Outreach and Community Reform Center Archives

Muslim festival dispels myths and celebrates community

October 5, 2016 annedr 0

Malden was host to the first ever New England Muslim festival on Sunday, September 25. Official estimates report that close to 3,000 people attended the vibrant family event from noon – 6 p.m. A dazzling array of hijabs wove strands of color throughout the crowd on Malden City Hall Plaza. The stage featured hip hop artists, comedians, traditional music, folk dances, Chinese martial arts, speeches and the Muslim call to prayer. A traditional souk (marketplace) boasted a wide array of arts, henna, Arabic calligraphy, local information and international foods. There was even a booth where non-Muslims could try on a hijab (Muslim headcovering). According to the organizers, the vision of the Muslim Festival was to celebrate the diversity within the American Muslim community and to create a greater awareness of their rich cultural heritage. “In the midst of the election season, terrorist attacks in Europe and instability in the Middle East,” says festival director Mohammad Shadid, “the Muslims in the United States and in particular in New England believe that their culture and image have […]

Interfaith community unites at Ramadan Iftar meal

July 13, 2016 annedr 0

“We need more of this,” says Imene, from Algeria. “The world needs more of this.” And I agreed. We were sitting at the same table during the Ramadan Iftar celebration at First Parish of Malden, enjoying a meal prepared by the sisters from the Outreach Community & Reform Center (O.C.R.C.), a spiritual home for the local Muslim community in Malden. The Iftar is the evening meal eaten at sundown during Ramadan. It is the first meal eaten since before sunrise that day by practicing Muslims. This special Iftar, held on June 18, about two weeks into this year’s month-long celebration of Ramadan, was a shared meal with non-Muslims in the community, organized jointly between the O.C.R.C. and First Parish. “These are delicious,” I said, biting into what looked like a Chinese spring roll, but was filled with chopped beef and some type of cheese. “Oh, I made them,” said Imene. “I find they are always a crowd pleaser.” We agreed that all the food was delicious, much of it cooked by women from the O.C.R.C., […]