Khaldoon “Kal” Qubain was born in Jordan and came to the United States in 1998. He went to law school in Minnesota and soon after came to New York to practice real estate and finance law.

“I wanted to come to the United States because of the opportunities here — especially for education purposes,” Qubain said. “And I decided on New York because it’s the center of the financial world. It’s also a lot closer to Jordan than, say, being in California. And before you know it, 26 years have passed!”

Qubain, who is 47, lives on Long Island and commutes more than two hours to Salaam Club meetings.

“I’ve been a member of the club only for a few months, but I’ve been to every meeting,” he explained, adding that what made him want to join was his interest in serving the community.

“Of course, all the people in the club are looking to congregate and have fun, but the bigger goal is to help, to do something I would call good, and that’s what I like about it,” Qubain said.

In addition to Qubain, a number of members — some newly minted, some long-standing —  also offered some perspectives into what it’s like to be a Salaam Club member.

Andrew Elkalassy, 29, recalled that his first meeting, which was only two months ago, “was simply fantastic.”

“I’m super happy that I became an official member,” he said, adding that “everybody is like a family here and welcomes you with open arms. That’s definitely the best part.” 

His brother, Emile, 24, pointed out that it’s nice to be surrounded by familiar faces, “people I’ve known for a while. And I love learning about how I can support the community.”

Randy Haddad, 27, who also joined the club two months ago, said, “It’s interesting to see how Bay Ridge can come together and how we all share similar backgrounds. It’s a wonderful thing that we are able to sit together and discuss matters that are important to the neighborhood.”

At the other end of the spectrum, George Jalinos is one of the club’s longest-standing members, joining the organization back in 1983.  

“In more than 40 years, the Salaam Club has become better, stronger than ever, and much more engaged in the community,” Jalinos said. “And not just for people of our own background, but for all Americans — for all people.”

Ralph Succar, who has been a member for more than 20 years, explained that the most important element of the club to him is “heritage.”

“It’s important to keep your heritage,” Succar said, adding that many organizations and clubs do fundraising, and every organization has a purpose. 

“Our purpose here is to keep our heritage. It’s extremely important to understand where we came from, our hardship, and what we’ve shared — the good times and the bad.”

President Joseph Elkalassy said he is always striving for perfection at the meetings.

“It’s a lot of work, and sometimes you have to extend yourself a bit financially, and it can be difficult. But even though it may hurt, it’s ultimately for a good cause,” he said.

Since its inception, the Salaam Club Foundation has raised and distributed approximately $1,500,000 to various charitable organizations, such as The Guild of Exceptional Children, the Bay Ridge Center, the St. Nicholas Home, Fort Hamilton Garrison, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and many others. Additionally, in 2008, the Salaam Club Foundation established a scholarship fund.