BROOK PARK, Ohio \u2014 Even from thousands of miles away, Northeast Ohioans are finding ways to help connect Brook Park to the Middle East through compassion and community.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to hold peace talks between Israel and Lebanon. But as Israel continues its strikes\u2014aimed at disarming Hezbollah\u2014civilians on the ground are paying the price.<\/p>\n
We spoke with people here in Northeast Ohio who are personally impacted by the bombardment\u2014and how they\u2019re working to help those in need.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand that it’s a war, but what I really feel most for are the innocent civilians,\u201d said Ramez Islambouli, the President of MACE Islamic Center.<\/p>\n
Islambouli is from Lebanon but now lives in Cleveland, where he worries every day about his family still there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI talked to my sister, and she said the sound of the drone whizzing and hovering around the buildings\u2014the fear is which apartment is it going to hit,\u201d Islambouli said.<\/p>\n
While some relatives are okay, others have already lost everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey said that, yes, buildings have been destroyed, but also, water lines have been destroyed. Electric wires have been stored. No shops, nothing,\u201d said Islambouli.<\/p>\n
He says it\u2019s hard to watch devastation with no way to help.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a feeling of helplessness. It\u2019s like you see a lot of killing, a lot of destruction, and you tell yourself, what can I do?\u201d Islambouli said.<\/p>\n
That same feeling is shared by the owner of Express Deli in Brook Park, Micho Aboukhaled, who is also Lebanese.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can sit back and watch, which feels horrible and helpless,\u201d Aboukhaled said.<\/p>\n
So, he decided to take action by raising money for the Lebanese Red Cross.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just wanted to do something to help push the needle forward in helping the humanitarian efforts,\u201d Aboukhaled said.<\/p>\n
On the menu is a Beirut chicken wrap, and for every wrap sold from Friday, April 10, through Friday, April 17, the deli is donating the proceeds to the Lebanese Red Cross.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the sales will get tallied at the end of the week, and we’re going to donate the entire portion. We’re not going to take out anything for our costs, nothing,\u201d Aboukhaled said.<\/p>\n
While we were there, we watched customer after customer order the wrap. It didn\u2019t surprise Islambouli when he learned what Express Deli was doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is typical of Lebanese. We are very connected to our country. We are very proud of our country. We are very proud of being Lebanese, and it brings us together,\u201d Islambouli said.<\/p>\n
Though one wrap can\u2019t stop the strikes, it can strengthen a community coming together to help.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll we want is to see the Lebanese people and the people of the region, not just the Lebanese people, thrive and prosper and not have to just survive through war,\u201d Aboukhaled said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope that we have wise leadership that can truly promote peace in the area and stability and a true ceasefire,\u201d Islambouli said.<\/p>\n
Express Deli is located at 5185 Smith Road, Brook Park. CLICK HERE<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n Nadeen Abusada is a Cuyahoga County and immigration reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Instagram NadeenAbusada<\/a> or email her at Nadeen.Abusada@wews.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n