Passover and Ramadan food while learning more about them!

This page has been updated with the after-event media.

A rabbi once told me that it was a descendant of Ishmael who welcomed Joseph and his family (descendants of Isaac) into Egypt, and the families remained allies and companions until a different dynasty took over. “So from the beginning, our cultures – Jews and Muslims – have actually been friends.” Kol Ami congregation hosted an evening celebrating the traditions of Ramadan and Passover. Zeynep Kariparduc, Outreach Coordinator for Emerald Hills Institute in Salt Lake, spoke about Ramadan, and Kol Ami Cantor Wendy Bat-Sarah spoke about Passover. Both shared the history of their holiday, how important the holidays are in their faith celebrations, and how millions of families around the world celebrate these traditions.

In a world where the news tells us that Children of the Book (the religions founded on Biblical tradition – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) can never get along, it was wonderful to learn about these two holidays and their respective faiths. There are many differences, of course, and there are also many happy parallels. Ramadan is a time to reflect on the countless blessings we receive, many times without us even asking for them, taught Ms. Kariparduc.

An entire month of fasting during daylight hours, the hunger and discomfort reminds families of the people around the world who face such trials constantly – and it reminds us to be grateful for what we have. Families and friends come together in the evenings to celebrate, and the month is a period of time dedicated to personal development and giving to others. Passover is a time to reflect on coming out of bondage, specifically being rescued from the tyranny of Egypt as shared in Exodus, as Cantor Bat-Sarah explained, but also helps us be thankful for every time we emerge from hardship and trying circumstances. Families and friends are drawn together as they celebrate the holiday, and children learn about their culture’s history through story and song.

“With so many restrictions on food during the holiday” one person explained, “families had to be very inventive coming up with recipes which everyone could enjoy.” Several traditional recipes were shared and sampled (the gefilte fish was a lot better than expected, by the way), and everyone really enjoyed themselves. It was terrific seeing people from so many different backgrounds and faiths getting along so wonderfully well.