After a year of waiting, Nadia Kahf, a family law and immigration attorney from Wayne, has become the first headscarf-wearing woman to serve as a state Superior Court judge in the Passaic County, United States (US) of New Jersey.
After being appointed to her new position in New Jersey, Kahf took an oath on Tuesday, March 21, by pressing her hand on the Holy Quran inherited from her grandmother.
“I am proud to represent the Muslim and Arab communities in New Jersey in the United States (US). I want the younger generation to see that they can practice their religion without fear that they can be who they are. Diversity is our strength, it is not our weakness,” Nadia said during a sworn-in ceremony.
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Kahf’s nomination, which came a year ago but was delayed by Senator Kristen Corrado. She was confirmed earlier this month.
Know more about Nadia Kahf
Nadia Kahf immigrated to the United States (US) from Syria when she was 2-year-old.
She has been working in the country’s Islamic foundations for a long time.
Since 2003, she has been a member of the board of directors for the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, an Islamic civil rights organization where she now serves as chair of the board.
Kahf serves as president of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, one of the state’s largest mosques.
She is also legal counsel for Wafa House, a nonprofit domestic violence and social service agency based in Clifton.