Elizabeth, NJ – For the first time, the US Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Service will hold a swearing-in ceremony for new citizens at a NJ grade school. The event will be hosted by the Jewish Educational Center in Elizabeth, NJ (330 Elmora Ave., Elizabeth, NJ 07208) today, May 21, at 1:30 PM.
29 new immigrants, representing a broad kaleidoscope of nationalities, will take the oath of allegiance to the United States before an audience that will include community leaders from the political, social and educational realms, faculty, students, and family members of the new citizens.
“As Jews, we understand what it feels like to be a stranger in a strange land”, said Adina Abramov, JEC’s chief marketing officer who initiated the program explained, “and we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the United States of America for all the goodness and blessing it has afforded us as a people, particularly in the shadow of the horrific Holocaust.”
The school’s associate dean, Rabbi Eliyahu Teitz, concurred and added, ” It is our honor and privilege to have this unique opportunity of “giving back” and greeting the newest members of our community with open arms and generous hearts.”
The program will include the formalities of a regular naturalization ceremony as well as a brief student presentation. The student choir will lead the audience in the national anthem and an 8th grader will lead the new citizens in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Dr. Dawood Farahi was a natural choice for keynote. Kean University is a neighbor of the Jewish Educational Center and common constituents and stakeholders overlap both institutions. More importantly though, is his track-record on championing human rights and his personal story as an immigrant from Afghanistan, which is especially compelling. He represents the American Dream and that any goal is attainable in the United States for a new immigrant.
Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage will also be on hand with welcome remarks, and the official segment of the program will be officiated by representatives from the Department of Homeland Security.
Attending 8th grade students have been paired up with recent immigrants to the US, studied the process they experienced, and conducted extensive interviews with them. Their subjects of that work, many of whom are from nearby communities of Elizabeth, Union, Newark and surrounding towns, will also be in attendance.
The event is expected to take up to an hour at most and will be followed by a reception with an official cake cutting, an opportunity to view the student exhibits, and for the families of the new citizens to have their photos taken.
{Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}
