Mosque Opens Doors To Break Down Walls

With sock-feet and solemn faces, a group of more than a dozen community leaders faced a crowd of 50 men seated cross-legged on the floor listening intently to the halting, haunting rhythms of the Koran sung over a microphone. But the mood in Astorias Dar Adaawa Islamic Center quickly shifted after the reading as jokes were translated back and forth in Arabic and English, and smiles and laughter broke out across the mosques sanctuary.
"Were trying to break the ice," said Fouad Bennani, an immigrant from Morocco and one of the organizers of the mosques first open house on Thursday, November 4. "This is our first step toward knowing our community leaders and representatives."
The event was planned so that attendees of the mosque could get to know their neighbors, and more importantly, so their neighbors could get to know them.
"They have no idea what we feel, what we think," said Bennani, "But were also a part of this society, and were trying to make America a better place."
The mosque invited representatives from Community Board 1, the New Americans Democratic Organization, the fire and police departments, the New York Human Rights Commission, the Queens General Assembly and the Greek Orthodox Church next door. All spoke briefly to the congregation of 50 mosque attendees about services they could access and how to protect their civil rights.
Several of the events organizers said that since September 11, 2001, they had felt an urgent need to open up their doors to the community. "After September 11, our community has been so isolated, not by our own choice," said Bennani.
Mustafa Elshiekh, a businessman from Jamaica sitting next to Bennani at a table filled with Mediterranean food catered for the event, agreed. "Theres so many voices speaking negatively about us," said Elshiekh. "We dont want anybody else to speak for usso were going to open our hearts and minds."
George Hassan, a representative of New Yorks Greek Orthodox archbishop, was encouraged by the mosques attempts to reach out to the surrounding community. "We hope well have future relationships," he said. "Theyre our neighbors, just one door down."
sarah@queenscourier.com.