Summary of Recent Activities:

• Letters To The Editor

• ADCNJ Announces Award Recipients:

  1. Sherine El-Abd  ADCNJ's 2005 Achievement Award. Congratulations! View Announcement  Letter
  2. Princeton Middle East Society in appreciation of their tireless efforts to educate the American Public about the Middle East, American foreign policy  and Arab culture. View Announcement Letter.

   

• ADCNJ mourns the senseless killing of a Jersey City family . See AP story

• NJ MUSLIMS MEET WITH FBI

• Arab Journalists visit NJ October 7, 2004

• ADCNJ responds to Star Ledger's editorial on Palestinian Prisoners

• ADCNJ critical of offensive game in Wildwood.  See AP story . See call for rally and statement. ADC calls for a protest rally against 'wack the Iraq" game. Read official letter from ADC

  Update: Rally is off; we whacked 'wack the Iraq" game!

•   Update; The Tribune publishes our reply letters.  

  The NJ Home News Tribune published a very racist and bigoted letter denouncing Muslims and Arabs and accusing them of treason and anti-American conspiracies. ADCNJ contacted the paper Read  letter.  and expressed its utter displeasure with  the paper for allowing hate speech on their pages. We were invited to submit a reply, Read ADCNJ letter.   Read the  bigoted letter and take action now.  To read more about the Jewish writer, click here

• ADCNJ critical of offensive game in Wildwood

  ADCNJ issued a press release critical of a game being played at Morey's Piers in Wildwood.  See press release. See AP story

• Senator Jon Corzine Appoints ADCNJ members to Task Force

• Meeting with State Department on Palestine/Israel issues

• ADC NJ To serve on newspaper's Board.

  President Aref accepted the appointment to the Daily Record's Community Advisory Board, comprised of leaders of the various communities in Morris and Sussex counties to engage the paper's editors and writers on alternative views on issues covered by the paper. This is the first time a member of our community is asked to serve on this vital link between the local media and our community. Regular meetings will entail interviews with government officials, article submissions, commentary on covered topics and  a real-life experience of how today's stories become tomorrow's headlines.

   

• ACLU and ADC NJ Press Release on FBI Interviews:

  Newark, NJ—The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) and the New Jersey Chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC-NJ) are critical of the government’s plans to undertake yet another round of interviews within Muslims and Arab Communities, and are working with volunteer attorneys to provide free legal representation to anyone who is approached by the FBI during its latest round of “dragnet” interviews of Arabs and Muslims.

• Action Alert:  Thank you, Herald News:

  Recently, we shared with you an excellent expose' in The Herald News on the work and life of our own, Sami Merhi.

  Positive stories about our emerging community are most desired because they lessen the harm caused by deliberate attempts at degrading our culture, history and customs. We do hope you agree with our sentiments. If so, please take  a moment to send a thank-you

• Update on Hassan Waqar case:

ADCNJ has endorsed Congressman rush Holt's legislation to allow the family of  Hassan Waqar to stay in the US.

• State's Muslims condemn terrorism

• ADCNJ  participates in a Roundtable Seminar organized by the NJ Division on Civil Rights . See ADCNJ  letter. See picture of attendees

• ADC NJ responds to Editorial about " Church and State. The Jersey Journal ran an editorial on July 6, criticizing Union City council for holding a council meeting at the Islamic Education Center of North Hudson in Union City. The paper found the choice of an Islamic mosque a violation of the principle of separation between Church and State. ADCNJ called and wrote to the paper and they  published our letter.  We also initiated an Take Action  which generated several letters from members and supporters. Additionally ADCNJ joined officials fro the mosque in a meting with the Editor of the paper, Mr. .Torres and held a very positive discussion with him and other staff members about the overall state of affairs for Arab and Muslims in NJ. We availed ourselves to be a credible source of information about the community and recommended topics fro their paper to investigate in the future.

• ADCNJ Announces Essay Contest Winners:

   JFK High School winner is Rania Hamad. She is one of two winners to receive a check for $500.00 each.  See letter to schools. See criteria

• ADCNJ participates in World Refugees Events in Newark NJ.

• ADCNJ participates in the Annual Convention, June 9-13: The NJ Chapter shined at the National Convention. Our success stories were recounted time and again.

  The Chapter donated close to $130,000 to the National organization.

  While there were many underlying themes, the one most memorable was the compelling argument that while the Arabs comprise  just about 1% of America, they nonetheless are 100% American. The other theme was the emphasis on the Arabness of Arab Americans as the true unifying foundation for a brighter future.  This annual pilgrimage is a tribute to the emergence of ADC as the preeminent organization and  the collective embodiment of the  future of the Arab American community.

• Paterson voted for the Civil liberties Protection Act Urge Paterson to protect our civil rights! See AP Story  See Bergen Record article. Read Lead Star Ledger article- NJ section Read  ADCNJ Closing Statement

• ADC NJ to Participate in Introduction of Civil Liberties Restoration Act  See ADC statement

• ADCNJ calls for the establishment of a NJ Arab Heritage Commission

• "Taking charge of Their future: NJ Arab Americans try to Enroll New voters' .See flyer

• ADCNJ participates in forum: "Meet Your Government Officials: This Saturday, FDU, Teaneck, NJ @ 2 pm

• ADC NJ Meets with Congressman Scott Garret

• ADCNJ to Hold Essay Contest and Award Scholarships

• ADCNJ Demands Inquiry into Discrimination Case

• ADCNJ Writes to Assemblyman Johnson

• ADC NJ Writes to Fort Lee School

• ADCNJ Holds Annual Banquet . See pictures  . Article

• ADCNJ Participates  in Routable Discussion on Immigrants.

• ADC-NJ co-sponsors RightsNight   Go 
• ADCNJ Presents Civil Rights Resolution. See letter

• ADCNJ Meets with West Paterson Mayor

• ADCNJ  to introduce resolutions opposing the Patriot Act and Affirming Civil Rights of All Americans.

• ADCNJ denounces bigoted remarks by Cong. Peter King (R-NY)

• The war abroad and the War at Home:

• ADCNJ meets with Congressman Menendez (D-NJ). See letter

• Highlights 2003:

• ADCNJ Participated in Menorah Lighting

• ADC NJ Donates Toys

• Arab Americans Meet NJ Senator Corzine . See Thank You letter

• ADCNJ Speaks at the Puffin Foundation's Middle East Peace Quilt . See ad

• Ramadan Interfaith Iftar 

• ADC NJ participates in A Public Forum: Assault on Civil Liberties.  

• Rallying in the rain for Hasan’s family

• ADCNJ Participates in a Candlelight  Vigil For a 9-11 Victim 

• Great Food and Fellowship: ADCNJ Picnic. THANK YOU

• ADCNJ work  recognized

• ADCNJ issues a press release on the Rutgers pro-Palestine conference

• ADCNJ Board Meetings: Now Open To Members

• ADCNJ Writes to Home Deport about a NJ Discrimination case.

• ADCNJ writes to NJ Transit: .  Read ADC NJ letter.   Read NJ Transit Response.

• Congressional Meetings in Washington, DC

• ADCNJ to meet with Senator Corzine, June 12, 2003 in DC

• ADCNJ Urges Congressman Pascrell to Help Our Community

• ADCNJ Participates in Teach-In at Rutgers University

• ADCNJ Town Hall Meeting

• An Arab American Lesson in Paterson

• ADCNJ meets with Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen,

• ADCNJ Helps Injured Palestinian Teen

• ADC speaks at James Caldwell High School, in West Caldwell, New Jersey ________________________

• 2002: Highlights

• ADCNJ hosts Diana Buttu, legal advisor to PLO.

• ADC NJ participates in Joint Arab-Jewish Peace Project. 

• ADCNJ talks at Butler High School

• Peacekeeping Forum Gives New Meaning to "ICBM"

• Campaign against racist ad in the Rutgers Targum.

• ADCNJ Saves a Child's Life

• "Justice vs. Israel", ADCNJ  Lecture 

• ADC New Jersey Meets with Amr Mousa, Arab League

• ADC participates in UN Conference on Palestine

• ADC NJ meets with Assistant Attorney General   

• ADC NJ helps with Newsday's in-depth story of 9-11

•  impact on Arabs and Muslims in NJ

• ADCNJ: A New Meaning For ICBM

• ADC NJ meets with Editors of the Star Ledger  regarding balanced reporting

• ADC NJ appears on  the Today Show on NBC-TV

• ADC NJ lobbies against biased Resolutions in New Jersey.

• ADC NJ holds annual Picnic

• ADC NJ meets with Congressman Robert Menendez  

• ADC NJ meets with Senator Corzine

• ADC NJ participates in 9-11 Remembrances