Scranton Stories is an oral history video series featuring 33 individuals who have lived or worked in the city of Scranton. These videos are part of the larger project, Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story, which is a community-wide exploration of themes such as history, belonging, and identity. DiscoverNEPA will share these unique, personal “Scranton Stories” in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
From Jerusalem to Northeastern Pennsylvania, this is Farouk's "Scranton Story"
On an exploratory excursion from Patterson NJ, where he lived and worked, Farouk Abedrabbo fell in love with the small-town charm that proliferated across neighboring Pennsylvania. He then moved to and ran a successful business in Stroudsburg for many years. Later, seeking a farm for his animal-loving wife brought him to the Scranton area, where they relocated.
Farouk later became President of the Islamic Center of Scranton that serves Muslim populations from many different countries and is a venue for multicultural and interfaith gatherings. The Center values deeply the good relationships they have with their neighbors and enjoys opportunities to bring people together to learn about one another, to share food and resources, and to engage in cross-cultural discussions.
A Palestinian who fled his hometown of Jerusalem in 1967 after the Six-Day War, Farouk hopes that the accepting and diverse community that he has found in Scranton, and more broadly across the United States, can serve as an example for better social relations in the Middle East and globally.
