By Rita Weinstein, JTNews Correspondent
On November 20, Muslims across the world ended Ramadan, their 29-day fast of observance. At the University of Washington, Jewish students joined them in the first-ever “Fast-Food” dinner.
The B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation at the University of Washington, along with the Muslim Students Association, jointly sponsored the event at the UW HUB. Inspired by an idea that originated on the East Coast, Hillel president Miriam Bensky put together a team in early October. Mindy Goldberg of Hillel and the MSA’s Saboora Chaudry chaired teams to coordinate the program, speakers, and food.
The planning committees held weekly meetings for nearly two months. As they took the idea to various groups for financial support, they found there was an immediately positive response from students and non-students alike. Financial support was provided by Hillel’s International Center, the Muslim Student Association, UW’s Department of Comparative History of Ideas, and the Associated Students of the University of Washington.
Promoted in the UW campus paper, through press releases, and by posters placed on campus, a joint kosher/halal dinner proved to be an idea whose time had come. The turnout of more than 100 enthusiastic Jewish, Muslim, and Christian participants was far beyond what the very planners had hoped for.
The planning committees in both groups wanted the event to be an opportunity for students of differing cultures to meet one another, but they also wanted to use it as an opportunity to build bridges of understanding by exploring the similarities between two religions with the same roots. The program was devoted to an exploration of fasting in both religions — the purpose of fasting, what motivates those who fast, and when fasting is to take place.
After a warm welcome and introductions by Goldberg and Chaudry, Joey Katz, Hillel Vice President of Ritual and Learning, took the podium. He described fasting as “an intense form of devotion,” commanded by God once a year in Leviticus 23:37. Among the reasons he listed for fasting were humility and respect for self, sacrifice, a way to bring to mind those who hunger daily, tradition, identification with Jewish history, reflection, and atonement to God. He also explained that fasting is not about self-mortification, but about coming closer to and being reconciled with God.
The Jewish calendar prescribes one biblical fast and five Rabbinic fasts during the year, during which neither food nor water are consumed for a 24-hour period.
Go to top
Humza Chaudry, president of the MSA, then explained that fasting was prescribed to Muslims by the Quran “as it was to those who came before us” — which is understood to be the Jews. He described Muslim fasting as a way of “waking up” from a cycle of ignorance in order become a better person, more aware of the presence of God.
Muslim fasting is like Jewish fasting in that it is not about staying hungry, but is instead about realizing that what is more important than food is the one who created it. Islam prescribes a fast that coincides with a 29-day lunar month. During that month, Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours.
A question and answer session with the speakers and Rabbi Daniel Bridge of Hillel followed. With the room divided into a men’s side and women’s side, students at each table were encouraged to discuss questions regarding their own fasting practices now that they no longer live in their parents’ homes. They were also asked to discuss whether they would encourage their own children to fast.
Discussion was followed by a call to prayer. The room was divided again, with Jews praying the Ma’ariv service on one side and the Muslim students praying on the other — both facing east.
Energy filled the room as everyone returned to their seats for break-the-fast dates, nuts, and dried fruit before the meal began.
Both Judaism and Islam treat the slaughtering of an animal as a holy act, to be accompanied by prayer. Both have a prohibition against consumption of animal blood and require that the carcass be completely bled.
Although halal meat is not considered acceptable by the rabbis for kashrut, kosher meat is acceptable for Muslims where halal is not available. As a result, the buffet dinner consisted of lamb and chicken on the halal side, and salmon, salad, and vegetarian pasta on the kosher side.
Reaction from the students — some from as far away as Bangladesh, Somalia, and Pakistan — was uniformly positive. The Fast Food event was a totally new and unique experience that all hoped would be repeated. Many believed it would lead to friendship, dialogue, and a greater chance for two cultures to be at peace with one another.
The organizers intend to do it again next year — in a bigger room next time — and plan to promote the idea to groups throughout the nation and, hopefully, internationally.
Near the end of the evening, the mothers of the Jewish and Muslim Fast Food co-chairs met each other.
As Barbara Goldberg and Nasreen Chaudry shook hands, both glowed with identical pride at what their daughters had accomplished. In that moment, they affirmed the goals of the evening: by focusing on the things that are the same rather than the things that are different, peace and friendship are inevitable.