Dec. 5, 2002
More Alike Than Different
GWs Muslim and Jewish Students Share A Ceremonial
Meal at Sundown
By John
Carroll
As the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Marvin Center Ballroom framed
a magnificent dusk slowly blanketing Foggy Bottom, a warm feeling of
brotherhood and understanding emerged inside. Muslim and Jewish students
filled the room to capacity to share in an Iftar, the ceremonial meal
at sundown, breaking the daily Ramadan fast. The night was in sharp
contrast to events taking place in the Middle East that day, where just
hours earlier Israeli forces swept into the West Bank City of Tulkeram
and destroyed the home of a senior Palestinian official in retaliation
for a weekend attack on an Israeli farm collective.
Separated at tables by gender yet unified by faith, Muslim and Jewish
students took their places among each other at this local gathering
eagerly awaiting the evenings remarks and the food. Muslim
students shared the breaking of their daily fast with the traditional
offering of dates followed by a Middle Eastern meal, as well as Kosher-approved
food. The Muslim expression for wishing peace, As-salaam Alaikum,
was heard often throughout the evening.
Similar to the Jewish observance of Yom Kippur, Muslims fast from dawn
to dusk during Ramadan, practicing self control while seeking inner
reflection and devotion to God. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim
calendar, when it is believed the Holy Quran was sent down from
heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, a means of
Salvation. The evenings Iftar was one of many sponsored
by the Muslim Student Association (MSA) during Ramadan, which began
Nov. 6 and ends the first week of December.
The ceremony was educational as well as social. Former MSA president
and recent religion graduate Faisal Matadar addressed the audience to
explain the spiritual significance of fasting during Ramadan. The
person who fasts has two delights, explained Matadar, paraphrasing
a narration from a Muslim prophet. One delight is breaking the
fast. The second delight comes when they meet their lord because they
will be rewarded on that day for what they gave up in devotion to their
lord.
He went on to remind students of the important of fasting in modern
times as a spiritual discipline. For people like us living in
a community where the prevailing idea is that it is OK to do what you
want, its an amazing testament to religion and to human spirit
that even to this day people will give up things because they really
do believe in a higher good.
Junior Scott Dershowitz spoke briefly on the spiritual importance of
the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur, drawing parallels to Ramadan and echoing
Matadars emphasis on the virtues of the fast. The physical
absence of food is paralleled by a deeper absence, said Dershowitz,
Jewish people view food as a means to an end of serving God as
well as another reason to bless God. Without food we are able to bless
God in one less way
reminding us that we should neither take God
nor Gods goodness for granted.
Also in attendance were University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg;
Hatem Atallah, ambassador of Tunisia; Albert Del Rosario, ambassador
of the Philippines; and Brett Schor, officer of public affairs and education
for the Israeli embassy.
The feeling of solidarity and brotherhood crystallized among the crowd
as each speakers comments resonated the belief that people are
truly more alike than different. This sentiment also echoed amid the
chatter at the tables as guests shared a meal and the common bond of
faith and spirituality. All religions have the same basic concept,
said mechanical engineering major Muhammad Umar. The biggest enemy
of mankind is the devil. This should bring us together and show us that
the conflicts that are going on all over the world shouldnt be
happening.
The event was suggested to leaders of the Muslim and Jewish student
associations by President Trachtenberg, who stressed the importance
of transcending the provocations of events in the Middle East and coming
together as children of Abraham. After the meal, Trachtenberg offered
words of praise to students. I hope that The George Washington
University serves as an example to our brothers and sisters all over
the world, Trachtenberg said. When they hear about it they
ask themselves, what are we doing wrong?
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu