Religion

RECOUNTING FAMILY HORRORS – Board of Education member Sami Shaban speaks to the crowd about the many members of his family who were killed in Gaza since the 1940s. Colonial Park’s Knob Hill Pavilion was the scene October 27 of a gathering showcasing Palestinian culture. Called “Connect with Palestine,” organizers designed the event to highlight the art, culture and heritage …

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION – Pastor Rodney Staton speaks to the congregation during the Faith Temple anniversary celebration. The congregation of Faith Temple gathered at their home at Temple Beth El on Hamilton Street on October 27 to celebrate a milestone: the church’s 43rd anniversary. Founded in February 1981 by the late Elder Horace Staton and his wife, Pastor Lydia Staton, as …

Balmy weather on October 13 served as a backdrop for a number of events in the township. Franklin High School Project Graduation held the first of what will be three clothing drives. The organization get paid by the pound for the clothes, which are sent to needy people overseas. We stopped in at the event, held at Franklin Middle School …

More than 1,000 high school students ventured out to the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens on Somerset Street October 5 to meet with representatives of colleges and trades in the church’s second annual College Fair. The goal of the event, said the Rev. Danté Quick, the church’s pastor, is to “expose young people to future opportunities around higher education …

HUSAIN DAY MESSAGE – Amir Ahmed Atozai, representative of the Pakistani Consulate, delivers his message during the Husain Day commemoration at Masjid-e-Ali mosque. Muslims from around the region gathered at Masjid-e-Ali on Cedar Grove lane August 10 for their annual commemoration of Husain Day. The day memorializes Imam Husain, the grandson of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, who was killed along …

Submitted by the Care For Creation Student Ministry Green Army Team St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Forane Church in Somerset, New Jersey, embraced Earth Day with a series of impactful activities, demonstrating their commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. The church community, comprising parents and children, came together on May 4th to partake in various eco-conscious endeavors. From cleaning and …

NJ HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF – Laurie Doran, director of the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, speaks during the Masjid-e-Ali Interfaith Iftar March 22. Representatives of multiple faith traditions gathered at Masjid-e-Ali on Cedar Grove Lane March 22 for the mosque’s annual Intra- and Interfaith Iftar. The event is held during Ramadan, a month-long Muslim observance of fasting and …

A pre-Ramadan celebration was held March 9 at the township library by a local organization whose mission is to “shine a light on Islam in the Franklin Township community through acts of charity and service,” according to its founder. The Quidma organization – Quidma is the Arabic word for “to serve – hosted the event, held in the library’s main …

WHIRLING DERVISH – A Sufi whirling dancer performs during the inaugural Muslim Heritage Month celebration at the Senior/Community Center. The inaugural Muslim Heritage Month celebration in the township – called Noor Night – attracted hundreds of people to the Senior/Community Center in the Municipal Complex on January 14. Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legislation designating January as Muslim Heritage Month in …

NEW OWNERS – A YouTube fundraising video in Arabic describes the Center’s plans for the South Middlebush Road site. Plans for a $15 million, 60,000-square-foot Islamic center – including a mosque, a boarding school, and a state-of-the-art gym – with 400 parking spaces are being laid by the new owners of a 16-acre tract on South Middlebush Road. The land, …