Massive Mosque in our Midst

IPRAY, an Islamic organization, has purchased a large wooded acreage on Colfax Road in Wayne. to build a Turkish Mosque  This is a residential neighborhood a half mile from Laurelwood Arboretum, an environmental sanctuary.  Their structure will dominate the landscape. The Iman is planning for a 56,000 - 96,000sf Mosque with 250 parking spots on a 10-acre lot.   

They are not focused on preserving the character of the neighborhood. The Imam, Gazmend Aga, is the director of the North East Islamic Community Center and is a board member of Peace Islands Institute NJ.

According to Bridgette Gabriel, Lebanese Author and Activist, a large percentage of mosques in the U.S. are "infiltrated by radicals." That is why the community must do its due diligence to block their construction, based on national security threats.

The local Conservative and Reform Rabbis, socialize with this Iman and support him.   They think this mosque is different since it is Turkish.   While many think of sweet Turkish treats, I think of the Turkish Ottoman empire and their slaughter of 1.5 million Armenian Christian neighbors.  This 1915 war was the first to be labeled a Genocide.  

Today I stood up at the podium at the monthly Zoning Board Meeting, to challenge the Iman on why the need for 250 parking spots when in last month's testimony he stated that each of his five daily prayer sessions only has 20-40 people.  His answer was evasive...  He talked about Friday services from 12-2:30, timing prayers to avoid sundown, comparing his services to churches,.....  Basically a politically-based non-answer.  I asked if he considered off-site parking. There is a large lot at the Al Ghazaly Islamic High School.  He said his prayer sessions are only 30 minutes and that the parishioners leave work early to make it there, so it would  be inconvenient. 

Before I gave up the podium, I asked if he had met with the Chabad Rabbi.  I already knew the answer.  He smiled as he deflected, talking about an upcoming Iman, Rabbi, Priest retreat.  The Chabbad Rabbi, Rabbi Ghurkov, shares my concerns about Islam.   He has no desire to socialize with this Islamic Iman.   

Personally, I would like to know Iman Aga's views on Israel, and Anti-Semitism in our schools.  How will he avoid radical elements taking hold in his Mosque? I have been trying to search for information on iPray's Board of Directors.  There seems to be minimal to zero social media presence.  This raises my suspicions. Funds were solicited through GoFundMe, so there's no way to vet where the financing is coming from.  

Found in my Research:
The original IPRAY site referenced this quote “Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim”.  According to reddit.com, Sahih al-Bukhari 2926: Allah's Messenger said, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him."
I also found some info on iPray's founder F. Gulen: fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-life-en/questions-and-answers-en 

NOTE: when they post the recording of the Zoning Meeting, I will add the link here.

Using AI to comment on my Dad's memoire and my added annotations

Recently, I’ve been focused on completing the editing of my dad’s memoir, which focuses on his life before, during and just after the Holocaust: themes include occupied Paris, avoiding deportations, being smuggled onto cargo trains in Vierzon, and seeking safety in Ceyroux. 

My daughter helped me with the beginning pages and queried AI for how to handle insertion of my annotations. As a result, I added this paragraph, my own words, based on AI suggestions. 

Memoir Intro/Preface: 

While the content in this memoir is my father's, I have inserted additional family details discovered after my dad passed away. I prefaced these inserts as “Daughter’s Notes" to add context or “missing pieces” not included in the original manuscript. As a visual indicator that I am the one speaking, I formatted the text in italics and changed the font from Arial to Calibri. Shorter inserts are enclosed in square brackets.

 

NOTE: I may need to adjust this further, since screen readers may have difficulty detecting the change of font. 

When I told my son I was working on the final edits, he suggested I ask Gemini for help. Being curious of this new technology, I decided to try it. Gemini started its critique with a complement “This is a powerful and well-structured memoir.” Maybe it knew I was skeptical and suspicious of AI and wanted to gain my trust. Gemini ended with this:

I guess, flattery is effective and AI knows how to use it. 

 

Another comment from Gemini….

Strengthening the "Daughter’s Notes": The Violin Story: Your note about Nathalie and the violin is incredibly moving. To make it even more impactful, you might consider placing it closer to the section where your father mentions the cousins Robert, Fanny, and Lucienne to create a direct emotional link between his memories and your discoveries. 

When I asked for a “new title”, below are some suggested contenders and some of my italicized observations: 

• A World of Contrasts (This is the current heading and remains a strong choice) 

 Interesting that Gemini thinks that is the title in THIS Document. That was the title in much earlier versions, but nowhere in this document does that title exist. So Gemini has been snooping around, beyond this document. Gemini is a google product, so I guess it googled that title and found it in one of my older blog posts. 

• Missing Pieces: A Father’s Memoir, a Daughter’s Discovery 
• In My Father’s Own Words (And Mine) 
• No More Jacob: A Story of Hidden Identity (Refers to his transition to the name "Jacques" to survive)        I prefer “Jacob, No More: “ 

• Ten Jews of Ceyroux (Focuses on the collective survival of the family and cousins)   

   How about “Ceyroux’s Jews” for a more catchy rhyme? 

• The Road to Ceyroux (Simple, classic, and emphasizes the journey)

 Too bland and the road was anything BUT simple!