| Greetings!
"When Muslim journalist S. Hussain Zaidi toured the USA recently, he was stunned by what he saw: Shiite and Sunni Muslims, whose conflicts have fueled the war in Iraq and tension in the Middle East and beyond, were praying together in U.S. mosques... 'America gives people the unique opportunity to leave cultural, historical baggage behind,' CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper says. 'We can serve as a model to the world of an Islam that is clear, calm, articulate, forthright and civil.'"
In this holy month of Ramadhan, the month of fasting and drawing closer to God, let us put aside our differences and rejoice in our brotherhood of faith. Let us use the strength we gain in unity and continue working together to actively try and build bridges of understanding with those of other faiths and within our own faith, to replace ignorance with love and harmony.
Also, please remember in your supplications and duas, especially during the upcoming night of Laylatul Qadr ("Night of Power"), all of the less fortunate throughout the world and those who are needy and deserving of the little help and assistance that we try to provide.
United Muslim Foundation dedicates this month of reflection and renewal to you and countless others who work tirelessly, each in your own way, to bring peace, justice and compassion into the world. |
| UMF Allentown Book Sale |
UMF Allentown has initiated its 1st Islamic book sale during the month of Ramadhan.
Books may be ordered via e-mail or telephone: 610-762-2538. There will also be tables set up in the MALV Center as well as in the ladies side of the Al-Ahad Islamic Center.
Do not miss out on this opportunity to share the gift and meaning of Islam with the younger generation. These books can make great Eid gifts and we will wrap your order for only an extra dollar!
By buying these books you will be educating children about Islam in a fun way as well as supporting the United Muslim Foundation as we strive to promote unity, education and humanity.
Here is a list of the titles of the books and their prices:
* A to Z of Akhlaq, $4.00
* Basic Duas for Children, $4.00
* Ramadhan and Eid-ul-Fitr, $7.00
For more information on this project, or to purchase a book, please contact Sr. Shelina Kermalli. |
| Humanitarian Day |
Islamic Relief & ILM Foundation are initiating the 1st annual Humanitarian Day event in Philadelphia, PA. The purpose of this event is to serve and provide 1,000 homeless individuals with food, clothing, medical aid, and social services. UMF is a co-sponsor for this event.
DATE: September 30th, 2007.
TIME: 1:00pm to 5:00pm, but volunteers are asked to arrive by 12:00pm (however, you may volunteer for a certain amount of time instead of staying for the entire event).
VENUE: The event will take place at the First Unitarian Church located at 2125 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.
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| Eid Gift Program |
Building on past success, Child Aid International is embarking on its 3rd annual Eid Gift Program to bring happiness to orphan children in Iraq on the joyous day of Eid.
THE GOAL: To give Eid gifts to 1000 orphan children on Eid day.
THE COST: $10 per gift. Each gift is comprised of two sets of new clothing and one pair of shoes.
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| Sharing Ramadhan Iftar |
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The Al-Ahad Islamic Center in Allentown, in conjunction with UMF Allentown, is participating in CAIR Pennsylvania's "Sharing Ramadan Iftar Event", during which the center will be open for the public to come and participate in the "Iftar" breaking of the fast with their Muslim neighbors.
Please invite your friends and colleagues to attend this event and to take advantage of this opportunity to share in and experience an Iftar dinner. |
| Community Eid Picnic |
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Come and join us for a day of fun and unity. Please see the flyer below. Entrance fee is only $4 per vehicle!
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| Bowls for the Hungry |
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On October 25th, UMF volunteers will be making bowls to give the hungry, and we're calling our friends and neighbors to join us in the fight against hunger.
Join us at the Art Studios of Lake Mary as they proudly present their Annual 2nd Harvest Food Banks "Empty Bowls" Event.
WHAT: Clay Workshops to make ceramic bowls for the hungry
WHERE: The Art Studio of Lake Mary, 241 N. County Club Road
WHEN: Thursday 10/25 from 6-8pm
WHO: First 30 volunteers to sign up - 3rd graders and older - Perfect volunteer opportunity for children, adults and families!
COST: FREE - Art Studio of Lake Mary will donate the materials and you donate your time to make a difference, and have fun while you're at it :)
To sign up, please e-mail your name and age to: masuma@unitedmuslimfoundation.org.
Spaces are filling up fast, so don't delay! Please remember, when you sign up for any event, you are filling up a volunteer need and are expected to show up or find another volunteer to fill your spot. Take this opportunity to bond with the kids while, at the same time, helping to do something good for the homeless! |
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| Interfaith Iftar (Allentown) |
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On September 16th, 2007, UMF members attended the annual Interfaith "Iftar" Dinner celebrating the breaking of the Ramadan fast. The event was hosted by the Lehigh Dialogue Center, and invited members from different communities and religions to come together and share the meal.
The event featured speeches by Muslim, Christian, and Jewish speakers and concluded with the recitation of the "adhan" - call to prayer - and the Iftar dinner. |
| Intrafaith Iftar (Orlando) |
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UMF's first intra-faith iftar held on September 22nd was a huge success, with attendance by over 300 people from masjids all over Orlando, Masha'Allah. Muslims prayed and shared a delicious iftar together in a spirit of unity and brotherhood.
UMF plans to keep up the tradition insha-Allah, and looks forward to working with different mosques in the area that would like to host the iftar in the future. This will give Muslims to a chance to visit the numerous mosques around Orlando in turn, and meet with all their brothers and sisters in faith.
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| Project Downtown Orlando |
The Project Downtown Orlando group will be holding one last event during the month of Ramadhan. The event will be held on Saturday, September 29th from 7:30am to 10:00am at Masjid Al-Haq. The aim of the group is to assist the homeless and needy in the downtown Orlando area.
If you have empty soda cans or clothes you're willing to donate, please bring them to the event. |
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| Collections for the Needy |
| UMF is collecting clothes, shoes, and toys for the needy in new or gently used condition; please no broken toys or missing pieces.
This is a supply drive for the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, that UMF is working with in conjunction with Sisters of Bilal Muslim Mission of America and HIC Youth Girls.
Collections will be accepted at the Eid Picnic as well as at the HIC, IEC, JIC, and Jamia Masjid in Orlando through the month of Ramadhan.
Donations can be passed to the following UMF volunteers:
- Mevish Jaffer (HIC)
- Naushad Virji (HIC)
- Masuma Virji (HIC) - Shahab Sehgal (Jamia Masjid)
- Kumail Merchant (IEC)
- Fatema Kermalli (IEC)
- Ruby Merchant (JIC)
Also, UMF Orlando has started a collection for new or gently used baby girls clothes. Please pass along your generous donations to Sister Fatim Manekia of HIC. |
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| Orlando Youth Activities |
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* To Teach Is To Touch the Future: This is a project where students visit the Coalition to tutor children every second Saturday of the month from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
* Adopt A Grandparent: This is a project where students visit the terminally ill elderly in their homes to talk to them in languages other than English and help them with small chores.
For more information on the above programs please email Sister Yasmeen at
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| Salvation Army Soup Kitchen |
UMF volunteers will once again be serving the needy with a hot cooked meal at the Salvation Army in Allentown, PA. The soup kitchen event will take place, Insha'Allah, on Sunday, October 28th.
This will be the 3rd year that UMF is collaborating with the Salvation Army to bring joy to the less fortunate. |
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| BMMA Meal Sponsorship |
| BMMA is sponsoring a meal for the Women's Residential Counseling Center (WRCC), and we need a few volunteers to come out and help us serve the meal. This will take place on Friday the 28th of September.
Dinner is served at 6pm but we have been asked us to arrive at 5:45pm. Limited spots are available for this opportunity so please get in touch with us as soon as possible if you are interested in helping out. Carpooling will be available and will be arranged once the volunteers are all confirmed.
Because the WRCC is located downtown, we are aiming to leave Lake Mary at 4:45pm on Friday so that we are not late. Please call 407-687-3682 if you are interested in participating.
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| UMF is Hiring! |
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For the first time ever, UMF is proud to advertise for our first paid position. We are looking for a part time Operations Co-ordinator. Applicant must be a Florida Permanent Resident, living in the Orlando area with a minimum of a Bachelors degree. Applicant must also be fluent in English, be able to drive, and have access to the internet. This position will require working most weekends.
For more details, drop us a line at (407) 804-1504. We look forward to hearing from you! |
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