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Anti-boycott laws are a dystopian nightmare

Anti-boycott laws are a dystopian nightmare

The right to boycott was once enshrined by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1982, but the recent passing of anti-BDS laws in several U.S. states shows how fragile basic civil rights have become.

A Mondoweiss Exclusive Article

Published October 4th, 2022 | By Hamzah Khan

Few things have as much bipartisan support in the U.S. as unconditional support for Israel. Ironically, while criticisms of the U.S. government are protected by the First Amendment, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have made it nearly impossible to criticize Israel without facing tangible consequences like public smearing, and even financial loss. Across the U.S., 34 states — from “blue” states like California and New York to “red” states like Texas and South Carolina — have passed some form of legislation that makes it illegal for the state to contract with businesses and individuals who participate in Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS), a grassroots movement founded by Palestinian civil society that seeks to pressure Israel to abide by international law.

Boycotting now carries a price

Under the various iterations of anti-boycott laws across the U.S., individuals and businesses that do partake in the BDS movement risk financial retaliation, like Unilever did in New Jersey, or public smear campaigns and accusations of antisemitism. Proponents of the anti-boycott law claim that it combats antisemitism, but most of the laws explicitly target the BDS movement, which condemns antisemitism. These anti-BDS laws have been wielded to disastrous effect, with state governments targeting individuals and companies alike who seek to exercise their right to boycott an apartheid state. By punishing boycotts of Israel, U.S. legislators encroach on Americans’ First Amendment rights.

Many of the state anti-BDS laws require anyone contracting with the state or any federal employees to sign a non-boycott pledge. Just weeks ago, in June, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an anti-BDS law in Arkansas, the first and most senior court to do so thus far.

A local newspaper, The Arkansas Times, was required to sign a pledge not to boycott Israel in order to run ads with the University of Arkansas, a state-funded public university. The newspaper refused to sign the pledge on grounds that it violated free speech. Initially, The Arkansas Times won their case in the district court. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, however, reversed the decision and upheld the law. If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the Arkansas case or even a similar one in the next few years, there is a high probability that the conservative majority will concur with the conservative Eighth Circuit’s opinion and uphold these laws, permanently crippling free speech in this country.

In Georgia, just a few states east of Arkansas, journalist Abby Martin was required to sign a non-boycott pledge in order to speak at a public university, which she refused. And in Arizona, Dr. Hatem Bazian and the American Muslims for Palestine, a grassroots advocacy group dedicated to educating the American public on Palestine, were required to sign a non-boycott pledge in order to hold an event at Arizona State University. The Council on American Islamic Relations filed separate lawsuits on behalf of both plaintiffs. In both cases, the courts struck down the anti-BDS laws on free speech grounds.

In Kansas and Texas, individuals contracting with public schools were also required to sign the pledge.

One Kansas woman, Esther Koontz, sued Kansas Commissioner of Education Randall Watson after she was required to sign a pledge to not participate in boycotts of Israel. The state refused to contract with her when she did not sign the pledge.

In Texas, victims of Hurricane Harvey were required to sign the anti-BDS pledge in order to receive aid from the government. Phil King, the Republican lawmaker who sponsored the bill, later apologized for the way the law was implemented, calling it a “misunderstanding.” But just about a year later, Bahia Amawi, a child language pathologist, lost her job after nine years of employment when she refused to sign a new contract that included an addendum that would prohibit her from boycotting Israel.

Both Kansas and Texas later amended their laws: in Kansas, the anti-boycott certification requirement no longer applies to individuals or sole proprietors — now only applying to companies if they conduct more than $100,000 worth of business with the state.

However, companies that conduct more than said amount of business with the state are required to sign a certification stating that they are “not engaged in a boycott of goods or services from Israel that constitute an integral part of business conducted or sought to be conducted with the state.” Similarly in Texas, the anti-boycott law now excludes companies with nine or fewer full-time employees and contracts under $100,000. Both CAIR and its Houston chapter sued the state of Texas last year to expand the definition of a “company” to “between a governmental entity and a company with 10 or more full-time employees, and has a value of $100,000 or more that is to be paid wholly or partly from public funds of the governmental entity.” The state has appealed the temporary injunction granted, and it is now up to the Fifth Circuit this November.

Many states have also passed laws that pose financial burdens on organizations that allegedly boycott Israel through the creation of blacklists, pension fund divestments, and prohibition of business contracts. Most of the laws target companies that states deem to be engaged in a boycott of Israel, regardless of whether they actually are. In Illinois, the state created blacklists of companies, not only for boycotting Israel on political grounds, but for even refusing to do business with Israel for commercial reasons. Many of the companies on the list were perplexed as to why they could no longer contract with the state as they held no political positions against Israel.

In New Jersey and New York, both states divested state pension funds from Ben & Jerry’s parent company, Unilever, after the ice cream maker announced that it would no longer operate in illegal Israeli settlements. Interestingly, this action was considered a boycott of Israel despite the fact that Ben & Jerry’s continued to operate in the rest of the country.

In Houston, the Council on American Islamic Relations sued the city and Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, on behalf of A&R Engineering, a firm that frequently contracted with the city but refused to sign the anti-BDS pledge. The suit was successful, and they won an injunction against the city to waive the requirement. The fact that this clear political act was punished by so many states shows that the government can use the full force of the state to stifle political dissent and find applause within both parties. The majority of anti-BDS laws prohibit states from investing in companies that boycott Israel, significantly hindering the ability of activists to pressure companies to support human rights.

The fact that so many U.S. states have decided to fall on the side of apartheid is a dystopian foreshadowing of the ease with which fundamental rights can be taken away.

While most of the anti-BDS laws have been struck down in court when challenged, the latest ruling from the Eighth Circuit may represent a disturbing shift towards stricter government enforcement against movements that support Palestinian rights. Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton recently introduced an anti-BDS law in Congress that would make it easier for states to implement stricter anti-BDS laws.

Seeing that anti-BDS laws have broad bipartisan support, the likelihood of this bill becoming law is very high.

The right to boycott was protected by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware Co in 1982, in which the court upheld the right of the NAACP to boycott primarily white institutions that segregated between whites and people of color.

Boycotts have long been instrumental to political movements from the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. to the anti-apartheid boycotts of South Africa. The fact that so many U.S. states have decided to fall on the side of apartheid is a dystopian foreshadowing of the ease with which fundamental rights can be taken away.

US Hindu nationalist groups: What could this mean for Muslims and minorities?

US Hindu nationalist groups: What could this mean for Muslims and minorities?

A The New Arab Exclusive Article.

Published September 27th, 2022 | By Dina Sayedahmed and Hamzah Khan

As millions of Muslims in India face the threat of genocide under Modi’s government, Dina Sayedahmed and Hamzah Khan warn about the dangerous impact of affiliated Hindu nationalist groups on minorities in New Jersey, US.

With pockets of Middlesex County in New Jersey dubbed “Little India,” the area has long boasted of a thriving Indian American population. As a whole, New Jersey is home to at least 10% of US migrants from India, according to a study by Migration Policy. Middlesex County, specifically, is among the top four counties where immigrants from India have resettled, second only to Santa Clara County in California.

Not only has the Indian American diaspora brought forth a rich diversity to the region’s cultural and business centres, but schools in the area also rank in the top percentages in the state of New Jersey. Real estate networks sell Edison as a town with a booming economy, progressing from being a manufacturing city to one that offers technological and innovation-based business ventures.

More recently, however, the area’s politics and cultural hubs have been overtaken by Hindutva groups — a political ideology that refers to the predominant form of Hindu nationalism in India. This has deepened a rift between Middlesex County’s Indian American diaspora, and yielded a less optimistic future, from cultural and heritage celebrations in the area to local elections.

 ”Hindu nationalist groups hosted then-Republican nominee Donald Trump in Edison for a charity event in the weeks before the 2016 election. At the event, he praised India for helping fight terrorism, a phrase that has become code for institutionalising Islamophobia through crackdowns on Muslims.”

Following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election in 2014, Hindutva has steadily risen to prominence in India. His ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stokes hatred of Muslims and other minority groups in India through its policies and rhetoric.

One of the BJP’s former social media heads, Arun Yadav, had likened one of Islam’s holiest sites, the Kaabah in Makkah, to an ice cube in a glass of whiskey. Another former BJP leader, Nupur Sharma, who was a spokesperson for the party, made anti-Islamic remarks on a televised debate that triggered demonstrations across the globe. Though both BJP leaders were consequently suspended, the comments themselves are a window into the prevailing culture within the BJP, which has traveled to and infiltrated some pockets of the Indian American diaspora through groups like the Hindu American Political Action Committee (HAPAC), the Overseas Friends of the BJP (OSFBJP), the Indian Businesses Association in NJ (IBA), and the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS).

One group in particular, the IBA, has been especially active in New Jersey’s Middlesex County. During the India Independence Day parade, an annual event organised in the area – which is normally a celebration of Indian culture and heritage – the IBA decided to include a bulldozer decorated with images of known Hindu nationalists and BJP leaders, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. What may seem like an awkward but otherwise unproblematic place for a construction vehicle, bulldozers carry different implications in the context of India.

Over the past few months especially, bulldozers have become a vehicle of injustice in India and a symbol of anti-Muslim animus. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, specifically, is infamous for ruthlessly implementing “bulldozer justice,” a term coined by Amnesty International that refers to India’s unlawful demolitions of minority groups’ homes. His supporters refer to him as “Baba Bulldozer.”

In the wake of the parade, and after mounting pressure from advocacy groups including CAIR-NJ, both NJ senators, Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, condemned the IBA’s actions. However, Edison council member Ajay Patil — who is also a Vice President of the IBA — dismissed the anti-Muslim animus behind the use of the bulldozer.

While the inclusion of a bulldozer at the India Independence Day parade sounded alarms across the state, the infiltration of Hindutva into local NJ communities long predates this event. The OFBJP and HSS have a history of operating in New Jersey and funding Hindutva groups in India. A report by the South Asia Citizen Web detailed the financial information and expenditures of 24 Hindu nationalist-affiliated groups. The report found that seven Sangh-affiliated charitable groups spent nearly $160 million on their programming, which includes sending funds to Hindu nationalist groups in India.

Just weeks ago, the New Jersey chapter of Param Shakti Peeth of America, a charitable non-profit, organised a fundraiser at a Ridgewood church featuring Hindu nationalist ideologue Sadhvi Rithambara. The church reverend, Robert Miller, cancelled the event just days in advance after learning of Rithambara’s background. Last year, New Jersey legislators went as far as honoring the World Hindu Council/Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHP), a group that has continually tried to downplay its links to Hindu nationalists in India despite organising — and then cancelling after facing pressure — a series of events hosting known Hindu nationalists.

In 2020, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office opened an investigation into Indian IT firm, Nityo Infotech, following a recruiter’s email specifying to not recruit Muslims. Local school board races have also seen Hindutva influence: Two Hindu-American locals and a New Jersey board of education member, Nitang Patel, signed onto anti-Muslim flyers that were later distributed to Gujarati households in Piscataway, a suburb of Middlesex County, in the lead up to the town’s 2019 Democratic primary. A School Ethics Commission later found that Patel should be censured for violating multiple provisions of the School Ethics Act.

In another instance, Audrey Trushcke, a professor of South Asian history at Rutgers University in New Jersey, came under fire for pointing out that Hindutva groups in NJ were inspired by fascists and Nazis.

Hindu nationalist groups also hosted then-Republican nominee Donald Trump in Edison for a charity event in the weeks before the 2016 election. At the event, he praised India for helping fight terrorism, a phrase that has become code for institutionalising Islamophobia through crackdowns on Muslims. The Pennsylvania chapter of the VHP hosted a “Modi Victory Celebration Dinner” in 2014, a sharp contrast to its claims of being a benign group with no political leanings.

“We must prepare to either kill or be killed,” Hindu nationalist and religious leader Swami Prabodhananda Giri said last year at a conference in New Delhi, prompting an investigation by India’s Supreme Court — a court that is predominantly occupied by Hindu judges. Muslims and other minority groups in India have faced existential threats since Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi consolidated power with his reelection in 2014, and Genocide Watch has warned of an impending genocide of Muslims in India.

At its core the Hindutva movement, which has been broiling since the colonial partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, is both a Hindu nationalist as well as an anti-Muslim movement that goes largely unchallenged by democracies around the world. In the US, elected officials wine and dine with Hindutva-affiliated groups like the Hindu American Political Action Committee (HPAC), and in New Jersey, specifically, elected officials like Frank Pallone march and shake hands with Hindutva-leaning groups like the IBA.

If democracies around the world continue to ignore the rising threats of Hindutva, India’s 204 million Muslims could face ethnic cleansing. As its influence grows among New Jersey’s Indian diaspora, communities that once boasted of success risk creating a hostile environment and an increase in anti-Muslim attacks and harassment.

Dina Sayedahmed is the Communications Manager at CAIR-NJ, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties organisation.

Hamzah Khan is the legal research intern at CAIR-NJ and a student of international relations at Seton Hall University School of Diplomacy and International Relations.

Anti-boycott laws are an affront to free speech. They also don’t address antisemitism

Anti-boycott laws are an affront to free speech.     They also don’t address antisemitism.

A NorthJersey.com exclusive article.

Published July 26th, 2022 | By Hamzah Khan

In a world where there are hundreds of companies manufacturing and selling the same product, the freedom to choose a brand is, under ordinary circumstances, basic. But in New Jersey, legislators have taken that right away.

For years, the New Jersey Legislature has wielded undue influence over political discourse regarding boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS), a grassroots movement launched by Palestinian civil society to pressure Israel to comply with international law. In 2016, the state Assembly approved an anti-boycott bill, after it passed unanimously in the Senate, requiring the state to divest its pension funds from any company involved in a boycott of the state of Israel. Critics at the time warned of the violations to free speech that this posed for New Jersey residents, but then-Gov. Chris Christie nevertheless signed it into law.

Six years later, this law has been used multiple times to punish companies that choose to boycott Israel due to humanitarian concerns, with Unilever being one of the most recent cases. After a two-year campaign by multiple advocacy groups, Unilever’s subsidiary, Ben & Jerry’s, announced last year that it would no longer sell its ice cream in the illegally occupied Palestinian Territories, including Israeli settlements in the West Bank, saying that it was inconsistent with the company’s values to have its ice cream sold in Occupied Palestine.

After the announcement, New Jersey officials moved quickly: Within two months, they announced that the state would divest its pension fund from Ben & Jerry’s Englewood Cliffs-based parent company, Unilever. By December, New Jersey officials began to divest nearly $182 million in Unilever stocks and bonds. Fearing significant financial loss, Unilever changed course last month and sold its Ben & Jerry’s brand and trademark rights in Israel so that the company can continue to sell ice cream in Occupied Palestine, in direct contradiction to what the original ice cream company founders, Bennett Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, wanted.

In 2018, the same anti-BDS law was also used against Danske Bank, the largest bank in Denmark, which held around $44 million of New Jersey’s state pension fund. The Danish bank refused to do business with two Israeli military contractors, Elbit Systems and Aryt Industries, because of their operations in Israeli settlements, which violated the company’s social policies. Danske Bank stated that they were not boycotting Israel as a whole, but only those two companies. As was the case with Unilever, even though Danske Bank argued that it was not boycotting the state of Israel, the generality of the New Jersey anti-boycott law still allowed the state to punish the bank.

New Jersey is one of more than 30 states that passed anti-BDS laws. Defenders of these laws say they are meant to stop antisemitism, but advocacy groups, including Anne Frank House, differentiate between criticisms of the Israeli government and antisemitism, with the former being political and human rights-focused and the latter being condemnable. Others have warned that conflating the two — criticisms of Israel and antisemitism — is an encroachment on free speech and an attempt to stifle political debate and advocacy for Palestinian human rights. In adopting an anti-boycott law, New Jersey is blatantly attempting to flag any criticism of Israel as unacceptable, even if it goes against the U.S. government’s own classification of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The New Jersey Legislature should do more to stop actual antisemitic hate crimes rather than target a nonviolent grassroots political movement aiming to pressure a foreign government to end its human rights abuses. The reality is that these laws prohibit criticisms of Israeli government policies. In an ironic turn of events, New Jerseyans can criticize their own government, but not the Israeli government.

Boycotts have been instrumental in human rights campaigns both within the U.S. and around the world. Boycotts played a prominent role in ending segregation in the U.S. during the civil rights movement and were even protected by the United States Supreme Court. Supporters of the BDS movement, which was started by Palestinian activists, note that it is modeled after the boycott movements against South Africa, which helped end the apartheid regime in that country.

The state of New Jersey is employing a glaringly obvious double standard when it engages in sanctions against Iran and Russia on the grounds of human rights abuses, yet continues to support Israel even though reputable human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, find the country guilty of crimes against humanity. The state recently invested $20 million in Israel bonds as an “affirmation” of its confidence in the state of Israel and its economy, Gov. Phil Murphy said at the time.

At the end of the day, the right to boycott is essential to free speech, and the state’s hypocrisy only serves to strengthen human rights abusers abroad while diminishing freedoms at home.

Hamzah Khan is a legal intern at the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ New Jersey Chapter.

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CAIR-NJ Congratulates Former Board Chairwoman Nadia Kahf on her Swearing-In to NJ Superior Court

CAIR-NJ Congratulates Former Board Chairwoman Nadia Kahf on her Swearing-In to NJ Superior Court 

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 03/22/2023) The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today congratulated Nadia Kahf on her swearing in to the New Jersey Superior Court.

Kahf, an immigration and family law attorney from Wayne, will be the first judge to wear a hijab (Islamic head scarf) on the Superior Court bench in New Jersey.

Ma’isha Aziz, Esq. is the first to wear a hijab on the bench in New Jersey. She served on the Municipal Court of the Borough of Lawnside for seven years.

Kahf, who is also the former Board Chairwoman of CAIR-NJ, joins two other Muslim women, Sharifa Salaam and Kalimah Ahmad, on the Superior Court bench.

SEE: CAIR-NJ Congratulates Nadia Kahf on her Confirmation as NJ Superior Court Judge 

SEE: She’s the first judge to wear a hijab on the bench in NJ. It’s not her only accomplishment 

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said: 

“Nadia has long served the Muslim community in New Jersey, and I am honored to have worked under her leadership and guidance here at CAIR-NJ. To see her finally sworn in, a year after her nomination, is nothing short of incredible.   

“Nadia may be the first to wear a hijab on the Superior Court bench in New Jersey, but she certainly won’t be the last, insha Allah. She walks on the paths of many firsts before her, and with her accomplishments and vast experiences, she has set the bar high for other Muslim women.” 

Governor Murphy nominated Kahf one year ago, but her confirmation, which came earlier this month, was stalled by Sen. Kristen Corrado.

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

 

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

END        

CONTACT:  CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Dina Sayedahmed, dsayedahmed@cair.com, 551-221-5592  

 

CAIR-NJ, Coalition Partners to Testify at State House in Support of Muslim Heritage Month Resolution 

CAIR-NJ, Coalition Partners to Testify at State House in Support of Muslim Heritage Month Resolution   

MEDIA ADVISORY 

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 03/17/2023) — The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) will join New Jersey community leaders at the State House Annex in Trenton to testify in support of the Muslim Heritage Month resolution [AJR194].

WHEN:  Monday, March 20, 2023, at 2pm  

WHERE:State House Annex, 125 W State St, Trenton, NJ 08608, Committee Room 13, 4th floor  

CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Dina Sayedahmed, dsayedahmed@cair.com, 551-221-5592         

The resolution, which designates January of each year as “Muslim Heritage Month” in New Jersey, calls upon local government agencies and organizations to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and educational programs that pay homage to the growing American Muslim community.   

The resolution is sponsored by Assemblywoman McKnight (LD-31), Assemblywoman Speight (LD-29), and Assemblywoman Chaparro (LD-33), and co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Jaffer (LD-16), Assemblyman Stanley (LD-18), Assemblywoman Haider (LD-37), Assemblyman DePhillips (LD-40), and Assemblyman Atkins (LD-20).  

SEE:  CAIR-NJ Leads Coalition Urging NJ State Assembly to Pass Muslim Heritage Month Resolution  

SEE:  New Jersey State Legislature Livestream 

New Jersey has the highest percentage of Muslims in the U.S., at 3.5 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. New Jersey also leads the way for local representation, with over 40 Muslim elected officials. Last year, the state elected the first ever Muslims to the New Jersey State Legislature, Sadaf Jaffer and Shama Haidar.  

Still, however, anti-Muslim incidents are on the rise. CAIR-NJ received over 150 calls for help in 2022 alone. The resolution seeks to push back against anti-Muslim bigotry by celebrating American Muslims and shedding a positive light on the community.

 

END        

CONTACT:  CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Dina Sayedahmed, dsayedahmed@cair.com, 551-221-5592  

 

CAIR-NJ Congratulates Nadia Kahf on her Confirmation as NJ Superior Court Judge

CAIR-NJ Congratulates Nadia Kahf on her Confirmation as NJ Superior Court Judge 

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 03/01/2023) The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today welcomed the New Jersey Senate’s vote to appoint Nadia Kahf as a Superior Court judge in New Jersey.  

Kahf, an immigration and family law attorney from Wayne, will be the first judge to wear a hijab (Islamic head scarf) on the Superior Court bench in New Jersey.

Ma’isha Aziz, Esq. is the first to wear hijab on the bench in New Jersey. She served on the Municipal Court of the Borough of Lawnside for seven years.

Kahf, who is also the former Board Chairwoman of CAIR-NJ, joins two other Muslim women, Sharifa Salaam and Kalimah Ahmad, on the Superior Court bench. 

SEE: She’s the first judge to wear a hijab on the bench in NJ. It’s not her only accomplishment  

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:  

“Nadia has long served the Muslim community in New Jersey, and I am honored to have worked under her leadership and guidance here at CAIR-NJ. 

“She brings a wealth of experiences that span across the legal field and meet at the intersections of Muslim and other marginalized communities, and we can’t think of anyone more fit for this position than her.   

“Benches and juries must reflect the communities they serve. Nadia’s appointment is a step in the right direction and brings us closer to an inclusive legal system.” 

Kahf was nominated by Governor Murphy a year ago but her confirmation was stalled by Senator Kristen Corrado. Since then, 90 community leaders, including mayors, council members, school board members, and leaders of the New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association signed a letter urging the Senator to act to advance Kahf’s nomination.  

 

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.    

END    

CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Dina Sayedahmed, dsayedahmed@cair.com, 551-221-5592 

CAIR-NJ Leads Coalition Urging NJ State Assembly to Pass Muslim Heritage Month Resolution

CAIR-NJ Leads Coalition Urging NJ State Assembly to Pass Muslim Heritage Month Resolution

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 3/1/2023) — The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) and more than 70 organizations and religious institutions, known as the “Muslim Heritage Month Coalition,” today urged the New Jersey State Assembly to pass the Assembly Joint Resolution AJR194, which designates January of each year as Muslim Heritage Month in New Jersey.

The coalition today wrote to Assembly State and Local Government committee members: Chair Assemblyman Verrelli (LD-15), Vice-Chair Assemblywoman Swain (LD-38), Assemblywoman Jaffer (LD-16), Assemblyman Simsonsen (LD-1), and Assemblyman Thomson (LD-30) urging them to hold a public hearing on Assembly Joint Resolution AJR194.

They also wrote to Assembly Speaker Coughlin (LD-19) urging him to facilitate passing the joint resolution on the Assembly side, so Governor Murphy can sign it into law, making New Jersey one of a few pioneering states committed to the celebration and recognition of American Muslims.

Earlier this month, the resolution advanced through the Senate but remains in the Assembly.

SEE:Pennacchio Bill to Establish Muslim Heritage Month in NJ Advances 

SEE: CAIR-NJ Welcomes State Senate’s Passing of Muslim Heritage Month Resolution, Calls on Assembly to Follow Suit

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Government Affairs Manager Madina P. Ouedraogo, MPA-PNP said:

“Given the growing population of Muslims in New Jersey, it is only appropriate that the New Jersey State Legislature recognize and acknowledge the diverse and vibrant Muslim community.  

While we celebrate the State Senate’s passing of Senate Joint Resolution [SJR105], in tandem with our coalition partners and community members, we are calling on the Assembly State and Local Government Committee to hold a public hearing on the Assembly Joint Resolution [AJR194] and release it from the Assembly Committee so that it may move to an Assembly voting session and pass.” 

In a statement, Council of Imams in New Jersey Convener Imam Wahy-ud Deen Shareef said:      

“The history of Islam and the growing Muslim Community in New Jersey is rich in the lessons of how the human spirit struggles against social, political, and economic adversity to successfully establish a model life working to serve G_d and bring forward a model human society.  

The late Muslim American Leader, Imam W. Deen Mohammed, encouraged Muslims to establish the best spiritual and social life possible reflecting the high morals and ethics taught by the Qur’an, G_d’s Word, and exhibit in practice the model traditional life of Muhammad the Prophet (prayers and Peace be upon him). This month acknowledges and celebrates these honorable objectives for Muslims and all citizens of New Jersey.”

In a statement, NJ Muslim Organizer Jessica Berrocal said:   

“We ask elected officials to make history with Resolution AJR 194 in order to show the tapestry of New Jersey. 

The resolution began four years ago, when I met with Assembly Angela Mcknight and Annette Chaparro to advocate for our children’s acceptance in public schools and to raise awareness of Muslim children’s religious identities.”

The coalition letter sent to state legislators states, in part:

“From restrictions placed on Muslims to practice their faith, to profiling, bullying, bias incidents, hate crimes, and discrimination stemming from a lack of understanding of Islam, the need for a Muslim Heritage Month is crucial.

“The resolution to designate January as Muslim Heritage Month will play a critical role in public education and help discuss and celebrate American Muslims in culturally competent ways. By extension, this can help push back against anti-Muslim bigotry.”

SEE: Letter to Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin

SEE: Letter to Assembly State and Local Government Committee

Coalition Partners:

32BJ SEIU

Alchemy Consulting LLC

AlGhazaly School Inc – Jersey City

American Muslims for Palestine – New Jersey

Bakka Corp – Jersey City

Bergen County Islamic Education Center

Black Lives Matter Paterson

Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University

Center for Security, Race and Rights

Council of Imams in New Jersey

Darul Islah Masjid of Teaneck

Eid Committee

Fair Share Housing Center

Faith in New Jersey

Green Muslims of New Jersey

IMI

Indian American Muslim Council

Indonesian Muslim Society in America

Islamic Center of Ewing

Islamic Council of Greater Trenton

Islamic Center of Jersey City

Islamic Center of Morris County

Islamic Center of Passaic County

Islamic Center of Union County

Islamic Circle of North America

ICNA Council for Social Justice – New Jersey

Islamic Community Cultural Center

Islamic Society of Basking Ridge

Islamic Society of Central Jersey

Jam E Masjid of Boonton

League of Women Voters of New Jersey

Make the Road New Jersey

Masjid Al-Iman of Jersey City

Masjid As’Habul Yameen Inc

Masjidullah, Inc.

Masjid Muhammad – Newark

Masjid Shuhada

Masjid Ul Wadud of Montclair

Moroccan American Recreational and Organizational Council

Muslim Center of Middlesex County

Muslim Center of Somerset County

Muslim Community of New Jersey

Muslim Foundation Inc

Muslim League of Voters of New Jersey

NAACP New Jersey State Conference

National Domestic Workers Alliance – New Jersey

New Afrika Halal Group

New Brunswick Islamic Center

Newark Communities for Accountable Policing

New Freedom Works, Inc

New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice

New Jersey Citizen Action

New Jersey Institute for Social Justice

New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association

New Jersey League of Conservation Voters

New Jersey Muslim Officers Society

New Jersey Policy Perspective

New Jersey Working Families Party

NIA Masjid & Community Center

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Northern New Jersey Jewish Voice for Peace

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Occupy Bergen County

Palestinian American Community Center

Salvation and Social Justice

Sikh Coalition

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Sheefa Pharmacy

Teaching While Muslim

United We Serve

 

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. 

END           

CONTACT:CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Dina Sayedahmed, dsayedahmed@cair.com, 551-221-5592

CAIR-NJ Welcomes New Jersey Public School Districts’ Trend of Adding Eid to Academic Calendars

CAIR-NJ Welcomes New Jersey Public School Districts’ Trend of Adding Eid to Academic Calendar   

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 2/27/2023) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) today welcomed a recent trend by New Jersey public school districts of adding Eid to the 2023-2024 academic calendar and closing schools in observance of the Muslim holiday.    

Fair Lawn Board of Education is one of the newest districts to add Eid ul-Fitr to the 2023-24 academic year and close schools in observance.    

The board’s unanimous decision, which was voted on February 23, comes after parents’ and students’ advocacy efforts, which recently organized under the umbrella group, Fair Lawn Muslim Community  

SEE: Fair Lawn Schools Add Eid to Holiday Calendar, Pull Easter Monday   

[NOTE: There are two major “Eid” holidays for Muslims. Eid ul-Adha (EED-UL-ADHA), commonly referred to as just “Eid,” is associated with the pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj, and commemorates the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail at God’s command. The holiday is celebrated with prayers, small gifts for children, distribution of meat to the needy, and social gatherings. During Eid ul-Fitr (EED-UL-FITTER) or “feast of fast breaking” holiday at the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan, Muslims offer public prayers, exchange social visits and seek to strengthen family and community bonds.]       

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Outreach Coordinator Zaid Hussein said:    

“We’re proud of the students and parents in Fair Lawn who’ve pushed for this accommodation, and we’re grateful to the Fair Lawn Board of Education for making this a smooth and graceful process.     

“New Jersey has the largest percentage of Muslims across the U.S., at 3.5 percent, so it only makes sense that more and more public schools in New Jersey would begin closing in observance of Eid. We’re optimistic that this accommodation across New Jersey schools will inspire conversations among students and staff that can be instrumental in pushing back against anti-Muslim bigotry.     

“Given the growing trend of schools closing in observance of Eid, we’re hopeful that more schools will follow Fair Lawn’s lead, and we’ve created a toolkit to help students and parents in their advocacy efforts.”   

He noted that Washington, D.C., based CAIR offers a booklet, called “An Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,” designed to help school officials provide a positive learning environment for Muslim students.        

In a statement, President of Fair Lawn Muslim Community Waseem Mohammed said:   

“Closing schools for Eid is a necessary and long overdue accommodation. For the first time, our children will no longer have to choose between going to school and celebrating their holidays. With this vote, the Fair Lawn Board of Education adhered to its principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.   

“We’re grateful to the Fair Lawn board of education for listening to students and parents. We hope that this tradition of closing schools in observance of Eid can continue for years to come, and that other boards of education across the state will replicate the model of Fair Lawn.”   

CAIR-NJ has tracked nearly 30 school closures for Eid ul-Fitr in 2022-2023. Nearly ten districts added school closures in observance of Eid For the 2023-2024 academic year, including Boonton, East Brunswick, Fanwood & Scotch Plains, Holmdel, Livingston, Warren, and Watchung Borough.    

CAIR-NJ has also written to local municipalities in an open letter urging them to close schools in observance of Eid ul-Fitr.   

SEE: CAIR-NJ Eid Map   

SEE: CAIR-NJ Eid Advocacy Open Letter  

The Open Letter states in part:  

“As such, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations joins Muslim students, parents, and educators throughout the state in calling upon local municipalities to adopt Eid as a day off in the academic calendar. This is a necessary accommodation that will help ensure that Muslim students and staff do not face academic and professional disadvantages for missing school days to meet their religious obligations.    

“Approximately 30 school districts throughout New Jersey closed for Eid ul-Fitr in the 2022-2023 academic year. In December 2022, Warren Township decided to close schools for Eid ul-Fitr beginning in 2023-24. A few towns over, the Watchung Borough Board of Education moved to designate Eid ul-Fitr as a Staff Professional Development Day in 2024, closing schools for students. Hillside, Mount Olive, West Windsor, and Plainsboro public schools also give students time off to observe Eid.    

“Other districts, however, only offer an excused absence, leaving students in a quagmire: Should they prioritize their academic obligations over their religious duties, or vice versa?”   

 

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.     

END      

CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Dina Sayedahmed, dsayedahmed@cair.com, 551-221-5592 

CAIR-NJ, NJVRA NOW Coalition Rally in Trenton in Support of a Stronger Version of John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey

CAIR-NJ, NJVRA NOW Coalition Rally in Trenton in Support of a Stronger Version of John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey 

(SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ, 2/24/2022) – The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) joined the New Jersey Voting Rights Act NOW Coalition at the State House in Trenton on Tuesday, Feb. 21 to call on state legislators to pass a strong version of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey (A4554/S2997) (NJVRA).   

NJVRA (A4554/S2997) is currently pending in the New Jersey Legislature.    

According to the NJVRA NOW Coalition, the NJVRA must: 

  • Establish a New Jersey preclearance program that makes local governments with a history of discrimination prove to the state or to a court in New Jersey that certain changes they make to the voting process will not harm voters of color before those changes can go into effect;  
  • Provide new legal tools to fight discriminatory voting rules and procedures in court;   
  • Expand language assistance for voters with limited English proficiency;   
  • Include strong protections against voter intimidation, deception or obstruction at the polls; 
  • Instruct state judges to interpret election laws in a pro-voter way whenever possible; and; 
  • Ensure local and state voting laws, procedures and regulations do not deny voters of color and other protected categories of voters the right to cast their vote. 

SEE: Over 50 Groups Rally to Urge Passage of New Jersey Voting Rights Act 

SEELive Stream of the Press Conference    

Since the 2016 election, there has been a national surge in voter suppression bills. Although New Jersey is one of the states that has proactively introduced legislation to expand voting access, there are still many remaining issues that obstruct equal access to the ballot.    

In a statement, CAIR-NJ Government Affairs Manager Madina P. Ouedraogo, MPA-PNP said:       

“Marginalized and vulnerable communities need better voting rights protections, and passing a stronger version of the NJVRA is critical to meeting this need.     

“We cannot boast of a strong and vibrant democracy if a large percentage of Americans are experiencing voter suppression. We stand with our coalition partners in calling on the state legislature to pass this bill, especially as we draw nearer to local elections here in New Jersey and, in a year from now, the 2024 presidential election.”   

She noted that CAIR maintains a non-partisan “Muslims Vote” campaign designed to empower American Muslims by increasing their political capacity and presence.  

GO TO: muslims.vote

 

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.     

END       

CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Dina Sayedahmed, dsayedahmed@cair.com, 551-221-5592 

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Zakat Eligible

Numerous Muslim scholars have confirmed that Zakat is payable to organizations that exist to serve the Muslim community by protecting their rights. This is because the work done by CAIR (and other such organizations) can be classified as fi-sabilillah, which is one of the eight categories of Zakat recipients detailed in the Quran (Chapter 9, Verse 60).

Zakat Eligible

Numerous Muslim scholars have confirmed that Zakat is payable to organizations that exist to serve the Muslim community by protecting their rights. This is because the work done by CAIR (and other such organizations) can be classified as fi-sabilillah, which is one of the eight categories of Zakat recipients detailed in the Quran (Chapter 9, Verse 60).

Zakat Eligible

Numerous Muslim scholars have confirmed that Zakat is payable to organizations that exist to serve the Muslim community by protecting their rights. This is because the work done by CAIR (and other such organizations) can be classified as fi-sabilillah, which is one of the eight categories of Zakat recipients detailed in the Quran (Chapter 9, Verse 60).

Who We Are.

CAIR New Jersey’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

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For over fourteen years, CAIR has fought to ensure that Muslims in America are protected in their homes, schools, mosques, and countless other private and public spaces by using the power of the law to give voice to those most impacted by civil rights issues.

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Recognitions

American Muslims in New Jersey have much to celebrate. For many years the American Muslim community has added to the rich cultural diversity we greatly value in New Jersey. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is an important vehicle for recognizing the accomplishments of New Jersey's Muslims.
Cory Booker
U.S. Senator New Jersey
CAIR is not for that stranger. CAIR is for you. Even as mayor I was stopped and harassed at JFK along with my wife and four children. My phone was confiscated. CAIR was there to stand up for me and retrieve my phone. Supporting CAIR means making sure that they are there for you when you need them in the future.
Mohamed T. Khairullah
Mayor Prospect Park
Since its inception, CAIR's New Jersey Chapter has been committed to advancing its parent organization's mission to provide necessary services to Muslim Americans that have contributed to their personal and professional wellbeing. CAIR-NJ has long been a champion for the interests of its community, striving to protect their civil liberties and offering them numerous educational opportunities.
Chris Christie
Former Governor of New Jersey
As Governor, I commend the leadership and volunteers of CAIR-NJ for their hard work and dedication to advance civil liberties for countless individuals and for their unwavering dedication to endure the wellness of our society.
Phil Murphy
Governor New Jersey
The work of CAIR and its partners ensures that the rights of all Americans remain protected. Now, more than ever, it is our duty to expose and dismantle Islamophobia and to push back against all types of hate.
Bonnie W. Coleman
Member of Congress
I commend your commitment to engage, embrace and value all communities and I am confident that your efforts will bring greater understanding and tryst to our communities. I look forward to continuing to work with you and the Muslim community in mu district in this endeavor.
Frank Pallone Jr.
U.S. Senator New Jersey
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