Cultural Snapshot: Happy Ramadan!

Ramadan Mubarak!!

What does that mean?

Blessed Ramadan. It is a term Muslims use to wish blessings (good things) to each other during the holy month of Ramadan.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The sighting of the thin crescent moon signals the beginning of this holy month and it typically lasts from 29 to 30 days, depending on the moon sightings. Unlike Jewish fasts, which are usually from sundown to sundown, or Christian fasts, which are usually for 24 hours, Muslim fasts only last during daylight hours. During this month, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset: those hours can vary depending on where you are around the world! In some regions, fasting can last up to 18 hours during summer, while in others, it may be as short as 10 hours in winter.

So what exactly are Muslims fasting from?

When Ramadan is mentioned people usually speak of abstaining from (avoiding or not having at all) food and drink, but Ramadan is far from just leaving food and drink it is a spiritual journey which renews and strengthens the tie between the creation (that's us!) and their creator. It is a time of self reflection and spiritual growth. We use this month to teach and strengthen self discipline by abstaining from food, drink and other physical needs throughout the day. It increases our empathy (understanding and compassion) for those less fortunate and our gratitude for what we have— when we feel hunger and thirst from dawn to sunset. During this month we increase in acts of worship (such as extra prayers, giving charity, breaking bad habits, forgiving others, and reciting Quran). Ramadan also brings Muslims together and creates a sense of unity among us as we break our fasts together and pray together.

The crescent moon marks the end of this holy month and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, which is a day of celebration with joy, gratitude, and with strengthened faith.

The true winner at the end of Ramadan is the one who comes out of this month stronger spiritually--ready to become a better person to make the world around them a better place simply for gaining the pleasure of their creator.

Where can I learn more about Ramadan?

For everyone: To learn more about this blessed month, simply walk into any Masjid and ask. Muslims are more than happy and willing to share all they know about Ramadan or anything that has to do with Islam. Friday evenings are a great time to visit!

For older students: If you and older students want to know more, I recommend reading How Does Ramadan Work Beginners Guide for a more detailed insight of Ramadan.

For younger students: Check out My First Ramadan by Karen Katz, It's Ramadan, Curious George! by Hena Khan and H.A. Rey, or Under the Ramadan Moon by Sylvia Whitman.

Culture Snapshots are written by staff, students, or friends of 1kNaCl. This Snapshot was written by Ms. Safeea, with book recommendations from parents of some of our students.

Want to write about the history of your favorite holiday or share a holiday tradition? Email us at info@1knacl.com and let us know!

Culture Snapshot: Merry Christmas and Happy Epiphany!

Stockton is the most diverse city in America, and one of our goals is to celebrate and educate ourselves about that diversity. This post is part of an ongoing series about integrating an awareness and appreciation of other cultures into our students' lives.

What is Christmas?

Christmas is a holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus and the hope humanity has of a better life. Although the holiday has been largely secularized and commercialized (Hi, Mariah Carey!) the traditional vibe of Christmas is about peace, sharing good things with others, and making the world a better place. Although Oh Holy Night is often a show-off song, it perhaps has one of the best summaries of the purpose of Christmas:

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His Gospel is Peace

Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother

And in His name, all oppression shall cease

Different cultures celebrate Christmas in different ways, but many cultures see Christmas Day (or December 25th) as the first day of Christmas, with the last day being January 5th, followed by Epiphany on January 6th.

What is Epiphany?

Epiphany is the celebration of the wise men coming and visiting the baby Jesus. While the wise men brought gifts for the baby Jesus, the story may have inspired one of the earliest versions of traditional stockings, where shoes were left out with hay for the camels, and children would wake up to find the hay had been replaced with candles. My mother always said this was unsanitary, but it's still fun!

How do we learn about it?

Big Effort Activity: Choose a traditional Christmas carol, read all the lyrics, and research what inspired the story! Visual and kinesthetic learners may enjoy putting together storyboards or creating sock puppet shoes. Christmas has a lot of folklore that has been added to it over time, so more unusual carols like "Good King Wenceslas" and "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" might be extra fun (and provide extra giggles when kids think about the British word for a flashlight being a torch!)

Small Effort Activity: Read a story! There are many stories that are fitting to be read aloud or switch read or to be read by independent readers.

A good book for all ages is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Filled with giggles and sweet moments that might make you cry, this story is a great book about dealing with siblings, bullies, and cool kids.

For older readers (or for a good read aloud for parents or guardians who are willing to field some questions), I recommend The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry. This story is funny (it's Dave Barry!) but also serious, as it talks about navigating losing a family pet during the Christmas season. There are a couple moments that might need explanation (bras do get mentioned, and bat poop features heavily), but it is a family friendly story (which is a bit surprising because, well, it's Dave Barry). Any adult with childhood trauma about Christmas pageants will find it cathartic, but there are giggles enough for everyone, and you are sure to finish the story with a smile on your face.

Students currently enrolled can borrow both of these stories from the 1kNaCl library!

Culture Snapshots are written by staff, students, or friends of 1kNaCl. Want to write about the history of your favorite holiday or share a holiday tradition? Email us at info@1knacl.com and let us know!

Culture Snapshot: Happy Hanukkah!

Stockton is the most diverse city in America, and one of our goals is to celebrate and educate ourselves about that diversity. This post is part of an ongoing series about integrating an awareness and appreciation of other cultures into our students' lives.

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah, or Chanukah, commemorates Jewish survival and the miracle of of light. The BIG story is about the Maccabees retaking Jerusalem from the Greeks, cleaning out the temple, and rekindling the menorah, where the lights burned for eight days instead of one, allowing the Jews enough time to make more of the special oil.

Hanukkah is one of my favorite holidays. Although it isn't a major holiday, it features two of my favorite foods: cheese and homemade doughnuts. As a child, some of my favorite stories were Hanukkah stories, and the variety of ways that people celebrated Hanukkah taught me a lot about how different families have different traditions. It is also one of the few Jewish holidays where folks are encouraged to share their celebration with their community, so it is a great time for those outside of the Jewish community to actively learn about the culture.

How do we learn about it?

Big Effort Activity: Attend a menorah lighting! Many cities will host the lighting of an oversized menorah on at least one night, and there are often snacks for everyone and activities for kids. Menorah lightings are usually outside, so be sure to dress warm, and keep in mind there will be a short prayer when the menorah is lit, so please be respectful!

Small Effort Activity: Read a story! You can go for a more serious traditional story like the story of Yehudit (which features both a wheel of cheese and some violence, so consider yourself warned!) or modern fiction stories that feature holiday festivities.

For younger readers, check out Arielle and the Hanukkah Surprise, which was probably my first and favorite Hanukkah story as a child. New copies of this story are hard to come by, so you may have to get it second hand! It is by Devra Speregen and Shirley Newberger.

For older readers (or for a read-aloud chapter book), I recommend Penina Levine is a Potato Pancake by Rebecca O'Connell. Filled with giggles and real-life winter break problems, this story talks about exploring traditions and life changes together and is sure to warm everyone's heart!

Culture Snapshots are written by staff, students, or friends of 1kNaCl. Want to write about the history of your favorite holiday or share a holiday tradition? Email us at info@1knacl.com and let us know!