2017-06-10 Ramadan

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SPECIAL EDITION - Ramadan - June 10, 2017
Brings us together
British food bank serves supper of food waste during Ramadan
Interfaith leaders, officials and community display unity at mayor's iftar
LONDON — The month of Ramadan is
usually associated with fasting, as Mus-
lims around the world abstain from eating
from dawn to dusk to focus on their spiritual
self-discipline.
This year, a community food bank and
kitchen in London wants to use the holy
month to highlight the issue of both food
shortages and food waste in Britain.
The food bank — Sufra NW London —
hosted an interfaith Iftar meal, inviting Jewish
and Christian faith leaders to join around 100
people from the local community in a three-
course dinner, made entirely from food waste.
"People come to us in absolute crisis," said
Mohammed Sadiq Mamdani, founder and di-
rector of Sufra. "For many people it's the last
resort when they come to Sufra, we want to
transform that into a new journey, a new op-
portunity."
The number of people using Britain's food
banks, which provide emergency food sup-
plies to poor families in need, rose in 2016
amid government austerity cuts.
Last year Sufra supported more than 3,700
people, sourcing unused but edible food from
large supermarkets as well as local bakers and
through personal donations.
According to the U.N. Food and Agricul-
ture Organization (FAO), food waste includes
any item spoiled or squandered along the sup-
ply chain before it is consumed, ranging from
browning bananas to misshaped vegetables or
perishable baked goods.
Behind the food bank, facing a social
housing estate, is an "edible garden", a recent-
ly cleared fly-tipping site that now boasts a
chicken coop, greenhouse, teepee tent where
children take horticulture classes and rows
of vegetables and herbs, including mint —
which features in the evening's pea and mint
soup starter.
Sufra runs with the help of 96 volunteers,
and a handful weave between children and
grandmothers serving chocolate meringue
roulade made with ingredients from Thorn-
tons Chocolatier and fresh fruit donated by
Marks & Spencer for dessert.
"It's fun," said 17-year-old Fatima Khawa-
ja, who is responsible for plating and serving
food to guests. "You get to know people from
the community, it's just really nice." g
g By Hassan Khalifeh
The Arab American News
DEARBORN — Elected officials, candi-
dates, community members and organization
and religious leaders of different faiths broke
bread together at an iftar dinner hosted by
Mayor Jack O'Reilly at Byblos Banquet Hall
on Wednesday, June 7.
The dinner's standing-room-only atten-
dance was a testament to solidarity amid the
trying times facing immigrant and minority
communities, especially after the mayor re-
vived the iftar dinner after a four-year hiatus.
The AANews Publisher Osama Siblani,
who emceed the dinner, said the event's re-
sumption comes at a time when well-funded
and organized Islamophobic networks and
policies threaten the community.
"That is why it is extremely important that
we come together in Dearborn," he said. "To
give an example of tolerance, diversity and
understanding that produces harmony and
success— especially after the Trump admin-
istration abruptly cancelled a 20-year tradi-
tion of holding an Iftar for Ramadan at the
State Department and the White House."
Siblani asked the audience and others
worldwide to marvel at the gathering's rarity
and recognize the true image of Dearborn —
not what is regularly falsely perpetuated by
the mainstream media.
Siblani urged the community's organiza-
tions and government leadership to ensure
its greatest assets and work force reflects
the diversity of its constituents, especially
to young talents who often choose to work
in other states because of high car insurance
rates.
He suggested that the city collaborate with
Ford Motor Company, AAA and Detroit,
among others, to seek a solution with the leg-
islators in Lansing.
"Dearborn is going through a rebirth and
the Ford mega investment is leading the way
to brighter and better future," he said. "We
as a community shouldn't be left out of this
incredible venture."
As he took to the stage, O’Reilly agreed
with Siblani on the need to curb high auto in-
surance rates, but said that the issue affects
neighboring cities like Detroit, which the
system considers as one and the same in de-
termining the profile of risk.
O'Reilly echoed the Dearborn commu-
nity's ability to unify amid charged rhetoric
against immigrants and Muslims – starting
with the perfect example of the iftar dinner
he hosted that evening.
He shared a story from earlier that day,
when a group from students from Germany
spoke to the mayor about how they overcome
immigration and assimilation challenges.
"One of the differences when I look at the
European models and I look at us, is that ev-
erybody that comes to Dearborn is invited to
be part of everything that goes on in Dear-
born," he told the students.
"No one is isolated," he said. "No one goes
to places where they become separate from
the whole community."
He added that the root of extremism comes
from the feeling of being unwelcome.
The secret to eliminating the barriers?
The mayor invited others around the world to
look at the figures sitting at the same tables
that night, and to look upon the communi-
ty's religious leaders of all faiths who, "pray
together and work together for a common
cause" while celebrating and recognizing
each other as important parts of their com-
munities.
"They're some of the greatest assets we
have in our community – because they get
it," he said.
Judge Gene Hunt of the 19th District Court
commended the mayor for hosting the dinner
and said he attended the event to be among
friends and to support a righteous cause.
"It's important that the mayor show unity
amongst everybody in the city," he told The
AANews. "We're all friends; we're all Dear-
bornites and we should watch each other's
backs, eat together, play together – there's
nothing that should separate us."
Former Democratic State Rep. George
Darany praised the diversity and multi-
faith presence at the dinner. He also
praised the mayor for putting on the gath-
ering, while many attack the city for
appearing Islamicized.
"We have to be the change agent," Dara-
ny told The AANews. "It's our job as elected
officials and community leaders to make ev-
erybody outside of Dearborn aware of what
great of a community we have."
Police Chief Ron Haddad said he attended
the iftar because it showcases the unity and
goodwill in the community, as well as pro-
viding an opportunity to "pause and reflect on
what's good about human beings." g
Iftar participants Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly Publisher Osama Siblani
The committee members who
organized the iftar are:
1- Mark Guido,
Mayor's chief of staff
2. Beverly Hurley,
mayor's assistant
3- Businessman Chaker Aoun
4- Hala Hamdan, city employee
5- Ibrahim Dabaja,
mayor's assistant
6. Businessman Kamal Turfah
7. Businessman Kayed Bazzi
8. Attorney Rola Aoun
9. Attorney Hassan Kayed Bazzi