A Message to Palestine and a Response

In Rachel Corrie’s Memory

March 18, 2003 – From the Ladah Foundation to Birzeit University and Bethlehem University:

The Ladah Foundation mourns the death of peace activist Rachel Corrie who sacrificed her life for peace in opposition of illegal Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes and property.

In Rachel’s memory and as a tribute to her courage and sacrifice for peace across nationalities and religions, The Ladah Foundation kindly requests that you establish a scholarship at Birzeit University and at Bethlehem in her name, to be designated as the “Rachel Corrie Memorial Scholarship” for the academic year 2003/2004, and to be funded by The Ladah Foundation. We request that this be in addition to existing Ladah Foundation scholarships and pray that we will be able to fund it annually on an ongoing basis.

Starting with the academic year 2003/2004 The Ladah Foundation has initiated a program whereby friends of the Foundation who make a sizable donation of $1000 or more will be able to name a scholarship at Birzeit University and Bethlehem University. We would therefore like to establish two additional scholarships in the name of Luella Crow, a former Aramcon and friend of the Foundation. Each of the two scholarships at Birzeit should be named “Luella Crow Scholarship” in recognition of Luella Crow’s generous donation earlier this year.

Each new scholarship should be awarded in accordance with the eligibility criteria established by the Foundation in cooperation with Birzeit University and Bethlehem University.

We hope to advise you of additional awards in due course, hopefully before the beginning of the new academic year.

Please confirm your action.

With our respect, admiration and prayers for the students, faculty and staff of Birzeit University and Bethlehem University,

Mike Ladah
On behalf of The Ladah Foundation

March 19, 2003 - Response from Birzeit University

Dear Mike,

Thank you for sharing with me some of the articles and activities through e-mail. I hope that you continue to have energy and commitment to write and launch and participate in so many ways.

My colleagues and I were very moved by the tragic and violent death of Rachel Corrie. Her death was a shock even to us, who are so familiar with the extent of violence and terror of which the Israeli government is capable. What a horrendous thing! I don't know how one can describe the extent of the inhumanity, violence, terror which characterizes such an action. When we heard the news the first question that came to mind was how are her parents going to be able to deal with this? It is one thing to be the Palestinian parent of a Palestinian child who loses their life in pursuit of their liberty. But how will Rachel's parents be able to deal with her death? How can they begin to cope with it? How could anyone who wasn't forced by a mishap of birth or belonging put themselves in so much danger? Why would anyone risk their life for a cause that is not theirs?

But Rachel did and in her doing so she has proven the extent to which humanity perseveres in this often horrible world we are living in and for this we do greatly honor her. And in this, I hope that her parents will find some solace.
Quite frankly Rachel's killing scared us, as Palestinians. It scares us to know that there is no humanity or fear left in the Israeli regime from the highest echelons to the lowliest individual that is a part of it. There was a time when being an international meant something in Palestine. American and European peace activists could actually protect their Palestinian counterparts, could support and make a difference because Israel did not think it could get away with treating them as inhumanely as it has treated Palestinians throughout the long years of occupation. This is no longer true. The reality is that the U.S.-backed Israeli occupation no longer fears international condemnation for any acts and as such is literally getting away with murder. If this continues to be allowed, if Israel can so easily murder an American citizen, a citizen of the most powerful country in the world, a peace activist coming to Palestine in a show of solidarity, then imagine the amount of violence it will be able to wreak on the Palestinian population as the world stands by and does nothing.

I think that it is very honorable of you to want to establish a named scholarship in Rachel Corrie's honor. The University will be proud to be a part of honoring such a wonderful individual and in this way to assist Rachel in continuing her struggle to make this a better world. As such, we will establish the Rachel Corrie Memorial Annual Scholarship to be supported by the Ladah Foundation. You may want to consider launching a campaign to raise funds to make this an endowed scholarship. It is possible to establish an endowed scholarship at Birzeit with a gift of $30,000. While this is a large amount in ensures that the scholarship will remain available to support a Palestinian student in perpetuity, keeping Rachel's memory alive forever. Please tell me what you think about this?

Allow me to also thank you for your wonderful new program you have initiated to establish named scholarships in honor of major donors of the Ladah Foundation. Birzeit University will be proud to establish the two annual Luella Crow Scholarships for the 2003-2004 academic year.

As requested all scholarships will be distributed according to the same criteria as the Ladah Foundation Scholarship. Please inform me once you have made the donations to support these three new scholarships so that I can ensure the proper financial and administrative follow up. Also, please inform me if you would like us to send separate letters to Luella Crow.

Thank you for finding a way to make something positive out of such a terrible situation.

On another note, please inform me if you are able to get in touch with Rachel's parents, as the University community would like to send condolences.

Wishing you all the best,

Riham

Riham Barghouti
External Relations Officer
Birzeit University

[Editor’s Note: We also received a subsequent message, on the same date, from Birzeit University advising us that Birzeit University has taken a decision to suspend classes from today Wednesday March 19, 2003 until Monday March 24, 2003 as an emergency measure to enable all students, staff and faculty of the University to travel safely to their homes in the event… the US launches its war on Iraq. We suspect that other schools and universities may have taken similar safety measures]

March 20, 2003 - Response from Bethlehem University

20 March 2003

Dear Mr. Ladah,

In the name of Brother Vincent Malham, President-Vice Chancellor, and the entire community of Bethlehem University, I wish to acknowledge and thank you and the Ladah Foundation for your thoughtful and encouraging email of March 18.

We would be honored to establish, in the name of the Ladah Foundation, the Rachel Corrie Annual Scholarship. I'm sure your actions will bring some solace to Rachel's family. We were horrified to read the details of her death and then shocked to hear some of the contradictory explanations of the Israeli Defense Forces. May other organizations and foundations follow the example of the Ladah Foundation to honor and preserve the memory of Rachel Corrie who sacrificed her life for peace.

We would also be honored to establish two additional annual scholarships, in the name of the Ladah Foundation, for Luella Crow, a former Aramcon and friend of the Ladah Foundation. We understand that the Rachel Corrie Scholarship and the two Luella Crow Scholarships will go into effect starting with the 2003/2004 academic year and that the new scholarships will be in accordance with the eligibility requirements already established by the Foundation in cooperation with the University.

Bethlehem University Certificates naming the scholarships and the donors will be sent to the Ladah Foundation in the near future. You may wish to pass these on to Rachel's parents and Luella Crow. Please inform us if you would like us to send letters directly to Mr. and Mrs. Corrie or Luella Crow.

For the safety and security of our students, faculty and staff who must travel through innumerable checkpoints each day, Bethlehem University has been closed since 19 March until further notice.

Sincerely,

Brother Jerome Sullivan, FSC

Vice President for Development