At FIU Ramadan dinner, Muslims and other faiths gather to share food, fellowship
Many were there to break their day of holy fasting. Others came to share a meal, catch up with friends, new and old, and most important, build connections across religious lines. The Wednesday night occasion was Florida International University's Ramadan dinner, an annual affair that drew 250 people of various faith backgrounds — Muslims, Jews, Catholics, among others .
The interfaith gathering was held in observance of Ramadan, the holiest month for believers of Islam. Muslims fast from sun up to sun down during the month then nourish themselves at nightly 'iftar' dinners. Though usually held at a mosque or home, the university's iftar (hosted with support from the Jaffer Center for Muslim World Studies) allowed for non-Muslims — including FIU students and faculty — to join in on the tradition.
'We get to share in this one special time which is the breaking of the fast, our iftar dinner,' said Dr. Mohamed Ghumrawi, assistant director of the Jaffer Center for Muslim World Studies at FIU. 'The way we fast is different, but in almost every faith there's some sort of fast tradition. For Muslims, it becomes this very joyous experience.'
After those observing Ramadan broke their fast with a date, some fruit and water, Ghumrawi led all attendees in a traditional Maghrib, or sunset, prayer. Then, dinner was served.
'I like to come here every year because I see all different faiths, nationalities ... it's a very special place to be,' said Khalid Mirza, president of UHI Community Care Clinic. 'It's very encouraging seeing other faiths get together and celebrating Ramadan, the most religious month for us as Muslims.'
Why do Muslims fast?
During her keynote address, Dr. Aisha Subhani turned heads by declaring 'We are overweight people.'
What Subhani, who is the vice president of Islamic school Zaytuna College, meant was that many people carry a lot of psychological weight in the form of the daily responsibilities. A busy schedule coupled with technology that allows us to constantly be available can weigh on people, she said.
'Life is supposed to be easier, but we're busier. We're measured by productivity,' she said. Fasting is a way to detox from the trivial and focus on the important things in life, she said.
'The nice thing about Ramadan is that it allows you to prioritize what's important ... to put those things that are important in front of you. God, family, community,' Subhani said. 'Everything else can wait.'
So why do Muslims get so excited about Ramadan? Subhani asked. It seems difficult, to those outside of the faith. Fasting can help discipline people, and bring them a 'heightened spiritual awareness.' But, it's also a holiday that unites the faithful.
'It's about community. It's about a gathering of people and hearts. It's about getting away from all of the distractions,' she said. 'It's about helping one another.'
At one table, two high school students from Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, a prestigious all-girls Catholic school in Coconut Grove, ate plates of halal chicken, Mediterranean rice and salad while chatting about their views on religion. Carolina Rhodes, 17, pointed out some commonalities between Catholicism and Islam.
'I never realized how many similarities there are. We have a season of fasting too, lent, that just started today,' Rhodes said, still bearing the black ash on her forehead from Ash Wednesday mass earlier that day.
'It's a season of repentance to celebrate the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert,' she said.
Andrea Lara, 17, described herself as 'culturally Catholic' but not spiritual. Still, she said she enjoys learning about other religions and how they influence people. She learned that night, for example, that Ramadan also has a component of charitable giving.
'It can just make you so much more understanding of people. It helps you understand yourself better,' Lara said. 'Recognizing similarities between people helps you feel connected and I feel like that prevents conflicts.'
The high schoolers didn't attend on their own. They were accompanied by their world of religion teacher, Paola Bernardini, who encourages — and requires to some extent — her students to experience a religious tradition outside of their own. She said the communal iftar dinner is one of many ways to bring what the students are learning in class to life.
'I think that the personal encounter helps to understand 'the other' better, than simply learning about it from books,' said Bernardini. 'Other faith traditions may seem very foreign and strange but when you start meeting people, the shared humanity and similarities come to the forefront.'
This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
13 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Boston Archbishop received vestment blessed by Pope Leo in a Rome ceremony
'By the gift of this stole placed within the tomb of Peter, Pope Leo links my ministry in Boston to his own and to the communion of the Catholic Church across the world,' Henning said in a statement to the Globe. 'He spoke today about the character of that communion, a unity that does not diminish our individual freedom, dignity, or diversity,' he said. 'Communion in the Lord ever makes us more, not less - as individuals and as a community.' Advertisement Henning said the imagery of the stole reminds him of the biblical reference of the Good Shepherd, who cares for the flock and seeks out the lost sheep. 'I will return from Rome renewed and determined to live up to that charge in serving the Church of Boston. The Catholics of the Archdiocese of Boston are in my heart and in my prayers,' Henning said. Related : Advertisement In Latin, pallium means 'mantle' or 'cloak.' The practice is centuries-old, and it focuses on bringing unity between metropolitan archbishops and the pope. The Church's He is the tenth bishop and seventh archbishop of the Archdiocese of Boston. The Sunday ceremony marked Henning's first interaction with the new pope, a Chicago native, born as Robert Prevost, who became the first pope from the United States. Related : Other US archbishops who received the pallium on Sunday were from the archdioceses of Washington, Kansas City, Omaha, Cincinnati, Galveston-Houston, Milwaukee, and Detroit. CatholicTV will rebroadcast the Sunday morning mass on Sunday at 8 p.m. Marcela Rodrigues can be reached at
Hamilton Spectator
17 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
After centuries of isolation, ultra-Orthodox Jews engage with the world more than ever
NEW YORK (AP) — Frieda Vizel left an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect in New York in a crisis of faith at 25. But instead of cutting ties, she became a successful online personality and guide to the tight-knit world she had been raised in. She gives sold-out tours of Williamsburg, Brooklyn — home base of the Satmar dynasty — and runs a popular YouTube channel focused on the subculture engaging more with the outside world after centuries of separation. In mid-June, Vizel took a group of Jewish , Christian and Muslim tourists to see synagogues and schools, and visit kosher delis and shops. Instead of Barbie dolls, there were little ultra-Orthodox Jewish figurines. The rabbinically approved products included cellphones without screens, and DVDs and MP3 players preloaded with approved music and films, so no internet connection is needed. Yet ultra-Orthodox men on the street offered friendly greetings and praise for Vizel's recent postings even though rabbis advise them to avoid the internet unless needed for business, family or other essential needs. 'It's an interesting moment,' Vizel said. 'They're saying, 'What is the whole world saying about us?'' Growth and religious change Williamsburg and a handful of other locations worldwide — from Monsey, New York, to Stamford Hill, London to Bnei Brak, Israel — host the strictest followers of Orthodox Judaism. In a minority religion it's a minority set apart by its dedication above all else to the Torah and its 613 commandments, from No. 1 — worshipping God — to less-followed measures like No. 568 — not cursing a head of state. One in seven Jews worldwide are strictly Orthodox, or Haredi. It's a population of roughly 2 million out of 15 million Jews, according to Daniel Staetsky, a demographer with the London-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research. In a 2022 report, he projects that the strictly Orthodox population could double in size in 15 years. Another study projects that a third of American Jews will be Orthodox by 2063. Many in the community marry young and have large families. 'You're getting three generations of ultra-Orthodox for every two generations of Reform Jews in the U.S.,' said Alan Cooperman, director of religion research at the Pew Research Center. 'They are becoming the face of Judaism,' Vizel said. Reform and secular Jews It's happening while many Reform Jews in the U.S. are becoming less religious and intermarrying. That means that Jewish Americans as a whole are becoming either Orthodox or more secular, Cooperman said. 'There has been a major change, I think, that has taken place over the last generation or two and that is the polarization of American Jewry, much as we've seen the vast polarization of America as a whole,' said Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University . Among American Jews aged 18 to 29, 17% are Orthodox — a bigger share than in older generations, Pew found. And as a growing number of American Jews are Orthodox, a greater percent is Republican. Still, the majority of American Jews remain Democrats. The Pew Research Center found in 2020 that 75% of Orthodox Jews voted or leaned Republican . Walking out of Gottlieb's Restaurant with his salami sandwich, Samuel Sabel — a grocery store worker and journalist — said that 'a lot of the policies Republicans have go together with our beliefs,' citing school choice, and opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage as examples. Orthodox political activism is 'at the highest point it's ever been,' said Rabbi Avi Shafran, the retired director of public affairs at the Orthodox group Agudath Israel. 'No question about that.' 'There is time and money and ability and savvy and education that allows for a much more, aggressive, much more positive and active effort on political things,' he said. But while cultural issues are important, 'when push comes to shove, we'll vote our interests, our immediate interests, not the larger issues that are always on the table,' Shafran said. 'We are practical,' he said. 'Put it that way.' Politics — local, national and global Vizel guided her group past 'Get out the vote' signs in Yiddish, along with a campaign letter from Donald Trump in the window of Gottlieb's deli. In New York City's Democratic primary for the mayoral election, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo intensely courted Orthodox communities, counting at least 36 sects and yeshivas — religious schools — among his supporters. But Cuomo suffered a stunning upset at the hands of Zohran Mamdani in a demonstration of grassroots organizing over bloc voting. In Florida, Orthodox Jews backed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis before he signed a expansion of taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools, a movement that has galvanized religious groups across denominations. But the election this month for the World Zionist Congress — an international body predating Israel that controls more than 1,500 square miles (3885 square kilometers) of land there, along with about $1 billion a year from land sales — showed dominance by the Reform bloc despite intense campaigning by Orthodox parties and strong results ahead of coalition building. The 2020 Pew study found that Reform Jews are 37% of the American Jewish populace, followed by Jews that claim no particular branch — 32% —and then Conservatives at 17% . The Orthodox make up 9%. The president of the Union for Reform Judaism, the largest Jewish group in North America, said 'it's a mistake to assume unaffiliated Jews don't care about being Jewish — many do, and Reform Judaism often reflects their spiritual and moral values. 'Reform Jews continue to hold overwhelmingly liberal worldviews and political values,' Rabbi Rick Jacobs wrote. 'In the aftermath of October 7th, many have deepened their connection to Jewish peoplehood while remaining firmly committed to justice, equity, and peace through the Reform Movement.' Rabbi Pesach Lerner founded the Orthodox party Eretz Hakodesh five years ago to compete in the election for the World Zionist Congress. The main American party representing Reform Judaism in the Zionist Congress had a better individual showing than Lerner's in voting in the United States, but Orthodox parties did well and said they were optimistic that coalition-building would let them compete with traditional liberal Jewish interests. Reform Jews and their allies 'went so far to the left of traditional, of national, or family values, in 'wokeism,' that I'm glad the right finally decided that they can't sit back on the sidelines,' Lerner said. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
17 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
After centuries of isolation, ultra-Orthodox Jews engage with the world more than ever
NEW YORK (AP) — Frieda Vizel left an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect in New York in a crisis of faith at 25. But instead of cutting ties, she became a successful online personality and guide to the tight-knit world she had been raised in. She gives sold-out tours of Williamsburg, Brooklyn — home base of the Satmar dynasty — and runs a popular YouTube channel focused on the subculture engaging more with the outside world after centuries of separation. In mid-June, Vizel took a group of Jewish, Christian and Muslim tourists to see synagogues and schools, and visit kosher delis and shops. Instead of Barbie dolls, there were little ultra-Orthodox Jewish figurines. The rabbinically approved products included cellphones without screens, and DVDs and MP3 players preloaded with approved music and films, so no internet connection is needed. Yet ultra-Orthodox men on the street offered friendly greetings and praise for Vizel's recent postings even though rabbis advise them to avoid the internet unless needed for business, family or other essential needs. 'It's an interesting moment,' Vizel said. 'They're saying, 'What is the whole world saying about us?'" Growth and religious change Williamsburg and a handful of other locations worldwide — from Monsey, New York, to Stamford Hill, London to Bnei Brak, Israel — host the strictest followers of Orthodox Judaism. In a minority religion it's a minority set apart by its dedication above all else to the Torah and its 613 commandments, from No. 1 — worshipping God — to less-followed measures like No. 568 — not cursing a head of state. One in seven Jews worldwide are strictly Orthodox, or Haredi. It's a population of roughly 2 million out of 15 million Jews, according to Daniel Staetsky, a demographer with the London-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research. In a 2022 report, he projects that the strictly Orthodox population could double in size in 15 years. Another study projects that a third of American Jews will be Orthodox by 2063. Many in the community marry young and have large families. 'You're getting three generations of ultra-Orthodox for every two generations of Reform Jews in the U.S.,' said Alan Cooperman, director of religion research at the Pew Research Center. 'They are becoming the face of Judaism,' Vizel said. Reform and secular Jews It's happening while many Reform Jews in the U.S. are becoming less religious and intermarrying. That means that Jewish Americans as a whole are becoming either Orthodox or more secular, Cooperman said. 'There has been a major change, I think, that has taken place over the last generation or two and that is the polarization of American Jewry, much as we've seen the vast polarization of America as a whole,' said Jonathan Sarna, a professor of American Jewish history at Brandeis University. Among American Jews aged 18 to 29, 17% are Orthodox — a bigger share than in older generations, Pew found. And as a growing number of American Jews are Orthodox, a greater percent is Republican. Still, the majority of American Jews remain Democrats. The Pew Research Center found in 2020 that 75% of Orthodox Jews voted or leaned Republican. Walking out of Gottlieb's Restaurant with his salami sandwich, Samuel Sabel — a grocery store worker and journalist — said that 'a lot of the policies Republicans have go together with our beliefs,' citing school choice, and opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage as examples. Orthodox political activism is 'at the highest point it's ever been,' said Rabbi Avi Shafran, the retired director of public affairs at the Orthodox group Agudath Israel. 'No question about that.' 'There is time and money and ability and savvy and education that allows for a much more, aggressive, much more positive and active effort on political things,' he said. But while cultural issues are important, 'when push comes to shove, we'll vote our interests, our immediate interests, not the larger issues that are always on the table,' Shafran said. 'We are practical,' he said. 'Put it that way.' Politics — local, national and global Vizel guided her group past 'Get out the vote' signs in Yiddish, along with a campaign letter from Donald Trump in the window of Gottlieb's deli. In New York City's Democratic primary for the mayoral election, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo intensely courted Orthodox communities, counting at least 36 sects and yeshivas — religious schools — among his supporters. But Cuomo suffered a stunning upset at the hands of Zohran Mamdani in a demonstration of grassroots organizing over bloc voting. In Florida, Orthodox Jews backed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis before he signed a expansion of taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools, a movement that has galvanized religious groups across denominations. But the election this month for the World Zionist Congress — an international body predating Israel that controls more than 1,500 square miles (3885 square kilometers) of land there, along with about $1 billion a year from land sales — showed dominance by the Reform bloc despite intense campaigning by Orthodox parties and strong results ahead of coalition building. The 2020 Pew study found that Reform Jews are 37% of the American Jewish populace, followed by Jews that claim no particular branch — 32% —and then Conservatives at 17% . The Orthodox make up 9%. The president of the Union for Reform Judaism, the largest Jewish group in North America, said 'it's a mistake to assume unaffiliated Jews don't care about being Jewish — many do, and Reform Judaism often reflects their spiritual and moral values. 'Reform Jews continue to hold overwhelmingly liberal worldviews and political values,' Rabbi Rick Jacobs wrote. 'In the aftermath of October 7th, many have deepened their connection to Jewish peoplehood while remaining firmly committed to justice, equity, and peace through the Reform Movement.' Rabbi Pesach Lerner founded the Orthodox party Eretz Hakodesh five years ago to compete in the election for the World Zionist Congress. The main American party representing Reform Judaism in the Zionist Congress had a better individual showing than Lerner's in voting in the United States, but Orthodox parties did well and said they were optimistic that coalition-building would let them compete with traditional liberal Jewish interests.
