A Lebanese restaurant in Michigan has been named among the 38 best restaurants in America by the food network Eater.com.
For the third year in a row, Al Ameer Lebanese Restaurant in Dearborn, Michigan has been named among the best eateries in the nation.
Food critic Bill Addison traveled to 36 cities to come up with his list of America’s “essential” restaurants.
“Among Dearborn’s cache of Lebanese restaurants, this is the paragon,” Addison’s review said.
“Kahlil Ammar and Zaki Hashem’s family business includes an in-house butcher facility, so the unrivaled stuffed lamb (and also lamb liver, a traditional breakfast dish) exhibits exceptional freshness.”
Dearborn, a Detroit suburb, is home to one of the largest concentrations of Arabs outside of the Middle East. Al Ameer is one of several dozen Lebanese restaurants in the diverse city.
Al Ameer’s famous stuffed lamb dish. (Eater/Bill Addison)
In addition to the classic Lebanese favorites, Al Ameer is known for its house dishes like stuffed lamb, moujadara, grape leaves and the Al Ameer platter.
Al Ameer Restaurant is located at 12710 West Warren Avenue in Dearborn, Michigan. To visit their website, click here.
To view Addison’s full list of America’s 38 best restaurants, click here.
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(DETROIT) — Syrian singer Rouwaida Attieh on Tuesday honored Lebanese musical legend Sabah during a tribute concert in Dearborn, Michigan, the home of the largest Arab American population in the United States.
The Lebanese American Heritage Club hosted the international songstress for a concert titled, “Sabah, The Musical Dream.”
Attieh traveled to Paris last March to perform at the famous Le Trianon Theater, where she presented a collection of Sabah’s most popular songs.
Sabah was once quoted at the Beiteddine Festival in Lebanon saying she considered Attieh the best person to have performed her songs.
Attieh was presented with a special tribute from State Senator David Knezek and recognition awards from Dearborn City Council President Susan Dabaja and Council Member Mike Sarieni.
LAHC Executive Director Wassim Mahfouz also thanked Attieh for headlining the concert.
Attieh was the first runner-up on the first season of Super Star, the pan-Arab import of “Pop Idol,” where she quickly rose to fame. She has worked with several Arab musical giants, including Lebanese composer Imad Shamseddine and Lebanese legend Wadih El Safi, among others.
Sabah, one of the leading Arab performers of her generation, died at the age of 87 last November. She was said to recorded over 3,500 songs in her lifetime.
VIDEO: Singer Rouwaida Attieh pays tribute to the Lebanese musical legend Sabah at a concert hosted by the Lebanese American Heritage Club in Dearborn, Michigan.
UPDATE: Harlan apologized on Thursday saying: “In no way did I mean to imply that because of our community’s make up, there was a higher risk of ISIS threats.”
(DEARBORN, MI) — WDIV-TV Local 4 news anchor Carmen Harlan upset many Michigan Muslims after making a comment on the state’s alleged ties to ISIS during a broadcast on the Detroit NBC affiliate on Wednesday.
When asked about a possible “ISIS threat in Michigan”, Harlan said “given the fact that we have the largest Arab population outside of the Middle East, I guess this should not come as a real surprise.”
Many Arab organizations have voiced concern over Harlan’s comments, urging the TV station to apologize.
“This shocking lapse of professional conduct was directed against law-abiding citizens who strive to create vibrant, diverse communities wherever they live,” said Fatina Abdrabboh, director of the Michigan American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
“Naturally, this type of analysis is very problematic for our community as we watch the impact of blanket indictments on the Arab-American and Muslim community that have nothing to do with the ISIS phenomenon at all.”
The threat of ISIS in Michigan has not been authenticated by security officials, according to media reports.
“These offensive comments based on an unconfirmed threat only stir up animosity toward Michigan’s Arab community,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “Comments like these are an example of racial profiling at its worst and Carmen Harlan should apologize immediately.”
The Campaign to TAKE ON HATE, led by the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), a program of ACCESS, urged Harlan to apologize on air.
“Carmen Harlan’s comment about the Arab American community is appalling, offensive and dangerous,” said Nadia Tonova, director of NNAAC. “As a reporter, she has a responsibility to remain objective in her reporting and not draw conclusions for her audience. We request that WDIV immediately address this racially charged comment.”
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(DETROIT, MI) — A Muslim woman from Dearborn says Delta Airlines mishandled a harassment case on a flight from Florida to Detroit.
Darlene Hider, 32, said she was with her four kids and husband when another woman yelled, “This is America!” and insulted her because of her Islamic faith.
Instead of asking the woman to stop, Delta flight attendants told Hider to “get your kids and change seats.” She was later moved to the rear of the plane.
“I felt as if I wanted to defend myself but I couldn’t because of the Islamophobia going on,” Hider told BuzzFeed News. “It’s enough that I wear a scarf. We have to prove ourselves every day to people and it gets tiring. I’m not a terrorist. I’m American.”
According to Hider, the flight attendant said: “You are at my wit’s end. You better be quiet before I kick you off this plane!”
Hider’s brother, Abed Ayoub, is the legal and policy director at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
“Everyday Muslims and Arabs are discriminated against in America,” Ayoub posted on Twitter. “They are sisters, wives, mothers and don’t deserve this.”
“As a civil rights attorney I work with victims of discrimination all the time. Corporations like Delta need to respond better,” he said.
Brian Kruse, a spokesman for Delta Airlines, say they’re reviewing the situation.
“Delta does not condone discrimination of any kind,” he told the Detroit Free Press on Tuesday.
The president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Samer Khalaf, is now calling on Delta to better train their flight attendants.
“We encourage Delta to take immediate steps to rectify this matter and ensure that their agents are better equipped to address instances of harassment,” he said.
The ADC released a video that they say shows part of the incident. A flight attendant is heard saying: “You want to get off the plane? I’m fixing the problem. If you want, we will take you out.”
WATCH video footage of Hider moving seats:
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(DEARBORN, MI) — A Lebanese man from Dearborn, Mich., accused of kidnapping and killing two Irish United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon in 1980, was deported to Lebanon on Thursday for unrelated offenses.
Mahmoud Bazzi, 72, entered the United States in 1994 and later gave false information in immigration proceedings that led officials to grant him permanent residence status in the United States, according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.
Officials say Bazzi was sent on a commercial flight to Beirut under escort by immigration enforcement officers and turned over to Lebanese authorities.
Bazzi’s lawyer says his arrest in Lebanon has nothing to do with the UN peacekeepers case, but Irish officials say otherwise.
“I believe that this is a significant step in the pursuit of justice for Privates Thomas Barrett and Derek Smallhorne who lost their lives while on United Nations peacekeeping duty in Lebanon almost 35 years ago,” Irish Minister Simon Coveney said.
Derek Smallhorne Jr., the son of one of the Irish soldiers who was killed in 1980, said he’s delighted” to hear the news.
“It is now up to the Lebanon government to bring this man to justice and to show the world how they deal with cold-blooded murder,” he said.
But Bazzi’s attorney, Fred Ajluni, said his client is innocent and will likely be freed by Lebanese authorities.
American authorities did not specify whether Bazzi would be charged with war crimes, although his past history in Lebanon played a role in the deportation.
“This removal is the culmination of a sophisticated and meticulous investigation by several U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement components,” said Marlon Miller, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit.
The deportation order followed interviews with Steve Hindy, an American journalist who covered the civil war in southern Lebanon, and John O’Mahony, the Irish soldier who survived.
Both men identified Bazzi as the man who abducted them and five other members of a United Nations peacekeeping group in southern Lebanon.
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(DEARBORN, MI) — Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini resigned from his duties as spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of America (ICA) on Ford Road in Dearborn, Mich. on Friday.
In a speech to the Young Muslim Association, Al-Qazwini called ICA board members “racist” and “selfish,” and called on the packed congregation to urge them to step down.
“For 18 years, I kept my mouth shut,” he said. “I’m not going to take it anymore.”
Al-Qazwini has been the target of anonymous letters that accused him of corruption and adultery, including diverting mosque money for his father’s projects in Iraq.
He has strongly denied all allegations, except admitting that he sent some money to his father’s charitable orphanage in Iraq.
Al-Qazwini, who was born in Iraq, says he was also the victim of racism by Lebanese board members, who wanted to fund projects in Lebanon, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Ron Amen, the chairman of the board, confirmed Qazwini’s resignation.
“The news came as a total shock to the board,” Amen told the Arab American News. “I think it’s a huge mistake. There have been derogatory comments about the Sayed, but I don’t believe resigning is the way to handle the adversary.”
Lebanese-American radio host Afaf Ahmad says she’s being attacked for publishing controversial YouTube videos about ICA issues.
“It’s very said,” she said. “This is how the Arab community reacts to a female journalist is doing her job and telling the truth. Thanks to those who believe in my mission since only brainwashed people are attacking me mostly from fake accounts.”
On Twitter, supporters are defending Al-Qazwini with the hashtags #SupportQazwini and #WeSupportQazwini.
“The community I know is better then this,” wrote Danielle Mallad. “Should we not come together instead of dividing apart? Stop the hatred!”
Another Twitter user wrote: “I admire and respect you for your 18 years of loyal service to our community, you will be greatly missed.”
WATCH Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini speak to the Young Muslim Association:
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(DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI) — A Lebanese-American family woke up in the middle of the night to a fire outside their home in Dearborn Heights, Michigan on Sunday.
The American and Lebanese flag were both lit when the homeowner looked outside his window just before 2 am.
“I heard some noise in the kitchen and I thought it was my daughter coming home from work,” he told FOX 2 News in Detroit. “I got up and here’s a man standing in my kitchen with a piece of wood with fire on top of it.”
The homeowner, who wants to stay anonymous, said this is the second time this happened in the past two weeks.
He describes the suspect as a man with a thin build about 5 feet 11 inches tall. The suspect was wearing a black hoodie and a black ski mask covering the face. The homeowner chased the suspect outside, but the suspect hopped the fence, he said.
“I’m going to put back the American flag and the Lebanese flag. That’s my house I can put whatever I want in there,” he said.
(DEARBORN, MI) — The Arab American Civil Rights League hosted their Third Annual “Fight for Justice” Gala at Greenfield Manor in Dearborn, Michigan on October 10.
The ACRL honored Dr. Farouk El-Baz, a former NASA scientist and professor at Boston University, and Ismael Ahmed, one of the founding members of ACCESS.
Attorney Nabih Ayyad, the founder and chairman of ACRL, said the Arab American community is facing one of the most vicious attacks on their civil liberties and they’re fighting back by filing several lawsuits.
(Photos courtesy of Bill Chapman Photography)
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(DETROIT, MI) — A Detroit area Lebanese-American businessman is suing the U.S. government for what he calls unfair targeting based on his Arab American race.
Dearborn resident Nasser Beydoun says he’s on a government “selectee” list that requires him to undergo secondary checks and questioning every time he tries to fly.
“We’re just fighting for our God-given rights that the constitution guarantees us … and to make sure government doesn’t become obtrusive and denies the rights of people without giving them the due process,” said Nasser Beydoun, a Muslim and former chairman and director of Arab American Chamber of Commerce.
Beydoun says his status doesn’t allow him to check in online for flights, his bags get screened, and TSA agents have to call the Terrorist Screening Center before Beydoun boards a plane.
“This happens every single time,” Beydoun said.
Beydoun says he’s never been told why he’s on a watch list, but that he’s being unfairly targeted because he’s Arab American.
“I don’t have any connections to known terrorists or associate with terrorists or support terrorists or sympathize with terrorists,” he said.
Efforts to clear his name with the Department of Homeland Security have gone nowhere, according to Beydoun.
That’s why he wants to take the government to court.
The class action lawsuit filed on Friday names U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the heads of the FBI and Terrorist Screening Center.
“People might say, ‘Hey, look. He’s an Arab. Maybe he’s a terrorist.’ We’re not gonna fall for that. We’re gonna basically fight for our rights because when we fight for our rights were fighting for everybody else’s rights,” Beydoun said.
Beydoun says he’s willing to represent thousands of other Arab Americans in metro Detroit and across the country in his fight for due process and transparency from the government.
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(DEARBORN, MI) — When local rapper Basel “Baze” Hachem uploaded a music video on YouTube this week, it resulted in a social media firestorm for its depiction of young local Arab Americans partying at a hookah lounge.
Baze uploaded the video, titled “Can’t Let Go Remix”, on September 14. Within hours, it captivated the attention of the local community as it was shared across social media
The Arab American News posted the music video on its Facebook page and within 48 hours it had reached more than 20,000 Facebook users and sparked hundreds of mixed comments.
The plot of the video involves Baze serenading a woman in front of local hookah bar Blue Cafe, located on Schaefer Road. in east Dearborn. Inside the hookah lounge, dozens of college-aged locals are seen dancing, smoking hookah and lip syncing the song’s lyrics.
Baze’s clip did seem to generate strong backing by many, who expressed the importance of supporting locals who are trying to break into the entertainment industry. But many of those supporters were drowned out by the most controversial aspect of the video:
It captures two local young women— both of whom wear the headscarf— dancing and lip syncing along with dozens of other men and women. It ignited a range of debates on the hijab in Islam, and the “expected” behavior that comes with the territory.
“The two girls in the headscarves, one is my sister and the other is my cousin,” Baze told The Arab American News. “What people were saying about them was a disgrace. They are grown women, adults supporting their family.”
Baze said he was prepared for the backlash when he decided to let his sister and cousin appear in the video. His wife is also in the video, playing the woman he serenades. They, along with hundreds of other local young adults, showed up at Blue Cafe in August when he distributed flyers asking supporters to join him for the video shoot. It was shot by New Age Media, a local up-and-coming production company.
Since the release of the video, many commentators were also appalled at the “questionable” image the video may be setting for the community. But Baze said it’s the reality of a modern day Dearborn.
“The atmosphere of that video is what happens every weekend at all the cafes in Dearborn,” he said. “My video is innocent. When they have entertainment nights at hookah bars, don’t you see hijabi’s dancing and doing the dabke? When you go to a wedding, don’t you see the proud mother dancing in front of everyone? They were doing normal stuff, but people blew it out of proportion.”
Baze said criticism comes with the territory of his career choice. He was born in Saudi Arabia and moved to Detroit with his family when he was 4-years-old. He soon developed a passion for music, listening to late rapper Tupac Shakur while growing up.
Despite challenges from his father, Baze said he moved out of his home when he was 18 to pursue a career as a rapper. He began writing his own music, releasing free-style mix tapes and distributing them for free. His musical style is versatile, tackling life themes and infusing it with street and club vibes.
“I started off in my own community, they were in my mind first before I went to any other city,” Baze said. “I was on my own. The family wasn’t supporting me and I was giving CDs away for free, thousands of them.”
Due to word of mouth, he would soon earn a positive reputation in the local hip hop scene and would begin charging for shows and mix tapes, making a steady income. He said his family eventually came around to the idea of accepting his career choice.
His music has made it as far as Chicago and Miami and he has also developed a large following in such local cities as Sterling Heights and Novi.
He plans to stay in Dearborn with his wife and two children and hopes his music will eventually reach music executives in Hollywood. He said social media has become his strongest marketing tool.
Baze is aware that it’s not all too common for Arab Americans to pursue careers in the entertainment industry, but referenced former Dearborn resident Rima Fakih, Miss USA 2010, as a good example of someone who pursued her dreams while facing community backlash.
“It’s challenging knowing you are going to get hated on in your own community, but it helps you build up and move on from it,” he said. “If you don’t have haters, you aren’t doing anything right. The people who have been supporting me, without them, my music wouldn’t go anywhere and I thank them.”
Source: New America Media via Arab American News, Samer Hijazi, September 27, 2014
See original report here or here.
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