Muslim Neighbors Working Together
for Peace and Understanding
ISLAMIC CONGREGATION
OF LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE
ACTIVITIES
13th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar - May 18, 2019
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge held its 13th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar at La Canada’s Community Center on 5/18/19. About 150 people enjoyed a wonderful multi-ethnic cuisine and engaged in great conversation. Many thanks to Shereen Karam for her beautiful Quranic recitation and to our featured speaker, Jihad Saafir, founder of Islah LA, a nonprofit that provides social services in the L.A. area, for his powerful remarks on Ramadan and building communities together.
12th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar - May 18, 2018
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge held its 12th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar this past Friday at La Canada’s Community Center. Over 170 people came together to share a delicious meal and strengthen their bonds of fellowship and community. Many thanks to Mirna Elaasar for her beautiful Quranic recitation and to our featured speaker, Aziza Hasan, the Executive Director of NewGround, for her powerful and deeply moving reflections on Ramadan and building bridges together.
Humanitarian Day 2018 - June 9, 2018
Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge joining hands with the Ilm Foundation and Masjid Taqwa to serve those less fortunate on Pasadena’s Humanitarian Day.
2018 Interfaith Baccalaureate Service - May 29, 2018
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge helped organize the annual Interfaith Baccalaureate Service at St. Bede’s Catholic Church to honor the local high school graduates. Many thanks to Jinan Al-Marayati for her beautiful Quranic recitation, to Mahek Ahmed for her powerful testimonial on what her faith means to her, and to the keynote speaker, Megan Handley Katerjian, the Executive Director of Door of Hope and a good friend of the Muslim community, for her inspiring speech.
11th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar - June 9, 2017
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge held its 11th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar at La Canada’s Community Center on June 9, 2017. About 150 people enjoyed a delicious potluck meal as well as great conversation. Many thanks to Jihad Turk, Founding President of Bayan Claremont Islamic Graduate School and a leader in interfaith work in Southern California for his inspiring reflections on Ramadan.
10th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar - June 10, 2016
ICLCF held its 10th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar at the Community Center of La Canada Flintridge on 6/10/16. Over 150 people of various faiths came together to share a delicious meal and strengthen their bonds of fellowship and community. Many thanks to Mirna Elaasar for her beautiful Quranic recitation and Salam Al-Marayati for his powerful and enlightening talk, dispelling some of the common misperceptions about Islam. See more pictures here.
2016 Interfaith Baccalaureate Service - May 24, 2016
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge helped organize the annual interfaith baccalaureate service for the area's graduating seniors, which was held at the St. Bede the Venerable Church in La Canada. Mostafa El-Harazi, a graduating senior from St. Francis High School gave the Quranic recitation and Mirna Elaasar, a graduating senior from La Canada High School, gave the Muslim testimonial. See more pictures here.
Interfaith Service Project - May 14, 2016
La Cañada Presbyterian Church and Islamic Congregation of La Cañada -Flintridge co-hosted a service project and dinner for the community. This was the second in a series of events to build peace and understanding between Christian, Muslim, interfaith and secular communities in the La Canada area by bringing these communities together through service and fellowship. They packed over 250 hygiene kits to be given out later to the homeless men and women in Pasadena.The group also shared a delicious potluck dinner together and got to know one another better. See more pictures and read the news coverage of the event
Interfaith Forum on Religious Extremism- Mar. 6, 2016
ICLCF held an interfaith forum on “Religious Extremism: A Conversation and Collaboration in the Community” in partnership with La Canada Presbyterian Church. The event drew a capacity crowd of more than 200 people who came together in a sincere search for knowledge and fellowship. Edina Lekovic and Jihad Turk did a phenomenal job as Muslim representatives on the panel, Dudley Woodberry, dean emeritus and senior professor at Fuller Seminary’s School of Intercultural Studies and his departmental colleague, Jay Muller, offered their thoughtful perspectives, and Dallas Raines, ABC7 Chief Meteorologist and longtime La Canada resident, kindly moderated the panel discussion. Watch the video of the event and read the news article.
Interfaith Thanksgiving Service- Nov. 19, 2015
Levent Akbarut, a member of the Steering Committee, delivered the homily at the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service held at Temple Sinai of Glendale. This service is a collaborative effort by the Glendale Religious Leaders Association and includes organizations of Christians, Muslims, Jews, and members of other faiths.
Thanksgiving Day Run- Nov. 26, 2015
ICLCF members participated in the annual Thanksgiving Day 5K Run organized by the Community Center of La Canada Flintridge. In addition to being one of the sponsors of this event, ICLCF partcipates in the annual Food Drive organized by CCLCF for the benefit of the needy families in the local area.
Humanitarian Day- July 11 . 2015
In partnership with Masjid Taqwa, ICLCF co-sponsored the City of Pasadena's 7th Annual Humanitarian Day. Volunteers from the two organizations provided sack lunches, backpacks, hygiene kits and blankets to over 200 people at the Central Park in Pasadena. To see more pictures, click HERE.
9th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar - June 19. 2015
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge held its 9th Annual Ramadan Interfaith Potluck Iftar at the Community Center of La Canada Flintridge, drawing over 150 people of various faiths who came together to share a meal and strenghten their bond as a community. They were treated to Mustapha Khawaja'a beautiful Quranic recitation and Edina Lekovic's deeply inspring reflections on Ramadan. See more pictures HERE.
Thanksgiving Run for the Hungry - November 27, 2014
Members of the Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge participated in the annual Run for the Hungry sponsored by the Community Center of La Canada Flintridge to raise funds for the needy.
2015 Interfaith Baccalaureate Service - May 26, 2015
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge helped organize the annual interfaith baccalaureate service for the area's graduating seniors, which was held at the St. Bede the Venerable Church in La Canada. Kareem Zeenni, a graduating senior from St. Francis High School gave the Quranic recitation and OmarTrad, a graduating senior from Crescenta Valley High School, gave the Muslim testimonial.
Humanitarian Day - July 19, 2014
In an event organized by the ILM Foundation, ICLCF partnered with Masjid Taqwa for the City of Pasadena's 6th Annual Humanitarian Day. Volunteers from the two organizations provided sack lunches, backpacks, hygiene kits and blankets to over 200 people at the Central Park in Pasadena.
8th Annual Interfaith Ramadan Potluck Iftar - July 11, 2014
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge hosted its 8th annual Interfaith Ramadan Potluck Iftar (breaking of the fast) on Friday, July 11, 2014 at the Community Center of La Canada Flintridge. Over 150 people from various faith traditions came together to share a meal and enjoy great conversations. Following the evening prayer and a delicious multi-ethnic potluck dinner, the program started with a beautiful Qur'anic recitation by Maryam Nouh, a senior at UCLA, who also shared her reflections about Ramadan. The keynote speaker was Imam Tariq Aquil who gave a moving speech. See more pictures of the event and read the press coverage.
7th Annual Interfaith Ramadan Potluck Dinner - July 12, 2013
Bringing together over 150 people from various faith communities, the event on July 12, 2013 was a resounding success. Hannah Stewart, a senior at La Canada High School, opened the program with a beautiful Qur'anic recitation, and Dr. Sarah Eltantawi gave a superb talk about spirituality and Ramadan through three inspiring personal stories. See more pictures of the event and read the press coverage.
Humanitarian Day - Aug. 27, 2011
Partnering with the ILM Foundation and Masjid Taqwa, ICLCF organized Pasadena's 3rd Annual Humanitarian Day, providing sack lunches, backpacks, hygiene kits and blankets to over 200 people at the Central Park in Pasadena. See more pictures of the event.
2014 Interfaith Baccalaureate Service - June 3, 2014
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge helped organize the annual interfaith baccalaureate service for the area's graduating seniors, which was held at the St. Bede the Venerable Church in La Canada. Hannah Stewart, a graduating senior from La Canada High School gave both the Quranic recitation as well as the Muslim testimonial.
6th Annual Interfaith Ramadan Potluck Dinner - July 27, 2012
Over 125 members of various faith communities joined together on July 27, 2012 to share a meal and strengthen their bonds of fellowship. Maryam Nouh, a sophomore at UCLA, started the program with a beautiful recitation from the Quran and then shared her reflections on the month of Ramadan. The keynote speaker was Dawud Abdullah, a noted Muslim leader and speaker in Southern California. See more pictures and read the press coverage of the event.
5th Annual Ramadan Potluck Dinner - Aug. 19, 2011
With over 150 people of various faith groups in attendance, the dinner on August 19, 2011 brought the community together to share a meal in the spirit of neighborly love and fellowship. Maryam Nouh, an LCHS graduate attending UCLA in the fall, started the program with a beautiful recitation from the Quran. Naeem Khan, a recent UC Riverside graduate, shared his insightful reflections on the month of Ramadan and what it means to Muslims. The keynote speaker was Ahmed Younis, a senior analyst at the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, who gave an impressive presentation on the important findings of the recent Gallup study on the public opinion towards Muslim Americans. See more pictures and read the press coverage of the event.
Thanksgiving Day Run - Nov. 25, 2010
The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge was one of the sponsors of Community Center of LCF's annual Thanksgiving Day Run and Food Drive to benefit the Los Angeles Food Bank. Several ICLCF members also participated in the 5K run to raise funds for the hungry.
Humanitarian Day - Aug. 28, 2010
In an event organized by the ILM Foundation, ICLCF partnered with Masjid Taqwa and State Senator Carol Liu's office on Aug. 28 for the City of Pasadena's 2nd Annual Humanitarian Day. Volunteers from the four organizations provided sack lunches, backpacks, hygiene kits and blankets to over 200 people at the Central Park in Pasadena. See pictures from the event.
4th Annual Ramadan Potluck Dinner - Aug. 20, 2010
With over 120 people of various faith groups in attendance, the dinner brought the community together to celebrate Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. State Senator Carol Liu of the 21st District presented ICLCF and the ILM Foundation with certificates recognizing their humanitarian work. Iman Khan, an LCHS graduate and a sophomore at Wellesley College, read a passage from the Quran and shared her reflections about what Ramadan means to her. The featured speaker was Dr. Tahir Andrabi, Professor of Economics at Pomona College. Read the press coverage of the event.
Interfaith Baccalaureate Service - June 15, 2010
Members of ICLCF joined the faith community in La Cañada Flintridge to recognize our high school graduates. In addition to readings from the Bible and Torah, the service included a reading from the Holy Quran in Arabic and English by Ameer Khan. Rasheed Akbarut gave the Muslim testimonial on what his faith means to him. Both are LCHS graduates. Read the press coverage of the event.
3rd Annual Ramadan Potluck Dinner - Sept. 18, 2009
The ICLCF members, along with members of the interfaith community. enjoyed a potluck dinner to celebrate Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. State Senator Carol Liu of the 21st District was the featured speaker. Atif Moon, the first Muslim to receive the prestigious Ten Outstanding Young Americans Award, was also recognized at the event. Read the press coverage of the event.
Pasadena Humanitarian Day - Sept. 2009
The ICLCF joined hands with Masjid Taqwa of Altadena to organize the first local Humanitarian Day in Pasadena. The event was part of the Los Angeles area's 8th annual Humanitarian Day sponsored by the Coalition to Preserve Human Dignity founded by the Ilm Foundation.
Interfaith Baccalaureate Service - June 16, 2009
Members of ICLCF joined the faith community in La Cañada Flintridge recently to recognize our high school graduates. In addition to readings from the Bible and Torah, the service included a reading from the Holy Quran in Arabic and English by Imaan Khan. Quemars Ahmed gave the Muslim testimonial on what his faith means to him. Both are LCHS graduates.
Ramadan Potluck - Sept. 5, 2008
The ICLCF members, along with members of the interfaith community. enjoyed a potluck dinner to celebrate Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. See the press coverage of the event.
Ramadan Potluck - Sept. 5, 2008
The ICLCF members, along with members of the interfaith community. enjoyed a potluck dinner to celebrate Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. See the press coverage of the event.
Summer Potluck - July 19, 2008
The ICLCF members along with members of the interfaith community enjoyed a relaxing evening at the home of Essy and Connie Alamdari in July. At the dinner, Mohammad Rady, the ICLCF treasurer, presented a check to Howard Woo, the treasurer of the San Gabriel Valley Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, to support the Habitat's humanitarian efforts. See the press coverage of the event.
Homeless Feeding - June 29, 2008
Thanks to a donation of over 200 fillet of fish sandwiches by McDonald's, the ICLCF members were able to provide food for a large number of the homeless in Downtown Los Angeles. This was another event organized by the ILM Foundation.
Mormon Church Hygiene Kit Project - June 14, 2008
Thanks to the tireless efforts of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, over 18000 hygiene kits were assembled locally for shipment to China to help the earthquake victims. Several ICLF members were happy to volunteer their time alongside their Mormon friends and neighbors.
Potluck Dinner - Jan. 11, 2008
Our potluck dinner on Jan. 11 was a great success. Over 55 people attended to enjoy a variety of delicious food as well as to socialize with their neighbors and local faith leaders. Our featured guest speaker was Jihad Turk, the Religious Director of the Islamic Center of Southern California, who gave an enlightening presentation on the origin of the Islamic new year as well as an overview of the interfaith activities in Southern California. See more pictures of the event.
MECA Eid ul-Fitr Potluck - Oct. 20, 2007
Members of La Cañada Flintridge Islamic Congregation hosted a potluck dinner with members of Muslims Establishing Communities in America [MECA] to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, marking the end of the month of Ramadan. Read the local press coverage and see more pictures.
Humanitarian Day - Sept. 30, 2007
ICLCF joined members of the newly formed Islamic Congregation of San Marino on Humanitarian Day. Organized by the ILM Foundation, the event drew hundreds of volunteers who distributed food, clothing and hygiene packages to the needy on the skid row in Los Angeles. See more pictures of the event.
International Food Festival at the Church of Latter Day Saints - Sept. 15, 2007
Members of ICLCF joined the Mormon community at their annual International Food Festival by sponsoring a Middle Eastern food table.
ILM Foundation Homeless Feeding - July 29, 2007
Members of ICLCF participated in another homeless feeding in the skid row district of downtown Los Angeles, distributing about sixty sack lunches provided by ICLCF families. Several ICLCF youth members participated in this worthy cause along with the Muslim youth group of the Islamic Center of Irvine. See more pictures.
ICLCF Volunteers for Habitat - June 30, 2007
Members of the Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge spent the morning of June 30 at the construction site of three new homes being built by the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity in Glendale. See more pictures.
ILM Foundation Homeless Feeding - June 13, 2007
Members of ICLCF participated in another homeless feeding in recognition of the National Hunger Awareness Day by distributing about forty sack lunches provided by a few ICLCF families. Other services offered included a medical station for hygiene kits and physician consultation as well as a clothes station that distributed free jackets and shirts. See pictures of the event.
ILM Foundation Homeless Feeding - May 27, 2007
ICLCF members participated in the skid row homeless feeding organized by the ILM Foundation which provided KFC hot lunches as well as sack lunches to over 200 homeless families. ILM Foundation is a partner organization with ICLCF to raise awareness of the inner city issues within the La Canada community and to create community service opportunities for our members.
ICLCF Volunteers for Habitat - May 12, 2007
Members of the Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge spent a May morning at the construction site of three new homes being built by the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity in Glendale. Under the direction of Habitat's volunteer coordinators and along with several other volunteers, the group helped paint trim boards and grade the backyard of one of the homes. See pictures and read a related article in the Valley Sun.
Interfaith Baccalaureate Service - June 17, 2008
Members of ICLCF joined the faith community in La Cañada Flintridge recently to recognize our high school graduates. In previous years, the baccalaureate service was a cooperative effort amongst Christians churches only. This year marked the second year that this event was held as an interfaith service due to the presence of ICLCF and the very warm welcome we have received from the entire faith community of LCF. In addition to readings from the Bible and Torah, the service included a reading from the Holy Quran in Arabic by Mohammad Abdel-Aal and in English by Yasmeen Karam. Yusef Akbarut gave the Muslim testimonial on what his faith means to him. All three are LCHS graduates.
Homeless Feeding - May 2008
ICLCF Members participated in another homeless feeding organized by the ILM Foundation on the Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles.
Run for the Hungry - Nov. 22, 2007
On a beautiful Autumn morning, over 1800 people participated in the 14th Annual Thanksgiving Day's Run/Walk for the Hungry organized by the Community Center of La Canada Flintridge. The Islamic Congregation of La Canada Flintridge was a proud community sponsor of this wonderful event. Moreover, several ICLCF members participated in the event itself. It was heartwarming to see so many people, young and old, run or walk together in support of a great cause. See more pictures of the event.
Ramadan Potluck Dinner - Oct. 5, 2007
To mark the special occasion of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims, members of ICLCF got together with their neighbors and friends for an iftar, the breaking of the fast. The featured speaker for the evening was Dr. Gasser Hathout who spoke about the importance of giving and social justice as it relates to the spiritual significance of Ramadan. See more pictures and read the local press coverage.
Habitat Dedication Ceremony - Sept. 15, 2007
At an emotional ceremony on a sunny afternoon, the keys to three new homes built by the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity were delivered to three needy families in Glendale. Members of ICLCF along with many other volunteers who had worked on the construction site were in attendance as well Congressman Adam Schiff and Assemblymember Anthony Portantino.
Potluck Dinner - Aug. 17, 2007
Our potluck dinner held on August 17 at the La Canada Community Center was another great success. The featured speaker was Michael Josephson, founder of Josephson Institute of Ethics and a regular commentator on KNX (1070 AM) News Radio. The event was attended by about 90 people representing various faith groups in La Canada and neighboring cities. See pictures of event and read a related article in the local press.
ICLCF Receives the Community Outreach Award from the ILM Foundation - June 30, 2007
At its annual benefit dinner, the ILM Foundation presented ICLCF with its Community Outreach Award for the organization's "devotion to honoring the rights of their neighbors and beyond." ILM Foundation is a partner organization with ICLCF to raise awareness of the inner city issues within the La Canada community, to create community service opportunities for our members, and to foster fellowship with our fellow African-American Muslims. ICLCF is proud to have received this heartwarming recognition in the early stages of its development.
Interfaith Baccalaureate Service - June 19, 2007
Members of ICLCF joined the faith community in La Cañada Flintridge to recognize our high school graduates. In previous years, the baccalaureate service was a cooperative effort amongst Christians churches only. This year marked the first time that this baccalaureate service became an interfaith service due to the presence of ICLCF and the very warm welcome we are receiving from the entire faith community of LCF. In addition to readings from the Bible and Torah, the service included reading from the Holy Quran in Arabic by Ahmed Hussain and in English by Ammar Moeize, both LCHS graduates. See more pictures and read the press coverage.
Potluck Dinner - May 18, 2007
Our third get together was another great success! About 60 ICLCF members enjoyed good food and great conversation at their quarterly potluck dinner on Friday, May 18. The ICLCF members and our guests also had the opportunity to listen to an inspiring talk by Imam Saafir Saadiq of the Ilm Foundation about “Staying on the Righteous Path” and the requirement in Islam to serve the less fortunate. See pictures of the event and read the press coverage in the La Canada Valley Sun.
ICLCF Hosts Members of St. Bede Church at the Islamic Center of Southern California - May 6, 2007
ICLCF hosted members of St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church of La Canada Flintridge at the Islamic Center of Southern California. Our Catholic guests attended a lecture by Dr. Amir Hussain, professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University, who discussed his new book, Oil and Water, and Islam's relationship with Christianity and the West. The group then enjoyed a light reception and participated in a Christian-Muslim dialogue moderated by Jihad Turk, the Religious Director of ICSC.
"Habitour" - April 21, 2007
Members of ICLCF participated in a tour organized by San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity. The "habitour" of consisted of a video presentation about the mission of Habitat and its efforts to provide housing opportunities for those who could not otherwise afford to own a home in this area. The participants then visited a construction site in Glendale and saw volunteers constructing new homes. They also had the opportunity to visit the home a family whose home was built by Habitat and learn about how they qualified to become a partner family.
Potluck Dinner - Feb. 23, 2007
To continue the fabulous start of our neighborhood organization on Dec. 8, we had a potluck dinner on Feb. 23 at the Roger Barkley Community Center. About 70 people attended the event to enjoy delicious food and hear from Naim Shah Jr. of ILM Foundation, Emily Mullranin of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity, and Dr. Gary Scott of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In attendance were special guests: Imam Saadiq Saafir of Masjid Ibadullah and Janna Gosselin of La Canada Educational Foundation. See pictures of the event and the press coverage in La Canada Valley Sun.
Muslim Youth Gathering - Feb. 11, 2007
We invited the Muslim youth residing in La Canada to a gathering to get to know each other better and to discuss ways they can contribute to their community. Our special guest speaker was Dr. Omar Ezzeldine. The youth made a commitment to support each other in their academic and spiritual success and to engage in existing community service projects sponsored by their school.
Inaugural Meeting - Dec. 8, 2006
The ICLCF'S Inaugural meeting was a smashing success. Over 75 La Canada residents came to meet their fellow neighbors, enjoy fine Persian cuisine, and listen to our distinguished speakers, Honorable Mayor Gregory Brown of LCF and Assemblyman Anthony Portantino discuss ways the group can best contribute to our community. See pictures of the event and the press coverage in La Canada Valley Sun.