Syrian Refugees Open Up Shawarma Shop In Paterson - New Jersey News Network

PATERSON, N.J. - A new data from the state finds 30 percent of restaurants will not reopen amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, but for three friends from Syria, the "American dream" is alive and well.

Mohammad Helal, Diyaa Khatib and Samir Alkhawaldeh were born and raised in Syria. And they say they led simple lives there. That is, until the civil war began.

“April 10, 2013 at 5 a.m., all the militias come in my city and kill for 10 hours, kill 102 people," recalled Khatib. "Some people killed with a gun, some people with a knife. After the militia left the city, we see all the people died. 102 people dead in just two hours. We stay there in the city, because I like my city. But after two days, the people talk…”

Word spread about the militias being sexually violent with the little girls in the city.

"My daughter is born before this day, three days," Khatib continued. "We left Syria. My daughter is 14 days. When we heard this, the bad news, we decide to leave Syria."