Gaza’s people join Muslims worldwide in celebrating one of the most important dates in the Muslim calendar, Eid al-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice which marks the end of the fifth pillar in Islam, Hajj.
On the morning of the Eid we woke up early to an exhilarating dawn breeze to finish the last moment preparations for the important day. I then went with my family to listen to a touching sermon followed by the special Eid prayer. Throngs of people who had gathered outside to conduct the prayers warmly shared greetings to each other.
An Atmosphere of Peace Prevails
As it is typically known, mutual greetings strengthen ties of brotherhood between people, and this is certainly true in Islam.
Eid is the time for unbounded forgiveness, it is a real opportunity for everyone to express his or her well wishes to their beloved ones, wishes of peace, happiness, and prosperity to one and all, to the world.
I was filled with joy when I accompanied my father for the first time to bring our sacrificial animal, it was a sheep this time.
In Islam, Muslims mark this Eid by sacrificing a goat in an honor to the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ismael in a submission to Allah’s command. His sacrifice was accepted, and all Muslims wish their sacrifices are as well.
After getting it, we turned back home, then, to distribute it. The sacrifice should be distributed into three parts, the first third for the family, the second third of relatives, the third part is donated to the less fortunate people in a way to show our care of each other, and how much everyone is careful to include all people in these great days.
My eight-year old sister, Arwa, was delighted when she delivered some parts to some of our neighbors.
How We Celebrate
People exchange visits in a very interesting manner, to the extent that you might see your relatives three separate times during the joyous four-day holiday.
We welcomed my maternal, and paternal uncles in our home in the first day of Eid. In the second day, the whole extended family gathered in my uncle’s house where we met to wish to each other a fruitful year ahead with Allah’s blessings.
Talking until late in the night, and meeting new people who came to visit my grandmother have been always been wonderful parts of these lovely occasions.
We seize the chance to hold a feast with everyone around, and it always a great time to make delicious dishes with my aunts and cousins.
I am the eldest granddaughter for my grandma, who now has up to 57 grandsons and granddaughters. For me, Eid is a golden opportunity to meet them all, including the new faces of the newly born ones.
We also make phone calls for distant relatives to wish them Happy Eid. It is an amazing way to extend the circle of celebrations.
People can pay respect to family members who passed away, and wish them heaven above.
A Day for Children
Children are the ones who seem to be the most excited with this holiday, as they enjoy a considerable break from school.
Parents in Gaza spare no expense to bring laughter to their kids. They often give their children new clothes which they can wear in front of their peers, even if the families experience financial problems. During the holiday, children can be found scattered in streets playing with each other, enjoying every moment.
In an attempt to amuse children during Eid, many small festivals are arranged in the open green spaces to let children meet each other and play during the holiday. I visited a nearby festival and met Yazzan, 8, as he was waiting for his turn with his sister to get on a ride. The impeccably dressed boy was over the moon with his friends.
“I wanted to seize every moment to play to have fun with my friends. I want to compensate what I have missed during last year Eid,” Yazan said.
He complained that he was forced to stay home during Eid, fearing Israeli strike last year.
Children’s laughs and screams filled the park when they played hide-and-seek, a very popular game for children in Gaza, as it is with children everywhere.
Gaza’s Peculiarity
What marks Eid celebrations in Gaza, is the visits to the martyrs’, and prisoners’ families.
In my small neighborhood, seven people were killed in the war last summer. Therefore, my dad and some neighbors paid a visit to these families, bringing with them gifts for the young kids, in an attempt to delight young kids in a cheerful atmosphere.
Samira Kondos, 67, is an old woman in my neighborhood whose son has been held prisoner inside Israeli jails for more than 12 years.
“Nothing could please me during these days as much as grabbing few moments to see my son, to touch him, to tell him how much do I miss him during such times,” Samira said while tears were pouring down her cheeks.
Her touching words prove to everyone that happiness in Gaza will not be fully completed without an utter liberation of our prisoners and our land!
According to Samira, Eid will be truly celebrated when we have our beloved ones around us and when we have our holy shrines freed. Yet, what no one can deny is the fact that people in Gaza seize all possibilities to have fun, and to feel contented with what is accessible for them in the besieged Gaza.
It’s good to see people of all faiths ,especially kids, celebrating their holidays in peace.
At the same time the Jewish people are celebrating Sukkot:
http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-holidays/sukkot
@- jon s
“It’s good to see people of all faiths ,especially kids, celebrating their holidays in peace”
Uh? While Israel occupies non-Israeli territories war is being waged on Palestine and tomorrow we will likely read of Palestinians having been slaughtered and dispossessed today by Israel
From the article
“At the same time the Jewish people are celebrating Sukkot”
Many of them in illegal settlements in Palestine, not in Israel.
Children are the ones who seem to be the most excited with this holiday, as they enjoy a considerable break from school.
During lunch break I stopped at Lebanese bakery in Dearborn as I frequently do and was at first puzzled by the presence of so many the children dining with their families. Then I remembered hearing about Eid. The children were all colorfully dressed and began a game of hide-and-seek inside the bakery, even hiding behind me. I lingered before heading back to the office.
YoniFalic,
I’ll try to respond to both of your obnoxious comments.
By seeking a peaceful resolution of the conflict, I’m justifying genocide. Really makes sense…
If you feel that your homeland is Ukraine, fine. Why not go back there? Have a feeling that you may not be too welcome?
Your assertion that there’s no Jewish people reminds me of people like Golda Meir and other extremists who denied that there’s a Palestinian people. Millions of Jews consider themselves as part of the Jewish people; millions of Palestinians consider themselves as part of the Palestinian people. That’s good enough for me.
Your comparison to the Nazis is not worthy of a response. They carried out genocide, murdering 6 million of our people (a people who don’t exist according to you…). The Palestinian population is growing nicely.
All nations and religions are based on legends, myths, and historical memories which may or may not be factually true. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism , too. The British have King Arthur and Robin Hood. Jews are not unique in developing myths.
Whether or not we are biologically descended from the Jews of ancient times is a fascinating topic, if you’re interested in notions of “racial purity” and “bloodlines”. In other words: if you’re a racist. For the rest of us: who cares? Throughout history people migrated, intermarried, converted and so on. The essential point is a people’s memory and identity.
I used the term “Mizrahi ” which is widely used and considered PC. If I had written “Sefardi” you wouldn’t be able to claim that it’s an artifact of Zionism.
I’m acquainted with Uri Ram, but I haven’t read that book so I won’t comment on it.
The Zionist literature of the 1880’s: I would like to know where the literature expresses the desire to steal and murder. (The Zionist movement was founded in 1897, but there were precursors).
The Jewish religion didn’t collapse after the Bar Kokhva revolt. After that revolt the Jews in the land of Israel produced the Mishnah, the Jerusalem Talmud, and more. The Jewish people adapted to the reality of not having a temple and other Jewish centers developed. Pretty admirable and remarkable, considering that “there’s no such thing as the Jewish people”.
bryan,
‘So I am totally unconvinced that Judaism is more than a religion…” – With all respect, it’s not your call. I think that people can self-define, can decide whether or not they are a nation. If millions of Jews consider themselves a people, like millions of Palestinians consider themselves a people- it’s good enough for me.
It’s undeniable that Jews ” emphasized chosenness, specialness, separateness”. Throughout history Jews sought the right to be different. Then you write: “for this reason, like the Roma and the ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia have incurred hostility” . I agree with you, but we should be careful not to slide into blaming the victims.
In your last paragraph you mention the Jews ” increasingly integrating, adopting purely secular lifestyles and out-marrying”… That’s indeed what was happening in Western Europe, but one of the results of that process was the emergence of modern Anti-Semitism, based on racist ideology. Zionism was one of the responses to what was seen by some as the failure of Emancipation. If , despite our efforts to integrate, European society still rejects us , then what we need is a national movement and national home in our historic homeland.