Celebrating Together - Struggling Together (email version)
March Updates from Sawa: Newton-Area Alliance for Peace and Justice
Reflections on Ramadan 2025
By Saadia B.
As Ramadan draws to a close - a second Ramadan observed under the shadow of the sadness we feel over the plight of the Palestinians - American Muslims reflect on the many different emotions we have weathered over the month, while fasting each day from sunrise to sunset.
At the most material level, there is the guilt that comes with the luxury we have, unlike so many others, to indulge at Iftar, celebrate with friends over a delicious meal, awaken for Suhoor before dawn in a heated home, and wash for prayer with unlimited hot water.
But at a spiritual level, rather than helplessness, there is hopefulness as we perform Dua (supplication to God), with the trust that there will be justice one day for the oppressed all over the world.
At a community level, we see the mosques are packed for nightly Tarawih prayers and even overflowing on Fridays, Laylatul-Qadr (The Night of Power), and the night of completion of the Quran. On these special nights, it feels the overall age of worshippers trends younger, which is a blessing as more teens and young adults feel the power of prayer in community, in Ramadan especially. Daily Iftars on many college campuses are another sign of this unity.
The practical aspect of Ramadan gives us hope as well. Ramadan is also a month of charity as we donate to fulfill our Zakat obligations to the causes in the US and abroad that speak to us. It may feel like a drop in the ocean, but enough of those drops will be a cooling shower of blessing for someone.
The overall feeling, after the spiritual and physical boot camp that is Ramadan, is of deeper connection to the Ummah, the worldwide Muslim community. This empathy for those experiencing terrible circumstances helps build a Muslim shared identity, but realizing we are all connected makes us wonder: “What will it look like to be a Muslim here, or anywhere next Ramadan?”
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MA Commission on Combatting Antisemitism Next meeting to be in Newton - April 7 (online only)
Tracking anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and related experiences in Newton (online only)
What Sawa Members Are Reading… (online only)
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Together for an Inclusive Massachusetts’ Statement on the Abduction of Fulbright Scholar, Rümeysa Öztürk
On the night of Tuesday, March 25th, Fulbright scholar and Tufts graduate student, Rümeysa Öztürk, was abducted by ICE, possibly for her pro-Palestine activism. Rümeysa was targeted and doxxed by a far-right nationalist organization, one similar to other extremist right-wing organizations that are lobbying to restrict speech critical of the nation-state of Israel in Massachusetts. As progressive Jewish, Muslim, labor, and other civil organizations, we are horrified to see the Trumpist chill of constitutionally-protected freedoms arrive in Massachusetts. We remain gravely concerned that actions by Massachusetts policymakers could further open the door for extensive crackdowns on the freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of association in our state. We need to protect everyone at risk from right-wing attacks on immigrants and refugees, including people of color, Palestinian people, Jewish people, and people who support Palestinian rights. We urge all Massachusetts policymakers not to use the hurt and pain our Jewish communities experience from antisemitism as a wedge to enable the selective persecution of pro-Palestine advocates.
Together for an Inclusive Massachusetts is a group of Jewish, Muslim, labor, education, civil rights and other organizations and individuals advocating for justice and equity in the Commonwealth. Our alliance includes representatives from Boston Workers Circle, Mass Peace Action, Jewish Voice for Peace Boston, If Not Now Boston, National Lawyers Guild - MA, Council on American-Islamic Relations - MA, Sawa: Newton-Area Alliance for Peace and Justice, the Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine, Arlington for Palestine, Worcester Havurah and many others.
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“Sawa” Means Together…
Driven by a vision of collective liberation, our diverse peace alliance advocates for equality and justice for Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and inclusion for all.