Atlantic Avenue BID co-sponsors first ever community Iftar in Boerum Hill

BOERUM HILL — Community members and elected officials recently assembled in the name of unity, to enjoy ethnic music, friendly conversation and food as they marked the first-ever community Iftar — the evening meal that breaks the daily fast for Muslims during Ramadan.

Spearheaded by Kelly Carroll, executive director of the Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District (BID), and co-sponsored by the BID and one of its board members and small business owner Omar Abouelnas, the March 22 event took place on Nevins St. between Atlantic and Pacific Avenues.  

The BID closed off Nevins Street for the special community celebration as participants indulged in dinner from Kemo’s Hot Bites and listened to the soothing sounds of the Ney, a traditional Arabic flute.

Breaking bread  

“It’s about meeting a new friend, and a new neighbor,” Carroll told the Brooklyn Eagle. “At the end of the day, we are all human beings sharing a time-honored tradition of breaking bread with one another and hopefully, it will bring us all a little closer together.” 

Iftar is typically eaten at sunset after the Maghrib prayer. The fast is traditionally broken with dates, water or other small items, followed by a larger meal. Iftar is often regarded as a religious and spiritual act while also marking a time for prayer and reflection.

Islam is the third most widely professed religion in New York City after Christianity and Judaism. A recent study estimated that there are over 750,000 Muslims living in New York City, the largest Muslim population of any city in the United States. And while Brooklyn is home to a significant and diverse Muslim community, Atlantic Avenue has been a destination for Ramadan and Middle Eastern/North African culture for decades. 

Councilmember Shahana Hanif (D-39), who was also in attendance, said, “It’s an honor to serve such a diverse constituency,” adding that Atlantic Avenue is a beautiful part of that mosaic. “I’m thrilled that I get to join you all at your first community Iftar,” said Hanif, who is the first Muslim woman elected to New York City Council.    

The Atlantic Avenue BID represents more than 300 small businesses along a 1.2 mile stretch in the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill, and the BID promotes and catalyzes their growth. The Atlantic Avenue BID’s main prongs, according to Carroll, are beautification, sanitation, marketing and advocacy.