Dear friends, Salam alaykum

CAIR-Philadelphia’s annual banquet is the largest gathering of our community members and leaders from across Pennsylvania and Delaware. It is where we raise much needed funds for CAIR-Philadelphia’s annual operations but it is also a gathering of souls, a place where friends see one another after months. This year, our banquet will take place on Saturday, February 22nd, right before our beloved Ramadan starts. This year brings several changes to our banquet: our three amazing speakers will engage in a fire-side chat and field questions from the audience, we will present a cinematic video featuring our work, and feature a new and exciting menu for dinner, among others. But importantly, we will experience a change in location as well.

We are moving to a Muslim-owned facility, Eden Gardens by Amana Complex, that houses a mosque and a large banquet hall with ample parking. Why a change after over 13 years at our previous location? Simply put, our former location was aggressively targeted by right-wing Islamophobic pressure and bullying tactics and they let us know they can no longer host our banquet. 

But we will not yield to the pressure and intimidation. We know we are targeted because CAIR-Philadelphia is an impactful organization standing against Islamophobia and defending our community. This past year, from university campuses to the courtroom, from the streets to the halls of Harrisburg, we showcased our impact. In our 20th year, we are celebrating this fact with our theme. Unstoppable: 20 years of Defending, Empowering, and Thriving. Will you stand with CAIR-Philadelphia that has stood by our communities for over 20 years?

Eden Gardens by Amana Complex is located across the bridge in South Jersey. Just 10 minutes from Philadelphia, easily accessible by I-95. We appreciate our New Jersey colleagues from CAIR who understood the safety that being at a Muslim-owned facility brings. We appreciate our leaders who already told us, “Once on the road, another few minutes of drive does not matter.”

We are excited to celebrate and fundraise with our community. Join our 18th Annual Fundraising Banquet on Saturday, February 22. With a stellar lineup of speakers, the usual warmth, the efficient program, and excellent food, we cannot wait to host you. If you own a business or would like to promote your business, please consider sponsoring our banquet, to support CAIR-Philadelphia’s legal, youth, interfaith, and civic engagement programs.

Reserve Your Ticket or Sponsorship Today!

We look forward to seeing you, inshaAllah. We will not be deterred; we will keep fighting for our communities!

Sally Selim,
CAIR-Philadelphia Banquet Chair