EDITOR’S LETTER

Trends, Tradition, and Our Time of Need

As I write this, the nation and the world is in the grip of what is arguably the worst disaster any of us have encountered. Publishing our magazines is a challenge, to say the least. We ask that you bear with us and also that you stay safe.

A number of factors are coalescing to move Bayonne further from its industrial roots. Back in the early 2000s, the light rail connected Bayonne to its northern neighbors and eased commuting into Manhattan. Soon, young professionals moved in, residential development followed, the ferry came onboard, and a gondola to Staten Island is in the visionary stage.

A couple of stories in this issue point to this new Bayonne, keyed into the national scene. Pat Bonner takes an in-depth look at the Muslim and Coptic communities. Arabic is now the thirdmost-used language in town, reflecting the contemporary look of our immigrant communities here and around the country.

see page 35

Photo by Marie Papp