september 26, 2008

Muslims, Christians break Ramadan fast together in Bethlehem

ENI-08-0759: Ecumenical News International Daily News Service
22 September 2008
By Judith Sudilovsky

Bethlehem, West Bank, 22 September (ENI)--More than one thousand boisterous Bethlehem University students crowded into the college's cafeteria as dusk fell, in order to break the fast of the Muslim Ramadan holiday with a traditional evening Iftar meal.

Muslim women wearing brightly colored hijabs sat at tables with Christian friends, who had gold crucifixes hanging around their necks.

Though the day was a Muslim holiday, both Christian and Muslim students were eating the special meal. Some Christian students had even joined their Muslim friends in the traditional Ramadan fast in order to experience the holiday fully.

"I wanted the experience to be genuine," said Roman Catholic 19-year-old computer science student Jacoub Sleibi, when he attended the meal on the 19th day of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. It is during this month that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan. In 2008, the fast largely coincides with the month of September.

"I wanted all of us to start [eating] food together at the same time," said Sleibi. The experience, he added, had strengthened relations between Christian and Muslims at the university, a Catholic co-educational place of higher learning founded in 1973 and open to students of all faith traditions.

"Sometimes there are differences between Muslims and Christians, between Palestinians, but we are proud to sit together here and eat together," said Sleibi.

Merna Al Azzeh, aged 21 and a Muslim English literature and translation student, said she had been touched by her Christian friend's gesture of respect for her holiday.

"It was really nice of Jacoub to fast with me. You feel closer to your friend when you respect each other's religion," she said. At Christmas, she added, "We also visit friends' homes", and go to the Church of the Nativity, which is said to mark the birthplace of Jesus.

A music and traditional Palestinian dance program followed the meal.

Brother Jack Curran, vice-president for development at Bethlehem University , noted that for over 10 years the university had traditionally hosted an Iftar dinner.

"It's a cultural student event, and it speaks to our service to the Palestinian people in Bethlehem , both Muslim and Christian," said Curran. "We do similar events for Christmas."

The communal Iftar meals also demonstrate that the university is confident enough in its own Christian identity to host a Muslim feast, and reflects the university's mission to build community among people, said Brother Peter Iorlano, coordinator of institutional values at the university.

"It says that we have good relations with our Muslim brothers and sisters," Iorlano said, noting that there was a strong sense of hospitality in the event, with students inviting their professors and university staff to join them for the meal. "In the university, Muslim-Christian relations are good. There certainly are conflicts between Muslims and Christians from time to time in [society in] general but . here Christians and Muslims become friends," Iorlano added.

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