By: centraljersey.com
SOUTH BRUNSWICK – While most township students had Monday off, the Noor-Ul Iman Islamic school in Monmouth Junction held a half day of classes to learn about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., then gave students an opportunity to volunteer in honor of the slain civil rights leader.
Volunteering students worked in the all-purpose room at the school from 1 to 3 p.m., organizing donations of food and clothing to help those less fortunate as part of National Service Day to honor Dr. King.
"We were initially given a lot of heat from the community (for holding classes on the federal holiday)," said Janet Nazif, who has been the school principal for 13 years. "They thought it was not respecting the holiday."
Ms. Nazif said many of the students were first-generation Americans and did not understand the significance of the holiday until they learned more about Dr. King and his commitment to serving others.
The school used the first part of the day to teach students about Dr. King and the message of equality through nonviolence and civil disobedience he promoted before being assassinated in 1968.
"Volunteering and helping the community is a better way to celebrate than just having a day off," said Zakia Rodriguez, who is part of the committee that organized the event and the middle school social studies teacher.
During the morning, students heard from Guantanamo Bay chaplain James Yee, who was falsely accused of treason in 2003, but eventually cleared of all charges, according to published reports.
"Us as youth should be informed of the history of the United States," said Abdulqadir Mur, a senior from Piscataway. "Us learning about our history and freedom fighters helps us to contribute to society as citizens through means of education."
Abdulqadir said learning about Dr. King’s life is "really relevant."
He said students "should be encouraged to get into fields such as politics."
During the afternoon, students from different grade levels in the pre-kindergarten-12 school packed food boxes to go to needy people in the soup kitchens of Trenton and packed up donations of clothing and other supplies to go to aid flood victims in Pakistan, Ms. Rodriguez said.
Millions were affected by the flooding in Pakistan that happened in July 2010, according to published reports.
Ms. Rodriguez said the annual event helps students understand the importance of the holiday as well as their own Islamic religious teachings.
"Islamic principals are evident in everything we do," Ms. Rodriguez said. "It is very important to serve and give back to the community."
"What (Dr. King) did was help his community," said Iman Soliman, an eighth-grader from Yardley, Pennsylvania. "We have to help people around here as well."
All grades in the 527-student school were invited to participate, and students as young as 3 years old volunteered, Ms. Rodriguez said.
Third-grader Reem Esseghir, 8, from Monroe, said volunteering honors Dr. King’s memory.
"He helped citizens get their rights," Reem said.
Noor-Ul Iman school was founded in 1993, Ms. Nazif said.
The school has students enrolled from towns as far away as Teaneck and Yardley, Pennsylvania, Ms. Nazif said.

