How I Saw the Jordanian Woman

I lived in Jordan a long time, and knew its noble women... And when I returned to it after a long absence I found a new generation — buds opening upon life and shaking off the heavy dew... so that their fragrance streams forth...

The Jordanian woman has a personality filled with faith and daring.. and courage.. acquired from the loftiness of her country's mountains... the flowing of its valleys... and the clearness of its sky... The nature of her country has had its part in forming her personality and marking her with firmness and femininity... with courage and gentleness...

She has seen in her country all the features of goodness and truth, and would accept nothing but to hasten the renaissance of her countrywoman, to complete the picture of beauty in her land.

The Jordanian woman, for all her complaints of usurped rights, is within two steps of planting her feet firmly in the arena of life.. She is a capable social worker, performing service and giving her time and money for the sake of reform.. She believes that the foundations of this reform rest on an effective social program that will bring her to the attainment of what they call a stolen right... The truth is that the completion of a rising social life in any environment leaves no room for political or economic neglect on the part of either woman or man. Woman needs to acquire the capacity to exercise her rights.

I studied the Jordanian woman's movement and found that it has founded charitable associations for social service. Among these associations I came to know 'the Women's Union,' 'the Princess Basma Charity,' 'the Jordanian Orphanage,' and 'the Society of Volunteer Ladies.' I had the honor of becoming acquainted with the members of the Society of Volunteer Ladies at one of their meetings, in which they prepare clothing and covering for the children and the sick among the needy.

As for the Jordanian Orphanage, it 'was founded some years ago to shelter the largest possible number of the orphans of the Palestinian refugees and to rescue them from the ravages of misery and deprivation; and to furnish them with elementary learning and a measure of vocational training, with the aim of preparing them for an honorable and decent life in which they will be useful, self-reliant citizens.' So I was answered by Miss Emily Bisharat, secretary of the orphanage and general directress of the school.

The institute now has fifty orphan pupils; the conditions of their admission were that they be orphans between seven and seventeen, free of contagious diseases, and of good conduct, without sectarian or religious distinction. And Miss Bisharat 'adds': 'The project's hope of progress and success was doubled when Her Majesty the glorified Queen Dina, God preserve her, consented to sponsor it with her honorary presidency.'

The orphanage aims to establish a village for the young to shelter at least one hundred pupils, affording them wider opportunities for vocational training, which is now confined to the carpentry trade for want of material means. Also, the chance to win study grants gives a reward to the brilliant, outstanding pupil.

In the middle of last month some of the women's organizations in Jordan joined in preparing a program for 'Woman's Week.' They issued a general appeal which was in the nature of an official invitation. The countrywomen hastened, and the countrymen warmly hurried, to the headquarters of 'the Women's Union' in Amman, where the lecture hall was packed with the audience... They came to listen to opinions that were now religious or scholarly, now personal.. and sometimes partisan and biased... which stirred regret and resentment at certain aspects of tendentious party exploitation.

Those in charge of the program prepared an exhibition of drawings, books, and artistic embroidery, in which the ladies of the Palestinian Union in Beirut took part. And the paintings of the artist Nabila George had the credit for the visitors' eagerness to see the exhibition.

And finally... the greatest thing I found in this week was the Jordanian woman's eagerness to press forward toward Palestine.. our one concern.. She thinks always of recovering our stolen land.. and appeals to her companions to leap up and take up arms in earnest to destroy the nation's enemy... so that we may lift our heads high among the free and advanced nations.