Goodbye to Leila Abu-Saba ("Dove's Eye View")

[grassfed]

We understand that Leila Abu-Saba, a wonderful writer and great friend, died last week after a long battle with cancer. "Goodbye radiant friend," Sarah Pollock writes on Facebook, and I feel the same way. From early on in the life of this site, Leila saw my struggle with American and Jewish identity and offered her support. She welcomed me into a conversation that she had been having for all her life. Her father was Lebanese and she married a Jew, she had experienced all kinds of prejudice in life, but she did not know boundaries. She knew what was important, and called that forth from other writers. She was interested in what was kind, penetrating, true and essential. She didn’t like catcalling or criticism or vanity or masks. Here is one of the most important pieces we published here that Leila wrote about the Lebanese refugee camp that she lived in:
http://mondoweiss.net/2009/02/leila-abu-saba-writesthe-post-on-this-site-yesterday-that-mentioned-the-destruction-of-the-palestinian-refugee-camp-at-ain-a.html

And here is Leila’s website, "Dove’s Eye View," where you will find other writings by her:
http://bedouina.typepad.com

I gather there will be a memorial service on Friday in the Bay Area.

- Phillip Weiss
http://mondoweiss.net/2009/10/goodbye-to-leila-abu-saba.html