green water and closely following the rippling waves of the Red Sea and the soaring seagulls above has become a therapeutic remedy for the Syrian Community which is attempting to cope with what is going on in their home country. Looking at the beauty and tranquility of the soothing sea, one can, though briefly, forget the scenes of destroyed homes, wailing women, and crying children who have been terrorized by the Syrian army for over a year now. The Syrian Community in Saudi Arabia organized a communal lunch and a small function at the seaside in Jeddah last week. Families with their children headed to the gathering to socialize with friends and relatives, inquire about the safety of their loved ones back home, and discuss the most recent developments. Families who attended the lunch, varied in financial status, educational background and their city of origin but they blended perfectly with one another because of the common pain they felt due to the economic, political, and humanitarian crisis in their country. The public coordinator for the Syrian Community in Saudi Arabia, Mahmoud Al-Taghlebi, said: “We organized this lunch as a way to release some of the stress and psychological pressure that Syrians are going through every day from watching the terrifying scenes occurring in our country. These families spend every day of the week glued to televisions or computer screens to listen to the news, and it is having a negative psychological impact on them, especially the women and young children who stay at home for most of the day.” The lunch helped to elevate the spirits, and the function included a short play and a Syrian folklore dancing show. Such shows and songs are entertaining but they also serve to educate the younger generation about the history and culture of their country. “Because of the tragedies and the violence against innocent civilians, Syrians here have developed stronger bonds with one another and are more helpful and supportive of one another,” added Al-Taghlebi. Among other activities organized by the Syrian Community was an Umrah Caravan in which 20 buses carrying 1,000 pilgrims took off from Jeddah to the Holy City of Makkah. The expenses of the entire trip were covered by the Syrian Community in Saudi Arabia and each pilgrim was assigned the name of a martyr who had died in Syria, in order to seek Allah's protection for the martyr's surviving family members and to give them patience, strength, and ajr. On the bus ride to Makkah, young children chanted revolutionary slogans while the elderly offered supplications. Some served dates and Turkish coffee. One young man recited poignant verses of poetry that brought tears to the eyes of the pilgrims. The verses of the poem promise that the people of Homs will be granted victory because it was in that small town where the legendary Muslim warrior Khalid ibn Al-Waleed (the Sword of Allah) lived his last few years, died and was buried. Salam, a young dentistry student and a Jeddah resident, told the Saudi Gazette: “This was the most amazing trip of my life. Standing in front of the magnificent Ka'ba, holding the hands of my sisters and friends while performing Umrah, and repeating the supplications after our group leader, was such a profound spiritually uplifting experience.” __
