The city of Maghar hosted a unique interfaith Iftaar dinner on Monday, March 27th at the Eshkol Pais center. Iftaar is the traditional meal eaten to break the fast each evening during Ramadan, celebrated by nearly 2 billion Muslims around the world. As a festive gathering, iftaar also presents a great opportunity for cultural exchanges. Maghar, in northern Israel, recently hosted a special Iftaar, with students from the Center for Outstanding Students, the mayor of the city, and the ambassador and deputy ambassador of Malta.
The evening opened with a bilingual welcome from the head of the program, Hiam Asakly, followed by the Mayor of Maghar, Mr. Fareed Ganem, who praised the work of the students, and expressed the importance of intercultural exchange in Maghar, which is home to three religions. Then the students began their presentations–spanning the history of village and the origins of its name (possibly from the many caves in the region), to favorite cuisine and holidays, an explanation about the benefits of fasting during Ramadan, and even a trivia competition and explanation of the local dialect spoken in Maghar.
Among the highlights, the guests learned that Maghar recently gained its status as a city in 2021, and that it was home to Christian, Druze and Muslim houses of worship. A story about the early years of the founding of Israel also highlighted the long-standing commitment of the diverse populations in the city to coexistence.
Following the student presentations, the Ambassador of Malta, H.E. Mrs. Attard-Pirotta, spoke. The ambassador mentioned the important Arabic influence on Maltese culture and the Maltese language. Ambassador Attard-Pirotta also expressed her admiration for the work of the students to focus on communication in foreign languages, and particularly, the commitment to intercultural harmony at such a critical time in history.
Following the speeches, Muhammad Shini, a local principal and son of the imam of Maghar, recited Quran. Soon it was time for the adhan–the call to prayer, marking the end of the fast, and everyone sat down to dinner. The students also received gift bags from the embassy of Malta, and left looking forward to getting to visit Malta in the future.
:Steven Aiello
Photo Credit: Hiam Asakly
