Please make sure the English subtitles are turned on in the video above.
***CAMPAIGN UPDATES***
Every donation beyond $15,000 still makes a difference! Any funds beyond the target will still reach Al-Maa Bookstore, ensure its permanent sustainability, and will give Hamzeh greater capacity to invest in his mission of making books flow as freely as water.
1. With a few days to go in the campaign, we are almost at our goal of $15,000! THANK YOU!
2. Atlas Obscura just published a beautiful article on Hamzeh and al-Maa. Please share widely!
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3. You can now see a preview of what the calligraphy perk will look like! Click on the picture to see the video of Hussein painting it.
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Mission
Like his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather before him, Hamzeh AlMaaytah has devoted his life to books (Wiki). He named his store al-Maa, which means Water, because he believes that reading is like water for the soul.
In Jerusalem before 1948, and in Amman ever since then, this philosophy has made al-Maa into far more than a bookstore. Hamzeh welcomes all visitors with a warm heart and an open mind, inviting them to mingle underneath the book-lined walls of al-Maa. People of all religions meet there; Jordanians, expats, and refugees; and the rich, the poor, and the homeless.
Before Jordan opened its first public library, al-Maa lent books to the people of Amman. Today, Hamzeh makes sure that even the least privileged patrons can read. Anyone can borrow or exchange a book for the token sum of 1 dinar ($1.41), and there are public shelves outside the store, where passersby can take books and pay whatever they can afford.
Because of Hamzeh’s devotion to fostering peace and opening minds, he refuses to sell books that go against that mission, such as ones that incite anti-Semitism. His dedication to creating empathy between diverse groups of people is exactly why the world has never been in greater need of people like Hamzeh and communities like al-Maa.
Al-Maa is dedicated to secondhand and older books, but there is nothing old about Hamzeh’s ideas. For the last 17 years, he has been innovating ways to promote reading: from book fairs in refugee camps to traveling bookstores on donkey carts; from teaching youth the art of restoring Arabic manuscripts to holding poetry slams for the whole neighborhood.
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(Hamzeh reading under the Bedouin tent that stood outside of the store.)
This Campaign
Al-Maa suffered a serious financial setback in 2016, due to a combination of economic conditions in Jordan and a sudden illness which made Hamzeh temporarily unable to work for several months. Hamzeh, now 35, is also responsible for supporting his wife and five children.
This Indiegogo campaign is an urgent call for help. The funds raised through this page will ensure al-Maa Bookstore's short-term financial stability. And most importantly, this campaign will empower Hamzeh to keep al-Maa open for the long-term, building on his amazing work in the community while restructuring the store as a sustainable source of income for his family.
You can be part of saving al-Maa Bookstore. Every contribution counts, and al-Maa Bookstore will receive the funds even if the funding goal is only partially reached.
The campaign is a collaboration between the Jordanian and American friends of al-Maa Bookstore:
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Hussein Alazaat, the Jordanian founder of the campaign and of the al-Maa branding, is a designer and contemporary calligrapher who also cofounded the philanthropic organization Wajha. Hussein believes that Hamzeh and al-Maa are the key to passing on the Arab legacy and culture to the youth of Amman.
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Alan Elbaum, like countless foreigners before him, found a home away from home in al-Maa Bookstore. After experiencing Hamzeh's unparalleled hospitality—cup after cup of sage tea, and conversation ranging from the Da Vinci Code to the parallels between Judaism and Islam—Alan came to love al-Maa Bookstore from the bottom of his heart, and sees Hamzeh as one of his greatest inspirations.
How You Can Help
- If you have the means, please donate whatever you can afford. Claim one or more perks: from specially designed al-Maa Bookmarks, to an original poem by Hamzeh, to books about bookstores, to your name in beautiful modernized Arabic calligraphy.
- Whether or not you can donate, it's just as important to get the word out. If you know two or three people passionate about reading, or the Middle East, or intercultural dialogue, use the Indiegogo share tools above, or send them an email. Chances are they'd love to learn about this campaign and play a role in the incredible work Hamzeh is doing.
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Follow al-Maa Bookstore on social media:
- And finally, leave a comment on this Indiegogo page, especially if you're someone who has a personal story about Hamzeh and al-Maa Bookstore.
Impact
At a time in history when many good people feel powerless—especially in the US and in the Middle East—this campaign is one way for you to make a concrete difference. All money raised will go toward promoting the culture of reading in the Middle East, spreading peace through books, and preserving a unique cultural inheritance for the youth of today and for future generations.
Specifically, these are the projects you will be supporting:
Short-term goals (within the first 6 months)
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Renovating and expanding the store. Hamzeh needs to revitalize the storefront and renovate the interior, in addition to renewing the licensing and paying outstanding rent. He can double the area inside by expanding into the unit next door, which will make the space suitable for bigger gatherings and cultural events. The place also needs plaster and paint on the walls, a bathroom, and new shelves. Hamzeh plans to make the shelves movable so he can display books outside, move the shelves whenever he hosts an event in the store, and easily take the books on the road for his book fairs.
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(Illustration for the exterior shelves by Jonah Coe-Scharff.)
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Establishing a literary and cultural salon. For decades, al-Maa Bookstore has been a place of gathering for all lovers of books—rich and poor, foreign and local. Once the store has received its much-needed renovations, Hamzeh will be able to resume hosting evenings of discussion, literature, and music. The bookstore will once again be a sanctuary of peace and mingling of cultures on the busy, loud streets of downtown Amman.
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Books in the community. Al-Maa Bookstore can create jobs and bring books to the wider community at the same time. Hamzeh plans to hire low-income residents of Amman who are having trouble seeking jobs to bring books across the city by bicycle or donkey, with a particular emphasis on children's books.
Medium-term goals (within the first 12 months)
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Book fairs in schools. In recent years, Al-Maa Bookstore has already run seven successful book fairs in different cities and universities across Jordan, including in the local schools for boys and girls run by UNRWA (the agency for Palestinian refugees in Jordan). Hamzeh intends to expand this program to bring the book fair to many more primary and secondary schools in underprivileged areas, with an emphasis on education for girls.
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(Hamzeh's book fair at the German Jordanian University in May 2016.)
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Book fairs in prisons. Hamzeh also intends to launch book fairs in prisons, believing that inmates should have the right to borrow and exchange books like anybody else. Through this program, Hamzeh will also invite and teach inmates to write about their experiences, and he plans to publish an anthology of their original work.
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Book fairs in refugee camps. Hamzeh has a deep concern for the welfare of the refugees who have flowed into Jordan—whether Palestinian, Iraqi, or Syrian—and has employed them in al-Maa Bookstore when business is good. He plans to work with organizations supporting refugees, in order to transfer his book fair model to refugee camps.
Long-term Goals
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Radio show. Hamzeh's idea is to interview both readers and writers, anybody with a gift for poetry, and especially elders from different tribes and rural areas. He sees recording and broadcasting these interviews as a powerful way to preserve folk traditions and dialects of Jordan—and also to make the culture of reading accessible to people who are blind through audio recordings.
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A museum for rare Arabic books. Hamzeh, together with his brothers, is the custodian of al-Jahith's Treasury, an archive that was founded by his father Mamduh, and rapidly became one of the great private collections of rare books and manuscripts in the region. The treasures of the collection are not for sale, but Hamzeh wants to make them accessible to the public by transforming the inside of the bookstore into a museum for rare Arabic books. It will also be a laboratory where he can teach young people the art of restoring and digitizing old books.
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(Hamzeh holding up one of the rare Arabic manuscripts owned by the family.)
Other Ways to Help
If you have any other ideas for how to help Hamzeh's campaign, please send us an email at mahall.almaa@gmail.com, and cc: Hussein <me@alazaat.com> and Alan <alanelbaum@gmail.com>.
Possibilities include:
- Matching donations up to a certain value;
- Donating a perk;
- Connecting us to an NGO;
- Connecting us to a foundation, or recommending a grant to apply for;
- Design work for the campaign and for al-Maa in general;
- Pro bono business consulting for al-Maa to rework its business plan;
- Writing a press release, or advertising this campaign any other way;
- The ways to help are limitless! All suggestions are welcome.
Reliability
Alongside Hamzeh's passion and vision, he brings 17 years of experience in the book trade. He has been running al-Maa Bookstore in its current location since 2000.
Hamzeh already laid the groundwork for most of these projects prior to his major health and economic setback last summer. He has conducted 7 book fairs and workshops in recent years, both in Amman and in the surrounding towns. Through these initiatives he closely cooperated with the local municipalities and ministries, whose support and funding will make these programs sustainable going forward.
Although the economic climate in Jordan remains challenging, Hamzeh's health has improved, and with your support he will be able to build on these initiatives and guarantee that al-Maa's legacy will continue for future generations.
Hussein Alazaat, a native of Jordan and a graduate of the London Art College, brings nearly a decade of experience in the field of design in Amman. Most significantly, he cofounded the Wajha Project in 2012, a charitable social initiative which helps small business owners revitalize their branding. With Hussein's years of experience working with traditional shop owners such as Hamzeh, he is contributing the practical skills to help Hamzeh turn his vision into a reality.
Links
Wikipedia on al-Jahith's Treasury
Hussein Alazaat on what Hamzeh's bookstore means to him
A Jordan Bookseller’s 24-Hour ‘Emergency Room for the Mind’
