I would like to dedicate this month’s newsletter to an event that might seem “minor” at first glance: the month of Ramadan. Most people have at least a basic familiarity with it, but I always enjoy the opportunity to learn more and deepen my understanding.
In Israel, that curiosity is not just academic. About 20% of the country’s citizens are Muslim, which means that Ramadan is something you feel here whether you are Muslim or not. The rhythm of daily life changes. The streets look different at night. Conversations shift. So let’s take a closer look.
This year, Ramadan began on February 17 and will end on March 19. Immediately afterward, roughly 1.9 billion Muslims around the world will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the fast, for three joyful days.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is known as the holy month. The word Ramadan comes from an Arabic root meaning “scorching heat.” Some scholars believe that in the pre-Islamic period, the month originally fell during the height of summer. With the rise of Islam, however, the calendar was tied to the lunar cycle. As a result, Ramadan moves earlier each year by about eleven days.
This has practical consequences. When Ramadan falls in the summer—oy vey—the fast can be especially difficult because the days are long and hot. When it occurs in winter, the shorter days make the fast somewhat easier.
The fast itself lasts from dawn until sunset. Observant Muslims eat a meal before sunrise and then break the fast after sunset with a meal called iftar. Traditionally, the fast is broken with a date, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad. During daylight hours, those who fast refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations, and weddings are traditionally not held during the month.
Above: Every Friday, around 100K people come to pray at Temple Mt.
Ramadan commemorates the revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad and is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, the central religious obligations of Muslim believers.
According to Islamic tradition, the verses of the Qur’an began to descend from heaven during this month. Near the end of Ramadan—on one of the odd-numbered nights—the angel Gabriel revealed himself to Muhammad. That night is known as Laylat al-Qadr, the “Night of Power” or “Night of Revelation.”
Many believers see this night as spiritually decisive. In fact, the idea has an interesting parallel in Judaism. In Jewish tradition, the second tablets of the Ten Commandments—after the first were shattered by Moses—were given on Yom Kippur, a day when one’s fate for the coming year is sealed. Laylat al-Qadr is sometimes understood similarly. Popular tradition even holds that on this night, the sky is perfectly clear and peace reigns in the world.
The connections between Judaism and Islam run deep and appear in many shared motifs. Some scholars suggest that early in Islam, Muhammad encouraged a fast similar to Yom Kippur, known as the Ashura fast. Initially, it was obligatory, but later it became optional while the fast of Ramadan became mandatory. Others see parallels between Ramadan and the forty-day fasting tradition in Eastern Christianity leading up to Easter.
For many Muslims, Ramadan is above all a time of spiritual reflection—drawing closer to God, practicing modesty, restraint, and self-discipline. Islamic tradition promises forgiveness of sins to those who fast sincerely, a teaching preserved in the Hadith, the body of oral traditions about the Prophet.
Charity and acts of kindness receive special emphasis, along with empathy for the poor’s suffering. During the final ten nights of Ramadan, particularly observant believers may spend the nights sleeping in the mosque in prayer and devotion.
The obligation to fast applies to most Muslims—men and women, and children beginning roughly between the ages of 11 and 13. There are exemptions: the elderly, the sick, and travelers do not fast. Pregnant women or women during their menstrual cycle may make up the missed days later or give charity instead.
Despite the fast pace, daily life continues. Muslims still go to work, which can make the fast particularly challenging. In Israel, many Muslims work in physically demanding blue-collar jobs, especially in construction. The combination of manual labor and a full day without food or water can be extremely difficult.
Yet when evening comes, the atmosphere shifts. Families gather to break the fast together, turning the iftar meal into a deeply social and communal moment.
Although Ramadan was originally meant to emphasize modesty and restraint, like many religious holidays around the world it has also become somewhat commercialized. Today, iftar meals are often elaborate and abundant. Some studies even suggest that despite a full month of fasting, many people actually gain weight during Ramadan.
Still, the month has a deep family anchor. Even those who are not particularly religious often gather with relatives for the evening meal. The season is accompanied by shopping for new clothes, festive food, and gifts for children.
Throughout the former Ottoman Empire—and still today in Jerusalem—the end of each day’s fast is announced with the firing of a Ramadan cannon near Herod’s Gate, just outside the walls of the Old City.
During the month, it is customary to greet people with phrases such as “Ramadan Kareem” (“a generous Ramadan”), “Ramadan Mubarak” (“a blessed Ramadan”), or the Arabic greeting “Kul ‘am wa antum bikhair”—“May you be well every year.”
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If you have wondered what it feels like to live through a war, the next paragraph may offer a small glimpse.
This text was written several weeks before it reached you. Today, March 8, marks the eighth day of the war. In Jerusalem, the number of air-raid sirens has decreased significantly, but in other parts of Israel—especially the north and the Tel Aviv metropolitan area—they remain frequent.
When there is a missile threat from Iran, every Israeli citizen receives a loud emergency alert on their phone warning that a siren may follow and instructing us to prepare to enter a protected space.
At our house, we jokingly call it the “pee alert.” It means: put on your shoes, grab a jacket, and, if you need to use the bathroom, go now.
Most homes built in Israel after the mid-1990s include a reinforced safe room. Older buildings may have a shared shelter on the ground floor or beneath the building, while others must go to public shelters—often located in schools.
At the moment, there is no regular school system operating, so we are home with our daughters around the clock. It is hard to imagine running a normal school day when sirens can sound at any moment.
And since we are discussing Ramadan, I cannot help but raise a question that no one seems to ask. The current war between Iran, Israel, and the United States began with a strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. The attack reportedly took place during a breakfast meeting with the political and military leadership.
Which makes me wonder—aren’t you fasting?
So to all Muslims: Ramadan Kareem.
May we live in peace, with good neighbors and mutual respect. And if you happen to greet a Muslim friend or neighbor with these words during the month of Ramadan, I am quite sure it will be warmly appreciated.
Hilik