Dr. Nahida Halaby Gordon, who served for years on ACSWP and the Israel/Palestine Mission Network, dies at 84

The scholar and activist ‘broke a lot of glass ceilings and did a lot to live her faith and commitments’

by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service

Dr. Nahida Halaby Gordon

LOUISVILLE — Dr. Nahida Halaby Gordon, 84, of Wooster, Ohio, died on June 21, according to her obituary.

She was born in 1939 in Jerusalem, the daughter of Assad Saba Halaby and Foutounie Halaby (née Atalla). She was preceded in death by sons Timothy, Paul and Mark.

She grew up in Jaffa, Palestine, where she attended primary school until the 1948 Nakba (Catastrophe). She and her family fled to Beirut with almost no belongings; the family property and businesses in Palestine were all stolen.

In 1950, she and her family moved to the United States, and in 1961 she earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in physics from the University of Cincinnati. She went on to attend the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she obtained a master’s degree in mathematics, followed by a Ph.D in statistics at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

She was a Professor Emerita at Case Western Reserve University after working there for more than 30 years, holding positions at the School of Medicine and at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.

She and her husband, Donald, met while students at the University of Cincinnati, during a lecture Nahida was giving on Palestine, which Donald attended. They were married in 1961 and throughout their 63 years of marriage, mutual respect was the cornerstone of their relationship. Every evening, they would sit together and talk about anything and everything. Nahida and Donald shared a love of classical music, and dedication to their faith and church community. Most important to them was raising their three children, Mark, Jean & John. Nahida faced many challenges in life but met each of them with persistence, grace and humility.

“As a Christian scholar and a woman, she broke a lot of glass ceilings and did a lot to live her faith and commitments,” said Gloria Tuma of Portland, Oregon, who served with Nahid on the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy. “She was a quiet presence with a clear, strong voice when she did speak. She listened carefully and was clear in her ability to respond cogently on difficult subjects. She was very thoughtful.”

According to her obituary, Nahida embodied sumud (steadfastness) for Palestine, and was a lifelong advocate for the liberation of her people. She dedicated much of her life to advocacy within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), where she played an integral role in passing a Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions resolution.

She was co-founder of the publishing company Palestine Books and served on numerous boards including Friends of Sabeel North America, the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace, the Israel/Palestine Mission Network (read IPMN’s remembrance here) the Samia A. Halaby Foundation, and Embrace the Children of Palestine. She served as Senior Fulbright Scholar at Birzeit University, Palestine, and was a founding member of the Interfaith Committee for Peace in the Middle East.

She edited the 2016 book “Palestine is Our Home: Voices of Loss, Courage, and Steadfastness.” In addition, she has authored or co-authored more than 100 publications in the field of biostatistics. She was also published widely on the topic of Palestine. At the time of her death, she was working on a book chronicling the life and trials of her father Assad Halaby, particularly during the trials of the 1948 Nakba, and his efforts to recover what was stolen from him and his family.

She is remembered as a beloved sister, wife, mother, and teta (grandmother). For more than 50 years, Nahida was an integral member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wooster, Ohio. She never shied away from a challenging puzzle, a good book, or an intricate tatreez (traditional Palestinian embroidery). She and her husband traveled widely within the U.S. and overseas to Europe, the Arab world, Mexico, and other places. Most of all, Nahida enjoyed time with her family. She took pride in each of their individual intellect, kindness, compassion and commitment to humanitarian rights worldwide.

Nahida is survived by her husband Donald T. Gordon and children Jean E. Gordon and John C. T. (Carrie) Gordon; grandchildren Madison A., Mark C., Samuel C., and Laila H. She is also survived by her brother Sami Halaby and sister Samia Halaby.

A service celebrating her life was held on July 6 at Westminster Presbyterian Church.