The Northeastern USA is home to Jamati members living in a variety of circumstances. While some live in traditional nuclear families of parents and children (and perhaps grandparents), others are students or professionals living far away from blood relatives. For many of us, it was a given that we attend the auspicious occasion of the homage ceremony and Diamond Jubilee kickoff with family. And yet, “family” can be a beautifully expansive word. Let’s meet some Northeast Jamati members, and the family that supports them.
Kambiz Mahdavi, 45, has a confident voice and a friendly, open face. His family is originally from Iran and now lives in Richmond, Virginia. Kambiz cheerfully shared his family’s background. “My nine-year old son was born in Iran, but my five-year old daughter was born in Richmond. She is made in the USA,” joked Kambiz’s wife, Monireh Majidi. All four sat around a big white table with Kambiz’s and Moneireh’s parents who are close to 70 years old. Monireh managed to attend a Golden Jubilee darbar in Dubai, and her mother traveled for darbar to Syria. But this is the first Jubilee ceremony that the whole family has been able to attend together. When asked what it has been like to experience the start of the Diamond Jubilee as a family, Kambiz shared a sudden smile that caused the lines at the corners of his eyes to crinkle. “It’s been amazing,” he said, simply. The family’s happy faces make it clear how much it means for them to be experiencing the day’s events together.
Nearby, Saqib Gowani sat at an identical table with his parents, Sikandar and Naseem. All three currently reside in Hartford, Connecticut. They spoke about how their experience of this event compares to similar Golden Jubilee events. “It was very different because we were in Pakistan,” Naseem said. “It is more organized here. The transportation is exceptional,” Saqib picked up the thread. “My mother arrived in Philly before me, on a plane from Dallas after a medical procedure... The next thing I know, there were volunteers at the airport helping her with the wheelchair and everything… The human and monetary resources that people can put into the Jubilee are different, but the spirit is the same,” Saqib reflected. Regardless of age, nation of origin, or primary language, I think we can all identify with this spirit, which draws us together for occasions like the homage ceremony.
Afzal Somani and Sahare Wazirali aren’t relatives. However, these two individuals belong to a nation-wide family of a different sort—they attended the same Al-Ummah camp several years ago. At the time, Afzal was Sahare’s counselor. To a casual observer, they appear to be around the same age. But Afzal very much sounds like a mentor as he shares tips about Washington, D.C. (both now live in the greater metro area) and encourages Sahare to get involved in Al-Ummah as a counselor. These kinds of relationships can mean a lot to college students or young professionals getting settled in a new city. Our Jamatkhanas in the Northeast tend to be smaller than in certain other regions, and this likely helps contribute to the family feel of these tight-knit communities.
For some, their relationships with fellow Jamati members take on a depth that verges on the familial. Many young professionals could not travel to their familial homes due to work constraints, but were delighted to find time to attend the celebrations in Philadelphia. Some others chose to celebrate with their Northeast family instead of joining their own families. One volunteer confessed, “My parents asked me to join them in Paris,” she commented, referencing a city unfamiliar to all of them, and continued, “However, I said I would rather celebrate here in Philadelphia where I can serve the Jamat.” For this young woman, the joint event brought together her non-biological family from up and down the East Coast, “I have my New York family and my Boston family and this event helps me reconnect with all of them!”
Inshallah, this Diamond Jubilee year will offer us many further opportunities to come together as a region, strengthening our familial bonds and perhaps making some new ones along the way.
