Arab Culture
To celebrate Arab American Heritage Month, one of our students, Manal, shares some of the aspects of her heritage that she cherishes the most in her life here in the United States. Manal is originally from Jerusalem and has been a student with us for two years. She has a large and lovely family consisting of four sons and three daughters, as well as seventeen grandchildren! “Family is everything to us; Jerusalem’s women typically have a large number of children. I adore all of my grandchildren and wish to have more,” she shares. Manal explains that it is a popular tradition in Jerusalem families to name the first granddaughter and grandson after their grandparents. “I love this because my name will be passed down through generations and I will never be forgotten.”
We asked Manal about things that make her feel closer to her homeland, and she immediately thought of olives! Her town is surrounded by very big olive trees named Ruman. She shares, “In my country, olives are very old; the Ruman tree is very large and represents Jerusalem.” Food is also an important tradition in her country because it symbolizes who they are. Making bread for Manal is synonymous with spending time with her family. “I learned how to make bread from my mother and older sister, and I’ve now passed the tradition down to my daughters,” she says. Tammy, Manal’s tutor, was amazed when she first saw the bread-making process: “It’s incredible how her daughters make it. The big bowls they use and how they sit with their legs around it, the big blobs of dough, the process itself and what it means to them is just beautiful.”
We asked Manal if she had a celebration that she likes the most, and she said, “Ramadan is our biggest holiday and probably the most important month of the year for us. It is a time to feel compassion for the poor, to assist those in greatest need, and to fast during the day until the sun sets.” When Ramadan is over on the evening of Sunday, May 1, they get together, buy new clothes, and make a big celebration with family and friends. At the same time, these occasions can be a little bittersweet if you still have family in your home country. This is not an exception for Manal, who tells us, “Sometimes it is very difficult, I feel half of my heart is in my country, Jerusalem. But my traditions make me feel at home, and I love where I live now.”
We’re grateful to Manal for sharing some of her heart with us!