Against the Grain

By: Scott Lashinsky
July 3, 2024

Like many fellow natives of the historic town of Bethlehem, Khader Shebat practices the trade of olive woodcraft as he seeks to share this artistic and traditional craft from the Holy Land with the world.

The Tea Party

By: CJ Womack
May 22, 2024

For Ibrahim Al-Ahlas, owner of Rahaf Tea in Amman, Jordan, tea is more than a beverage—it’s a culture. A culture that he celebrates and shares with both locals and expats alike.

Resculpting History

By: Scott Lashinsky
April 5, 2024

Rewriting history is far from a thing of the past. And presently, Bassem Nabeel, a content creator in the Middle East, is putting a new take on the concept by combining his love for both sculpting and history in presenting neutral analysis of historical figures as he sculpts them in stop-motion videos.

A Bright Idea

By: Scott Lashinsky
March 6, 2024

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. Zidane Mitoubssi (Zee-dan Mit-wub-see) was a newly graduated college student entering a workplace for which he found himself somewhat unprepared. And then he and a friend had a bright idea.

Out of the Ruin

By: Scott Lashinsky
November 29, 2023

Beauty is worship, according to Kamal Aldeen Abu Halaweh. And ruin is just an ingredient for making something beautiful.

A New Life Cycle

By: CJ Womack
September 20, 2023

For Radwan Hashem, cycling is more than a sport—it’s a lifestyle. After undergoing a series of knee surgeries, the bike became a lifeline for him—as well as a teacher.

Holy Dagger

By: Scott Lashinsky
September 7, 2023

As an essential part of their culture, the dagger is sacred among the Bedouin (nomadic) people, according to craftsman Nayif Abu Muhaysin, whose family has been making daggers for four generations. As such, he aims to help continue preserving traditional Bedouin heritage for future generations through his traditional, handmade daggers.

Small World

By: Scott Lashinsky
July 19, 2023

Ahmad Adnan Al-Eriqsousi’s love for the historic version of his hometown inspired him to begin to immortalize it through three-dimensional miniature models during his retirement.

1,001 Signs

By: Scott Lashinsky
February 1, 2023

When Gazi Khattab began practicing Arabic calligraphy as a child, he would go downtown to study the plethora of shop signage and advertisements on display for guidance and inspiration. This exposure to the environmental street décor of Jordan’s capital city eventually led him to begin collecting and preserving old signs—some of which are now on display in his Old Signs of Amman Museum in the heart of the city.

A Cowboy Fantasy

By: Scott Lashinsky
December 14, 2022

When Sanad Albokhari was a child, he had two recurring dreams. One was seeing the ocean. The other was living a rustic life—like a cowboy.

Sticks & Stones

By: Scott Lashinsky
October 19, 2022

Osama Al-Issawi first learned how to work with stone from his father, who was a grouter, during summer breaks in middle school. His craftiness and respect for the environment eventually led Osama to seek to turn other people’s trash into treasure by upcycling various objects—namely cardboard—into works of art and décor.

Music to My Eyes

By: Scott Lashinsky
March 30, 2022

For fine artist Muhammad Abu Aziz, music and art—particularly that of Arabic calligraphy—share an intimate relationship. The Arabic calligrapher’s pen itself is made from the same material as that of the flute. And, so, the role of calligraphy in Muhammad’s eyes ultimately becomes “making rhythms on its own like music.”

Culture Chameleon

By: Scott Lashinsky
February 23, 2022

Lucy Waja is a self-described multicultural cocktail who is a big fan of elephants. As a half Indian, half Sudanese native of the cosmopolitan capital of Jordan, a predominantly Arab country, Lucy naturally developed a love for other cultures and a knack for effectively navigating between several of them on a daily basis, being the daughter of a triple citizen of India, Sri Lanka, and Jordan. Listen as she shares her colorful journey of cultural and self-discovery.

Frame by Frame

By: Scott Lashinsky
January 26, 2022

For Ribal Jafari, a multi-talented twenty-something living in Amman, Jordan, story is everything. As an aspiring filmmaker, Ribal is looking to make his mark in the world by getting his interpretation of the cosmopolitan culture and story of the Middle East onto the big screen. Ultimately, he’s seeking to expand the world’s perspective toward Arabs through the art form of film—one frame at a time.

Soaking Up the Sponge

By: Scott Lashinsky
November 17, 2021

Many across the Arab world use the fully ripened fruit of the luffa genus of vegetables, of the cucumber family, as a soap sponge. But more than a decade ago, retired copywriter and editor Ibrahim Alfar, of Amman, Jordan, began exploring the application of luffa in other ways.

Broadcasting Knowledge

By: Scott Lashinsky
November 3, 2021

When Abood Aladham began beatboxing more than a decade ago, he had little knowledge about music in general and the local music scene in Amman, Jordan. Fast-forward 12 years, he’s now the host of an Arabic podcast called Wallah Miaow (والله مياو), which currently seeks to spread knowledge about the Arab music world, its artists, and music and art in general.

Meats & Beats

By: Scott Lashinsky
October 20, 2021

Whether it’s food or music, Issa Dababneh of Jolly Man Food Company in Amman, Jordan, loves to produce. When the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closed the doors of his restaurant and factory, Issa turned to his first production love—music—and Pandemic Beats was born.

These Walls Can Talk

By: Scott Lashinsky
September 8, 2021

When 14-year-old artist Zeina was confined inside the walls of her house during the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to expand her creative canvas by painting on the outdoor walls of her parents’ villa to share her art with passersby and spread positive messages for all to see.

I Ride Camels

By: Scott Lashinsky
May 12, 2021

As the world’s second-largest religion, and fastest-growing major religion to boot, Islam and the people who adhere to its tenets are still largely misunderstood worldwide. Sara AlZyoud, a Jordanian university student, relates some of her experiences traveling as a Muslim and some commonly-held stereotypes against her people and region that she encountered along the way. May you be enlightened as Sara sheds light on the broader picture of Islam and the varied nature of the Arab world.

Opening a Door to Heaven

By: Scott Lashinsky
April 28, 2021

For many worldwide, the Islamic month of Ramadan is associated only with fasting. But for Sara AlZyoud and other Muslims, this holy month is about intentionally connecting with God and their communities in various ways. Listen as Sara relates how Ramadan is “the epitome of family values” and serves for her as a vehicle for gratitude and sacrifice, as well as a way to keep her grounded in the faith she shares with her family and culture.

Tales From the Underground

By: Scott Lashinsky
February 3, 2021

The long-inhabited city of Amman boasts many historical and cultural gems of the Middle East, one being the famed citadel. But hidden within the mainly monotone cast of this desert cityscape lie many modern, colorful gems from the emerging generations imprinted on the city’s winding walls. Alaeddin Rahmeh, a member of the local hip hop community and founder of Underground Amman Tour, makes it his aim to raise awareness about Amman’s colorful hip hop and street art scene. Come along for the tour!

Bottled Up

By: Scott Lashinsky
November 11, 2020

Though the country of Jordan may not be internationally known for its environmental initiatives and green living, one citizen is doing all he can to turn the tide. What began as a one-off project for Therwah Abdelhaq to transform a glass bottle into a piece of art for a contest turned into an ongoing green initiative called T Bottle, which has redeemed an estimated 20,000 bottles from the landfill—upcycling them into works of aesthetic and functional art.

The Lone Luthier

By: Scott Lashinsky
September 23, 2020

In the early 90s, guitars were hard to come by in Jordan’s capital of Amman. But instead of bemoaning the problem, local music aficionado Muhammad Khaier Al-Kukhun decided to be part of the solution—he made his own. Now nearly 30 years later, as the only known luthier, or guitar maker, in all of Jordan and one of merely a known few in the Middle East at large, Muhammad seeks to establish in his MKK Instruments a reputable Arab guitar brand made in the Middle East.

From A to Boutique

By: Scott Lashinsky
June 10, 2020

Since she was a little girl, Rasha Mubideen, of Amman, Jordan, always dreamed of being a fashion designer. But as she grew up and began to pursue her dream, she faced a culture that wasn’t yet as forward-thinking as she was. So, she did what any passionate creative would do: blaze her own trail forward—from A to Boutique.

Breaking Out

By: Scott Lashinsky
May 31, 2019

Alaeddin—yes, like the famed movie character, though pronounced correctly—sprang up from the poverty-stricken streets of Amman, Jordan, to become a successful civil engineer. But something wasn’t right. Though he had a good job, he was thoroughly dissatisfied with the standard nine-to-five lifestyle. So, he turned to the only thing he knew and loved: hip hop.

Steppin’ Up

By: Scott Lashinsky and Diana Schlecht
January 31, 2019

Technical project manager by day. Folk dancer by night. This is the life of Rima Sliat, of Amman, Jordan, a practitioner and teacher of dabke—a type of Levantine Arab folk dance. Aside from traversing between the worlds of Information Technology and dabke on a weekly basis, Rima also works at bridging the gap between the historical roots of dabke and its more modern manifestations which sometimes challenge prevailing gender stereotypes and the status quo.

Raising the Bar

By: Scott Lashinsky
September 20, 2018

Sarah Abu Shawish (sha-weesh), of Amman, Jordan, is using her love for sports to challenge commonly-held gender stereotypes throughout Arab society and help her country progress toward gender equality.

Sculpting Smiles

By: Scott Lashinsky
May 10, 2018

Bassem Nabeel of Amman, Jordan, enjoys creating clay caricatures in hopes of bringing smiles to his customers.

Reincarnating Beauty

By: Scott Lashinsky
January 16, 2018

The kingdom of Jordan has a long, storied history and tradition. But the collective understanding of the nation’s heritage in the eyes of its millions of residents can be anything but cohesive. This is where Firas Khlaifat and his company, Jordan Heritage, come in. Jordan Heritage exists to help give Jordanians a common understanding of their past and a shared ambition for their future through the research, documentation and promotion of Jordanian heritage—a type of reincarnation of beauty, in Firas’ words.

Jolly for Jerky

By: Scott Lashinsky
June 28, 2017

For Issa Dababneh of Jolly Man Beef Jerky in Amman, Jordan, making beef jerky is more than a business—it’s a passion. Raised as the son of an owner of a grocery store chain in Chicago, a young Issa was given an ultimatum by his father about his habit of consuming the stores’ stock of beef jerky: Buy it, stop eating it, or make it yourself.

Gridiron Dreams

By: Scott Lashinsky
January 26, 2017

Middle Easterners are some of the biggest football fans in the world—football as in soccer. But Hussam Al-Yaseen, a pre-med student who founded the Jordan American Football League (JAFL), hopes to see American football become just as popular in his Arab homeland. Learn how he came to discover and fall in love with the sport and how he is helping to spread football culture in Jordan.

By: Scott Lashinsky
August 18, 2016

Hip-hop and bread. These are seldom spoken in the same breath. But for Abood Aladham, who works in a bakery by day and beatboxes by night, these are life. Hear Abood’s heart for Jordan’s hip-hop community—particularly for younger up-and-coming beatboxers—how he founded the Jordan Beatbox Championship, and about his dreams for using his passion for beatboxing in less conventional ways to impact the community around him.

By: Scott Lashinsky
July 24, 2016

Previously, we shared the story of Gaith, a twenty something businessman who quit a successful job in the insurance business to pursue a love for books. In this week’s audio story, learn more about the vehicle—quite literally—that drives Gaith’s Books on the Road mobile bookstore initiative: a 1974 Mercedes 200 named Nancy.

By: Scott Lashinsky
July 14, 2016

After graduating college, Gaith Jann became a successful insurance risk analyst in his native Jordan. But after only a few years he became jaded by the business world, which left him hungering for a more meaningful life. Enter a love for books. Follow Gaith’s journey from a twenty something businessman to an unorthodox street librarian who sells books from his 1974 Mercedes.

Tambi’s Trail

By: Scott Lashinsky

Although Tambi Jalouqa, a 35-year-old software architect from Amman, Jordan, spends most of his days behind a computer desk, a lot of his free time is spent in more extreme ways—behind the bars of an off-road cycling machine. Learn how this trailblazer is helping pioneer the sport of mountain biking in his native Jordan with the help of both local and foreign friends who share his passion for extreme sport.

Ditching Class

By: Katy Gilbert

Ping Pong, P.E. and ditching class. Majd shares her memories from High School in Jordan.

Keys In The Car

By: Katy Gilbert

Nifer left her keys in the trunk of her car. What happened next is surprising.

Refugees

By: Katy Gilbert

Samia works with Iraqi refugees in Amman, Jordan. What kind of life do they live?

Cross-Religious Dating

By: Katy Gilbert

Sevan shares of the tangled mess of love, religion, culture and family. And he shares the secret of his first and only love.

At home…until I had to leave

By: Katy Gilbert

Ali tells his story of social activism in the Middle East but like most stories in the world, that was only the beginning of the story.

For me it was worth it

By: Katy Gilbert

Aminah has dedicated her life to her passion… the environment. But her degree from NYU is not in environmental studies- but in education. And her job is making all-natural, vegan soap.

Upcycling

By: Katy Gilbert

Hana is an upcylcing artist in Amman, Jordan. She has bracelets, necklaces, lanterns, lamps—you name it—all made from trash.