Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
Cook County Treasurer Pappas Honors Arab American Leaders during Heritage Month Celebration Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas celebrated Arab American Heritage Month by recognizing more than two dozen distinguished business, civic, political and religious leaders from across Chicagoland at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 29th. The event took place today, Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 2…
Independent candidates for Orland Fire receive Arab and Muslim American endorsement PRESS RELEASE — March 17, 2025 Orland Fire Protection District, IL — As you may see, we do not have the endorsements of mayors, supervisors, or union leaders and activists. We are independent and we support good government. We are most proud of the…
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Arab American Comedy Festival, 209th Anniversary National Tour returns to New York roots Year-Long Comedy Extravaganza Comes to The Town Hall on November 19th with Diverse Headliners including Ramy Youssef and a Fireside Chat with Tony Shalhoub The New York Arab American Comedy Festival (NYAACF) is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with a year-long tour supported…
Arabs on Titanic: Arabs share the pain but not the glory in ship’s tragic tale The story of the Titanic has never been fully told. Among the passengers were several hundred Arabs from Middle East countries including Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. In James Cameron’s film”Titanic,” he portrayed in the film an Irish party but. the…
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CAIR Announces Lawsuit in D.C., Mass., N.J., Mich. Seeking End to Secret Government Watchlist The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, announced Tuesday (Sept. 19, 2023) the filing of a lawsuit with a dozen plaintiffs seeking an end to the government’s secret watchlist that almost exclusively targets…
Relationship between Arab Americans and African Americans needs more balance, Black State Rep says By Ray Hanania Illinois State Rep. Cyril Nichols has raised an issue that many Arab Americans prefer not to discuss. Are Arab Americans doing enough to balance the support they get from African Americans? In an interview on The Ray Hanania…
Low Arab early voting turnout in important Orland Park elections By Ray Hanania The election on Tuesday April 4 is very important to the Arab American & Muslim community. There are many candidates who support our community who need our support, and several who do not. If we don’t take the time to vote, we…
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Arab American Democratic Club urges NO VOTE on Gov. J.B. Pritzker re-election bid Arab American Democratic Club (AADC) urges the state’s more than 110,000 Arab American and 250,000 Muslim voters to vote NO on the re-election bid of Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Pritzker has marginalized the needs of Arab Americans and Muslim Americans, failing to name…
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US Rep. Lauren Boebert owes US Rep. Ilhan Omar an apology People who can’t debate real issues because they lack the intelligence to do so instead turn to racist hatred and name-calling to demonize others with whom they disagree. That’s the case with Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert who made a vicious personal attack against Minnesota…
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Pappas and Arab Chamber help Arabs save $39,000 in property taxes The American Arab Chamber of Commerce partnering with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas organized a review of properties owned by Arabs and Muslims at the Islamic Community Center of Illinois this week and identified more than $39,000 in tax overpayments that can be refunded. Arab Chamber…
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Pritzker falls short on promises to Arab, Muslim Americans As he approaches his 3rd full year in office on January 1, 2022, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has failed to deliver on a major promise he made to Arab Americans during his campaign election, to appoint Arabs and Muslims to key state boards and commissions. Pritzker,…
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ADC explores Media coverage of Arabs & Muslims after Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks ADC Explores the impact Sept. 11 has on the Arab & Muslim American community and on mainstream media coverage of our community, live today with moderator and veteran journalist Ali Younes, who is joined by Program Director at Rethink Media Adrienne…
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Arab American Heritage Month, Ramadan feted by Journalists and elected officials The Arab American Democratic Club hosted a forum of journalists and elected officials and community leaders on Thursday April 22, 2021 to discuss both Ramadan and Arab American Heritage Month (April). The panel included a video message offering both Ramadan Kareem messages and a celebratory…
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Our Arab identity is being smothered by our religion Arab Christians are marginalized, ignored and pushed aside by everyone even though we can play a critical role in trying to bring the East and the West, the Christian and Muslim Worlds, together towards understanding. This issue surfaces all the time and most recently when the…
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Forgotten victims of Sept. 11, 2001 should be remembered, too Americans will commemorate the 18th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and remember the 2,977 victims who died in those attacks, but few will remember or honor those Americans who were victims of the hate backlash that consumed many Americans in the weeks,…
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Civilians killed in Syria everyday without consequence More than 800 Syrian civilians have been killed by government air strikes, but the news media only wants to focus on its political agenda, criticizing Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states in their war against Houthi rebels. Below is a report on recent killings in Syria by UOSSM…
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Muslim and Christian Arabs need to collaborate to strengthen their voices Arabs in America are weak in part because of their lack of unity and unification. Over the years, the community has divided into politics, national origins, religion and even tribal factions. Many of our community no longer refer to themselves as Arabs, and instead…
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Arabs should support J Street Arabs, Palestinians and Muslims need to be strategic in fighting for Palestinian rights. That means we have to reject broad stroke rejections, and distinguish among coalitions not on the basis of religion but on the basis of belief. We can’t reject support from Jews or Israelis who share in our…