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A Letter from Jacob Bender About His Colleagues

Photo by Natalie Pedigo on Unsplash
There can be no doubt that Islam, viewed as a systematic and religiously-based physiological guide for human behavior, frowns upon extravagant displays of arrogance on the micro-level (“The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: No one who has the weight of a seed of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise…” Sahih Muslim), as it eschews extremism on the macro level (“Oh People of the Book, don’t go to the extreme in your religion…” [Qur’an, An-Nisa’ 4: 171]). It is best, therefore, to praise others than to heap acclaim and acclamation upon oneself. It is in this spirit (especially prescribed during Ramadan) that I take this opportunity to write about my two colleagues: Dr. Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu and Timothy N. Welbeck, Esq., respectively, CAIR-Philadelphia’s Education and Outreach Director, and our Civil Rights Attorney...

Heal Thyself, Heal The World

Now is not the time for silence or lethargy, but of activism and commitment. Let CAIR be your voice, from the public arena to the courthouse, from the pulpit to the halls of power. So please help CAIR help you. This Ramadan, give generously to CAIR-Philadelphia; your donations are tax-deductible and zakah-eligible. You will be making an investment in the future of the Philadelphia Muslim community and the healing of our nation.

After Gaza

I spent Monday glued to the BBC, Reuters, Aljazeera, and Haaretz broadcasts from Gaza. By Tuesday morning we knew that 58 Palestinian demonstrators had been killed by Israeli troops, while a staggering 2,700 had been wounded, including one infant who died from tear gas inhalation.

Muslim Capitol Day 2018

In the midst of a steep increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes and the bullying of Muslim students in Pennsylvania and across the country, Muslims from around the state will be coming to Harrisburg for the Third Annual Muslim Capitol Day on April 17, 2018. This will be a crucial opportunity to make our voices heard in defense of civil liberties, religious pluralism, and democracy, and to roll back the Islamophobic virus infecting our country.

Making a Difference in the Community

CAIR-Philadelphia Joins HIAS and NSM to present Anti-Bullying Workshop CAIR-Philadelphia presented its anti-bullying workshop to parents and community members in Philadelphia’s Gilbert Spruance School on February 23, 2018. The presentation was part of an event titled “Love your Neighbor,” convened…

Important Community Events and Updates

Dr. Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, Education and Outreach Director at CAIR-Philadelphia and CAIR-PA Advisory Board Members were invited to join the “Equity and Inclusion Committee” at Pennsylvania Department of Education. Tekelioglu and Noor participated in a committee meeting in Harrisburg on February 8th at which Tekelioglu presented CAIR-Philadelphia’s “Anti-Bullying Workshop.” The Committee’s members include representatives from multiple NGOs and agencies that work to ensure a safe and welcoming educational environment in the State’s schools.

A Less than Perfect Union: Trump’s State of the Union address does not negate the Islamophobia he inspires

Civil Rights Update by Timothy Welbeck, Esq.
Yesterday evening, President Trump addressed the 115th Congress on the State of the Union. Some, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and others, have described the address as a departure from President Trump’s polarizing, tumultuous, and chaotic first year in office. Notwithstanding, as Greg Sargent writing for The Washington Post noted, “The real core of the speech was his effort to rhetorically recast the key elements of that approach as unifying and conciliatory, without moving past them at all.” Thus, while President Trump’s State of the Union address did not feature the sort of flagrant Islamophobic remarks he has made in the past, his rhetoric, past and present, has emboldened many who share his distorted worldview.

CAIR Presents Muslim Youth Leadership Program in Philadelphia

CAIR-Philadelphia’s first multi-day Muslim Youth Leadership Program (MYLP) was a great success. Hosted by the Muslim Youth Center of Philadelphia (MYCP) between December 27-29, more than 25 young Muslims aged 9-18 participated in this intensive MYLP experience.