An Arab-American’s historic run for NYC Council
El-Yateem’s first decision was to change the name of the church. He changed “Salem” to “Salam” making the new name Salam Arabic Church. Services were conducted in Arabic and English but El-Yateem’s mission went much further. He began organizing classes in English for new immigrants and brought in lawyers to give advice to people facing problems with their immigration papers. He also reached out to other faith leaders including other Christian leaders, Muslims and Jews.
El-Yateem co-founded the Bay Ridge Unity Task Force in 2001 to promote unity and cooperation in his own neighborhood. A skilled mediator who is willing to champion difficult issues, the new pastor began tackling hard problems in the community. He started by combating drug use among neighborhood youth, building police community relations, and serving newly arrived immigrants into the district. This community effort would soon become necessary.
Condemning 9/11 It was 9/11 that brought El-Yateem into the public eye. He spoke out clearly in both condemnation and solidarity.
“We wanted to send a double message,” El-Yateem said. “We wanted everyone to know that we totally condemned the heinous act that led to the killing of fellow New Yorkers; but at the same time we wanted to make sure that our community does not have to bear the brunt of any revenge act,” he explained to Arab News.
The efforts paid off in a different way. A PBS documentary producer decided to choose three Arab Americans — a Lebanese journalist working at the UN, a Yemeni policeman in New York, and El-Yateem — to feature in a film. The documentary “Caught in the Crossfire” not only gave prominence to the ArabAmerican community in New York but also humanized it.
El-Yateem’s community activities, along with his public exposure, quickly propelled him to be a true community leader. He started to appear at public events, and government officials reached out to him for help in coordinating with the local community.
In his nearly two decades in Brooklyn, El-Yateem has been asked to serve on a community board, as well as the boards of St. Nicholas Home, Lutheran Augustana Home, and the Arab-American Association of New York. He also was appointed as clergy liaison for the New York City Police Department — helping to ensure a collaborative and productive relationship between community members and the local precinct.
His last six years working in the patient relations department of Maimonides Medical Center has also allowed El-Yateem to further strengthen his work with local families, helping them navigate the often complicated health care system.
“Working at Maimonides gave me a unique opportunity to meet with and engage with a wide group of American Jews,” he said. “They all know I am a Palestinian patriot but we have been able to find common ground and I am sure many who promised to support me in the coming elections will do so.”
If El-Yateem succeeds in the elections in November, he will make history as the first Arab-American member of the New York City Council. He has come a long way since that cold night in an Israeli jail.