CLEVELAND — Right now, Christians across the world are celebrating "holy week,” while Muslims are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan. However, with death toll continuing to climb in Gaza, this is also a somber time for both Christians and Muslims who have connections to the conflict.
Abraham AlFarra spends his days fasting for Ramadan.
“It's a good time to reflect and think of things a little differently,” said AlFarra.
In Islam, Ramadan is a holy month, where Muslims will fast, pray and meditate for 30 days. Jiryes Zakiab is an Orthodox Christian who's also fasting, but for Lent.
“It's about what you take in, you know, what we're consuming on our phones, your thoughts, what is coming out of your mouth,” said Zakiab.
In Christianity, Lent for different denominations is also a time of fasting, prayer and reflection for 40 days.
This year, both holy periods fall during similar times, and each are practiced by large populations of Palestinians. With the war between Israel and Hamas still going on and the humanitarian need in Gaza a major concern, this year, their time of reflection feels a bit heavier.
“That's just been something that's really difficult to put into words,” said AlFarra.
“It's hard. I’ve been off social media, honestly for a couple months now,” said Zakiab.
Abraham's family is from Khan Yunis in Gaza and Hebron. When they can find connection, they’ll get a call from those family members in Gaza.
“When they call the family, they don't know if they'll call again,” Alfarra continued, “They're like, 'I don't know how much longer I’m going to survive here.' That's just very real—like hearing that, it's crazy. It's concerning and saddening.”
Alfarra is an anesthesia resident at Cleveland Clinic; as he fasts, he struggles, knowing they're suffering.
“I’m reminded every day that people, children in Gaza are getting their limbs amputated without anesthesia,” Alfarra continued, “It’s another reminder because there's a famine going on over there. People are starved and I feel guilty that I have, you know, a regular meal waiting for me when they may not even be able to break their best and maybe continuously fasting.”
Jiryes's family is from Taybeh, a Christian Palestinian village in the West Bank and Akko.
“The struggle that they're having is nothing like struggle of Gaza, right now, so just putting up with everything, the shortages of food right now in the West Bank have been pretty tough,” said Zakiab.
As a Christian Palestinian, he reminds people they exist, and during this time of war, Lent has been challenging.
“It’s a time to mourn," Zakiab continued, “This year with everything going on overseas has put a different perspective on it with the hunger that's going on, the killing. We come from the holy land as a Palestinian Christian, that's where we're from and just seeing everything going on there just makes it a little harder right now.”
Though AlFarra and Zakiab practice different faiths, their pain is the same.
“We're all Palestinian, and that's the same thing with any conflict in the world, regardless of your race, religion. You know, there's an idea of empathy,” said Alfarra.
So, they’re depending on God and each other to find that little bit of hope.
“I think that is the point of religion, and that's what we seek for through religion. You see faiths across the world coming from the holy land; we have three of the biggest. Zakiab continued. “It’s just a time for both faiths to reflect, to pray and hope for best.”
For Christians observing Lent, it ends with the celebration of Easter. For Muslims, Ramadan ends with the celebration of Eid.
