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Arab Israelis prepare for subdued Ramadan

Ramadan is just a few days away, but in Arab Israeli towns and villages there is no holiday spirit in the air.
People walk under lights decorating the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City on April 19, 2020, as Muslims around the world prepare for the holy Muslim month of Ramadan amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Stay at home, stay alive” says an information campaign run by Israel’s Ministry of Health to prepare the country’s Muslim community for the month of Ramadan, which begins April 23. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, observed by Muslims all around the world, including Israel’s 1.6 Muslim citizens. Throughout this month, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from sunrise to sunset. Many observant Muslims get together hours before the fast begins for a pre-dawn suhur meal and a chance to eat one last time before sunrise. Some Arab towns and villages still follow the maseharati tradition, in which a designated person wanders the streets and alleyways to wake people up for this meal. While the custom is slowly disappearing from Israel’s towns and villages, it still remains common throughout much of the Arab world.

Everyone realizes that Ramadan 2020 is going to be different from any other Ramadan. During this month, night becomes day and day becomes night. Extended families gather together to break their fast with a series of rituals including the iftar meal with all sorts of sweets, taraweeh prayers in the mosques and special events lasting until dawn. Under normal circumstances, it is even customary to do the daily shopping at night. This year, however, as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the holiday will be spent largely at home. Saudi Arabia recently announced that it would suspend the taraweeh prayers in its mosques and asked people to recite them at home instead. 

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