Chicago Roundup
Helping Hand Fundraiser to Support Ummah in Crisis . MCC Full Time School Community Picnic Source of Fun for Children . The First Annual Eye on India Festival . Birthday, Graduation and Aameen
By Dr.Mujahid Ghazi
Helping Hand Fundraiser to Support Ummah in Crisis
Chicago, June 10 th, 2011: A fundraiser dinner was organized by Helping Hand USA at Monty’s Banquets in Bensenville to support the Muslims in Crisis in the Middle East and Africa especially in Tunis, Libya and Syria.
After the recitation of the Qur’an by Mohammad Umar, a video message and Qir’at by Sh. Qari Saad Nomani was played. Nadia Zeeshan from HHRD gave a brief presentation on the work of HHRD in helping the Ummah in need around the world.
An eye-witness account was given by Dr.Mohammed Nejib Karoui, President of Attaouen, an organization in Tunis which is helping the people in crisis in that part of the world.
Shiekh Muhammad Mubrook also spoke on the current situation in Libya, Syria, Tunis and Yemen. Sheikh Faisal Hamoudah conducted a very vigorous and successful fundraising program on a day when not many potential donors were present and the audience was comparatively small. Omar Imtiaz emceed the event.
MCC Full Time School Community Picnic Source of Fun for Children
Chicago, June 11 th, 2011: Hundreds of children and their families had real summer fun last Saturday when MEC (Muslim Education Center), a full-time Islamic school of MCC, organized a community picnic at its premises in Morton Grove. Special attention was given to providing maximum fun for children of all ages. There was moon walk, Bouncing Castle, Inflated Giant Slide, Obstacle Course, Carnival Games and Basket Ball Challenge.
Prepared food like Biryani, Chicken Tikka, Hot Dogs, Shawarma and Corn on the Cob was part of $ 5 meal deal. There was a long line on $ 5 pony ride. The weather was just right to bring the families out. There was also a Hula Hoop competition. Children appeared so good at it that no one dropped the hoop even after the set time. Habib Quadri, the young energetic principal of MCC Full Time School, was seen on his toes, moving around and making sure everything was safe and secure. Businesses like Midamar, Crescent Foods, Salwa Foods, Fresh Farm Store, Al-Rayan Market and Barkaat Foods with their Tazaa2u.com promotional raffle supported this well-organized and well-managed event.
The First Annual Eye on India Festival
Chicago, June 13 th, 20011 – A unique and colorful extravaganza of Indian culture, the first annual Eye on India festival honors the wealth of India’s cultural heritage by showcasing the best of Indian music, theatre, literature, film, traditional health and wellness and visual arts in Millennium Park and surrounding venues including the Harris Theater, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Cultural Center. This extraordinary festival will join Chicago’s world class cultural landscape for ten days July 8 – 17, 2011.
Presented by Indian-based Teamwork Films in partnership with Chicago-based Anookul Inc., Eye on India will open Friday, July 8 at the Harris Theater with internationally acclaimed Indian classical violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam with special local guests, the Chicago Children’s Choir and Natya Dance Theatre. Daily events to follow, the majority of which are free of charge, will include: literary panels with esteemed journalists and authors including Tarun Tejpal and Hari Kunzru; an Indian film retrospective hosted by critically acclaimed Indian actress Tabu; a “Music Without Borders” concert featuring Susheela Raman; and, a performance by India’s Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust. An Indian art exhibit entitled “Where The Streets Have No Name” will be on display at Coalition Gallery throughout the festival. Eye on India will conclude on Sunday, July 17 with The Wellbeing Experience - a full-day of yoga, meditation and ayurveda workshops.
The event is marketed by Carol Fox & Associates, Inc. (CF&A) is Chicago’s largest marketing and public relations firm dedicated solely to promoting arts, special events and entertainment clientele. Carol L. Fox founded the company in her home in 1994, having earned widespread recognition for her work as a marketing and public relations director for various Chicago arts organizations. The agency has shown a rapid and impressive rate of growth, moving into its own building in 1997 and now employing 15 full-time marketing and public relations specialists, plus support staff, and since 2004, a group sales division called GroupTix. The client roster includes numerous commercial and not-for-profit theatrical productions, performing arts presenters, dance companies, music ensembles, a record label, visual arts expositions, city fairs and festivals, gala benefits and other special events.
Anuradha Behari, Executive Producer of Teamwork Productions, gave a brief introduction to the upcoming event during a press briefing at Tiffin India Restaurant last Monday. .
“Indo- American Center is supporting this unique project which will bring Indian culture, art and literature on our doorsteps,” said Sher Rajput, veteran community activist and Board member of IAC.
For more information and tickets visit www.eyeonindia.com
Birthday, Graduation and Aameen
Chicago, June 11 th, 2011: The last week in Chicago was a week of graduations, birthdays and aameens.
DePaul University Pakistan Students’ Association’s Ex-President Samra Cheema (now Samra Jibran) organized a surprise birthday party for her husband Jibran Ilyas at the Lake Michigan beach in Wilmette last Saturday. A large number of friends and family gathered to join the couple on the occasion. There was BBQ, Cricket, Water Balloon Fight and lot of grilled food. Jibran Ilyas is a nationally acclaimed IT security consultant and speaker. He is also part of Asian Broadcasting Network’s team.
Dr. Saroor Alam and Dr. Huma Alam celebrated their daughter Zoya Alam’s graduation last week. A large number of prominent Pakistani and Indian Americans were present on the happy occasion. Many members of the Pakistan Physician Society were also seen enjoying the food and the program.
Mohammad Farrukh and Aalia Farrukh invited friends and family to the Aameen ceremony of their daughter Ayman Farrukh Ali. Farrukh welcomed the guests and asked Ayman to recite verses from the Holy Qur’an. It was a beautiful recitation she did with good Tajweed and great Makhraj. Hafiz Muhammad Musa Azam from the ICNA Mosque in Chicago stressed in detail the importance of learning Qur’an in Arabic. He quoted Ahadith to support his point of view. Mr. Iqbal Ahmed also talked about the importance of Qur’anic learning. Later, Mikhail Shah and Ibrahim Khan presented their famous skit “Sheikh Chilli”.
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