The College
The 1948 Nakba marks a turning point in the history of the educational institution that at the time was called Birzeit College and had been a high school since in 1942 because it indirectly set the stage for its transition to a junior college. When thousands of refugees from Ramla, Lod, and other coastal towns and cities were arriving in Birzeit, the school’s administration took the initiative to document their displacement. It collected data about each refugee that was presented to the International Red Cross later on, including information such as their towns of origin. Since 1948, the student body of the Birzeit educational institution has changed due to the enrollment of the refugee population.
A key challenge facing Birzeit College’s administration was “to keep the school operating despite the financial difficulties. Dwindling enrollment numbers led to the consolidation of the boys’ and girls’ schools into a single co-educational institution,” explains Samia Khoury. Moreover, many qualified teachers left Palestine after 1948, and other teachers and instructors had to be recruited for the College to continue its operation.
Family involvement helped weather the challenges
A newly acquired building was used as a dormitory and living quarters for boys and male teachers to keep up with the changes in the student body, as more students stayed in Birzeit as boarders. The niece of Birzeit Girls School-founder Nabiha Nasir, Rima Tarazi, interrupted her studies of music in Paris to teach music and English at Birzeit College. Her brother Hanna Nasir took over a special postsecondary program that was initiated after 1948 and included courses in political science, economics, and advanced mathematic. And the poet Kamal Nasir, a family cousin, taught Arabic from 1948 to 1949.
Music: a torch of hope and love
Music has always played a significant role in the lives of students at Birzeit. Composers and singers taught at the College and instructed piano to students. Many anthems, poems, and songs were composed particularly for the institution over the years.
Birzeit School Song
O beloved school, may you continue to live in glory and peace
You are worthy of being redeemed with our souls, as you remain highly esteemed by all
We shall never forget you or forget your love
We shall always keep our pledge to watch over you and bask in your radiance
Birzeit, you have become the spring that quenches our thirst
With your loyal sons and daughters, you have reached great heights
You are a beacon for the young and a pillar in our homeland
You are a pride to our Arab nation, everlasting and perpetual
Engrain within us your great values
Keep us united so that we may have a peaceful and secure life
—Lyrics by Wadi Deeb
These lyrics are a translation of the original text in Arabic and appear in the book titled Birzeit University: The Story of a National Institution, edited by Ida Audeh, and published in 2010. It chronicles the development of what is today Birzeit University, retelling the stories of those who helped establish the institution.
