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A holiday moment... and a question...

post #1 of 22
1/2/07 at 1:50pm
Thread Starter 
I forgot to post about this due to me having the flu over the holidays. As some of you may know a person that I work with keeps Kosher, and he can't eat at our potlucks. With the help of some members of TCS and another friend that I work with we decided to bring in some Kosher food for our friend to eat, so we can all break bread together. When my friend and I walked over to his desk and gave him the food his eyes filled with tears. Needless to say I think we made his day. As we were walking away he asked what religion we were.

Me: "Lapsed Catholic"

My friend: "Muslim"

The three of us sat there and stared at each other for a moment. We had no idea.

Do you think it's moments like that that change the world? Something changed in me that day. It gave me hope for the future.
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post #2 of 22
1/2/07 at 2:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lookingglass View Post
Do you think it's moments like that that change the world? Something changed in me that day. It gave me hope for the future.
In a word...yes! You were given the change to understand. Your friend is exactly what 80% (or more) of the world's muslims are; kind, caring people. Islam is cast into a bad light by the 10% (or less) that are constantly in the news, those inciting violence and hate.

The good works of people aren't very newsworthy, except around the holidays. Kind and generous things are done every day by people of all ilks, but it's only the gloom and doom news stories that make you sit in front of the TV so the networks can show you their ads for new cars, exercise machines, "male enhancement" and hair replacement. A great many people think that all muslims are terrorists, because all they see on the news are muslim terrorists. A great many people think that all catholic priests are involved in the abuse scandal somehow. A great many people think that all baptists protest the funerals of american soldiers because america allows gays to exist.

It's all knowledge and learning and how you perceive that information. It seemed like a rarity with your friend because it's just something thats not making the news, but thankfully, you friend is really the majority
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post #3 of 22
1/2/07 at 2:18pm
Good thread, thanks for sharing.
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post #4 of 22
1/2/07 at 2:47pm
I don't know if such moments can change the world, but this thread reminds me of a funny experience I had back in college (way back when). I had a party with a hot/cold buffet, and since I have Christian, Jewish, and Muslim relatives (as well as Buddhist, but they came later), I made sure that everything was kosher/halal, and asked for advice. A fellow student I'd invited arrived, and upon seeing him, I thought, "OMG, V. is Hindu!", and I proceeded to pack all beef away in the back of the fridge, and dispatch my brother to a deli to buy more poultry to replace the beef. A couple of days later, I admitted to V. that I'd forgotten that he was Hindu, and that I'd been totally frantic about trying to get things right, and that we were still eating roast beef left over from the party. He told me that he simply wouldn't have eaten the beef, would not have been offended, and that he was more or less a vegetarian, anyway! Sometime it's hard to get things exactly right, but I suppose it's the effort that counts.
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post #5 of 22
1/2/07 at 2:49pm
It's these types of instances that are what NEED to be shared, instead of all of the violence and hate. Good people are good people, and it doesn't matter which book they hold sacred. There are many many more good people in this world, and I think we just need to be reminded of that sometimes.
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post #6 of 22
1/2/07 at 4:03pm
I agree, moments like that do need to be shared.

In one of my classes last year, there was a young guy who looked middle eastern - i befriended him and I asked him where he was from - he replied that he was Afghani - and at that moment that he replied, I could see the fear in his eyes and in his face - and that saddened me, that he must have been treated badly because of where he was from - I smiled at him and said thats cool, and introduced myself and we have been good friends since - hes a lovely guy and we get on very well.

I dont think religion or race should be a barrier to friendships - its how the person treats you rather than judging upon where they are from or what religion they are.

I am sure that it meant a lot to your co-worker that you made the effort for him - the smallest things can mean so much.
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post #7 of 22
1/2/07 at 5:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lookingglass View Post

The three of us sat there and stared at each other for a moment. We had no idea.

Do you think it's moments like that that change the world? Something changed in me that day. It gave me hope for the future.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world . . . it's the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead)
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post #8 of 22
1/2/07 at 6:22pm
That's wonderful! I think it helps to get to know people first rather than to pass judgement based on religion race, etc.

I thought that Muslims ate Kosher also
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post #9 of 22
1/2/07 at 6:39pm
How outstanding!!! If you look at how long the women's and civil rights movements have been going on in the US, you realize how hard it is to change the popular opinion of societies. It's always one small step at a time, and frustrating as all heck that it doesn't happen faster.

My niece (the blond american girl) wants to marry a man she met in France (a muslim from north Africa). His parents don't want anything of it, not anything against my niece, but about the problems they would face as a married couple. My sister is concerned but supportive. I was telling this story to a man I hired earlier this year, then realized that he was from somewhere in the middle east. I hired him without asking (wasn't my business and didn't matter anyway) but was curious so I finally asked. He thanked me for never asking him in the first place, was glad that I was supportive of my niece, and told me he was muslim also. We had a minor click that evening.
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post #10 of 22
1/2/07 at 6:42pm
Thank you for sharing that story -- not to mention your very gracious and loving effort to include your co-worker.
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post #11 of 22
1/2/07 at 7:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lunasmom View Post
That's wonderful! I think it helps to get to know people first rather than to pass judgement based on religion race, etc.

I thought that Muslims ate Kosher also
Muslims use the term halal. They keep some but not all of the dietary laws of a strictly kosher Jew. Certified kosher food will meet the dietary needs of an observant Muslim but halal food will not necessarily meet the requirements of a strictly kosher Jew.
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post #12 of 22
1/2/07 at 8:04pm
That's so wonderful! I must say it almost brought a tear to my eyes too... that wasn't just tolerance, that was love...

So was the Muslim your friend or the guy for which you made the halal/kosher food?
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post #13 of 22
1/2/07 at 9:39pm
that was a cool thing to do

nice, that reminds me of when i was living in indo. I told this story around here once before.

it was during Ramadan.How i am not during the fasting, i do respect those that do. I try to eat alone and not in front of them(minus sometimes a little teasing of the wife and friends).

Well one of the things they do is people give food to the mosques. That is given to the poor. So i went and got a big bag of rice. Took it to the mosque
and handed it over. of couse people where confused at first thinking i was german or dutch muslim, then american muslim, to which i said, No of course not. When i asked why i dropped of the rice. I said what are you going to do with it. They guy said, give it to the poor. So i just said why are you asking me.

I am sure itta would be more then willing to help you more if needed. Or maybe if there are some muslim members here they could help you more.
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post #14 of 22
1/2/07 at 11:46pm
I certainly think so....it's things like that which make a person look past color or race and just realize - wow,...they're like me too even though we're soo different, we have a lot in common and can learn a lot from each other. I'm 1/2 Jewish / Baptist. I am a Christian...but i also observe my Jewish Heritage...and the neat thing about that is one of my really good friends at school is Muslim. With all that is currently going on between the muslim/ jewish/protestent faiths....it's so refreshing to just push those differences and things going on in the world aside and just be there for each other and be friends. I love moments like that in life
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post #15 of 22
1/6/07 at 12:20am
All I can say is Thank you for your thoughtfulness. It's easy for us Malaysians since we are am multicultural, multireligious nation to know what to cook and what others can and cannot eat. On every open house here, you will find a variety of foods for all walks of life. And Denice is completely right in saying that Muslims will eat kosher but kasher Jews may not eat Halal food.
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post #16 of 22
1/6/07 at 5:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abymummy View Post
It's easy for us Malaysians since we are am multicultural, multireligious nation to know what to cook and what others can and cannot eat. On every open house here, you will find a variety of foods for all walks of life. And Denice is completely right in saying that Muslims will eat kosher but kasher Jews may not eat Halal food.
In keeping with this, I discovered a store in a nearby town yesterday. It's called "Beit Shalom", and offers foods from Israel and several Arab countries, everything guaranteed kosher/halal. The name was what attracted my attention: "House of Peace".
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post #17 of 22
1/6/07 at 12:17pm
Yes is "Beit" Hebrew for house too? It is in Arabic.
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post #18 of 22
1/6/07 at 12:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sims2fan View Post
Yes is "Beit" Hebrew for house too? It is in Arabic.
The owner (an Arab Israeli with a Christian European wife) said he deliberately mixed Arabic and Hebrew, both of which he speaks fluently.
How cool is that?
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post #19 of 22
1/6/07 at 12:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcat View Post
The owner (an Arab Israeli with a Christian European wife) said he deliberately mixed Arabic and Hebrew, both of which he speaks fluently.
How cool is that?
That is VERY cool! Ah, maybe there's hope for us yet!
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post #20 of 22
1/6/07 at 1:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Denice View Post
Muslims use the term halal. They keep some but not all of the dietary laws of a strictly kosher Jew. Certified kosher food will meet the dietary needs of an observant Muslim but halal food will not necessarily meet the requirements of a strictly kosher Jew.
THANKS!
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post #21 of 22
1/8/07 at 9:19am
You guys have hit the nail right on the head as far as I'm concerned.......to me, it doesn't matter what nationality, religion, race, etc you are......it's what's inside a person, how they live and treat other people that will make me want to be your friend.....that others just aren't important to me.
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post #22 of 22
1/10/07 at 2:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lookingglass View Post
I forgot to post about this due to me having the flu over the holidays. As some of you may know a person that I work with keeps Kosher, and he can't eat at our potlucks. With the help of some members of TCS and another friend that I work with we decided to bring in some Kosher food for our friend to eat, so we can all break bread together. When my friend and I walked over to his desk and gave him the food his eyes filled with tears. Needless to say I think we made his day. As we were walking away he asked what religion we were.

Me: "Lapsed Catholic"

My friend: "Muslim"

The three of us sat there and stared at each other for a moment. We had no idea.

Do you think it's moments like that that change the world? Something changed in me that day. It gave me hope for the future.
awww... that almost made me cry. And yes, I DO think it's moments like that that change the world. I've had some myself.
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