This Thanksgiving, there are many families in our midst that will be celebrating the day for the first time. And despite strange, new food like smoked turkey, baked macaroni and yams; and even stranger customs like “Black Friday,” they truly are thankful to be here in Central Pennsylvania.
To show their appreciation to the communities that supported them these past months, many of the refugee families have organized the “International Friendsgiving: A Culturally Diverse Feast To-Go” on Saturday. And it promises to offer Central Pennsylvanians a convenient taste of something different after two days of gorging on turkey.
Thanh Nguyen, of the International Service Center, photographs Harir Parwani shortly after Shazia Azizzada, left, and husband Jalal Parwani, standing, arrived for resettlement in Pennsylvania. ISC interpreter Behrooz Ahadi assists the family with getting temporary housing. Afghan refugees get help with paperwork and applying for jobs at the International Service Center, the resettlement agency for Afghan refugees in the Harrisburg area. December 22, 2021. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com
Dozens of refugee families are celebrating their first Thanksgiving of freedom after arriving only months ago. Many fled for their very lives with only what they could carry with them. They escaped the war in Ukraine, the brutality of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and turmoil in parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America. These families know what it’s like to be homeless, hungry and afraid.
Their stories should make us all especially thankful for our blessings this holiday season. But the families are intent on expressing their gratitude to us for welcoming them into our communities.
Thanks to the efforts of dozens of volunteers in our region with organizations such as the International Resource Center, Jewish Family Service, Catholic Services and Church World Service (CWS), people who once feared the worst are now imagining the best for themselves and their children – a new life in America.
Phuong Truong, executive director of the local International Service Center, welcomes Zabihallah Razayee, right, and his family, Afghan refugees, as they arrive at Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown, Pa., Nov. 24, 2021. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com
Durre Sharif, Community Relations specialist with CWS, which has helped connect dozens of refugee families to vital services in our region, says the families are sharing their unique food and culture through the “International Friendsgiving: A Culturally Diverse Feast To-Go.”
CWS has organized the “food-to-go” feast to allow people in our region to sample some of the world’s best cuisine right at home.
And if you’ve never tasted Ukrainian desserts or Afghan nan and rice, you’ve missed something special. The “International Friendsgiving Feast-To-Go” makes it easy to taste food from around the world by offering boxed meals, prepared by area caterers according to recipes provided by families from Syria, Afghanistan, Congo, Guatemala, and Ukraine.
The two-day Ukrainian Festival features homemade foods -- all dishes are made at the church or by church members except a few desserts. This is an example of a kozak dinner, which includes borsch soup, pyrohy dumplings, kobasa sausage, holubsti (stuffed cabbage), kapusta (sauerkraut) and bread.Teri Weaver
The boxed meals will include Syrian Za’atar naan bread by Mariam, Congolese Njamma jamma by Olive, Afghani Kabuli Pilau by Nazdana, Guatemalan Mayan potatoes by Aura and Ukrainian Yabluchnyk apple cake by Maryn.
All of this can be ordered through Eventbrite under the “International Friendsgiving: A Culturally Diverse Feast To-Go” and collected at the Hadee Mosque, 245 Division St. on Italian Lake in Harrisburg, from 4-6 p.m. Saturday.
Proceeds from the event will help refugee families in Central Pennsylvania. And once Central Pennsylvanians get a sample of Naan, Afghan rice and Ukrainian apple cake, the International Friendsgiving Feast just might become one of our most anticipated Thanksgiving traditions.
Joyce M. Davis is PennLive’s Outreach & Opinion Editor. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @byjoycedavis.
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