During our weekly Sunday School class in Ridgewood, Tasoni Shery, opened her Bible onto the table. Tucked right inside the pages was an old family photograph taken back in Egypt. Looking at the open text completely in Arabic script resting alongside the faces of her relatives, I realized this wasn't just a lesson plan—it was an intergenerational bridge.

"In New York, English quickly becomes the first language for our children," Shery told me, gently touching the edge of the family photo. "They speak English at school, with friends, and on the streets. But if they lose the language of their homeland entirely, they lose the ability to truly communicate with their elders, their grandparents, and their own history."

Shery uses this Arabic Bible to teach her classes, translating the traditional vocabulary into English for us while keeping the original context alive. For her, the language is a vital link. It ensures that English-fluent, second-generation youth retain the unique cultural framework and emotional vocabulary needed to talk deeply with their Arabic-speaking parents and grandparents at home. This Bible proves that the American Dream doesn't have to mean cutting your roots. True opportunity is the privilege of moving forward into a new country while holding the words, the faith, and the families who made your journey possible.

– OT

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant