Journey Into Europe to Show March 24th

We have reached that point in the event where the Milwaukee Muslim Film Fest #MMFilmFest2016 is about to go into full swing. First up is Journey into Europe. The film will only show Thursday, March 24th at 7pm in the UW-Milwaukee Union Cinema. Stay afterwards for a talkback session by the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. General admission is $8. UWM students get in free.

Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, a world-renowned anthropologist, Islamic scholar, and filmmaker, explores Islam in Europe and the place of Islam in European history and civilization in this unprecedented study. In the film shot across the continent in countries such as Germany,the U.K., France, Spain, and Bosnia, we hear from some of Europe’s most prominent figures, including presidents and prime ministers, archbishops, chief rabbis, grand muftis, heads of right-wing parties, and every-day Europeans from a variety of backgrounds.

The film has received praise from some of Europe’s most prominent leaders. Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, states, “It is hard to exaggerate the importance of this work.” Dr. Haris Silajdzic, the former President and Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, writes, “Ambassador Akbar Ahmed’s latest project on Muslims in Europe is yet another illustration of his vision by offering us understanding of, commitment to, and hope and compassion for humanity.” And Paul Smith, the USA Director of the British Council here in Washington, writes, “Your film is a compelling, gracious, thoughtful study and we’re proud to be involved in it.”

We'll see you there.

My Arabic Library from Scholastic Now Available at the IRC

Hello and welcome back to the Islamic Resource Center blog. This is your friendly neighborhood librarian with a fun collection update. As you might have gathered from the title of this post, we now have Scholastic's "My Arabic Library" collection for your viewing pleasure.

These books are titles that were tried and true in English, some even classics, spanning grades 1-6 that are now translated into Arabic. With 208 titles in the collection, it will take a little while to finish cataloging them, but every week a dozen or so have and will make it onto the shelves for your perusal along with the rest of our ever growing collection.

Come visit us today and find out what all the fuss is about.

Guantanamo's Child To Be Opener in 2016 Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival

This year, the Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival #MMFilmFest2016 will be opening with the documentary film, Guantanamo's Child: Omar Khadr.

Taking place after Omar Khadr was released on bail and told both in his own words and through research done in the name of Michelle Shephard's authoritative book, Guantanamo's Child: The Untold Story of Omar Khadr, the film Guantanamo's Child profiles how one suburban Toronto teenager became the first juvenile ever tried for war crimes and part of one of the first trials since the prosecution of Nazi war criminals in the 1940s.

The documentary will preview this Thursday 7pm at the UWM Theater. If you can't make it, don't worry. Guantanamo's Child will screen again on Sunday, April 3rd at 2pm at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Milwaukee Muslim Film Fest Starts Its Second Year

The Second Annual Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival #MMFilmFest #FilmFest is almost here. Just a few more days! We have collected five all new movies with amazing personalities and powerful storylines. As these films draw nearer, I'll be letting you know a little more about them, so stay tuned!

Popular Picture Book Authors Now In Arabic

I know many of you want to become more fluent in Arabic. Our popular Arabic language classes are proof of that. However, finding good material to supplement and complement the Arabic classes outside of the classroom can be tough. We here at the Islamic Resource Center want to make sure your Arabic learning needs are met. Our library includes its own collection of Arabic materials for all ages and reading levels including popular current picture book titles now available in Arabic. Titles include:

Lauren Thompson's Little Quack series:

Karma Wilson's Bear and Little Pip series':

         

Taghrid A. Najjar's Halazone and Best Friends series':

  

These fun characters will draw you into their stories in fun and engaging ways. With an ever expanding collection, chances are you too will find the right book to help you on your way. See our staff for more recent additions or click on our online catalog located under the library tab on our website today.

Bilingual Children's Books

Learning a new language is hard, especially when it requires an entirely new alphabet. Sometimes seeing the words side by side just makes the process that much easier. Whether you are young or old, these children's books will help do just that:

Handa's Surprise
by Eileen Browne
Arabic translation by Azza Habashi

"Handa puts seven different delicious fruits in a basket to take to her friend, Akeyo. But on Handa’s walk, she passes a variety of animals who find the fruit very inviting. Something happens when she arrives at her friend’s village."


The Dark
by Rouzanna Baghdasaryan
illustrated by Manana Mochiladze

"Jonah is afraid of the dark. His older brother Gor promises to give Jonah his favorite toy soldier if he'll try not to be afraid--but now Jonah is too excited to sleep."

Hip, Hop
by Catherine Hnatov

"Playful images of favorite animals hop and splash, tweet and purr in captivating black and white illustrations that will engage toddlers and invite them to look!"

Oranges for Everyone
by Daiga Zake
illustrated by Elena Stojanova

"When Jimmy s mother brings home a bag of five beautiful oranges, he wants to keep them all for himself. But his instinct to share with his family and friends is too strong to resist until he has no oranges left at all! This day, Jimmy will learn a lot about the gift of generosity."

Lima's Red Hot Chilli
by David Mills
illustrated by Derek Brazell

"Take one little hungry girl, six different tempting foods and one shiny delicious red hot chilli. One big bite into the chilli results in a spectacular display of fireworks. Mum, dad, aunt and grandad all come to help but Lima's mouth is still too hot. Who can rescue her?"

IRC Holiday Closings

In observance of the Christmas and New Year's holidays, the IRC will be closed Thursday through Sunday both weeks. We thank you for your understanding and welcome you during our open hours.