Bushra Ayoub Presents Arabic Storytime

From Bushra: International Storytime in Hillsboro Public Library is a wonderful program and one of my favorites. I’m thankful to Hillsboro public library for supporting foreign languages, cultures and community engagement. Just like any other storytelling, the purpose of the Arabic Storytime is to engage the creativity of all my participants mainly young ones, promote community engagement and bonding, conveying the middle eastern culture, and values. 

Arabic language is one of the fundamental languages in the world. Hence, teaching our young children Arabic is essential to the U.S. engagement with the world. Arabic can be introduced to my audience through singing the alphabet song, playing games, reading books in Arabic/English during Storytime and simple art. 

Learning foreign language will increase our children’s social skills, in addition to opening a door for them to continue learning Arabic as a foreign language and increase their career opportunities in the future. 

I feel satisfied when I bring my community together, especially families with young children. Arabic speaking families are thankful to the library for offering Storytime in Arabic language. In fact, I found the program so supportive to teach my young children Arabic. 

I highly encourage any person from our community who can speak a foreign language to dedicate a time to join the storyteller volunteers and bring more stories in foreign languages to our beloved community.

Bushra has been telling stories in Arabic & English at Brookwood Library for more than a year. She and her family have been regular visitors at the Brookwood and Shute Park libraries for over 12 years.

Thank You

Bushra would like to give a big thanks to Mary Davis, Karen Hayes, Paula, Melissa Pebly and her team, and all the librarians who inspired her and her kids through telling stories and doing related art. She would also like to give a shout out to another great program offered by Hillsboro Library, Discovery Storytime with Rob Polivka.

Thank you to WCCLS for bringing International Storytimes to our community.  The Library hopes to eventually have Storytimes in all of the most commonly spoken languages in Hillsboro. With English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Mandarin, Romanian and Ukrainian so far, their goal is almost reached!

Arab heritage reflects a culture that is thousands of years old and includes 22 Arab countries.

According to the Arab American Institutes:

• There are approximately 3.7 million Arab Americans in the U.S.
  
  
• Most Arab Americans have ancestral ties to Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Iraq. 
  
  
• The majority of Arab Americans are native-born, and 85% of Arabs in the U.S. are citizens.
  
  
• The number of Americans who claim Arab ancestry has nearly quadrupled since the Census Bureau first measured ethnic origin in 1980 and is among the fastest growing Arab diaspora populations in the world. The number of Arab Americans grew by nearly 30% between 2010 and 2022.
  
  
• The largest number of new Arab immigrants to the United States between 2010 and 2022 came from Iraq, Egypt, Somalia, Yemen, and Syria.

Food and celebration plays an important role in Arab culture. Arab cuisine incorporates lean proteins, healthy fats, vegetables, and grains into almost every dish, making it one of the healthiest diets in the world.

Enjoy this excerpt where author and historian Edward Curtis explores his Arab American heritage in the kitchen, cooking traditional dishes such as dolmas, tabbouleh, tagine, and more. 

PBS Arab American Food Traditions

Learn how to cook the Moroccan classic dish Tagine, and many more Arabic dishes at the Mediterranean Dish.

Tagine Recipe —The Mediterranean Dish 

A Crafty Arab

Explore a variety of Arabic crafts by A Crafty Arab, a website full of art activities, and educational resources for kids.

Try this Geometric Lantern craft and browse other activities on the A Crafty Arab website.

Paper Tiles: A Geometric Art Project Using Symmetry

Enjoy this craft for all ages of creating geometric tiles similar to the designs featured prominently in Arabic art.

Find the template and instructions on the Babble Dabble Do website.

Calligraphy

Watch the instructional video to learn the basics of Arabic calligraphy.

Hillsboro

Abu Rasheed Express

Mediterranean Cuisine

315 E Main St
Hillsboro, OR 97123

Visit the Abu Rasheed Express website.

Gyro Spot 

320 SE Baseline St 
Hillsboro, OR  97123 

Visit the Gyro Spot website.

Oasis Lebanese Cuisine

7109 NE Imbrie Dr
Hillsboro, OR 97124

Visit the Oasis Lebanese Cuisine website.

Salam Restaurant

Lebanese and Persian Cuisine

1002 NE Orenco Station Pkwy
Hillsboro, OR 97124

Visit the Salam Restaurant website.

Sesame Donuts

2401 NE Cornell Road
Hillsboro, OR  97124

727 SW 185th Ave
Beaverton, OR  97006

Visit the Sesame Donuts website.

Portland

Al Hawr

Lebanese Cuisine

3500 S River Pkwy
Portland, OR 97239

Visit the Al Hawr website. 

DarSalam

Iraqi Cuisine

320 SW Alder St
Portland, OR 97204

Visit the DarSalam website.  

Karam Restaurant and Bar

Lebanese Cuisine

1111 SW Jefferson St
Portland, OR 97205

Visit the Karam website. 

Marrakesh

Moroccan Cuisine

1201 NW 21st Ave
Portland, OR 97209

Visit the Marrakesh website.

Nicholas Restaurant

Lebanese and Mediterranean Cuisine

1109 SE Madison St
Portland, OR 97214

Visit the Nicholas website.  

Ya Hala Lebanese Cuisine

8005 SE Stark St
Portland, OR 97215

Visit the Ya Hala website.

Beaverton

Aloha Halal

17937 SW Tualatin Valley Hwy
Beaverton, OR 97006

Visit the Aloha Halal website. 

Bazaar Food Market

10255 SW Canyon Rd
Beaverton, OR 97005

Cedar Halal Market

4255 SW Cedar Hills Blvd
Beaverton, OR 97005

Mingala International Market

11527 SW Canyon Rd
Beaverton, OR 97005

Portland

Bhai's Meat Market

3172 Northwest 185th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97229

Visit the Bhai's Meat Market website.

Books for Kids

• Arab American Stories for Young Readers

Books for Teens

• Arab American Stories for Young Adults

Books

• Celebrating Arab American Heritage

Movies and Documentaries

• Arab American Films

Arab American Institute

American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee 

Arab American Cultural Center of Oregon

Arab Resource and Organizing Center

Arab America

Arab American National Museum