The Creighton Intercultural Center and Campus Ministry co-sponsored the annual Creighton Community Iftar.
Iftar is the meal that Muslims have after sundown to break fast during the month of Ramadan. During Ramadan, a holy month in the Islamic calendar, Muslims fast from sunup to sundown.
“I’m so excited to be here again this year with you all… Thank you all for showing up and being interested to come learn and, of course, enjoy some delicious Arab food,” Yasmine Jakmouj, a graduate student in the Heider College of Business who helped lead the event, said in her opening speech.
According the Jakmouj, this is the second year that Creighton has held a large event like this.
“I’ve never had any of these experiences [in Omaha] before I attended last year’s event, and it was really awesome,” Manar Alfailakawi, a student in the Creighton University School of Dentistry, said. “Having it for the second year now makes it a success… [and] it’s not only for Muslims. Anyone can join and learn about other religions.”
After Jakmouj’s opening speech, a speaker discussed the importance of Ramadan in the Islam faith and said a prayer.
The attendees then shared a meal catered by the restaurant Cateus Pita and desserts from The Grand Patisserie.
“I really enjoy it. It feels like they [Creighton] accept us as Muslims and they welcome us in the community,” Alfailakawisaid.
Alfailakawi, who is from Kuwait, said that this community event makes her feel more connected to Creighton.
“Special occasions like Ramadan make me feel homesick, so these events make me more open to the community, and [then] I don’t think about the homesickness a lot,” she said.
Fadah Alkhalel, a Creighton University School of Dentistry student who is also from Kuwait, shared a similar sentiment.
“It means a lot to me, especially since it’s my first Ramadan at Creighton and in Omaha. It makes me feel like I’m at home and with my Muslim sisters,” Alkhalel said. “I’m here alone with no family, no parents. So, this helps us to enjoy our Ramadan more.”
The event was open to all students.
“My friend Yasmine was running it… She told me about the event, and it made me really interested to learn about the community,” Heider College of Business junior Andrew Lovato-Needham said about why he chose to attend, though he isn’t Muslim.
Alkhalel appreciated the event.
“It made us [Muslim students] proud that our college is inviting people to iftar,” she said.