American Turkish Friendship Association

Eid Mubarak!

As we celebrate this special time, we want to thank everyone who joined us throughout Ramadan—sharing meals, prayers, and heartfelt moments. Your presence helped create a warm and welcoming community spirit.

May this Eid bring peace, joy, and blessings to you and your loved ones.
With gratitude,
ATFA Community

On March 22, we at the American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) had the honor of hosting a memorable Campus Iftar at George Mason University, bringing together nearly 100 attendees — including faculty, staff, professors, students, administrators, and the Dean of the Business School.

It was a beautiful evening of dialogue and unity, where people from diverse faiths and backgrounds gathered around the same table. In a time when division is all too common, this night was a heartfelt reminder of the power of connection and community.

We were especially honored to have Dean Ajay Vinzé, Dean of the Business School, join us and share inspiring remarks. He graciously thanked ATFA for bringing the campus community together and emphasized that “students are our strength — they are the future.”

We also welcomed Professor Aft, a retired rabbi and MSW, to the stage for his reflections. His story and presence added depth to our interfaith spirit and reminded us of the value of lifelong service and compassion.

The evening featured delicious Turkish food, a lively Kahoot game, a short and insightful Ramadan presentation, and, most importantly, heartfelt conversations.

Thank you to everyone who made this night so special! 🌙📚🍽️



George Mason University
Bruce Aft

𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 — 𝐀 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲

On March 23rd, we had the honor of hosting a truly heartwarming Ramadan Friendship Dinner at Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, VA, where individuals from over 30 different organizations and community groups came together for an unforgettable evening of connection and shared values.

✨ Throughout the night, we shared more than just a meal — we shared stories, traditions, and a spirit of unity with:

- 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔

- 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔

- 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔

- 𝑨𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒄𝒔, 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒇𝒇, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔

- 𝑩𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒔, 𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒇𝒊𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

Guests enjoyed a delicious spread of traditional Turkish cuisine, highlighting the richness of our culture and hospitality.
The evening beautifully reflected the essence of Ramadan — fostering understanding, friendship, and shared purpose.

We’re deeply grateful to everyone who joined us and look forward to more opportunities for connection and community-building.

✨ A Night of Unity at Sha'are Shalom Synagogue! ✨
On March 9, we had the privilege of coming together for a beautiful Iftar Dinner at Sha'are Shalom Synagogue, celebrating unity and interfaith solidarity. The evening brought together Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews, sharing in the spirit of Ramadan and strengthening the bonds of friendship.
🏛 Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk delivered a heartfelt proclamation on behalf of the City Council, while Loudoun County Chair Phyllis Randall inspired us all with her words on the hope and impact of such gatherings.
🕎 Rabbi Neil Tow shared powerful insights on the tradition of fasting in Judaism and expressed his joy in welcoming everyone for this special evening.
🌙 ATFA youth volunteers gave an engaging presentation on Ramadan, highlighting its meaning and significance. The night also featured a fun raffle, with lucky winners taking home special gifts!
🙏 A huge thank you to Sha'are Shalom Synagogue for hosting us and to all who attended, making this night truly unforgettable. Events like these remind us of the power of coming together across faiths to foster understanding, friendship, and peace.
📸 Stay tuned for pictures from this memorable evening!
Congregation Sha'are Shalom
Town of Leesburg, Virginia

🌟 𝐀𝐓𝐅𝐀 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐥! 🌟
On February 6th, we proudly gathered at the Virginia General Assembly for a remarkable reception, bringing together delegates, senators, community leaders, women leaders, and business professionals to celebrate dialogue, diversity, and civic engagement.
🏛️ ATFA was officially recognized in both the House and Senate chambers, with 𝐃𝐞𝐥. 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐲 and 𝐒𝐞𝐧. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐏𝐞𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐤𝐲 highlighting our contributions to Virginia’s vibrant social and cultural fabric.
🍽️ An unforgettable reception followed, where nearly 𝟑𝟎 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 attended in person, while representatives from more than 30 additional offices joined to engage in meaningful discussions, network, and enjoy delicious Turkish cuisine!
💡 Our young leaders presented their community service projects, engaging directly with policymakers and showcasing how grassroots initiatives can strengthen society.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended and supported this event! Together, we continue building bridges, fostering understanding, and shaping a stronger 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚.

🌟 Gratitude in Action: ATFA’s Early Thanksgiving Dinner Brings Communities Together! 🌟
What an unforgettable evening! On November 20, 2024, we hosted our Early Thanksgiving Dinner at the beautiful Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, and the turnout was incredible—nearly 300 attendees from over 30 faith communities joined us!
From Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Bahá'í congregations to community service organizations, police, first responders, and civic leaders, the room was filled with a spirit of unity, respect, and gratitude. Together, we celebrated what makes our communities unique and the shared values that bring us closer.
🎤 Highlights from the Evening:
✨ Inspiring speeches about building bridges, fostering understanding, and the power of service.
🎶 A beautiful performance by Sufi Melody, adding a soulful and spiritual touch to the night.
🍽️ A delicious, culturally diverse meal that reflected the beauty of our differences.
🎟️ Exciting raffles with amazing prizes that brought joy and excitement to the gathering.
🤝 Heartfelt conversations that reminded us of the strength found in unity.
At ATFA, we believe in the power of connection, and this event was a true reflection of our mission to promote interfaith dialogue and community engagement.
We are so grateful to everyone who joined us and made this night so special. Thank you to the incredible faith leaders, volunteers, and attendees for creating an atmosphere of warmth and togetherness.
Together, let’s keep the spirit of Thanksgiving alive—not just in November, but all year round. 💛

“Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return.”
(Qur'an 2:156)

With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Honorable Fethullah Gülen, a beloved spiritual leader and scholar. His lifelong dedication to peace, interfaith dialogue, and humanity has touched millions around the world.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and the global Hizmet community. May Allah grant him Jannat al-Firdaus and envelop his soul in mercy.

🎉 Join us for the ATFA Food Festival! 🎉

🗓 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟔 | 𝟏 𝐏𝐌 - 𝟓 𝐏𝐌
📍 𝟏𝟒𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐃𝐫, 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐕𝐀 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟓𝟏

Get ready for an unforgettable day filled with delicious cuisines like Adana kebabs, stuffed vine leaves, and baklava! Indulge in sweet treats, and Turkish coffee, and enjoy fun activities for the whole family.

Bring your friends and family for a taste of culture, flavor, and fun! Don't miss out on this flavorful celebration! 🍴

What an amazing night at ATFA Youth’s College Coffee Night! ☕️🎉
We had so much fun playing Jeopardy, sharing great conversations, and enjoying coffee with our college community.

A big thank you to everyone who came out to join us! We’re excited to keep hosting more events like this and building connections together.

Stay tuned for more, and we hope to see you next time!

We are thrilled to announce that T.R.I.S. (Turn Returns Into Smiles), initiated by E. Karaca Gurel and developed in collaboration with ATFA, has successfully packed and delivered 8 boxes containing 800 pairs of socks to the airfax County Family Services Department, Children, Youth, and Family Division. This initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to repurpose clean, unused returned products and distribute them to those in need. By collecting and repackaging these items, we aim to reduce waste and support our unhoused neighbors in meaningful ways.

This is just the beginning! We look forward to hosting more events as we continue spreading warmth, joy, and sustainability in our community. A huge congratulations to Karaca for her inspiring initiative, and thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and effort—your contributions have made a significant impact.

We encourage ongoing involvement, whether by donating returned products or joining future packing events. Together, we can continue making a lasting difference in the lives of those who need it most.