Aitanite

Aitanite/ Aitaneet is a village in Lebanon, in the West Beqaa region.

Aitanit counted 880 residents (estimation). In the last municipal Lebanese elections of 2004, its accounted 3263 resgitered voters of which 1784 actual voters. However, if the total number of Aitanite citizens who have emigrated were to be added, then the figure would be nearer to around 20,000. Aitanite is a popular summer destination for many Lebanese living abroad whose families originated from this area. Many former Aitaneet families/residents are predominantly concentrated in Cleveland, Michigan, Ottawa, and the Montreal metro area. Usually, most people return in the summer to visit friends and family members. Currently, many of the townspeople are elderly or children since many reside in the capital region, Beirut, or elsewhere for job/business opportunities.

Aitanit has 2 churches serving the village, 1 for the Maronite and the other is Melkite Catholic. The entire village is predominantly Catholic, but is surrounded by the neighboring Muslim town of Machghara, and Christian villages of Bab Mara'a, Saghbine, and Ain Zebde. Aitanit has 1 school taught by the nuns of the village. Aitanit is located in the southern region of Lebanon, particularly the Beqaa Valley. Aitanit is also located about 1070 meters above sea level and is currently on the edge of a mountain. Below the mountain and the village is Lake Quaroun (Litani river). In addition, the villages overlooks the village Qaraoun, which is just across the lake. The whole region around the village are farmlands and pastures filled with grape, olive trees, and many other fruit plants. Aitanit is about (45 km) 45 minutes from Zahlé (Capital of the Bekaa valley region) and about an hour and thirty minutes from Beirut. In the winter, Aitanit experiences cool, wet, snowy conditions (about 10/50 degrees in the day and about 1/33 or 1/34 degrees in the night) but in the summer, it experiences hot dry conditions (30/86 to 37/99 in the day and about 20/68 to 28/82 in the night). Each year, Aitanit holds a festival called Eid Al Sayde. At the festival, you can experience food cooked by the women of the town, fireworks and loud debke music. Debke is a Traditional Lebanese dance.

CLIMATE

References

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Coordinates: 33°34′N 35°40′E / 33.567°N 35.667°E / 33.567; 35.667

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/a/b/o/David-J-Abood/BOOK-0001/0000-0001.html

http://assadaboudfoundation.org/index.html

http://www.genealogy.com/genealogy/users/m/a/n/Jomana-F-Mansour/index.html