I’m Jewish and I Celebrated Ramadan
I’ m a secular Jew, but I fasted the first day of Ramadan in solidarity with my Muslim friends.
Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic faith, in which fasting from dawn to dusk is a duty of every healthy adult. The objectives are twofold: (1) empathize with others in the world who do not have access to food and water by fasting and doing good deeds, and (2) refrain from sin.
Fasting is intended to be a purifier for the soul, and it also has purifying effects on the body. I was curious to see how it would make me feel.
So, the first day of Ramadan depends on the sighting of the moon, which was widely accepted this year to be Saturday, May 27th.
From dusk to dawn, I fasted. I went the entire day without food or water.
(I know, I know. Why not fast the entire month of Ramadan, right? Because I have no discipline, that’s why.)
It was easier than I thought it would be. Sure, my stomach grumbled, a survival instinct to protect me from the threat of starving to death. But it wasn’t that hard to rise up to the challenge I set for myself. My friends do this every year, for the entire month.
Besides, my minor pangs of hunger can’t compare with the suffering of billions of people across the world who face malnutrition and food insecurity. Fasting reaffirmed my gratitude for everything I have access to.
At sunset, we broke the fast at a local place called Falafel on Broadway. This meal is known as Iftar.
Oh, my word. The food was so good.
I felt good about fasting the entire day. I felt that I accomplished something.
In the Jewish faith, fasting is typically done during religious periods such as Yom Kippur — the day of atonement — but I had never connected with my spirituality by refraining from food or water before.
On Tuesday, May 31, I went to the Islamic Center at New York University (ICNYU) for Iftar. This was my first time there, but my friend and fellow Columbia alumna accompanied me and introduced me to her friends.
The Center and their Iftar provided me with a wonderful glimpse into their community. I helped with their recycling and composting efforts, because those are passions of mine. (Yay, preventing landfill waste!)
My introduction to Ramadan was last year, when I went to a mosque for the first time for Isha and Taraweeh prayer.
I’m not a religious person myself, but I take an interest in other religions. I want to know how other people view the world, and how our belief systems can prepare us to make positive changes in our communities.
I plan on fasting again before I leave for my birthright trip to Israel. It is my hope that these experiences connecting with other faiths will not only strengthen my body, but will also play an integral role in my journey to develop a strong spirit.
-Er
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