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“Ramadan Kareem!”  Ramadan greetings from Israel

Tami Lancut Leibovitz

To the outsider, usually feeding off different news channels, Israel seems like a place that is always filled with contradiction and religion-based conflicts. But in fact, Muslims, Jews and Christians regularly celebrate their different holidays in the country, one next to another, respecting each other and believe it or not – even greeting each other and joining each other’s festivities at occasion.

I would like to pay my respect the Muslim holiday that begins today, “Ramadan”, a whole month dedicated to the Quran and to the actions of fasting, praying and introspecting. During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sundown. Fasting is seen as a method to purify the soul and feel for the less fortunate.

The holiday is celebrated in a different date every year, the Muslim calendar is a lunar calendar and the holidays never arrive on the same date or season as the years before. Fasting through a whole day until sundown is the most known custom of the holiday, and when the holiday is celebrated in the hotter season like this year, it makes it that much harder to deal with the hunger and thirst.

But fasting is not all! dedicated Muslims (as long as they are in good health, post-puberty and not pregnant or nursing) also abstain from drinking, smoking, sexual activity, gossip and “un-pure” thoughts and actions during that month. Some also complete reading the entire Quran, pray-special prayers and visit their mosques more often they would throughout the year.

Muslims work, study and handle their routine activities regularly during Ramadan, with two different meals in the day: the opening one, called “suhoor, is eaten at dawn before fast starts and the ending one is “iftar, when dusk arrives.”Iftars” are usually eaten in a celebratory way with family and friends.

The most important night of the Ramadan is Leylat El-Qadr AKA Shab e’Qadr. According to the Islam, Prophet Muhammad was first exposed to the first words of the Quran on that night. It’s always within the last ten days of the Ramadan month. Muslims believes that is the night angels roam on earth and god listens, grants wishes and forgive. They also believe that Leylat El-Qadr is a sacred night, a night with no murder, rape, theft or any crime around the world. The last ten days of the month is being marked with intense all-night prayers in the mosque, where many Muslim join for lengthy, extended prayers that they believe bring them closer to god and his wishes.

Eid al-Fiter (the Feast of Fast-Breaking) is the end of the Ramadan month and the glorious beginning for 3 days of celebrations filled extravagant meals and quality time with family, friends and gifts!

On that optimistic note, I would love to share that on Id al-Fiter we regularly see in Israel leaders and politicians, friends and colleagues - Muslims, Jews and Christians – join together to celebrate the end of Ramadan with no hate and fear, just understanding, love and most of all – plenty of hope.

It’s the time of the year to allow special attention to colleagues and friends, neighbors and acquaintances that celebrate Ramadan and greet them with a traditional greeting:

“Ramadan Kareem!” meaning – Have a blessed Ramadan!

I have a great passion for cultures and traditions, and throughout my travels in the world I was fortunate enough to learn more about social and business aspects of different countries. This holiday is hitting home for me, but If you want to know more about the etiquette language of business and society in different cultures and countries, please visit my website  or Amazon to inquire about my new book, The IBL Code: International Business Language.!