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Abdulkareem remembered when the war came to his town in Syria. He watched the bomb fall through the sky and hit the ground within a split second. He saw it hit.
Abdulkareem, his fifteen siblings and their families lived in a large house. It comfortably fit everyone, but in that moment, they lost their home and their restaurant. They also lost each other.
No one knew why the war had come. “It was a surprise for us,” said Abdulkareem. The only thing they knew was that they needed to leave.
The border was half an hour away and the route was clear; so they took refuge in Jordan. Abdulkareem supported his family by working in the mall. At the same time, they kept an eye on the war in Syria. More and more refugees joined them as the war continued to ravage their country.
Since 2011, more than 14 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety… Approximately 5.5 million Syrian refugees live in the five countries neighboring Syria—Türkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
UNHCR, Syria Refugee Crisis Explained
“Before – when we arrived to Jordan – we think only a month or two months we stay in Jordan and go back to our country,” said Abdulkareem. “After three months, we recognize we can’t go back right now. Because the war is so huge, the bombs… we cannot go back.” But where could they go?
They were given an opportunity in America
One day the phone rang. Not knowing that their lives would be forever changed, Abdulkareem’s wife answered. It was a representative from UNHCR.
They had reviewed the family’s refugee case and were offering them the opportunity to be resettled in the United States. When Abdulkareem got home, she told him about the call. With the war no closer to ending, they decided to accept.
The family went through several interviews and background checks. They passed each one and in 2015 were relocated to Spokane, WA. With their first steps off the plane, it was clear they were in a new country.
Abdulkarem thought, “We have to know the culture, to learn how its people here [live]. We don’t know anything about America: Even we don’t have the language in the beginning.”
Yet they were not alone. Jackson, the family’s Resettlement Specialist at World Relief, ensured they knew how to shop for groceries and ride the bus. Much to Abdulkareem’s delight, Jackson helped enroll his children in school.
“The first [priority] is my children,” said Abdulkareem. “To go to the school, to learn and to go to the college…”
Alaa, Abdulkareem’s eldest daughter, jumped right into learning about the culture and quickly picked up English. “I like to live in Spokane. We live in peace. I feel here like I live in a peaceful place.”
After nine years, his business grew into a restaurant
Through World Relief, Abdulkareem was introduced to community members who saw potential in his dream of opening his own restaurant. They connected him to catering opportunities, birthday parties, opening ceremonies and other special occasions. When Feast World Kitchen opened, Abdulkareem was one of the first chefs to create the cuisine of his home country in the new space. Once a month, the restaurant is filled with the aroma of Syrian cuisine – fresh and from scratch.
“Middle eastern food is the healthiest of anything in the world!” said Alaa. She smiled as she listed off the many dishes her father makes on her fingers: falafel, shawarma, baba ganoush… and even Syrian desserts! This October, Abdulkareem announced that he will be opening a new restaurant, Arabian Palace. He has been working and waiting a long time for this moment. Nine years to be exact! When his customers heard about it, they expressed their excitement all over social media.
“So excited for this!! Congrats. Abdulkareem!”
Anonymous Customer, Instagram
“His chicken shawarma on demand?! I’m in!”
Anonymous Customer, Facebook
“Oh I’m so excited! One of my favorite chefs!”
Anonymous Customer, Facebook
A common myth is that immigrants drain the U.S. economy, but Abdulkareem is one example of the truth: former refugees and other immigrants are twice as likely to start businesses than their American-born counterparts. A study done by the US Department of Health and Human Services showed that over a 15-year period, refugees and asylees added more than $123 billion back into the economy. That’s huge! Not only that, but they bring incredible new skillsets to the American workplace.
It starts small. A family at the airport. Learning English. A first-time job.
“The first thing I learned is to be patient,” said Abdulkareem. After nine years of living in Spokane, he is no longer the same person. He has grown into a member of the Spokane community and a business owner.
A worthwhile investment… for all of us.
About the Author
Keri Bambock is the Communications Coordinator at World Relief Spokane. Her hobbies include sketching and painting. She likes riding her bike to the office and always gets the best parking spot.