Lebanese Heritage Day This Weekend!

Easton, PA -- On Saturday, August 6th from 5pm until midnight and Sunday, August 7th from 11am until 10pm, the parish community of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church in Easton, PA will celebrate its 34th annual Lebanese Heritage Day festival.

The festival was established in 1978 to recognize and commemorate the rich traditions of the Lebanese-American community in Easton.

Rain or shine, Lebanese Heritage Day has become one of downtown Easton’s leading summer events. Each year, the festival draws thousands of people to the church parking lot at 4th and Ferry Streets, festooned with brightly colored tents and replete with the aroma and sounds of a traditional Lebanese celebration.

In addition to the delectable Lebanese fare, which includes (but certainly is not limited to) hummous (chick pea dip) and tabbouli (fresh vegetable and wheat-germ salad) and grilled items such as shish kabob and chicken with garlic sauce, the grounds come alive this year with the music of Khalil el Khoury and his ensemble.

A Maronite Catholic mass will be celebrated in the church on Saturday afternoon at 4pm and on Sunday morning at 10am. Sunday’s mass will be celebrated by His Excellency, Bishop Gregory Mansour of the Diocese of St. Maron of Brooklyn.

The highlight of the weekend, however, is the performances of the children’s ethnic dance troupes on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

There are also lots of enjoyable things to do for the entire family, such as children’s activities and games, souvenir shopping and much, much more.

This year’s annual raffle will feature a Grand Prize of $10,000.

For more information or to make a donation, please contact Fr. Paul Damien at 610-252-5275. You may also visit our website at www.mountlebanon.org or email us at info@mountlebanon.org.

Charlie Dent to Report on Middle East Tour Today

LV Congressman Charlie Dent is currently winding up a tour of Afghanistan, Georgia, Lebanon and Pakistan. Over the years, I've learned he has a real passion for foreign affairs. At Penn State, he earned a degree in Foreign Service & International Politics, and has developed a surprising knowledge and understanding of international security. A few years ago, he actually called me from Islamabad, and spent the first 15 minutes regaling me with tales of the desolate landscape of Afghanistan and the brightly decorated buses so common in Pakistan. The hotel he called from was hit with a bomb attack about a year after that conversation.

His most recent tour has included meetings with American military and diplomatic officials, including Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; General David Petraeus, Commander of the U.S. Forces in Afghanistan; and Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. He also participated in meetings with the Prime Ministers of Georgia, Lebanon, and Pakistan.

Can Lebanon, caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hezbollah, ever find peace? His district is full of Lebanese expatriates who have fled the violence to start new lives here.

Is the Russian Bear violating terms of a cease fire with Georgia by deploying sophisticated missile-defense systems in the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as claimed by Prime Minister Nika Gilauri?

Is there a danger that failure in Afghanistan will result in a Taliban takeover in Pakistan, a nation of 170 million people and 90 nuclear warheads?

Will Vladimir Putin please put on a shirt?

Congressman Dent will be speaking to the media today, and I'll try to pose those questions.