I just got home from school. It’s 9:31pm. Why so late? Tonight, for the first time, our school celebrated Iftar together.
For those of you who don’t know, as I did not until recently, Iftar is the fast-breaking meal that Muslims eat immediately after sundown during Ramadan. People break their fast with dates and water – after neither eating nor drinking (even water) from sunup to sundown – then they pray, then eat their meal.
This year, students asked if we could organize a communal Iftar because Muslims often break their fast in community. I was raised Christian – in the middle of the Bible Belt in the southern part of the US, no less – so I knew very little about Muslim traditions, but the students at the school where I currently teach are generous with their knowledge. We talked through what Iftar would look like, checked with the Principal, and off we went.
One student really drove things, and another teacher did the work of clearing the path for her. Soon they had chosen a date, organized catering, and started selling tickets. To make sure that all families – even very large families or newcomers who might not yet have a strong financial footing – felt welcome, the school found funds to cover some of the cost of the meal.
This evening, the cafeteria buzzed as teenagers covered the tables with red tablecloths and white runners. One student’s mother helped out. They strewed traditional candies along the runners and filled “vases” from the science department (“They’re not beakers, Miss, really!”) with water and white flowers. They decorated the hallway and laid out the dates. Soon, a father showed up, and students started shuttling in the meals – rice and skewers and salad. The imam arrived, along with his wife and young children. Before we knew it, the cafeteria contained a community – from babies to grandparents, Muslim and non-Muslim, students and teachers and their families – well over 100 people in all.
Those who were fasting broke their fast and prayed; those of us who were not fasting or praying finished setting out the food. Everyone came together to eat and the room filled with talk and laughter.
As we cleaned up afterward, I could feel the joy: our first annual Iftar – and another way to celebrate the community our students create.
Persistence and Pedagogy 
This is awesome! You, the school, and students went out of your way to be responsive, foster belonging, and include students. What a wonderful celebration.
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So much detail and new learning in this post! I love the description of the red tablecloths and beaker vases (and then seeing the pics). I too “could feel the joy: our first annual Iftar – and another way to celebrate the community our students create.” This is truly amazing.
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All of the is amazing! But this in particular touched me: “To make sure that all families – even very large families or newcomers who might not yet have a strong financial footing – felt welcome, the school found funds to cover some of the cost of the meal.” I am so impressed with all the care, planning and organization that went into making this happen!
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Amanda,
This is such a beautiful narrative of community building and honoring a tradition important to your students. Even getting this glimpse into this new tradition brings joy to me. Thank you for sharing some photos, too. Kudos to the students, the teachers, those who raised the funds, to all who had a hand in the event’s success. In a weak filled w/ tragic news and discord, it’s nice to see this ray of light and hope in a school community.
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What a wonderful celebration that your students led! I am inspired by their generosity with their knowledge and culture and with the other members of your school community who were enthusiastic about learning, helping, and sharing.
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This is so beautiful. So amazing that the idea came from the students and look what happened! These are my favorite parts about a school, when people show up for one another. I feel a little teary. This made me really happy.
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That’s how I felt, too – but I got home so late & I was so tired that I wasn’t sure it came through in my writing. I’m so glad to know that it did. ❤️
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So important to celebrate together! And honor each other’s beliefs, culture, traditions, and religion. To be a community in the best sense of that word.
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This is extraordinary, Amanda, all the more that it was driven by the students and supported by teachers and the school, where I’m sure extra funds are not easily come by. Moments of sharing like this have extraordinary power to build understanding and strengthen community on the micro and macro level. Its like they brought the best of what comes from travelling to your school for an evening. And, if you’ll permit me to get a little hokey, the idea of Canada at its best. ❤
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Jumping up and down over here. This is astounding. What a brilliant idea!
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I’m in agreement with all of the comments here, but what I noticed most was this observation: “One student really drove things, and another teacher did the work of clearing the path for her.” This deceptively simple line contains the important work of equity. Empowering students to drive the learning, and the role of teachers as path makers. The breaking and mending co-exist in this community – one of the many paradoxes of collective life and this is just inspiring.
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I really, really love this and would like to attend. I love how the students lead this. I love how all in the community could be included.
While reading this I also thought to ask if you ever forget you are an immigrant? I have been feeling that a lot this year – that I have this in common with a lot of students in my school this year and that I should spend time reflecting on how hard it was the first year I lived here (even though my immigration story is much simpler than that of others.)
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I love this!!!!
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