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FEATURESaturday 21 November 2015

In America’s Little Syria, a divide on accepting refugees

MICHAEL RUBINKAM ship. “You’re going to make

Associated Press them feel uncomfortable?

ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania No. Let them live.”

(AP) — A few days ago, a An Orthodox church where

pastor asked Syrian-born many pro-Assad Syrians

restaurant owner Marie worship — and which re-

Jarrah to donate food to cently sent a delegation

a welcoming event for re- to the Russian embassy

cently arrived Syrian refu- in Washington to express

gees. Jarrah, who said she gratitude for Russia’s back-

regularly helps people in ing of Assad and its air-

need, declined. strikes in Syria — is hosting

Like many of Allentown’s a benefit next month for

establishment Syrians, she Syrian refugees locally and

doesn’t think it’s a good abroad. The church has

idea to bring refugees to already directly assisted a

Pennsylvania’s third-largest Muslim refugee family in Al-

city. She clung to that view lentown.

even before last week’s “We are concerned like

terrorist attacks in Paris. everyone else,” said Nasser

“Problems are going to Sabbagh, a board mem-

happen,” said Jarrah, co- ber of St. George Antio-

owner of Damascus Res- chian Orthodox Church

taurant in a heavily Syrian Marie Jarrah, co-owner of the Damascus Restaurant, speaks during an interview with The and brother of the pastor.
Associated Press, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015, in Allentown, Pa. Associated Press “We are concerned about
enclave.

As debate intensifies na- ries some Syrian refugees they have not witnessed Muslim Association. “We the safety of the Lehigh

tionally over the federal might have taken part in overt hostility or discrimina- have much bigger fish to Valley community and the

government’s plan to ac- the fighting in Syria’s civil tion. Three refugees spoke fry.” Syrian community.” But, he

cept an additional 10,000 war and have “blood on to The Associated Press on The refugees are joining said, the refugees “are not

refugees from war-rav- their hands.” condition of anonymity be- a Syrian community that terrorists. . I don’t think we

aged Syria, a similar argu- “We need to know who we cause they worry the Assad dates to the late 1800s. should isolate them and

ment is taking place in Al- are welcoming in our so- government has infor- Now numbering some push them way.”

lentown — one with a sec- ciety,” said Wehbey, who mants in the city of about 5,200 in the greater Lehigh On Sunday, religious lead-

tarian twist. immigrated to the United 120,000 — a widely held Valley region, Syrian-Amer- ers are hosting an interfaith

belief among Syrians here, icans are deeply inter- event to welcome refu-

both Christian and Muslim twined in Allentown’s busi- gees to the area. The refu-

— and will retaliate against ness and political life. The gees have expressed re-

family back home. retired police chief, of Syr- luctance to attend — con-

The refugees said they’re ian descent, was elected cerned about a backlash

here to make a new life for county sheriff this month. in the wake of the Paris at-

themselves, not to stir up Some Syrian Christians say tacks — but the Rev. Larry

trouble. They have formed they welcome the refu- Pickens, the event’s coordi-

their own miniature sup- gees. nator, said he is working to

port network, with earlier “I don’t have a problem “make them feel secure.”

arrivals helping newcom-

ers. Dozens have resettled

in Allentown since March,

with dozens more slated to

come.

A Syrian refugee, who agreed to be photographed on “I hope that one day I’m
condition of anonymity because of fear of retaliation against going to be a citizen of this
family living in Syria, prays on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015, at great country,” said one
the Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley in Whitehall, Pa. man, a married father of

Associated Press four.

Allentown is home to one States a quarter-century The Muslim Association of

of the nation’s largest pop- ago and became a citi- Lehigh Valley, a mosque

ulations of Syrians. They are zen. and school outside Allen-

mostly Christian and, in no The Obama administra- town, has been working

small number, support Syr- tion says refugees must with the refugees, inte-

ian President Bashar al- undergo a rigorous screen- grating them socially, sort- A Syrian refugee, who agreed to be photograph on condition
Assad — a dynamic that’s ing process that can take ing through donations of of anonymity because of fear of retaliation against family living
prompting some of them to years. Nevertheless, the clothes, appliances and in Syria, opens her Quran, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015, at the

oppose the resettlement of U.S. House voted over- school supplies, and en- Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley in Whitehall, Pa.
Associated Press
refugees, who are Muslim whelmingly Thursday to rolling them in English-lan-

and say they fled violence make it more difficult for guage classes. with anyone coming here. The event is meant to

perpetrated by the Assad Syrian and Iraqi refugees to “There’s a lot of rhetoric, I came to America as an “break down a barrier or

regime. come to America. but we try not to even ac- immigrant. That’s what I two,” Pickens, ecumenical

Aziz Wehbey, an Allentown Refugees say that they are knowledge the rhetoric, am,” said Osama Dayoub, director of the Lehigh Con-

auto dealer and president aware of the opposition of because right now there’s 23, who was raised in Syria ference of Churches, said

of the American Amarian some of Allentown’s Syrians a crisis,” said Sherrine Eid, but moved to Allentown in earlier this month. “There’s

Syrian Charity Society, wor- to their presence, but that refugee coordinator at the 1999 and gained citizen- a lot of distrust.”q