Seton Hall University Hosts New Jersey Premiere of Arab-American Documentary Collaboration by Alumnus and Professor Emeritus

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Seton Hall University’s Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work and the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences will host the New Jersey premiere of “A Thousand and One Journeys: The Arab Americans,” a documentary directed and produced by alumnus Abe Kasbo ’94/M.P.A. ’99 and Co-Produced by Seton Hall Professor Emeritus Philip Kayal on Sunday, January 31, 2016, at 2 p.m., in the Jubilee Hall Auditorium. At the conclusion of the screening, Kayal and Kasbo will participate in a Q&A session with viewers. The event is open to the public with discounted tickets available for Seton Hall community members.

“A Thousand and One Journeys: The Arab Americans” shares the untold story of almost 200 years of the contributions made to the American fabric by those who immigrated to the United States from the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf. The film provides viewers with a first-ever documentary of the Arab-American experience as told through the eyes of famous and everyday people, including: the late Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anthony Shadid; Former Majority Leader Sen. George Mitchell, who served as U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland and Middle East Peace; comedians and natives of New Jersey Dean Obeidallah and Maysoon Zayid; consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader; American racing legend Bobby Rahal; composer and pianist Malek Jandali; the late White House correspondent and journalist Helen Thomas; actor and M*A*S*H star Jamie Farr; and actor and founder of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Danny Thomas.

The film premiered in 2015 to standing ovations from sold-out audiences in Washington, D.C., and New York City. It has also been selected for screening at the 2016 Garden State Film Festival in Atlantic City.

“Seton Hall is the perfect place for the New Jersey premiere of our documentary,” said Kayal. “The University has always been supportive of the growing Arab-American population in New Jersey. We have an Arabic language radio show on WSOU called “The Caravan,” have introduced Arabic language courses and have a rising Arab and Muslim student presence on campus. We are so proud and thankful to have Seton Hall’s support and very much appreciate their graciousness.”

Kayal and Kasbo hope that the film will educate viewers about the history and contributions of Arab-Americans to the American Fabric. “The Arab-American experience is truly an American story. Just like Polish- and Italian-Americans, the immigration of Arabs to the United States and their evolution into integral productive citizens is a purely American phenomenon,” said Kasbo. “It is my hope that viewers will walk away from the film realizing that the foundation of American history includes Arab-Americans who have made and continue to make significant contributions to every field that they have gone into.”

Tickets can be purchased for $20 at http://njpremiere.brownpapertickets.com. Discounted tickets are available the day of the event to Seton Hall students, faculty, staff and administration with a valid Seton Hall ID at the door for $10 and to Seton Hall alumni for $15. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Seton Hall University is located at 400 South Orange Ave. in South Orange, N.J.

To view the trailer and for more information about “A Thousand and One Journeys: The Arab Americans” please visit www.arabamericathefilm.com, follow the film on Twitter @ArabAmericanDoc or contact Abe Kasbo at kasbo@verasoni.com or (973) 287-6868.

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall University has been developing students in mind, heart and spirit since 1856. Home to nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 rigorous majors, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Seton Hall, which embraces students of all religions, prepares its graduates to be exemplary servant leaders and global citizens. In recent years, the University has achieved extraordinary success. Since 2009, the University has seen record-breaking undergraduate enrollment growth in addition to an impressive 95-point increase in the average SAT scores of incoming freshmen. In the past decade, Seton Hall students and alumni have been awarded nearly 20 Fulbright Scholarships as well as other prestigious academic honors including a Rhodes Scholar. In the past five years, the University has invested more than $133 million in new campus buildings and renovations. And in 2015, Seton Hall announced plans for a new School of Medicine as well as launched a new College of Communication and the Arts.

A founding member of the new Big East Conference, the Seton Hall Pirates field 14 NCAA Division I varsity sports teams. The university’s beautiful main campus is located in suburban South Orange, New Jersey, and is only 14 miles from New York City – offering its students a wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities. The university’s nationally recognized School of Law is prominently located in downtown Newark. For more information, visit www.shu.edu.

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