Halfway around the world, tensions are high between Jews and Muslims, but at Kent State University, a Muslim and a Jew are cultivating a friendship.
"We just get along," said Sara Kate Bigam. "Both religions teach peace and tolerance. Unfortunately, not everybody is following what is being taught."
"We have no reason not to like each other," said Ameir Ali. "If we were in the Middle East, it would be appalling to be friends but we grew up here in America."
The two plan to break their Ramadan and Yom Kippur fasts together on Oct. 13. This year, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holy month of Tishrei, which begins with Rosh Hashanah, will coincide.
Rosh Hashanah, one of the most important religious holidays for the Jewish faithful, ushers in a 10-day period called the High Holy Days. The High Holy Days culminate on Yom Kippur, a day of atonement, which is set aside for fasting and repenting.
Commonly known as the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah began at sundown Monday and Yom Kippur begins at sundown Wednesday.
Ramadan, a month of prayer, fasting, and charity for Muslims, is expected to begin on Tuesday. For the Islamic faithful, each month begins with the sighting of a new moon. Ramadan is the holiest month on the lunar Islamic calendar.
During Ramadan, the daily period of fasting starts at the break of dawn and ends with the setting of the sun. During the day, Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sex. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal before dawn and a post-fast meal after sunset.
"I feel so dumb complaining about having to fast for one day, when you have to fast for 30 days," Bigam told Ali.
Ali, 20, and Bigam, 21, met each other this fall in a news writing class. The two just happened to be sitting next to each other when the professor asked the class to interview a classmate and write a story.
Once the two started talking, they gathered some general information and discovered some of each other's likes and dislikes. During the conversation, Ali, a third-year student majoring in information design, shared that he is vice president of the Muslim Student Association and that his family is from Palestine.
Bigam then told Ali that she was Jewish and commented that the two of them were getting along fine.
"I didn't throw rocks," Ali said.
"And we didn't turn away from each other and go interview someone else," Bigam added.
Bigam and Ali know how deep the tensions run between Palestinians and Israelis, but they are determined not to let the negative attitudes affect their new friendship.
"It's entirely different for someone who has grown up here than in Israel-Palestine. You can be more objective because you're removed. You can see there's some blame on both sides," Ali said. "Over there, you blame one side - they're cultured to react negatively to each other."
Bigam, who transferred to KSU from Ohio University in August, said Ali was her first friend on campus.
"I didn't know anyone. I had no friends," said Bigam, a fourth year student majoring in magazine journalism. "He's introduced me to a lot of his friends and now they say `hi' to me and talk to me when they see me."
In addition to breaking the Yom Kippur and Ramadan fasts together during a break in their evening class on Oct. 13, Bigam has agreed to participate in the Fast-A-Thon, sponsored by the Muslim Student Association.
Each year, the organization gets non-Muslim students to pledge to a day of fasting. Sponsors make donations for each student who fasts and the proceeds are given to a local charity.
"I think it's not a secret that people can get along, if they just take time to get to know each other," Ali said.
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