tonight is incredibly special for us because For the First time we'll be celebrating Muslim Heritage Month in the city of Patterson and we wanted it to happen here at the Islamic Center of Pake County but before we proceed I wanted to start on a somber note Patterson theate County the state of New Jersey the United States of America has lost a legendary law enforcement leader I called him America sheriff with affection and he was a cherished friend so at this time I believe it's only appropriate to have a moment of silence for the late lamented bake County Sheriff Richard Henry bernick thank you and may He rest in peace at this time I want to call forward under Sheriff narasha to say a few words this evening under Sheriff Salam alaykum everybody ladies and gentlemen good evening it's an honor to be here on behalf of a great man that we lost today Sheriff bernick was his first stop was at this ICPC Imam katani had the first meeting with him after he was appointed to that position he was a truly truly great man supported everybody in the community not just Muslims African-American Jewish Spanish white he was the sheriff for the people who's dedicated for his job and he stood behind his word and I want to thank you very much I'm here on his behalf let's not forget a great man and his family let's pray for them and overcome we have to stay strong together thank you thank you under Sheriff we also have with us our public safety director who was at one point a sheriff here in pade County as well would' like to reflect on his relationship with this evening's Honore so ladies and gentlemen our public safety director here in the city of Patterson Jerry thank you you know when I think of you shake and when I came in today a lot of people probably don't know the history between us when I first became the sheriff in 2002 and I ran through 2001 after I became the sheriff I had a had come to so many different events here at the mosque and I used to come here Faithfully on Fridays at the prayer and that shake would let me talk katanani is just one of the most incredible individuals there is his heart is so big and open but you know what there was a time when he needed support and I went down in uniform and I sat at the federal court at the Immigration Court in Nork and testified on his behalf and all the good he did here sure that they knew who he was and the friend he was to the community not just the Muslim Community but the entire community and how giving and how much of an incredible human being he is so I am so honored to be able to say a few words and you know Shay I will always stand shoulder toh shoulder with you and with anybody from the community God bless thank thank you very much Patterson is a better City why because we have the largest Muslim population in the state of New Jersey we also have the largest Palestinian population in the state of New Jersey and assembly woman if you want to go percentage wise we have the largest Palestinian population in the United States of America our next speaker has made history by becoming the First Palestinian American to ever be appointed to a mayor's cabinet and serve as a department head and I can tell you quite frankly he has distinguished himself very well and that everyone irrespective of your race or your faith your faith or your ethnicity can be proud of him as a matter of fact the resolution that was sponsored by councilman aliz and co-sponsor by fared goodin and councilman shaheim khik declaring this Muslim Heritage Month in Patterson was written by this young man the resolution calling on our Congressman to support a ceasefire was written by this young man that was sponsored by the same Council council person alab de aiz you can applaud for that so I want to let you know he is the first but he's not the last palestin who will ever serve in a mayor's Administration but I think we picked the best for first here in the city of Patterson please put your hands together for Aman [Applause] AB so I want to just take a brief moment before I start to recognize some members of the council that are here we have a councilman uh who didn't please that up we have councilman here we have councilman alaz support take a look good look at these gentlemen uh these gentlemen um are very strong supporters of our community and of the Islamic Center we also have people here from various boards uh Deputy Mayors so thank you all for being here so uh when the mayor asked me to speak uh I told him no because I'm very shy right right okay don't lie in the mjid brother and so after he asked me about five times again I said yes but not because uh I didn't know what to say but because it had so much to say about our beloved man and so I just want to start off with a small story and I think this sort of symbolizes what he means to us what he means to this community so a long time ago long long time ago and I'm not that old and he's not that old Imam katanani came to me and he said there's a family a Muslim family without any means they have five children the state of New Jersey came yesterday into their house and took away their five children they need your help and I said to him uh thank you m katani but no thanks he says no no no you you're going to help these people and I I said I can't I'm busy I have a thriving practice I'm doing trial work I'm consumed I have a large family myself uh I have to be a husband I have to be a father I can he says no you can and you will I said okay well let me think about it and he said but before you make your final decision of taking this case I want you to know this is going to be pro bono too and I thought about it and I thought about it and I thought about it and I took the case I responded to the calling it was a hard case lasted about 6 months went to trial various Witnesses these kids that were taken away from their Muslim parents were then separated each one went to a different house and not only were they separated in different houses but they went to non-muslim houses and so you know when you talk about what's in the best interest of the children this was the last thing for it alhamdulillah and I can't take credit for this after a very very arduous practice a hard trial uh emotions high and low we won and the kids went back to their parents yeah and when you talk about keys to the city right you talk about things that they unlocked and Imam katanani in that situation unlocked a few things he unlocked potential in me that I didn't really know existed he locked access to justice for this family and he also unlocked the chains that were holding these kids from going back to their parents so thank you M katanani for [Applause] that and that's probably the first time you ever heard that story because Imam katanani is the type of person that doesn't like to brag is very lowkey is very humble and so you know you need people like me who are very shy to tell these sorts of stories but obviously you know Imam katan's worth to this community to this city to this County to this state goes beyond that when this County this city this state this nation needed Interfaith dialogue Imam katanani unlocked that door when this city this County this state this country needed love and understanding of Muslims IM katani unlocked that door and when this country needed to come together and understand each other and love each other and get along with each other IM katanani unlocked that door and he did it as an Imam and he did it through our beloved Masjid and this mid stands as a symbol for open doors those Interfaith meetings happened here those Interfaith dialogues happen here those connections with other Muslim communities with Christian communities Jewish communities Hindu communities all happened here and I would be remiss to Discount the leadership of this mid the past leadership and the current leadership and I'd like to give them a current Round of Applause please so I want to conclude I can say many many more things about our beloved man but IM man when you get the key to the city you're getting the key to our most precious resource our people and we trust you with that and we hope and we pray and we know that you will continue to open up the doors of humanity the doors of love and the doors of understanding for all of us here and the doors of the mid so that one day we may hopefully unlock the doors of Heaven thank you thank you for that very poignant poetic speech just want to make one thing abundantly clear that K cannot open any doors up at City Hall so if you're thinking of coming I have the key it's a different one but we have a beloved sister with not a big deal we change the locks you'll change the locks I know I'm sure thank you we have beloved sister here with us today she's an assembly assembly woman who's always in solidarity with the community in fact she made history first Muslim to serve in the state legislature so from the 37th legislative district sham mider came all the way from B County for asalam alikum it's always a pleasure for me to come to patteron which by by the way I come frequently to buy my halal meat to buy my groceries everything but for many reasons and one of them is May sa is probably my most favorite mayor in New Jersey and it's wonderful that Pakistan is celebrating Muslim Heritage Month honoring Imam katanani Imam you are the example for everybody else and the story you just told us it was really really a moving story about the five children it should never happened I just want to say I have this opportunity to serve New Jersey I've been lucky I've been now appointed chair of children families and food security please just because I'm from Bergen County doesn't mean I can not work for you please come to me please reach out to me if there's any issues I'm here for you and thank you for this wonderful event thank you it's an honor to have you with us today Chef I know you've always encouraged me ever since I ran for the Board of Education to get involved and you want more Muslims to get elected to office so that they could reflect the population that they represent well history has also been made in the city of Patterson because For the First Time in Patterson we have not one not two but three Muslim councilmen serving on our governing body we have the First Palestinian Americans to get elected to the city council who quite frankly I believe is elevating the Sixth Ward to another level and that is our councilman Al abdulaziz we have Council shahen khik who became the first mangali American to be a council president anywhere in the United States of America and Council K Rudin who was the first Bali to get elected Citywide here in P so ladies and gentlemen I call forward gentlemen who have supported resolutions in support of Palestine in support of Muslim heritage month and in support of improving the quality of life Patterson residents councilman alab elaziz councilman khik and councilman fared Udin please come [Applause] forward Alum so I want to first and foremost thank the mayor in his office for putting this program together and I'm going to speak a little bit on behalf of my colleagues they'll they'll U piig it back when we gather here today to celebrate Muslim heritage month it's a long time coming right the Muslim Community in Patterson makes the city great in our schools in our our businesses and in our neighborhoods I just want to say because the involvement of our community we stand here we stand on the shoulders of our residents and our constituents that elect us but I just want want to understand that we have three Muslims which is a third of the city council that represents the city of Patterson when we're probably 5% of the city population right we work hard and some of the things you know we're here celebrating right man but in City Hall things get tough some people in this room have come to Council meetings where we take for granted the great things that we celebrate as a community I'm going to take for instance I'm going to say this thean prayer the call to prayer to make it public everyone in this room say Mah that's a great thing can I tell you we're in that Council chamber until 1:00 a.m. right 1:00 a.m. just why we want to realize 1 a.m. hundreds of people from our city opposing it hundreds and it passed by a five to four vote in the city of Patterson and I want to thank Council shaheim KH for bringing that up cuz he he had for so we get to celebrate the accomplishments of the Muslim Community and every single day I'm going to speak for counil and counil KH every day we're going to fight for our community we're not perfect but we need your support to continue allowing the the doors that am talked about that the she has started opening up for people like me right we need to continue pushing forward so we have those doors open for the Next Generation so thank you mayor for having this here we originally tend when we have our celebrations we always have it in city hall right we have tomorrow is we're celebrating African-American Heritage Month in City Hall mayor I'm asking that every single year we have this event either here at the ICPC or any local MOS and bring it to our community and last [Applause] sh you congratulations on this honor you're not only a spiritual a religious Mentor advisor to me right you married me right before my daughter was born I called you right straight from the hospital I said she I got to talk to you we I need you know my head's spinning his son was having a baby not too long ago so at the time so you are an asset to our city and the least we can do to recog recogniz your accomplishments and icc's accomplishments right let's give it up the ICPC was just approved to open up the first Recreation Center in the city of Patterson thank you to the shf to president this is a big big win not only for the city of Patterson but in South Patterson the sixth W and that's what the sh in the Islamic count is all about making sure we have opportunities for the residents of the city to thrive and that's what you're about sh the well-being of us and we're here to support you with anything you need and and and congratulations the key does not open up City Hall nor my house I don't know what's going to open up but it's a great accomplishment [Applause] congratulations my dear brothers and sisters and of course the Believers so it is a proud moment for all of us to celebrate very first Muslim Heritage Month here in the city of padan as well as the state of New Jersey the state of New Jersey is home to the largest Muslim population from different countries different nations and the City of palestin carries his [Music] most and one thing I could always say that ICPC and IM katanani he is our role model his relationship not only with the Believers of Islam but he present us to Believers of all different religious Believers living in the city of patter and P count and I am not just coming here in ICC as a councilman but way before I became the council member I used to come here sit down with himani because I used to count him and I still count him as of my father figure my father was an Imam for many many years and I see that relationship with IM karani and my father and I want to tell you a story that that recently happened before before I became the council man I used to come here take his advice he opened the door for me to speak with the people and I'm standing here at the first Muslim councilman large because of your support and I thank you very much I carries that that recently happened I last I came here and said my Juma was December 22nd and I came here to meet you and saying bye to you that I'm meeting my father after 3 years since he is leing overseas the next day 23d I was flying and the same day I lost my mother overseas so please pray for my mother and that's that's my relationship with Imani that every time I I need something advice we need some kind of healing advice I come here sit down with him and I get a lot of support mental support I you say I also would say that when every council meeting regular meeting we have prayers prayer and I always invite to come to the council chamber and pray for our great city of P so this is IM katani we cannot talk much about him but as always I say that he is our he present Us in bigger way at large and they make us proud every moment and by celebrating the Muslim Heritage Marth here today I believe that the experience the B experience that we face in many cases that will be decreased I believe and with that being said with the celebration of this great moment I thank you all for joining us congratulations IM IM [Applause] Dr honorable mayor my Council colleag for the elected official the elders asalam it is an honor for me to be standing in front of you tonight is a great night not for only city of harison Al the state of New Jersey actually the our governor made this month of January the Muslim Heritage Month as well Im katani what can I say about you your faith passion your leadership is followed throughout the world not in the city of pan I believe you are an icon for the Muslim Community I want to congratulate you as you can see we have only three Muslim Council here by city of harison every day is a fight but the end of the day we get things done alhamdulillah because of our community we get this we get things done I once again I want to conate congratulate our great Imam thank you mayor for arring this arranging this beautiful event hopefully in future we'll have a bigger bigger event as well once again thank you thank let if you noted two of these Council people back in 2022 sponsored a resolution renaming Main Street Palestine way and we're hoping that other cities with large Palestinian populations will follow suit based on what our city council has done and made history in the P city of patter let's give them another round [Applause] of that's right that's right by the way Jane khik is not only a counsilman he is a commissioner on the planning board and voted in support of the recreation center for his C and the commissioner Iman hsein please stand he's the man who made the motion to make sure we had a unanimous vote now we're proud of the sixth W we're proud of the fact that you can go to South Patterson and you can get hos and you can get FF you get whatever you want but it couldn't be done without the backbone and those are the leaders in that section that that's our South Patterson Business Association if they can stand please and we just give them a round of applause they're attracting Global Brands to Patterson we got me Mo here now AEL be all these Global brands are coming to Patterson and that section Al we can look at the data is the safest and the strongest section of Patterson well you said that not me but we're here in we're here in the Third Ward and I want to a gentleman who served in the third qus of councilman Bill McCoy for 20 years we president to your credit there councilman we worked many years ago to make sure there was a four-way stop blinking lights cut the trees down and also to make that a one way and the good news is we're building on that success with our new president and the board because in addition to the recreation center and the collaboration with the city and ICPC we're vacating the street here on wall Aven that the city council will be voting on on second reading to make sure that gets done and also all of you should be happy on the list of streets that are going to get repaved is 13th Avenue finally ladies and gentlemen our president ibraim [Applause] I know everybody's hungry so I think we should uh get going uh but on behalf of ICPC I want to thank Andre Amon uh and the rest of the city council um for recognizing what we already know um oh sorry I also forgot from the Moroccan Council was here um I want to thank you guys for recognizing what we already know and that's what what a great man that shanani is uh he has one we were reflecting yesterday myself sh and sister H uh he has a very unique ability to make everybody feel special no matter when you approach him it doesn't matter when you catch him he'll stop he'll look you in the eye he'll talk to you he'll make you feel special no matter what's going on in his life and I think that's one of the great characteristics that he has that we should all try toate so on behalf of ICPC and the board I want to thank you for honoring our share thank Youk surr thank you for joining usog J Casta I also want to say that tonight we partnered with GrubHub you're all familiar with GrubHub and it is a program known as serving our city and it is to rep or it is to support local restaurants and also to address food and security which the Islamic Center P County does and tonight food from this event that was catered by Toros and Hussein byra and Al Russa will be distributed to St Paul's after this program so with us from grub is Brett [Applause] Swanson good evening everyone and thank you to Mayor say thank you to all of our dedicated public servants my name is Brett Swanson I work for GrubHub and I lead Our Community Affairs and social impact work I know everyone wants to get back to the Celebration so I'll be very brief but it is near and de to our heart to make these Community connections and everyone from ICPC has been amazing and just incredibly affable this evening and we're here to support our local independent restaurants but also help in the fight against food and Security in this country over 30% of food goes into a landfill especially when people are serving starving eating food and so what can we do to help our communities and serve so we are so proud to be here with you tonight thank you everyone we're here with over 500 meals which are distributed from two local restaurants and the remainder of the meals will then go to our local shelter so thank you again and we're here to support and let me know whatever you need from us we're here to be helpful thank you so the time has arrived and I want to let everyone know that the highest honor that any mayor anywhere can bestow on a resident is the key to the city and you've heard the testimonials as to how much she katanani is a pillar of our community a man we seek guidance from and also promotes peace and solidarity and so so for his courageous compassionate and conscientious leadership I'm proud to present the key to the city to amend Dr Muhammad [Applause] Z can we have one more time oh wow that's nice is ladies and Gentlemen let's remain standing for the shf please yeah another round of applause please sit down please thank you my mayor for my mayor the great mayor mayor of P City give him our in the name of Allah the most merciful the most gracious we pray to Allah to bless all of you please Le me in this moment to remember my great sherff who we lost him all share so please pray for for his family pray for pray for me because I lost a friend I lost one of the best people who were with us in the community in the hard times Sheriff per he used to come every occasion Muslim or non-muslim to my house bringing some sweet to show solidarity with our community I give my condolences to the whole family and also to the community of tan and B County and to my dear brother nard God bless you give him a yeah for my mayor thank you very much I did not expect this even I did not think about this but I believe this Anna is for for my Masid ICPC which I am honored to be IM for 27 years wa mashah I came with the three children my son Dr Ahmed who is in hackin medical center now as a physician doctor at that time he was years old now I have four grandchildren right yeah this is p which I love this is B County this is New Jersey I today was in nashille and the police officer asked me from where are you I said from New Jersey where are you going to my home in New Jersey yes New Jersey is my home is my home and thanks to God that we have a great leaders like our mayor our Council men and women brother please stand up brother KH brother please stand up and give those lead who this H so I give my gift to you all for your dedication and commitment and Leadership God bless you and continue serve all people regardless of their colors ethnicities and backgrounds you are not there to serve Muslims to serve everyone in the city of Pon God bless you my great brother smia my Sheriff my former Sheriff since day one and by the way before he became sheriff I I met with you and we sat down there in nework and I saw a great Sheriff will be and it is an honor to be with you as a great Sheriff of B County and I Des you deserve the best may Allah bless you and continue please serving our great city of B sister CH thank you very much for your words and you represent the best our sister may Allah bless you thank you very much for your leadership in the county and as the prosecutor of the county of that the C of the of the yes the C of the county may Allah bless you brother a yes amen you reminded me with this story but you are a great lawyer and I thank the city of Pon and our mayor to have you to be the the lawyer of the city it is an honor to have you you are the maning all people regardless of their colors ethnicities B grounds you are the God bless you and continue please my brothers and sisters according to American culture not Arabic culture I have to say my wife thank you wow without you I can't do anything yes this is Islamic culture which is American culture my children may Allah bless you Dr is and brother and am and all of you may Allah bless you I am so proud of you because of you I think I feel always very powerful and strong to continue my serving to my community and to all people regardless of their colors and lities my neighbor my neighbor Mr MCO yes we work together for a long long time you are a great leader of and a great NE and may Allah bless you all so please I our brothers from the Moran ccil are welcome thank you very much for coming for all my brothers and sisters I can't mention everybody but thank you very much for your help for your support I can't do anything without your support and help sister the judge the great judge which who represent us I believe that when I came to the country I believe that we are Americans and we have to work as Americans Muslim Americans and I am proud to be Muslim American and American Muslim to give the best example for the entire world what is the meaning to be American Muslim and to be Muslim to spread the real peace in the entire world I believe that Muslims in America and Arabs in America have the best role to Bridge and to build the bridge among all people and we tried that and I believe that ICBC and Muslim Community in New Jersey did the best example in [Applause] America my mayor you represent all of us and you gave the best example that we are one people your slogan at that time was one people and I believe in the same the same slogan that we are one people as we are now and we want to continue working together serving each other building this country to be a role model for all countes is and working for peace and justice for all my brothers and sisters America has a big role to spread and distribute Justice and peace all over the world especially intine we have to say the truth and we have to say we are asking the leadership of our country to stop this war which is ugly war and to have seas fire now and I believe that peace is easier than Waging War yeah yeah peace is very easy and it needs work it needs good people but we have to work together this war is against all people especially our interest As Americans it doesn't benefit America and we as Americans we say please stop this war and work for peace and the All rights of Palestinians in Palestine insh for Our Generations to come please represent these these principles these values the values of love love your neighbor work with your neighbor don't look to his color don't look to his faith don't look to his to his race or his gender all people are you your brothers and sisters love them and work for [Applause] them my sons and daughters from here we started in 1997 some of the activities of the Interfaith and open the doors for the the leaders of New Jersey and others I remember the first day when we have our friend John B to visit the Masid in 1997 it was very hard even to receive him why did you bring FBI agent to the Masid we said has this Masid has to be open for everybody we don't have anything to hiire we are here for building the neighborhood and The Sisterhood and the Brotherhood and the the country on on trust if I live here I have to receive or I have to achieve the trust of all my neighbors if I don't receive the trust of my neighbors I am not a True Believer so we started that journey and I have many brothers of you who were working day and night with the by the way I work with all governors since sister the first was wi then the second then the third then the fourth and all of them thanks to God they visited ICBC all of them attended our annual after that the annual became In The House of the governors and after that that annual became in Washington in the white White House and it started here in ictc it started here we have in ICC and and I believe that I met my mayor the great mayor when he was running on the 21st Street as a board education uh member since then and I saw a great man and a great asset for all people and I tell God that he is our mayor now our mayor with his family with his children represent all of us may my mayor thank you very much for your trust for your your uh work and for your uh an i i I say you deserve this honor you deserve the the the anything that we can do for you to continue the Journey of serving our pans to to stay as one Pon and one people God bless [Applause] you ladies and gentlemen keep the city your dram I know you're hungry you're going to eat now I want to also thank commissioner Muhammad rash from the patteron Board of Education thank you and commissioner Joelle B Ramirez we have some Deputy Mayors with us Deputy Mayor F Hussein Deputy Mayor Maria Del Ras Deputy Mayor Joseph bore Deputy Mayor Ryan o I want to thank my team director de Bravo director daos our office manager Audrey cartright director of constituent Services habier Fernandez and the first Muslim chief of staff for anying mayor in the city of Patterson Habib thank you for joining us to we'll see you on March 9th for the cres LI Mustafa Brothers Mone Salah we love you guys to Brothers produce thank [Applause] you [Applause] Janette Janette salentino super volunteer Jan to make sure I take care of my wife I don't I'm going to have a problem so I