NJ Muslim Coronavirus News Round-Up

By Alaa Essafi

With Eid swiftly approaching, it’s important to adjust our ways of celebration to mark the ending of the blessed month of Ramadan. Thus, we have compiled a news roundup highlighting the beautiful efforts of several NJ Muslim organizations, community centers, mosques, and individuals who have taken initiative to alleviate the suffering that the current COVID-19 pandemic has caused.

So, if you haven’t been keeping up with the news or been completely avoiding it because you don’t want your spirits dragged down, keep reading!

Gov. Murphy shoutout to PACC

  1. Gov. Phil Murphy gave a much deserved shoutout to the Palestinian American Community Center for their remarkable efforts. They distributed thousands of meals, cleaning supplies, and protective gear. Check out the full article here.

Smile for Charity Featured in NY Times & NorthJersey.com

  1. Smile for Charity is packing necessary food bags with basic supplies like pasta and rice to be delivered to the doors of the needy. The orginization formed a coalition with FaithNYC, the Muslim Network, and the Islamic Center for Passaic in order to meet high demands. They are delivering 500 meals a week. Check out the NorthJersey.com article here. Check out the NY Times article here. 

Jersey Muslim Women Making Thousands of Masks to Donate

  1. Lori Issa, Amal Issa, and Haifa Issa are producing cloth face coverings from their own homes with their personal sewing machines.  The trio has donated thousands of face coverings to John F. Kennedy hospital in Edison, New Jersey and throughout the community. Gov. Phil Murphy shouted them out for their efforts on his twitter page. 

Jersey Muslim Doctors on the Front Lines Featured in HuffPost

  1. Huffpost features several Muslim Americans on the frontlines of the fight againist COVID-19. Ammar Bazerbashi, owner of Medical Art Center in New Jersey, is providing free COVID-19 tests to community members who can’t access them elsewhere. 

  In New York City, nearly 10% of doctors are Muslims. Check out the full article here. 

Despite, the fervent year-round anti-Muslim campaigns claiming that Muslims would like nothing more than to convert all of America to “their ways”, it is blaringly obvious that Muslim Americans are on the frontlines as well, heroically serving our communities as doctors, nurses, volunteers, community organizers, and politicians. 

“it is blaringly obvious that Muslim Americans are on the frontlines as well, heroically serving our communities as doctors, nurses, volunteers, community organizers, and politicians. ”

If anything, coronavirus relief efforts by our communities and organizations further display our religious duties to do good, help those in need, and uplift one another in times of hardship regardless of differing backgrounds. This is a”happy” news reel showing that we are here to stay and we are constantly contributing to our communities’ wellbeing.

Photo for this article by: Hira Shakir from ISCJ

The Muslim Network