A Muslim and Jewish Integrated Township
Noah Martz
There is currently around 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States with 59 thousand living in New Jersey alone. The number of Jews in America is around 5.5 million or 8 million, depending on one's definition, with over 5 hundred thousand residing in new New Jersey. Teaneck, a township in Bergen County, has a large religious Jewish community as well as a substantial Muslim one. Teaneck was originally comprised of mainly white Christian families in the mid 20th century and it was not until the 1960’s, after years of “white flight”, when Jews and other types of families started move in.
I was raised in this town, just like my mother, in the growing Jewish community that Teaneck possess. My family attends Synagogue every weekend and celebrates the religious holidays every year. I went to a private Jewish schools for most of my elementary and middle school years and during that time I remained closely inside my Jewish “bubble” with little association with individuals who were not inside it.
Most Jewish children in Teaneck attend only religious private schools their whole life until college, so my decision as a religious Jew to go a public school was not common.
It was not until I attended the public high school in Teaneck did I realize the present and active Islamic community within my neighborhood. Going to Teaneck High School allowed me to experience my first time talking with students who wore hijabs and identity in other religious ways besides my own. I never had friends who were Muslim until my high school years and I learned about the differences as well as similarities of the Islamic culture compared to my Jewish background.
As I entered my sophomore year in Teaneck High, I began to be aware about how Jews and Muslims perceived and treated each other in my town. As most Jews in Teaneck are observant and religious, there is many strong pro-Israel views within the community.
In June of 2014, 3 Israeli teenagers were kidnapped while hitchhiking in the West Bank. Jewish communities around the United States held vigils and put signs on their yard praying for their safe return. There was a popular bumper sticker that stated “Bring Back Our Boys” next to pictures of their faces. Most Jews kept up to date with recent Israeli news and especially any recent terrorist attacks on the people of Israel. The Jewish Teaneck idea of who Muslims are as people became based off of terrorist acts committed by those in Israel and not on the actions of ones who reside in their hometown. This caused an unjust fear among Jews that Muslims were extremely violent people despite being neighbors in their town and with no reports of any actual acts of violence commit on either side in the community.
Of course not all Jews in my community perceive Muslims as potential terrorist or evil, but there is a strong presence of distrust for ones inside the Islamic community. A Rabbi at a Synagogue I once attended when I was younger expressed a seemingly hateful message towards Muslims on his online blog. It was labeled “Dealing With Savages,” and it called for Israel to deport terrorist families “up to and including first cousins,” along with other harsh actions. This idea was not supported by many Jewish residents in Teaneck and in New Jersey and the post was quickly taken down. The Rabbi, however, was not punished for his actions from my knowledge and many still support his views despite the backlash. I do not believe that the Rabbi is an atrocious individual, but his lack of understanding and compassion for Muslims is unreasonable. People like this Rabbi need to interact with the Muslims present in their own town and formulate a more just image of who Muslims truly are.
The relations among Jews and Muslims is one that is peaceful, but not loving. Some Jews do not think highly of Muslims and some Muslims resent Jews for their poor viewpoint on their culture. Jews attending private schools where they only interact with other Jews prohibits any chance for relations to improve. Joining a public school where many cultures and religion are mixed together helps remove any preconceived notions on how certain people act. Going to a diverse school like Teaneck High help me and others realize that individuals from distinct backgrounds are more similar than they appear. Public high school gives students a chance to talk, work, and eat with others who they know truly little about.
I am not sure how the relations will be in the future. Teaneck is growing in population, but Jewish students are still attending private schools and participate in mainly Jewish run after school programs. I do not advocate for all Jews to stop attending private schools, but children should be involved in their community in some way or otherwise a lack of understand and eventually fear for others different than themselves will emerge. Teaneck has elected both a Jewish man and a Muslim man as mayor over the course 6 years and that is a step in the right direction. I can only hope for residents in Teaneck to learn from their neighbors and realize the positive values we all share.
Sources:
http://archive.northjersey.com/news/Rabbis-keeping-distance-from-teaneck-Rabbi-s-online-post-1.1140749
http://observer.com/2016/07/hameeduddin-sworn-in-as-new-teaneck-mayor/
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| Welcome sign of Teaneck |
There is currently around 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States with 59 thousand living in New Jersey alone. The number of Jews in America is around 5.5 million or 8 million, depending on one's definition, with over 5 hundred thousand residing in new New Jersey. Teaneck, a township in Bergen County, has a large religious Jewish community as well as a substantial Muslim one. Teaneck was originally comprised of mainly white Christian families in the mid 20th century and it was not until the 1960’s, after years of “white flight”, when Jews and other types of families started move in.
I was raised in this town, just like my mother, in the growing Jewish community that Teaneck possess. My family attends Synagogue every weekend and celebrates the religious holidays every year. I went to a private Jewish schools for most of my elementary and middle school years and during that time I remained closely inside my Jewish “bubble” with little association with individuals who were not inside it.
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| Jewish gift shop |
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| Popular kosher restaurant |
Most Jewish children in Teaneck attend only religious private schools their whole life until college, so my decision as a religious Jew to go a public school was not common.
 |
| Main entrance to Teaneck High |
It was not until I attended the public high school in Teaneck did I realize the present and active Islamic community within my neighborhood. Going to Teaneck High School allowed me to experience my first time talking with students who wore hijabs and identity in other religious ways besides my own. I never had friends who were Muslim until my high school years and I learned about the differences as well as similarities of the Islamic culture compared to my Jewish background.
 |
| Hall of Teaneck High School |
As I entered my sophomore year in Teaneck High, I began to be aware about how Jews and Muslims perceived and treated each other in my town. As most Jews in Teaneck are observant and religious, there is many strong pro-Israel views within the community.
In June of 2014, 3 Israeli teenagers were kidnapped while hitchhiking in the West Bank. Jewish communities around the United States held vigils and put signs on their yard praying for their safe return. There was a popular bumper sticker that stated “Bring Back Our Boys” next to pictures of their faces. Most Jews kept up to date with recent Israeli news and especially any recent terrorist attacks on the people of Israel. The Jewish Teaneck idea of who Muslims are as people became based off of terrorist acts committed by those in Israel and not on the actions of ones who reside in their hometown. This caused an unjust fear among Jews that Muslims were extremely violent people despite being neighbors in their town and with no reports of any actual acts of violence commit on either side in the community.
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Sign promoting the Bring Back Our Boys hashtag
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Of course not all Jews in my community perceive Muslims as potential terrorist or evil, but there is a strong presence of distrust for ones inside the Islamic community. A Rabbi at a Synagogue I once attended when I was younger expressed a seemingly hateful message towards Muslims on his online blog. It was labeled “Dealing With Savages,” and it called for Israel to deport terrorist families “up to and including first cousins,” along with other harsh actions. This idea was not supported by many Jewish residents in Teaneck and in New Jersey and the post was quickly taken down. The Rabbi, however, was not punished for his actions from my knowledge and many still support his views despite the backlash. I do not believe that the Rabbi is an atrocious individual, but his lack of understanding and compassion for Muslims is unreasonable. People like this Rabbi need to interact with the Muslims present in their own town and formulate a more just image of who Muslims truly are.
The relations among Jews and Muslims is one that is peaceful, but not loving. Some Jews do not think highly of Muslims and some Muslims resent Jews for their poor viewpoint on their culture. Jews attending private schools where they only interact with other Jews prohibits any chance for relations to improve. Joining a public school where many cultures and religion are mixed together helps remove any preconceived notions on how certain people act. Going to a diverse school like Teaneck High help me and others realize that individuals from distinct backgrounds are more similar than they appear. Public high school gives students a chance to talk, work, and eat with others who they know truly little about.
I am not sure how the relations will be in the future. Teaneck is growing in population, but Jewish students are still attending private schools and participate in mainly Jewish run after school programs. I do not advocate for all Jews to stop attending private schools, but children should be involved in their community in some way or otherwise a lack of understand and eventually fear for others different than themselves will emerge. Teaneck has elected both a Jewish man and a Muslim man as mayor over the course 6 years and that is a step in the right direction. I can only hope for residents in Teaneck to learn from their neighbors and realize the positive values we all share.
 |
| Mohammed Hameeduddin being sworn into office |
Sources:
http://archive.northjersey.com/news/Rabbis-keeping-distance-from-teaneck-Rabbi-s-online-post-1.1140749
http://observer.com/2016/07/hameeduddin-sworn-in-as-new-teaneck-mayor/
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