For Wafa Tayim, it was all smiles as she greeted dozens of people at the Ibrahim Islamic Center on Houston's south side. After the sunset, she joined her congregation in prayer before they broke fast and sat down for a special Iftar dinner.
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"Ramadan is like a big party. I know from the outside looking in we can't eat for 30 days, and everyone may think this is just a miserable time. But once the sun sets, we're breaking fast with our friends and family in a community setting. We're eating really nice food that we normally don't eat outside of Ramadan," Tayim said.
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But on the inside, this year's holiday felt different for Tayim, who is Palestinian American. Her heart has been heavy, and the mood has been somber.
"No one feels like eating a big meal when you know people in Gaza are breaking their fast on non-potable water. They're not sitting around a kitchen table, but maybe in a tent at a campsite," Tayim said. "I've spent a lot of time trying to take that in and understand why the people in Gaza are being tested."
Hibba Hanaif, whose family is also from Palestine, shared the same heartbreak and pain as Tayim during Ramadan. Since the Hamas attack in Israel on Oct. 7, Gaza's Health Ministry says their death toll from Israel's retaliation in the strip has surpassed 33,000 people.
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Images and videos coming out of the wartorn area show survivors left to fend for meager amounts of food, water, shelter, and medical supplies.
"Throughout the day, when I get hungry or thirsty, I automatically think about what the people in Gaza are going through and basically feel the same thing that they're going through," Hanaif said. "Many of them don't have their families around anymore, and they have to live every single day, not even knowing what will happen in the next second for them."
READ MORE: Palestinian Americans rushing to get family in Gaza across Egypt border: 'Very desperate situation'
Adding to the grief and sorrow that Hanaif feels is the safety concern that she and her loved ones experience due to skyrocketing reports of hate. According to the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the number of Islamophobic incidents in the U.S. increased by 56% in 2023, the highest ever in the organization's 30-year history.
Despite the conflicting feelings, Hanaif decided it was more important to celebrate and represent her culture loud and proud.
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"That's definitely something I'm very proud of. I love my culture. I love the country where my family is from," Hanaif said. "Palestinians are very resilient and grateful for what they have, even though it might not be very much right now. Thinking about that gives me goosebumps."
Tayim agrees. During Arab American Heritage Month, she hopes that by sharing their stories, they can help combat stigmas, misinformation, and hate towards their communities.
"I put on my hijab by choice, and I speak Arabic. But my family also enjoys good burgers and fries. I'm very much involved in my kids' school, where I'm the incoming PTO president," Tayim said. "Arab Americans are just like you. We bleed red, just like every other American. We're the same. I think if we as humans can just see the similarities, we can get past all of these differences."
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