United Muslim Foundation
  November 2008/Dhul Hajj 1429
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In This Issue
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Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
CAIR Banquet Update
Empty Bowls Update
National Muslim Calendar
Holiday Gift Wrapping
Gift Wrapping Party
Holiday Party for the Homeless
MALV Fundraising Event
MANA Conference
Muslim Youth Camp
Fun Family Festival
Muslim Family Day a Huge Success
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Interfaith Thanksgiving Service





UMF members attended an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Wednesday, November 26th at Emmanuel United Church.

The service began with calls to prayer from each faith. Passages from the Qur'an, the Torah, and the New Testament were read and a representative of each faith spoke a bit of how thanksgiving is expressed in his/her faith.  UMF Director, Mohammed Kermalli, also addressed the congregation.

Other speakers included Mr. Rizwan Butt (Islamic Center of the Lehigh Valley), Prof. Chava Weissler (Professor of Jewish Civilization at Lehigh University), Rev. Christine Nelson (Executive Director of the Lehigh County Conference of Churches), and Dr. M. Bruce Irwin (Pastor of Emmanuel United Church of Christ).

The service was a great way for people of different faiths to meet one another and express their unity.
CAIR Banquet
  Cair Banquet


United Muslim Foundation members joined CAIR-FL at their Fundraising Banquet held on November 1st at the Convention Center in Orlando. 

UMF volunteers spent most of the day there, helping with decorating the hall, registering and ushering attendees, collecting donations, and cleaning-up after the event.
Empty Bowls Update

UMF volunteers put their artistic skills to work making beautiful works of art that will be sold to benefit the hungry.

Bowls
Bowls

National Muslim Calendar
www.muslim-calendar.com

This site has been created as a source for information on Muslim events taking place throughout the United States.

Adding, searching for, and publicizing events is easy!  The website also allows you to create a personal calendar and receive reminders for events in your city.
 
Salaam Alaikum/Peace be with you,

Thanksgiving is here,  ushering into our lives the beautiful Holiday Season. Fun family get-togethers and caring and sharing with friends. Cozy hours spent with people close to your heart making new memories and reminiscing about the past. 

And with it, the blessed month of Dhul-Hijjah is also upon us as pilgrims begin to pour into the holy of Mecca ready to fulfill their religious obligation to perform Hajj.

In the festive spirit of the holidays, we urge you to remember to check up on your neighbors and those who are sick. Take a trip to the homeless shelter and consider donating blankets and sweaters that aren't being put to good use. Check with the administrators of your local mosque or school to see if there are people you know who are facing a hard time due to financial crisis and offer to lend a hand and become their secret angel. And consider giving your time at one of our many holiday events with your friends like gift-wrapping for Kids House of Seminole County and Habitat for Humanity to help cheer up the less fortunate.

UMF is also taking up a collection of non-perishable foods like canned food, rice, lentils etc. to distribute to the local needy for Eid. I am sure that as you enjoy your Thanksgiving Feast, you will find it in your heart to donate to help those who are struggling to bring a meal to their table and maybe facing foreclosure of their homes because they have lost their jobs.

For those who give in Charity, men and women, and loan to God a Beautiful Loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward (Holy Quran, 57:18)

Happy Holidays, Eid Mubarak, and a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Masuma Virji, Executive Director
Holiday Gift Wrapping

Habitat for Humanity will be wrapping gifts both Seminole Towne Center and Altamonte Springs Mall and could use your help!  Volunteers are needed from Friday, Nov. 28 until Christmas Eve at both locations.

Interested in helping out?  Contact us or visit our Facebook event page to sign up, or call us at 407-233-6046.  See you there!
Gift Wrapping Party

Kids House will be holding its annual gift wrapping party on Tuesday, December 2nd from 6:30-8:30 pm.  They will have almost 300 gifts to wrap for their upcoming holiday party and would love to have your help!  Snacks and drinks will be provided as well as plenty of holiday cheer. 

Contact Zainab Somji at 407-233-6046 if you're interested in attending or email her at [email protected]
Holiday Party for the Homeless
 


UMF will be hosting a Holiday Party for the homeless children at the 6th St. Shelter in Allentown, PA, on Saturday, December 13th.  The party will be from 2pm to 3:30pm, where UMF volunteers will help make this holiday season a memorable one for the children by spending time with them in making crafts and playing games.  All UMF members are encouraged to participate.  For more information or to volunteer, please contact Nausheen at [email protected].
 
MALV Fundraising Event
 
Malv Fundraising Event Flier





























The Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley is holding a fundraising event on Sunday, November 30, from 12-5 PM to kick-start phase two of their expansion project.
 
Held at the Holiday Inn close to I-78 and Route 100, the event will feature Imam Zaid Shakir (Zaytuna Institute CA) as guest speaker, followed by a comedy program with Azher Usman.  Those donating over $50K will have the opportunity to dedicate/name areas of the school for their loved ones.
 
For more information, or to purchase a ticket, please contact [email protected].
"Forging an American Muslim Agenda"

MANA's 2nd Annual Conference will be held Thanksgiving weekend, Friday, November 28 to Sunday, November 30, 2008 and will return to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia. This year's theme is "Forging an American Muslim Agenda."

The conference will repeat the main session and workshop format of the first conference and will again include a banquet; with several additions-including progress reports on resolutions presented at "The State of the Blackamerican Muslim Community" conference in November, an exhibit hall to accomodate many more vendors as well as art, photo and cultural exhibits.

For info call 859-296-0206 or visit: www.mana-net.org 
Young Muslim Youth Camp



The camp will be held from January 1-3 at Wekiva Springs State Park in Apopka, FL.  Capacity is limited to 120 students; boys and girls will stay in separate cabins in groups of ten with one adult mentor.  Cost for the camp is $100.00 per student, including a two night stay, food and refreshment, prizes, gifts and certificates. Transportation may be available at selected cities at extra cost.

The camp is open for youths aged 8 - 18 years; parents are also allowed to join their children in the camping experience.  Activities will include Arts And Crafts, Outdoor Living, Canoeing, Rope Courses, Leadership Development, Nature/Environmental Studies, Islamic Educational & Recreational Activities, Fishing, Cycling, Photography, Team Field Sports, and more!
 
Registration for camp is on a first come first serve basis. There is limited space from each city of Florida, so don't wait!  Register online at www.icnafl.com, or call (904) 365-1935.  The deadline is December 20, 2008.
Fun Family Festival

FFF

On February 21, a Fun Family Festival will be held in Daytona Beach from 10 AM to 4 PM.  The celebration will feature a dessert contest, hot food, arts and crafts, carnival rides and games, camel and pony rides, a petting zoo, a rock climbing wall, and more!

For more information or if you would like to be a vendor at the event, please email [email protected]
Muslim Family Day a Huge Success!

Held on October 12 at Fun Spot Orlando, Muslim Family Day drew crowds totaling over 2,000 people from all over the state of Florida and beyond!  The event featured games, rides, and a number stalls selling everything from food and drink to clothing and books.  Attendees flooded the park, filling the air with sounds of laughter and chatter as Eid nasheeds played on in the background.

At Zuhr and Asr times, the entire park was stopped for a few minutes as the Azan played over the speakers.  People gathered in one of the halls for salaat before returning to the day's festivities.  Everyone seemed to really enjoy spending the day with their Muslim brothers and sisters from all over the state. 
Smiles abounded as children and adults alike took advantage of all the wonderful rides and delicious foods that were available.  A generous amount money was also raised through the event to allow UMF to continue its work in promoting unity, education, and charity.

Alhamdullilah, the day thus turned out to be a great success in all areas!  As one person put it, "The location was good, the food was good, the salah area was good, there were plenty of staff on hand and it was fun to pretend to be a NASCAR wannabee!!"  It seems as though UMF, as another attendee mentioned, now also stands for "Unforgettable Muslim Festival" :-)

Click here to view a slideshow of pictures from the event!











Click here to see more pictures of the event!
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