Mrs. Nahhas's party in honor of Mrs. Jafet
It was a sumptuous tea party to which Mrs. Alice Nahhas — wife of Mr. Adib Nahhas, our ambassador in Greece — issued her invitations, on the eve of Saturday, March 23 last... The party gathered every shade of feminine elegance, displayed by the Lebanese ladies and by other diplomatic and official personalities.
"It is my custom to give an annual party at which I gather my women friends," says Mrs. Nahhas, "but this invitation has a special purpose: to present Mrs. Nelly Jafet, wife of the eminent emigrant Ricardo Jafet, to the women's circles of Lebanon."
The announcement made its pleasant impression, especially since the name "Jafet" means to the Lebanese more than a vast fortune and a great name... it means generous regard for the mother country, and the raising of Lebanon high beyond the seas! Nor is the story of "the American University Library" far from our memory... And so all eyes turned
toward the gracious guest, Nelly Jafet, and rings of ladies gathered around her — some journalists, some simply curious...
Mrs. Jafet is on a short visit with her husband, Mr. Ricardo, to become acquainted with the homeland of their grandfathers... That is what Nelly likes to call Lebanon — and how can we expect her to consider Lebanon her own homeland, when she and her mother were both born in Brazil? An inescapable truth — that the new generation is drawing away from us little by little, and before long Lebanon becomes, in its mind... "the remnant of a tale" heard from a grandfather or a grandmother!... The tales of the grandparents have their splendor, but they are not rooted deep in the being of the new generation... and so they pass away — to our profound sorrow!
Mrs. Jafet's eyes gleam when she speaks of her intense admiration for all she has seen and known in Lebanon, and she wishes the visit
could be prolonged...
She expresses a sincere desire to spend a whole summer in these enchanting parts; but the idea of returning here for good never crosses her mind... Poor country of ours!
Mrs. Jafet is sweet of face and shapely of figure, and besides Brazilian she has mastered French and English... With difficulty she speaks a broken Arabic, but she cannot read or write a single letter.
In the middle of last month, Lady Egerton visited Beirut for a week, in the company of her husband, the great scientist Sir Alfred Egerton.
Among the eminent posts Lady Egerton holds in Britain are the presidency of the supreme women's council and of the women's advisory committee on fuel, among others.
The British Council in Beirut arranged for the distinguished guest a full program for becoming acquainted with women's circles. First, on March 21, Mrs. Ni'mat Qunful gave a charming morning reception, at which she gathered a select company of women active in various fields; Lady Egerton spoke with each lady individually, inquiring into the details of the projects and tasks they carry out.
On March 28, Lady Egerton met at the home of Dr. Edma Abouchdid, president of the university women graduates in Lebanon, with a group of Lebanese university women; conversation was exchanged on a high level about the position of the Lebanese woman and the various activities she undertakes, which left a fine impression on the gracious guest...