Arab American Bar Association of Illinois (AABAR)

Thank you to all who attended our final general meeting of the year as we recapped our past projects and events and discussed upcoming initiatives, including our Scholarship Gala on April 26, 2025. Donations for AABAR’s Scholarship are now being accepted! Please consider donating for 2024 and 2025 as many employers are matching 501(c)(3) donations! See link below for details. And, special thank you to Samuel Tillman of the Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes who joined our meeting to discuss the new Help Stop Hate Hotline. https://lnkd.in/gfXDPcKN

Throughout November, AABAR partnered with Arab American Family Services (AAFS) to raise $7,500 in order to provide Thanksgiving Dinner to over 150 families in the Chicagoland area. Thanks to the donations, generosity, and support of so many, we were able to meet that goal! On November 26th, thanks to the donations of so many and the “on-the-ground” work performed by AAFS, AABAR President, Tony Abou Ezzi, and past President, Marvet Sweis Drnovsek, and Corresponding Secretary Joseph Homsy, helped AAFS pack and distribute these turkey meals (with trimmings and sides!) to over 200 families. AABAR and AAFS’s ability to reach so many, and to serve the community, would not be possible without the generosity of so many. Thank you to all who donated to the 2024 AABAR and AAFS Thanksgiving Dinner Drive! AABAR and AAFS send a special “Thank You” to Vivian Khalaf Khalaf and Abuzir LLC Mona Naser The Shaker Foundation Without their extremely generous donations, we would not have been able to reach over 200 families! Platinum Sponsors Hon. Mohammed Ahmad Kamel Alomari Carlson Dash LLC by Mona Naser Ezzi Law – Tony Abou Ezzi Sandra Frantzen Hon. Barry Goldberg Hon. William Haddad (Ret.) MSD Injury Lawyers – Marvet Sweis Drnovsek Nura Yanaki Gold Sponsors Hon. Samuel Betar III (Ret.) Joseph Homsy and Dr. Nicole Nimry Kapitan Gomaa Law Silver Sponsors Donna Haddad Hon. Lakshmi Jha Val Zillig Bronze Sponsors Cory Cassis Khaled Elkhatib - Elkhatib Law Matthew Fakhoury - Law Offices of Matthew M. Fakhoury, LLC Mary Homsy Jabara & Associates PLLC James Meador Lana Nassar Jim and Najwa Naughton Hon. Monique O’Toole Rima Saigh Christina Scanlon Hon. Rouhy Shalabi Once again, thank you to all who donated! We wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season!

Please save the date for The Arab American Bar Association Scholarship Foundation’s Inaugural Scholarship Gala on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Marriott in Oak Brook, IL. Black tie welcome. Dedicated to supporting aspiring lawyers of Arab heritage, the Foundation provides essential resources for academic and professional success. Rooted in the belief that education is the cornerstone of empowerment, we stand committed to bridging the gap between ambition and achievement by offering scholarships to our law student members and advancing justice for all. To become a proud sponsor and to register, you can visit https://lnkd.in/gpuh-HAN. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, view our full Sponsor Packet at our website: https://lnkd.in/detXfFqP. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions to the Arab American Bar Scholarship Foundation are deductible for income tax purposes to the extent permitted by law. To avoid the Eventbrite online processing fee, payment may be made by Zelle to scholarship@arabbar.org or by check (payable to the Arab American Bar Association Scholarship Foundation and mailed to Attn: AABAR Scholarship Foundation at 53 W. Jackson, Suite 1142, Chicago, IL 60604). We look forward to having you join us on April 26th!

Today is the final day in The Arab American Bar Association of Illinois (AABAR) and Arab American Family Services (AAFS) 2024 Thanksgiving Dinner Drive! Thank you to all of our sponsors and donors so far! Donations can be sent online through PayPal/Zelle directly to AABAR by using bar@arabbar.org. Please send all donations by Friday, November 22nd. We are nearing our goal of purchasing Thanksgiving dinners for over 150 families. Each meal will include a turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, bread/rolls, cornbread mix, mashed potatoes, and more as we work to provide for these families at the start of the holiday season. Without your kindness and generosity, there are families in our community who will not have a full meal on Thanksgiving. That's why we invite you to join us in this effort to raise funds that will allow us to purchase and distribute Thanksgiving dinner to families in the Chicagoland community. We ask that you share this fundraiser, flyer, and message with anyone you can! Thank you for your generosity!

One more day remains in The Arab American Bar Association of Illinois (AABAR) and Arab American Family Services (AAFS) 2024 Thanksgiving Dinner Drive! Thank you to all of our sponsors and donors so far! Donations can be sent online through PayPal/Zelle directly to AABAR by using bar@arabbar.org. Please send all donations by Friday, November 22nd. We are nearing our goal of purchasing Thanksgiving dinners for over 150 families. Each meal will include a turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, bread/rolls, cornbread mix, mashed potatoes, and more as we work to provide for these families at the start of the holiday season. Without your kindness and generosity, there are families in our community who will not have a full meal on Thanksgiving. That's why we invite you to join us in this effort to raise funds that will allow us to purchase and distribute Thanksgiving dinner to families in the Chicagoland community. We ask that you share this fundraiser, flyer, and message with anyone you can! Thank you for your generosity!

Two more days remain in The Arab American Bar Association of Illinois (AABAR) and Arab American Family Services (AAFS) 2024 Thanksgiving Dinner Drive! Thank you to all of our sponsors and donors so far! Donations can be sent online through PayPal/Zelle directly to AABAR by using bar@arabbar.org. Please send all donations by Friday, November 22nd. We are nearing our goal of purchasing Thanksgiving dinners for over 150 families. Each meal will include a turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, bread/rolls, cornbread mix, mashed potatoes, and more as we work to provide for these families at the start of the holiday season. Without your kindness and generosity, there are families in our community who will not have a full meal on Thanksgiving. That's why we invite you to join us in this effort to raise funds that will allow us to purchase and distribute Thanksgiving dinner to families in the Chicagoland community. We ask that you share this fundraiser, flyer, and message with anyone you can! Thank you for your generosity!

The Arab American Bar Association of Illinois has partnered with Arab American Family Services (AAFS) for another Thanksgiving Dinner Drive this year.  Thank you to all of our sponsors and donors so far! Donations can be sent online through PayPal/Zelle directly to AABAR by using bar@arabbar.org. Please send all donations by Friday, November 22nd. We are still working toward our goal of purchasing Thanksgiving dinners for over 150 families. Each meal will include a turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, bread/rolls, cornbread mix, mashed potatoes, and more as we work to provide for these families at the start of the holiday season. Without your kindness and generosity, there are families in our community who will not have a full meal on Thanksgiving. That's why we invite you to join us in this effort to raise funds that will allow us to purchase and distribute Thanksgiving dinner to families in the Chicagoland community. We ask that you share this fundraiser, flyer, and message with anyone you can! To learn more about AAFS, click here: AAFS's Mission and Programs share this flyer with your family, friends, schools, businesses, and law firms! Thank you for your generosity!

The Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes wants to hear from those who have experienced an act of hate, bias, or discrimination. Please see notice below for details on a series of community workshops to be held next week. Participants will be compensated.

We look forward to meeting old and new members at AABAR's Virtual General Meeting on October 18, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM via Zoom. This meeting will be a great opportunity for all to learn about AABAR's recent activities, upcoming events, committees, and services! All who attend will have an opportunity to introduce themselves and their practice area. We look forward to seeing you! The meeting is free to attend. Registration is required - Register here: https://lnkd.in/gYeq_Siq See you on October 18th!

What a wonderful Summer Send Off gathering with our AABAR members! It was a memorable evening! Special thank you to our Advisory Board Member Matthew Fakhoury for hosting this event!