Pictured above: David Fawal ’86, Joe Fawal ’73, Abe Fawal ’54, and Alex Fawal ’16.

Natural teacher, lifelong learner, masterful storyteller, and loving father – BSC alum and retired professor Ibrahim “Abe” Salem Fawal ’54 fulfilled many roles in his 87 years.

Born to Salem Mansour Fawal and Fareedeh Fawal on July 29, 1933, in Ramallah, Palestine, Fawal immigrated to the United States in 1951, where he graduated from BSC with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre in 1954. After BSC, Fawal went on to earn his Master of Arts in Film at UCLA before working as first assistant director on the classic film, “Lawrence of Arabia.”

After marrying in Ramallah in 1961, Fawal and his wife, Rose Rahib, settled in Birmingham, where they raised four children: Salem, Gina ’86, Freeda ’89, and Rima ’90.

“Dad was always teaching us – enriching our vocabulary, perfecting our grammar, explaining history and world affairs, encouraging us to think critically and creatively, introducing us to new ideas, and most importantly, teaching us by his own example the importance of diligence and resilience in pursuit of a goal,” says Freeda Fawal-Farah ’89.

Back in Birmingham, Fawal continued his work in the film industry. After becoming a U.S. citizen in 1967, he spent the 1970s establishing the first Alabama-based film studio, Interlock Film Studio. Through Interlock, Fawal produced a variety of award-winning documentaries and eventually co-founded the Birmingham International Education Film Festival, where he served as chair.

Even while he was away, BSC remained a major influence for Fawal.

“Dad was the first in our family to attend BSC, paving the way for nearly a dozen more family members. He valued the college’s academic rigor and liberal arts environment, and he took pride in having such a fine institution in Birmingham,” says Gina Fawal Jaber ’86.

His youngest daughter, Rima Fawal Hartman ’90, adds, “Dad enjoyed remaining connected to BSC long after he graduated, not just by sending us there, but also by joining the faculty to teach literature, writing, and film, and by being a founder, chair, and 26-year advisory board member of BSC’s Writing Today Conference. Dad felt a strong bond of loyalty to BSC throughout his life.”

Salem Fawal says, “Dad was intellectually curious and never stopped learning new things. He surrounded himself with books, many of which he later donated to the BSC library.”

In 1998, after decades of dedication and toil, Fawal’s journey as a storyteller and advocate for the Palestinian people culminated in the publication of his first novel, “On the Hills of God,” a work of historical fiction set in 1948 Palestine, as three lifelong friends (one Muslim, one Jewish, and one Christian) seek to defy religions labels and politics and stay bound to one another in friendship. Described by his children as “Dad’s loving tribute to his homeland and his proudest professional achievement,” “On the Hills of God” won the prestigious PEN Oakland Award for Excellence in Literature. Its sequel, “The Disinherited,” describes the experiences of the Palestinians after their diaspora.

At the age of 63, Fawal enrolled at the University of Oxford, where he earned his doctorate examining Arab culture through the lens of the Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine. He compiled his research into a book, “Youssef Chahine,” which was published by the British Film Institute in 2001.

On August 11, 2020, Abe Fawal passed away in his home, surrounded by family. A member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, he is remembered as an intellectual leader and a charming and humorous man who added a spark of creativity to everything he touched. His legacy of pursuing peace and justice lives on in the hearts of his friends and family, and his influence on BSC and beyond has made him an everlasting pillar in the history of the College.

This story was published in the Fall/Winter 2020 issue of ’Southern, BSC’s alumni magazine.

If you have ideas for our next issue of ’Southern, please email [email protected]. We always welcome stories about outstanding people from the BSC community.