A chance encounter between two strangers at Ski Hill in Leavenworth, a Bavarian-themed town, has grown into a celebration and advocacy for Palestinian culture.
On Saturday, “Falastin! In the Valley” brings Palestinian culture to North Central Washington to showcase the colorful richness of Palestinian culture while raising awareness and support for those affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“We wanted to create a celebration of Palestine and Palestinian culture amidst all of this horror and genocide, hate and violence. We wanted to bring this feeling of place and belonging to the Wenatchee Valley,” said Anour Esa, one of the co-organizers of the benefit.
A connection sparked
The origins of “Falastin! In the Valley” trace back to an encounter between two strangers six months ago. Esa first spotted Abde Elshafei wearing a keffiyeh during a Ski Hill concert in Leavenworth. A keffiyeh is a traditional Arab black-and-white checkered headdress symbolizing Palestinian heritage, resilience and solidarity. It is often worn as a cultural and political emblem.
“When I moved to Leavenworth six months ago, I thought I was the only Arab and Palestinian in Eastern Washington. I couldn’t be further from the truth,” Esa said. “I approached him, and I asked if he was Palestinian. Here we are, and that’s how events like these happen.”
From that encounter, the two developed a shared vision to create a space to celebrate their Palestinian heritage and share their culture with the community.
Elshafei said he immediately felt an unspoken connection with Esa because of their shared roots and culture. Elshafei, who has organized previous events focused on Palestine, said their shared perspective and passion led to the creation of “Falastin! In the Valley.”
“We didn’t want this to be just a rally where people chant and hold signs,” Elshafei said. “We wanted a celebration of culture, because celebrating our culture is a form of resistance.”
Falastin! In the valley
On Saturday, more than 200 gathered at the Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort in Leavenworth to celebrate Palestinian culture and raise money for people in Gaza.
The event drew more than 200 people. “Falastin,” the Arabic word for Palestine, refers to their homeland.
The evening featured an array of cultural performances, including Ahmad Qteifan playing the oud, a traditional Middle Eastern string instrument, and Hanady Kader singing alongside him.
Qteifan played the oud during “Falastin! In the Valley” on Saturday.
A Seattle-based Jafra Dabke team performed dabke, a traditional Palestinian group dance. The dance is often performed at celebrations, weddings and other festive events. Attendees participated in a community dance, immersing themselves in rhythm and music.
The celebration was also a fundraiser for the United Palestinian Appeal, a nonprofit providing emergency relief and supporting health, education and economic development for Palestinians in Gaza.
Esa and Elshafei said the event was not only a cultural celebration but also an effort to foster solidarity and action within North Central Washington amid the ongoing violence in Gaza.
Calling for a cease-fire
While focusing on cultural celebration, the organizers did not shy away from addressing the violence in Gaza. They called on the community to become aware of the situation, get involved and support a cease-fire resolution in Leavenworth.
The global crisis began on Oct. 7, 2023, with the Israel-Hamas war, following a Hamas-led attack in southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw more than 200 others taken hostage. Gaza’s health ministry says at least 43,736 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began.
On Nov. 14, a United Nations report described the war as having characteristics consistent with genocide. A Human Rights Watch report said the forced displacement of 1.9 million people in Gaza amounted to war crimes and met the definition of ethnic cleansing.
Speaking during Saturday’s benefit, Leavenworth Mayor Carl J. Florea expressed his gratitude for the cultural exchange. “We refuse to see those who are different from us as someone to fear,” he said.
