Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson ( ) is the largest City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Arab-American population with a growing number of immigrants from the
Middle East
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
. The diverse neighborhood, with significant Turkish,
Arab
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
, and Palestinian populations, has become known as Little Istanbul, or Little Palestine. The city is a sister city to
Ramallah
Ramallah ( , ; ) is a Palestinians, Palestinian city in the central West Bank, that serves as the administrative capital of the State of Palestine. It is situated on the Judaean Mountains, north of Jerusalem, at an average elevation of abov ...
, Palestine, and has renamed a segment of its main street to 'Palestine Way'.
History
The
Arab
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
community has existed since the late 19th century, when many Lebanese and
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
n immigrants moved in. Since then, immigration from Lebanon has slowed, although many second, third, and fourth-generation residents remain. In addition to the Arab community, a Turkish community and an Azeri community have existed since the 1950s, made up primarily of Turks and Karachay immigrants. Palestinian immigrants have increasingly settled in the neighborhood, reinforcing its identity as Little Palestine.
Today, the area is recognized as a cultural hub for Palestinian Americans, with annual events, flag raisings, and cultural festivals drawing visitors from across the region.
Geography
The neighborhood is bounded by NJ 19 on the west, the border with Clifton, New Jersey to the south, the Passaic River to the east, and I-80 to the north. The area is also part of Lakeview, which lies to the east of East Railroad Avenue.
Economy
There are many Middle Eastern restaurants, grocery stores, and retail outlets in the area. Main Street holds the largest concentration of these businesses, but Turkish and Arab stores and restaurants can be found throughout. The area is mostly residential with commercial zoning along Main Street.
Education
The Paterson-based Arab American Civic Association runs an
Arabic language
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...