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DECONSTRUCTING ONE PALESTINIAN
Awni Abu Hadba came to the United States to improve his English-language skills. He stayed, he says, "to take his chance at the American dream." Following in the footsteps of an older brother, Abu Hadba, now 59, arrived in America in 1971 from his native Palestine after graduating from Birzeit University in Ramallah.
Awni Abu Hadba came to the United States to improve his English-language skills. He stayed, he says, “to take his chance at the American dream.”
Following in the footsteps of an older brother, Abu Hadba, now 59, arrived in America in 1971 from his native Palestine after graduating from Birzeit University in Ramallah. Nearly 40 years later, he is one of the best-known and most influential members of the large Arab-American community of Paterson, where he has held the appointed position of deputy mayor since 2002.
Paterson, long a magnet for immigrant groups, began attracting new arrivals from Arab lands as early as the 1890s. Today, those of Arab descent—mainly Lebanese, Jordanian, Syrian, Palestinian, and Moroccan—account for approximately 15 to 20 percent of the city’s 145,000 residents.
Like many Paterson newcomers, Abu Hadba initially found work in a textile mill. Hoping for more, he studied business and political science at Passaic County Community College and William Paterson University, and later took classes in the insurance business. His big break came when an Italian-American friend and mentor sold Abu-Hadba his insurance agency with nothing more than a handshake as collateral.
At 26, he briefly returned to his homeland to find a bride. There, his uncle’s wife introduced him to Mayson, an ebullient woman from Bethlehem. “Not exactly a traditional arranged marriage,” says Abu Hadba. “But you could say it was a really good referral.” Together they have raised five children; two are married with children of their own. Following Palestinian tradition, the other three—all in their twenties—still live at home with Awni and Mayson.
Although they cling to their ethnic traditions, Abu Hadba says he and his wife chose to raise their family in America “because of the opportunity of a better life, health, education, safety, stability, financial opportunities, and freedom of speech.”
It was not until 1984 that Abu Hadba really began to understand how to exercise some of America’s freedoms. He recalls the moment vividly. “There was a funeral at the United Islamic Center on Knickerbocker Avenue. Hundreds of cars lining the street were getting ticketed. Friends and family were complaining. But they didn’t know what to do. So I went to Frank Graves, the mayor at the time, and I said, ‘What are you doing? This is a funeral! Can’t you let us park here?’ And he turned to me and said, ‘You may have 100 cars here, but your numbers don’t count. You see that house over there? They count. They have four votes. You are 100 cars, but you guys are 100 zeros.’”
For some it was a funeral; for Abu Hadba it was an awakening.
He and others began to organize the Arab-American citizens of South Paterson with the aim of gaining political visibility. Abu Hadba made a run for the city council in 1984, but lost. After that experience he decided he would rather try to make things happen as a community organizer. “It’s easy to get involved,” he says. “You can create change and decide a simple thing that makes your life better. America is the greatest country for community involvement.”
Abu Hadba was a natural when it came to courting the city’s leaders. He remembers stunning the Arab community during one election campaign when he walked up the street with longtime Mayor Graves, a Democrat, and then came back the other way with the Republican sheriff, Ed Englehardt.
Today, political candidates hoping for votes in Paterson routinely seek his support. In addition to serving as Paterson’s deputy mayor, a largely ceremonial position, he is involved in national issues as a board member of the New Jersey chapters of the Arab American Institute and the Anti-Discrimination Committee.
The events of September 11, 2001, presented a unique challenge to Paterson’s Arab community. Soon afterward, reports emerged that several of the 9/11 hijackers had been living in Paterson and nearby Wayne in the months leading up to the attacks. The news generated suspicion in the surrounding non-Arab communities. Arab retailers felt a sharp slowdown of business, and all Arabs experienced a palpable chill.
Abu Hadba rejects any notion that his community supported the attackers. “Those terrorists were not from our town,” he says. “There were several Arabs found in that apartment in Paterson, sure, but they didn’t live here. They were only here for a few months. Nobody knew who they were. The Arabs here are Americans like anybody else. Our children go to school just like anybody else. We dismiss their evil. They are not human. Three hundred Muslims died that day.”
The good news, he says, is that the situation has improved with time. Business is back on track, and even though there have been terror alerts since 9/11, these days they do not seem to affect the status quo in Paterson.
Although he is an important community leader in Paterson and runs a bail-bond business in the city with one of his sons, Abu Hadba long ago followed the pattern of other immigrant groups and moved his family to nearby Wayne. Living in this suburban melting pot is highly attractive to Mayson, now 49, and a jean-clad, stay-at-home American mom.
On her deck, overlooking the sprawling backyard, she points out the surrounding houses. “It’s like the U.N. here. We are so lucky,” she says. “This is my Polish neighbor. Oh, what a wonderful woman. How many times she helped me when the kids were sick. Cooked for me. We watched each other’s kids. On this side is my Jewish neighbor, and they have a couple of kids too. When they were little, we used to say our street had the answer to the peace process.
“Next door,” she continues, “they are Italian. All the kids grew up together. It’s all I’ve ever known since I came here when I was 15 with my husband. I love it.”
DECONSTRUCTING SYRIAN CULTURE
Older and less understood than other Arab cultures in South Paterson, the Syrians have an ancient story to tell. And much like the Road to Damascus there is an “ah hah” pay off at the end. It is Bible-speak for the mother of all epiphanies paved with the magnitude of St. Paul's transgressions, including his attempts to wipe out Christianity, in which all was forgiven. One just might need an epiphany to figure out who the Syrians are and why they’re here in the midst of Whitman’s “beaten up and tragic…industrial chaos”.
It begins with their history, which is, by all accounts, among the oldest in the area, stretching back to the early 20th century, as the first Arabs to arrive and set down roots here. What made them immigrate. What they eat. How they differ from other Arab cultures, will be eye-opening for the “Suburbanites”.
The real Damascus (Dimashq,commonly known as al-Shām also known as City of Jasmin) is the capital and largest city of Syria. It is perhaps the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world. Since the copper age from about 8,000 BCE with a population of about 1.6 million people. But a jaunt to the Damascus of South Paterson is easier and begins at Fattal's Syrian Market (975-977 Main Street (973) 742-7125 where the owner, Norman settled forty years ago. He is cautious and diplomatic. Formal, yet hospitable. And avoids the obvious Middle Eastern hot button topics. But I persuade him to talk about what’s in his store that is particularly Syrian and he says, diplomatically: everything and nothing. We are Arab, but “from all over the world” as he puts it.
According to www.cafe-syria.com “Syrians place a high degree on tradition and present themselves well both at home and abroad. It is normal to find Syrian families all over the world who still live their lives as if they were in the Old Country.” So, in keeping with tradition, he does and he doesn’t. His store is, and it isn’t, Syrian. This trait of cultural ubiquity has its roots in ancient Greater Syria, when encompassed parts of Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories and parts of southern of Turkey including Alexandretta and the ancient city of Antioch, the pre-Islamic capital of Syria. To understand Syria is to understand much of the Middle East.
And so, there is a little bit of the bazaar in his market. Things for getting and spending. A travel agency. Display cases unabashedly brimming with eye-popping trays of 18 and 24K gold bling. Overall, despite the powerful influence of Islam in people's lives, some elements of folk religion persist. Particularly in rural areas, there is a strong belief in the evil eye as well as in jinn (spirits). And Fattal’s has an entire display case devoted to them.
Though Syria is not tribal like Saudi Arabia, it is stratified and the caste system is alive and well. Norman being fair, male, and of the merchant class, chances are he would’ve fared well no matter which country he chose. There are also things for cooking. Like Halal meats and the indispensable Seven Spices. Rice. Middle Eastern canned vegetables. Pita. Racks of honeyed sweets. And more than a dozen kinds of olives. For a quick take out or lunch there’s a sit down area to eat garden variety Arab dishes to savor. The food is good and honest. Try the hummus on Syrian bread (pita). Also try their lahim biajeen (pronounced LAH MAHZHEEN) which are meat pies on Syrian bread.
Though Syria is homogeneous, Sunni, and over ninety percent Muslim, there are a few ancient tribes. And one in particular speaks the language of Christ: Aramaic. And here just might be the epiphany. A culture that contains a language from a religion found everywhere on earth, and yet is extinct. Spoken in Mesopotamia about 14 centuries ago, it is now modern day Hebrew. Syrian culture is omnipresent and yet hard to pin down. A little like Norman. In addition to Fattal’s, the othergame in town is Nouri Brothers Syrain Bakery a block away at 999 Main St Paterson, NJ 07503 Phone: (973) 279-2388 which has been around for about twenty five years. Though it is smaller and mostly bakes breads, it is equally authentic.
Aleppo (named for Syria’s second largest city) is the Syrian watering hole. The restaurant for local Syrians (and Egyptians, Palestianians, you get the idea) at 960 Main Street Paterson, NJ 07503-2307 (973) 977-2244 or (973) 569-4545, open from 9:00am-10:00pm. It is owned by the charming and jovial Mohamed who also immigrated about 40 years ago, with a not too different immigrant story to tell about the need to get out from beneath the shadow of his great father and strike out on his own. The sign on the outside reads Al Safa, but that was the old restaurant. They haven’t gotten around to changing it, but it doesn’t matter because anyone who comes here knows what they’re looking for.
The quintessential Middle Eastern host he welcomes everyone from“the boys” to local families with babies in tow and serves up the home grown dishes. Halal, roasted or grilled chicken or lamb with side dishes of rice, chickpeas, yogurt, and vegetables. Mezzeh including hummus, a puree of chickpeas and tahini (ground sesame paste); baba ganouj, an eggplant puree; meat rissoles; stuffed grape leaves; tabouleh (a salad of cracked wheat and vegetables); falafel (deep-fried balls of mashed chickpeas); and pita bread. Olives, lemon, parsley, onion, and garlic are used for flavoring. Tea is as ubiquitous as the Hookah pipe flavors ranging from apple banana peach rose cherry and just about every other flavor in between. Weekend evenings you’ll find him orchestrating several dining rooms, glad handling, and shaking it with the belly dancers while seating new customers.
The Road to Damascus may be an ancient one, but along the way, embracing the deep connective roots of the Syrians to much of the world, is an epiphany we can all share.
Seven Spices: 2 tablespoons ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons of ground cumin, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
SOURCES
Books
Axtell, R. (1997). Do's and Taboos around the World for Women in Business. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Dresser, N. (1996). Multicultural Manners. New York: John Wiley.
Foster, D. (2000). The Global Etiquette Guide to Asia. New York: John Wiley
Huntington, S. P. (1996). The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Morrison, C. B. (1994). Kiss Bow or Shake Hands. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media.
Ball, Warwick. Syria: A Historical and Archaeological Guide, 1998.
Beaton, Margaret. Syria, 1988.
Beattie, Andrew, and Timothy Pepper. Syria: The Rough Guide, 1998.
Galvin, James. Divided Loyalties: Nationalism and Mass Politics in Syria at the Close of Empire, 1998.
Hopwood, Derek. Syria, 1945–1986, 1988.
Lye, Keith. Take a Trip to Syria, 1988.
Mulloy, Martin. Syria, 1988.
Quilliam, Neil. Syria and the New World Order, 1999.
Sinai, Anne, and Allen Pollack, eds. The Syrian Arab Republic, 1976.
South, Coleman. Syria, 1995.
Tareq, Ismael Y., and Jacqueline S. Tareq. Communist Movement in Syria and Lebanon, 1998.
Wedeen, Lisa. Ambiguities of Domination: Politics, Rhetoric, and Symbols in Contemporary Syria, 1999.
Winkler, Onn. Demographic Developments and Population Policies in Ba'athist Syria, 1998.
Web Sites
Destination Syria, www.lonelyplanet.com/dest/mea/syr
Guide to Syria, www.middleeastnews.com/syria
Syria: A Country Study, www.lcweb2.loc/gov/frd/cs/sytoc
Syria—The Cradle of Civilizations, www.arabicnet.com
U.S. Government, Department of State, Central Intelligence Agency. World Factbook: Syria, www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paterson,_New_Jersey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_to_Damascus_moment#Feast_Day
http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Syria.html
http://www.cafe-syria.com/Culture.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aramaic
http://syrianamericanclub.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=55