Community Iftar at Memorial Hall
Many people attended the community iftar event.
On Saturday evening, the Melrose Human Rights Commission and the Peace Islands Institute Boston co-sponsored an event at Memorial Hall celebrating the breaking of the fast for Ramadan.
Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan, a month-long holiday where many observant Muslims fast from dawn until sunset each day, and celebrate the end of the fast each evening with an iftar, or fast-breaking meal. Ramadan this year runs from March 10th to April 9th, when the holiday of Eid-al-Fitr will mark the end of observances.
A performance by a Sufi whirling dervish capped the speaking portion of the evening.
The event at Memorial Hall was the 6th annual iftar sponsored by the Melrose Human Rights Commission, which aims to “promote a spirit of diversity and respect for others” in our community, and also hosts the city’s annual Pride celebration and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.
The iftar began with a speaking portion, which was led by Fatma Ulku Duru of the Melrose Human Rights Commission. During this section, several Muslim speakers reflected on their own personal experiences with Ramadan, noting that fasting is not just a physical, but a spiritual practice. Rabbi Jessica Lowenthal of Temple Beth Shalom also spoke, discussing the theological connection between fasting in Judaism and fasting in Islam.
State Senator Jason Lewis spoke briefly at the event.
Following the speaking portion, there was a semazen, or a performance by a whirling dervish. Semazen is a form of spiritual mediation practiced by some groups of Sufi Muslims. Finally, at sundown, the call to prayer, or athan, was sung, and a dinner of Kazakh dishes was served. State Senator Jason Lewis was in attendance, and he spoke briefly as well.
A wide range of families and individuals, both Muslim and non-Muslim, attended the iftar. The event provided an opportunity to gather as a community, and a way for Muslims to share a central part of their faith with non-Muslims.
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