Coptic Christians Seek Refuge In Dyker Heights

By on January 17, 2013  News
Jan 172013
 
St. George Church with Mar Girgis Station, Old Cairo, Egypt (Image source: Bakar_88 via Flickr).

St. George Church with Mar Girgis Station, Old Cairo, Egypt (Image source: Bakar_88 via Flickr).

In the two years since the Arab Spring uprising and subsequent overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak caused Egyptian society to descend into chaos and disorder – hundreds of Coptic Christians fleeing violence and religious persecution in their native land have found a second home in Southwest Brooklyn, as reported by Will Bredderman for Brooklyn Paper.

Four hundred refugees have joined the Coptic Orthodox Church of Saint George [1105 67th Street] in Dyker Heights – Brooklyn’s only Coptic church, since Mubarak was forced from office, according to Father Mina Yanni. Continue reading »

Golden NYPD Letter Contradicts Statement On Mosque Spying

By on October 24, 2012  Featured story, Politics
Oct 242012
 

The dome of a Bay Ridge mosque peaks into the middleground, with church in background [Image source: Wikipedia Commons].

At a recent candidate forum, State Senate hopeful Andrew Gounardes pointed out some contradictory statements made by his opponent Marty Golden about the New York Police Department’s mosque surveillance program.

At the forum, which was hosted by the Arab American Association of New York, State Senator Marty Golden claimed to be against the NYPD Demographics Unit’s controversial infiltration of Muslim groups – An initiative that has once again come under criticism after a former NYPD informant told the Associated Press that he was paid to “create and capture” terrorist suspects by “baiting” fellow Muslims to discuss waging attacks. Continue reading »

Home Reporter Profiles First Person To Wear Hijab With NYPD Auxiliary Uniform

By on September 12, 2012  News
Sep 122012
 

Image source: Wikipedia Commons.

In an article entitled “Breaking Barriers and Breaking Ground,” the Home Reporter’s Denise Romano spoke with a Bay Ridge woman who is reportedly the first person to wear a hijab along with her NYPD auxiliary uniform. Continue reading »

Happy Ramadan!

By on July 20, 2012  Miscellaneous
Jul 202012
 

Pide (Image source: pocketcultures via Flickr).

Ramadan, which is is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, began last night.

According to Wikipedia, fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Ramadan is observed by Muslims during the entire lunar month by the same name; which is spent fasting from dawn to sunset.

This year Ramadan ends on the evening of Saturday, August 18, at which point the month of Shawwal starts, beginning with the “Festival of Breaking Fast” or `Eid ul-Fitr.

Bay Ridge Odyssey would like to wish all of our readers a happy and healthy Ramadan. Ramadan Kareem!

Foodtown Goes Loco For Locavores

By on July 19, 2012  Business, Food & Drink
Jul 192012
 

Image source: Wikipedia Commons.

While the current artisinal, locavore food craze has businesses everywhere attempting to cash in on the name Brooklyn, Foodtown [9105-27 3rd Avenue] proves itself an old hand at putting aside shelf space for products made in the County of Kings, according to Simone Weichselbaum in a cruelty-free, locally-sourced article for the Daily News.

The grocery store has been stocking locally-made products for decades – In the case of one Brooklyn business profiled, De An’s Pork Products [899 4th Ave], since at least 1990.

“It is not easy to get your products into large chains, but we have to give people the benefit of the doubt and help them,” Foodtown chain co-owner Noah Katz told the News. “We don’t say no to any local vendor. We put them on the shelf and let the customer decide.” Continue reading »