United by their faiths in Allston

Jewish, Muslim, Christian teens and parents break fast together in Allston as Mideast violence rages

By Faiz Siddiqui, Boston Globe Correspondent

The dozen or so children and teenagers dug into mounds of yellow rice, and scooped heaps of creamy hummus, and devoured doughy, nut-filled katayef as the sun disappeared over the horizon. But faith, not food, proved to be their uniter, even as some like Shayan Raza took their first sips of water after a daylong fast.

They came, these Jewish and Christian and Muslim teens and parents, to extend a mutual gesture of peace. They came even as, half a world away, strife roiled the lands considered by their faiths to be holy.

Around the table Sunday, the teenagers found common ground not only in their frustration, but also their faith in the Abrahamic religions. They weighed the similarities between Ramadan and Passover, between kosher and halal food, between the Jewish and Muslim calendars. They marveled at the significance of the moon to both religions. They considered the importance of Abraham to their scriptures.

“When you see the news, you see all the horrible stuff that's going on,” Raza, a 13-year-old, said after breaking his nearly 17-hour fast. “But you come here, and kind of see a different outlook.”

The youths had gathered at the Palestinian Cultural Center for Peace in Allston for an interfaith iftar, a traditional breaking of the fast that takes place nightly during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Many were part of the interfaith leadership community Kids4Peace Boston.

They met at a time when airstrikes continued to rain down on the Gaza Strip, leaving at least 175 dead over the course of a weeklong offensive. They dined together as rocket fire continued pouring into Israel, causing at least one serious injury and leaving multiple Israeli soldiers wounded.

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