in Beirut in the mid-1970s. He has traveled frequently to Lebanon, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, and Israel/Palestine. Based on these experiences he authored two books: Who are God’s People in the Middle East? What Christians are not being told about Israel and the Palestinians (1993) and Whose Land? Whose Promise?(2003) These books have received awards from national journals. He often speaks to the media on Christian Zionism and the church in the Middle East. Dr. Burge maintains an active speaking and writing schedule involving churches, conferences and retreats. He and his wife Carol, a clinical therapist in Wheaton, have two daughters.

Roy Castor became interested in the Christians in the Holy Land after participating in several events sponsored by his home church, National Presbyterian Church (NPC) and HCEF. Roy and his wife Michele turned their eyes to the east in their search to adopt a child. Following the 2003 HCEF International Conference, the Castors traveled to Jerusalem. During their stay, they had an opportunity to meet and work with many of the Christian leaders present at this year’s conference. With help from the Christian community in the Holy Land, the Castors were able to adopt their daughter from a Christian orphanage in Bethlehem, the Creche. Roy currently serves as co-chair on the NPC Mideast Missions Committee. 


Philip Davies serves as the Secretary for the HCEF Board of Directors. Mr. Davies has had a long association with non-governmental organizations and the Middle East. He attended the American Community School in Beirut, where his parents were fraternal workers with the Presbyterian Church, and the American University of Beirut as a Junior Year Abroad student. Philip taught Sociology and Anthropology at Birzeit University (1974-77). He was Field Office Director in the West Bank and Gaza for Save the Children (1981-87). Philip helped establish Save the Children’s programs in Egypt (1980) and Jordan (1984) and worked as a Program Advisor with Save the Children’s field offices in Lebanon (1980) and Tunisia (1980). He was Save the Children’s Program Evaluation Specialist from 1987-1992. He served as Feed the Children’s Director in Washington from 1993-1996. Since 1997 he has been Vice President at ANERA where he oversees the medical in-kind program and provides technical assistance and support for ANERA’s economic development and humanitarian assistance projects. He teaches courses on the Middle East as part of Howard County Community College’s Program of Continuing Education. 


Serge Duss is Senior Advisor for global affairs at World Vision U.S. in Washington, DC. This is an international Christian relief, development and advocacy organization. It is the largest global aid agency in the U.S. and the largest of the 17 national offices that comprise the World Vision international partnership, supporting programs in 95 countries. Mr. Duss serves as World Vision’s public spokesman on global humanitarian and economic development issues. In this capacity, he has testified before Congress, regularly speaks at conferences, and appears in various public forums. His experience in the international assistance field spans more than 20 years including programs in the Philippines and the former Soviet Union. Mr. Duss serves on the boards of Christian Solidarity Worldwide and the Central Union Mission in Washington, D.C. He has served as President of the Association of Evangelical Relief and Development Organizations from 1996 to 1999. He is an ordained Elder of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and a member of the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. 


Dr. Mai Elkaila is the Head of the PLO Mission to Chile. A native of Jerusalem, she received her early education in the Catholic schools of Ramallah. After receiving a degree in nursing from the School of the Lutheran World Federation (Jerusalem) in 1975, she continued her studies earning a degree in General Medicine and Surgery from the University of Granada, Spain in 1983. She was incarcerated by the Israelis as a political prisoner in 1986. Following her imprisonment she continued her studies receiving a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of Berkeley in 1992. This was followed by specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 1992 she founded the family planning and safe maternity programs for the Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the auspices of UNRWA (United Nations Relief World Association). From 1995 to 2005, she was in charge of the maternal/child public health sector for the refugees under these auspices. From 1993 to 2005 Dr. Elkail was a member of the Superior Committee of Al Fatah. In November 2005 she was named the Head of the Diplomatic Mission for Palestine in Chile.

Dr. Elkaila has held numerous elected and honorary offices in national and international organizations including Secretary General of the Women’s Association in Al Fatah, the President of the Women’s Association in Birzeit, and UNRWA representative. She is an activist in the women’s movement and is proactive in justice, peace and human rights causes. As Head of the PLO Mission to Chile she represents Palestine in numerous international conferences. 


Rev. Dr. Roy J. Enquist is a member of the HCEF Advisory Board and the HCEF Lutheran Outreach Committee. He is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Ethics at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. He has been the Canon Ecumenist at the Washington National Cathedral. He continues to serve on the Faculty of the Doctoral Ministry Program at the Virginia Theological Seminary. Previously he taught at the Texas Lutheran University, the Wittenberg University (Ohio), the Marang Lutheran Seminary (South Africa), and the University of Namibia and the Paulinum Seminary in Namibia. He received a B.A. from Augustana College (Illinois), a B.D. from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and a S.T.M. and a Ph.D. from the Union Theological Seminary in New York. He was a chaplain’s assistant in Japan at the end of WWII. He is married to Dr. Mia I. Enquist and is the father of two sons. 


Gail Freeman has been a HCEF volunteer on the HCSN Committee in Washington, DC the past five years. For the past three of those years, she has been a full time volunteer, serving as the HCEF Pilgrimage Coordinator. In this role she has traveled to the Holy Land with six pilgrim groups. She became active in the support of the Holy Land Christians after attending several HCEF conferences and visiting the Holy Land on the 2004 HCEF Pilgrimage. Before beginning her full time commitment to HCEF, she worked for the Internal Revenue Service for over 30 years as an auditor, manager, and analyst in the Syracuse, NY and Washington, DC offices. Ms. Freeman attended Syracuse University, majoring in Mathematics. She is an Elder of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is an active member of the Arlington Presbyterian Church in Arlington, VA. 


George Ghattas is the current head of Program Development for the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem. He is a native of Jerusalem. He received a B.A. in Business Administration from Bethlehem University and a post-graduate diploma in Economic Development from the Holy Ghost College in Dublin, Ireland. Mr. Ghattas has been associated with World Vision as its Operations and Program Manager. He also provides management services for the Sabreen Association for Artistic Development. 


Hani Al-Hayek is the Mayor of Beit Sahour assuming the office in May 2005. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration and Economics from the Al-Mustansiriah University in Baghdad (1978). He is an economic activist. He is the founder and Director General of the Union of Palestinian Textile Industries and as well as a board member of the General Union of Palestinian Industry. He has traveled widely in these capacities to international conferences and workshops in the U.K., U.S., France, Italy, Morocco, and Germany. Previously he served as the Director of the Al-Bandak Company and later was the Director General of the Nasser Company. He is a board member of the Council of the Water Supply and Sewage Authority and board member of the Jerusalem District Electricity Company. In addition, he owns a private consultancy in accounting and auditing. He is married and is the father of four children. 


Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein is the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the U.S. He served as Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the UN from 2000 to 2007. Prior to that he served as its Deputy Permanent Representative with the rank of Ambassador. Prince Zeid is an expert in the field of international justice. In this capacity he has played a central role in the establishment of the International Criminal Court. He chaired the complex, pioneering negotiations on the ‘elements’ of the individual offenses falling under the rubric of: Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes. These legal definitions are now adopted by courts world-wide. In September 2002, Prince Zeid was elected as the first President of the Governing Body of the International Criminal Court. At that time the Court was only a plan on paper, with no officials or even an address to its name. During the three years of his presidency, the Court has grown to be a highly acclaimed international institution serving the cause of justice.

His expertise in legal issues has been widely recognized. He has chaired the Ad Hoc Committee on the Scope of Legal Protection under the Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel and chaired the Panel of Experts for the UN Secretary-General’s Trust Fund to Assist States in the Settlement of Disputes through the International Court of Justice, dealing with the boundary dispute between Benin and Niger.

In 2004, he was appointed as Jordan’s representative and head of its delegation before the International Court of Justice, dealing with the wall being built by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. From 1994 to 1996, Prince Zeid served as a political affairs officer in UNPROFOR in the former Yugoslavia, working on peacekeeping issues. In the summer of 2004, he was appointed as Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, producing a report on this subject. The report was widely praised and endorsed in full in 2005 by the 191 heads of states and governments. For the last three years, Prince Zeid has chaired the Consultative Committee for the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and spearheading efforts to establish greater strategic direction for the Fund.

Prince Zeid holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. from Cambridge University (Christ’s College). Commissioned as an officer in the Jordanian Desert Police (successor to the Arab Legion) in 1989, he saw military service until 1994.

His publications include: A Nightmare Avoided: Jordan and Suez 1956 that appeared in Israel Affairs (Winter 1994), and Religious Militancy in the Arab Middle East: Threats and Responses 1979-1988 in the Cambridge Review of International Affairs (Spring 1989).

Prince Zeid is a member of the Advisory Committee to the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation. He is married to Princess Sarah Zeid. They have a son and a daughter. 


Professor Jad Issac is the Director General of the Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem (ARIJ). The Institute is a non-profit organization, founded in 1990, dedicated to promote applied research, technology transfer, and sustainable development in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and encourage the self-reliance of its people through greater control of their natural resources. The Institute seeks to assist with community environmental problems, provide better natural resource management for food production and land utilization, play an active role in human resource development, and provide the technological and scientific skills and facilities needed by the Palestinian communities. ARIJ catalyzes the collaboration among various Palestinian institutions involved in land use, agriculture, and technology. 


Dr. Mai Kaileh the Head of the PLO Mission to Chile. A native of Jerusalem, she received her early education in the Catholic schools of Ramallah. After receiving a degree in nursing from the School of the Lutheran World Federation (Jerusalem) in 1975, she continued her studies earning a degree in General Medicine and Surgery from the University of Granada, Spain in 1983. She was incarcerated by the Israelis as a political prisoner in 1986. Following her imprisonment she continued her studies receiving a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of Berkeley in 1992. This was followed by specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 1992 she founded the family planning and safe maternity programs for the Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the auspices of UNRWA (United Nations Relief World Association). From 1995 to 2005, she was in charge of the maternal/child public health sector for the refugees under these auspices. From 1993 to 2005 Dr. Elkail was a member of the Superior Committee of Al Fatah. In November 2005 she was named the Head of the Diplomatic Mission for Palestine in Chile.

Dr. Kaileh has held numerous elected and honorary offices in national and international organizations including Secretary General of the Women’s Association in Al Fatah, the President of the Women’s Association in Birzeit, and UNRWA representative. She is an activist in the women’s movement and is proactive in justice, peace and human rights causes. As Head of the PLO Mission to Chile she represents Palestine in numerous international conferences. 


Ms. Janette Nicholas Michael is the Mayor of the City of Ramallah, West Bank, elected to this office in 2006. She is a native of the city, receiving her high school education at the Ramallah Secondary Girls’ School. Next she attended the Ramallah Teachers’ College earning her teaching credentials. Her love of science led her to earn a B.A. in Chemistry from George Fox College in Oregon. After this, she returned to Ramallah and her alma mater high school where she taught chemistry. In 1986, she was appointed the principal of the school. In 2000 she was promoted by the Ministry of Education to become an educational consultant serving in this capacity until her election as mayor of Ramallah in 2006.

Throughout her career, Ms. Michael has been a strong proponent for empowering society through its civil institutions. With this in mind, she has been an active member of numerous civic organizations including the First Ramallah Group of which she is the Honorary President, a board member of the Tamer Institute and of the Al Nahda Association, as well as member of the Young Women Christian Association, the Women Union Association, and the Al-Quds Society for Legal Aid. 


Albert Mokhiber, Esq. is a member of the HCEF Advisory Board and serves as Vice President of the Board of ADC (Arab American Anti Discrimination Committee). Mr. Mokhiber served as ADC President from 1990-1994. He began his tenure at the ADC National Office in 1984 as Director of Legal Services. Mr. Mokhiber took ADC to the Supreme Court in the landmark case of St. Francis College v. Al-Khazraji, the first time an Arab-American came before the Supreme Court. A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, Mr. Mokhiber is now practicing law in the Washington, DC area and continues to be active in Arab-American affairs. 


Dr. Marwan Muasher is Senior Vice President for External Affairs at the World. He assumed this position earlier this year after serving as a member of the Senate of Jordan. Beginning as a journalist for the Jordan Times, his professional career has encompassed a broad array of responsibilities in the areas of development, diplomacy, civil society, and communications. From 1985 to 1995 he was the Minister of Planning for Jordan and later was press advisor to the Prime Minister. Subsequently, he served as Director of the Jordan Information Bureau in Washington, DC, building understanding and support in the U.S. Congress, the press and the civil society on issues relating to Jordan and the Middle East.

In 1995, Dr. Muasher was named as the first Ambassador of Jordan to Israel and responsible for establishing its embassy there. The following year he became the Minister of Information and the official spokesman of Jordan. From 1997 to 2002, he served as the Ambassador of Jordan to the United States, negotiating the first free trade agreement the U.S. and an Arab nation. He then returned to Jordan to serve as Foreign Minister where he was deeply involved in the Peace Process. In 2004, he became Deputy Prime Minister responsible for Reform and Government Performance. In this capacity he led the effort to produce a 10 Year Development Strategy for Jordan that included among other topics, major recommendations on political and economic reform, financial services, fiscal reforms, as well as on employment, educational and training initiatives.

Dr. Muasher holds a Doctorate in Computer Engineering from Purdue University, Indiana. 


Dr. Yousef Nasser is the Mayor of Birzeit, West Bank, Palestine, having been elected to this office in 2005. Born in 1953 in Birzeit, he lived there until age 5 and again from age of 11 and 17, attending the Friends (Quaker) schools in Ramallah. In the intervening years his family had moved to California. There he continued his education receiving a B.A. in Political Science from San Jose State University in 1978 and a M.A. in Economics from San Francisco State University in 1980. In 1980 Dr. Nasser returned to Palestine to join the faculty of Birzeit University as an instructor in economics. In 1982 Dr. Nasser went to England to continue his education, studying initially at the London School of Economics and followed by studies at the University of Sussex, where he received a Ph.D. in Developmental Studies in 1995.

From 1991 to 2005, Dr. Nasser was on the Economics Faculty of Birzeit University, first as an assistant professor and later as its department chair. He has authored a number of publications on the economic problems and water resource issues of Palestine. He served as economist in the Research Office of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Jerusalem (1993-94). Subsequently, he was the senior economist of the UN Development Program (UNDP) in Jerusalem and Gaza (1994-95). He has served as a consultant to various civic, educational and governmental organizations, such as the Center for Continuing Education at Birzeit University, the Palestine Water Authority, the Palestine Agency for Cultural Exchange, Save the Children Fund (Jerusalem), and the World Bank Mission to the Palestinian Territories. He was president of BISAN (1996-2005), an organization of intellectuals, academics, and activists established in 1989 in response to the events of the first Intifada. He has been a member of its Board of Governors from 1993 to present.

On a personal note, his “residency” in the West Bank between 1980 and 1993 was on a tourist visa that had to be renewed every three months with the Israeli Military Occupation Authority. However for a period of eight months in 1982, the visa renewal was mandated every 15 days, submitted at the headquarters of the military governor of the Israeli Occupation Authority in Ramallah. In 1993 Dr. Nasser was granted residency status by the Authority and received the Israeli military I.D. card that became the Palestinian Authority I.D. card in 1995. Despite of this, he can no longer travel through Israel without a military permit. Such a permit has not been forthcoming since 2000. His wife and children live in Jerusalem and hold Jerusalem I.D. cards. They must continue to live there so as not to loose their right of residency in the city. He himself is not allowed to enter Jerusalem with the Palestinian I.D. card. As a result his only contact with his family is when they visit him now and then in the West Bank. Dr. Nasser is married and has two sons and a daughter. 


Sir Rateb Y. Rabie, KCHS is the current President of HCEF. He was born in Amman, Jordan to Palestinian parents coming to the U.S. in 1976. He is a U.S. citizen. He holds a degree in Business Administration. From 1981 to 1986, he was the Director of Operations for Saudi Support Services, Ltd. In 1988 he moved to Washington, D.C., where has been manager and proprietor of several businesses.

Sir Rateb has been an advocate for peace and justice throughout his life. Joining with others in 1999, he founded the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF). This was based on the firm conviction that if American Christians became aware of the desperate conditions of the Christians in the Holy Land, they would reach out and help. Sir Rateb is past National President and current board member of the Birzeit Society and co-founder of the Institute for Health, Development and Research in Palestine. He is Sir Knight of Columbus, co-chair of the Holy Land Outreach Committee of the Knights of Columbus, State of Maryland and a Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. He received the Birzeit Society Award and the Faith and Tolarance Award from the Arab American Anti-discrimination Committee (ADC). 


Fr. George Rados is the Pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Potomac, MD. He is Chairman of its Department of Charities and is Director of the Children’s Relief Fund of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese. The foregoing programs sponsor children in Lebanon and Syria. In addition, Fr. Rados is active helping to arrange international adoptions. Previously, Fr. Rados served as the Director of Project Loving Care that sponsors children in Palestine. He has traveled frequently to the Middle East to monitor the needs of children in the Holy Land, bringing his almost 30 years’ experience to this cause. 


Reverend Timothy Ross is the pastor of the Hopwood Christian Church at Milligan College, TN. His pastoral calling led him to a broad range of ministries. They included pastoral duties working as a youth minister, campus minister, and a professor of Christian ministries. For eight years Reverend Ross and his family experienced missionary work in Africa. They lived among the Maasai of Kenya. Recently, he has been in the Holy Land, serving as the spiritual director for a pastoral pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine during 2006-2007. The pilgrimage was sponsored by the Emmanuel School of Religion of Johnson City, TN. Reverend Ross and his wife Marcia have four children. 


Dr. Saliba Sarsar is the Associate Vice President for Academic Program Initiatives and the Professor of Political Science at Monmouth University, NJ. He was born and raised in Jerusalem. His early education was at the Christian Brothers’ Academy and St. Joseph’s College in the Old City of Jerusalem. His college education was in the U.S. He earned a B.A. in Political Science and Interdisciplinary History, summa cum laude, from Monmouth College in 1978. He earned a Ph.D. from Rutgers University in Political Science, specializing in International Relations and Middle Eastern Affairs in 1984.

Dr. Sarsar is the co-author and co-editor of books on political life, world politics, leadership, and Palestinian affairs. He is currently co-editing with Fr. Drew Christiansen, S.J., an anthology titled, H. B. Patriarch Michel Sabbah: Leading with Faith, Witnessing for Peace with Justice. Among his published articles are “Palestinian Christians: Religion, Conflict and the Struggle for Just Peace” in Holy Land Studies and “Palestinian Christians—In Their Own Words” in Sightings, published by the Martin Marty Center of the Institute for the Advanced Study of Religion at the University of Chicago.

He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Global Visionary Award from Monmouth University in 2007, the Stafford Presidential Award of Excellence from Monmouth University in 2006, and the Humanitarian Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice in 2001. This latter award recognizes his role in co-founding Project Understanding in New Jersey. This organization has brought Arab Americans and Jewish Americans together to stimulate dialogue and peaceful coexistence initiatives. In April 2003, Dr. Sarsar was featured in an article in the The New York Times, “His Mission: Finding Why People Fight: A Witness to Middle East Conflict Turns to Dialogue and Peace.&r