Happy Rosh Hashanah!

This year Rosh Hoshanah, the Jewish New Year, happens to fall on the last day of Ramadan, making the weekend a very important celebratory period for both Muslims and Jews. Last month, The Washington Post printed an article called "Abundant Faith, Shrinking Space" which reveals a recent partnership between a synagogue in Reston, Virginia and the local Muslim community which is too large to fit into the local mosque. Just a few hours after the Muslims finish their prayers, the Jewish community meets in the same space to celebrate the Sabbath. This article made the front page because it is in stark contrast to current news headlines. Many people will be surprised to learn that Jews and Muslims, throughout many periods in history, not only lived peacefully together, but also celebrated together. Some of these periods include the 7th century in Saudi Arabia, 9th-12th centuries in Egypt, Spain's Golden Era, and recently in Northern Virginia, According to Medieval Cuisine of the Islamic World by Lilia Zaouali, the Prophet Mohamed advised Muslims to fast on the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kipur, which falls on September 27 this year. During the 9th to 12th centuries in Egypt, the Fatimid caliphate encouraged cross-religious holiday celebrations along the Nile. Centuries later, Saladin (Salah al Din al Ayyub) relied on the medical advice of his confident, Maimonides, aka Moses ben Maimon (1135-1204), whom Jewish scholars have dubbed "The Great Islamic Rabbi". The glory (and advanced cuisine) of Spain's Golden Era is also a result of the centuries long harmonious co-existence of Muslims and Jews. I wish the Jewish community a happy, healthy, abundant, and prosperous New Year. I wish all of the Muslims a blessed Eid. May Allah accept your fasting and your good deeds. May our communities continue to seek out, respect, and honor one another. If you'd like to make Rosh Hashanah recipes, or need to learn more, check out this video from my good friend, mentor, and Jewish culinary expert Sheilah Kaufman.