On May 15th 1954, the first bektashi tekke was founded in Detroit-Michigan, through the spiritual and material assistance of bektashe believers, Christians and Sunit. A special contribution for the opening of this tekke was given by Imzot Fan Noli. The leaders of the tekke was Dervish Rexheb Beqiri, who later on was nomnated as Father. This nomination was done based on our traditional code, and with special and Holy Decree issued by the GrandFather Siri, who was the leader of the tekke of Cajro, Egypt. That happened because the official Tirana did not recognize the bektashian tekke in USA.
Father Rexheb
... The figure of Father Rexhep of this prominent cleric and distinguished patriot was revealed only when the fog was dispersed forever, and when the darkness runaway from Albania.The frist thought coming to my mind everytime remember meetings with such a saint one, was that every word of his was a great school. He was talking rarely, very rarely, but His word had a strangely big weight, emotional.Those words said so beautifully, put so carefully in the conversation,brought always into my mind the white stones of the houses of Gjirokastra with their simetry and their white light.
Haxhi Dede Reshat Bardhi
Seing from a larger point of view, the Father was not blessing only houses and families. His long presence in our country and his burial in our country have sanctified our land. I mean that Father Rexhep has been a blessing for America, so, I have to thank Albanians that have shared their saint with the World.
Frances Trix
Greeting of the President Obama on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Tekke.