Islam Food

Halal culture is very important to many people and many people in HCHS follow the Islam culture. The food served at HCHS is not pertaining to the restrictions for the Halal food diet. HCHS should recognize the importance of Halal culture by providing food that is suitable to the people who follow the Islamic culture. Below are some of the food restrictions on their food.

According to The Spruce Eats, the Islamic culture pertains to the main rule as everything should be eaten unless there are strict, forbidden rules against eating those foods. The word forbidden in Islam food culture means that it is not permitted to eating any animals that are slaughtered. This means no pork, or any meat from animals not slaughtered in the name of Allah. Halal foods are offered around the markets. They even have Halal Turkeys for Thanksgiving and other food sources that don’t cross the forbidden rules of the Halal diet. The Halal food has been distributed throughout the Middle East through food trucks that serve foods that include falafel, shawarma, and other flavorful kabobs. Some popular dishes served on the street are gyros, rice, and other delicious sauces to go with the traditional Halal food. 

Halal food and culture are celebrated throughout the US and we need to have a greater cultural awareness of this culture. One of the ways we can do this is by being able to supply the food that they can eat. Not supplying the necessary food for their needs is not only a disgrace to the culture, but it is also something that we can learn from and make better. Halal food is a very important part of the Islam culture and we the people should provide the food that is suitable for the Islamic people.

Major Holy Celebrations In Islam

 

Eid Al-Adha

    Eid Al-Adha means Feast of Sacrifice. This is a celebration of a story from Prophet Ibrahim’s (PBUH) life. In his willingness to sacrifice his son when God asked him to, God gave him a sheep to sacrifice instead of his son. Muslims have gatherings to celebrate this act of obedience and feast on halal foods. There is also sheep or lamb often served. 

Ramadan

    Ramadan is the month in which Muslims fast every day from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is not a random thirty days, it's a month on the Islamic calendar (a calendar used in Islam to determine and keep track of rituals and holidays). Every year Ramadan is set back ten days, because the Islamic calendar has a total of 355 days in it. Muslims believe that during this blessed month, good deeds count as greater and focusing on good and improving your self is very important. It is said in Islam that during these days, the gates of heaven are open, and the devil is locked up in chains and the gates of hell are closed. This implies that he (the devil or Satan) cannot whisper in your ear and you are more safe during this time. Muslims tend to quit bad habits, pray more and read Quran more in this month as well.

Eid Al-Fitr

    Eid Al-Fitr means Festivity of Breaking (of the fast) and is celebrated at the end of Ramadan. On Eid Al-Fitr, what calls for a celebration is not the month of fasting to be over, but rather the strength to push on and willpower given to them by God during the 30 days of fasting (Ramadan). Because Ramadan is over, that does not mean the positive changes and choice to do good stops for a Muslim. Instead, the month marks a new time of reform in one's life.

An Open Letter To Dress Codes

Most school dress codes don't allow hats/head coverings during class to increase student retention. This works for most children, but Jewish men tend to wear a kippah/yarmulke/skullcap because it is considered a sign of devoutness, women often wear head scarves or hats for the same reason- Wearing these head garments is said to keep a separation between god and man, reminding Jews that they are under god. Dress code policies against headwear and facial coverings make it diffucult for many religions to feel represented, including Judaism.

Kosher

The situation I am addressing is that students are complaining about the food in the cafeteria. The problem is that the food being served can sometimes not be allowed to be eaten in certain religions. According to Judaism for Children, those who conform to Jewish law are not allowed to eat pork, pork products, and shellfish. Another rule is that the animal must chew its cud and cannot have a split hoof. In addition, they cannot combine meat and dairy. A way to help this situation out is providing more Kosher safe foods as in replacing some pork products with different meats and adding sections to help students separate meat and dairy foods. On certain Jewish holidays, Quest Food Services could help to provide more Kosher products to ensure that students are following their holiday. For example on Yom Kippur, they could serve foods like rice and chicken.

The Significance Of Christian Holidays

     

Many Christians, and people celebrate Christian holidays without knowing their true significance and meaning. Oftentimes, people go through the motions of giving presents, and hiding Easter eggs, just because it was what they did as a child. However, each Holiday has its own special meaning, and backstory.

     Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December. This is because on this day Jesus Christ was born. Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem. Many Christians celebrate Christmas by attending a big mass ceremony at their church. They go to this mass to worship Jesus on his birthday. Another Christmas tradition is giving gifts. Gifts are given to remind us of the presents that the wise men gave to Jesus. Lastly, a fun thing some people do is go caroling. People do this to spread joy, and connect to others in the name of god.

     Secondly, many people celebrate Easter. Lots of people celebrate this holiday. In fact roughly 80% of people in the However, there is a large number of people who do not know why it is a tradition to find Easter eggs, where it originated, and Easter's significance. Easter is the oldest and most important Christian holiday. This is because it is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is the story of Jusus' last days, he was crucified on good Friday, then came back to life on Easter day. The eggs in Easter represent the celebration of a new life.  This is why there are so many traditions involving eggs around Easter. An example of this would be Egg dying, egg hunt, and egg rolling. Easter is thought to be one of the most historically important holidays for Christians.

Lastly, lent is a very important day for Christians. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, lent is the time for preparation, and reflection before Easter. During this time people often give up favorite foods and festivities. Christians do this to test self discipline and also because they believe that Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and nights as a time of prayer and fasting. This was before he would die on the cross. Christians go the full 40 days and nights not including Sunday. This is because Sundays are seen as a day of celebration in the church. In the past lent was often much stricter and people were restricted on many more foods. However, in the present time the churches have loosened up and have become less controlling. If one breaks Lent there is no punishment besides the internal punishment. If one breaks Lent usually they feel guilty and like they betrayed Jesus. Roughly 61% of Catholics and Christians partake in Lent.

The Importance of Islamic Holidays

You are a CEO of a Fortune 500 company and your company does not observe Islamic holidays? Why not? Did you know Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world? With about 1.8 billion followers, almost one in four people are members of the Islamic faith. So, why aren’t Islamic holidays nationally observed just like Christian ones? Well, it is most likely because Christian holidays like Christmas were adopted in modern society in 529. It is difficult to understand why Christians are able to take days off for Christmas and Good Friday while other religious populations are left out of the equation. Christmas Eve, Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter, account for the same amount of days as Eid ul Adha, but Muslims do not get their fair share of days off. In order to be a more inclusive society, we need to be more accepting and tolerant of religions different from ours, and allow others to take the religious days off they need. 

There are two Muslim festivals set down in Islamic Law, Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha. Eid ul Fitr is not observed to celebrate the end to fasting, but to instead thank Allah for giving Muslims self control during the time of fasting. During this holiday, a celebratory meal is eaten during the daytime. Eid ul Adha is the second of the two Muslim festivals set by Islamic Law. During Eid ul Adha, followers of Islam celebrate Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his own son to Allah. Even though the devil attempted to persuade Ibrahim to disobey Allah, Ibrahim persisted. Muslims relate this to their sacrifices and submission to Allah, and this is why the holiday is celebrated year after year. Sheep are given as sacrifice, and the meat is split evenly among three groups: family, friends, and the poor.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During this time, Muslims fast during daylight hours. During the ninth month, the Quran, (the Islamic sacred book), was revealed. The gates of heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed with the devils inside. Because the month is blessed by Allah, Muslims believe that their good actions bring a greater reward during this month. Also, they believe it is easier to do good during this month because the devils are locked in Hell, meaning they are unable to tempt Muslims. Lastly, all Muslims try to give up bad habits during this month. They also try to become better Muslims by reading the Quran more often. 

Why Should We Get Days for Christian Holidays?

     For the religion of Christianity, It is important to address the break that school should get. Many schools only give students 4 days of a break for these memorable holidays. I think that this should change that for many reasons. I believe that school boards should take into consideration the holiday break to relax and spend time with your family. It is important to remember the student’s cultures and traditions that these holidays give to people. School boards should take into consideration what these holidays mean to students and what the students get from celebrating. The 2 major holidays that Christians celebrate are Christmas and Easter. 

    Christmas, the time where every family comes together to celebrate and eat ham. But what is Christmas really about? It refers to the old English name 'Cristes Maesse' meaning  Christ's Mass. Christmas is to remember the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God who was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. Family celebrates throughout the month by making their annual Christmas Cookies and sending out holiday cards to cheer on this special day. Which is why school boards should take into account spending time with more family during this special season. So Christmas is a time to cheer and enjoy your time with family and friends as another year draws to a close and where 90% of the world celebrates the birth of Christ.

In addition to Christmas, we have the holiday of Easter. There are a few special days leading up to Easter including lent, Good Friday, and Ash Wednesday. Lent is the season of reflection and preparation before all Christians celebrate Easter.  Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. On Ash Wednesday we start 40 days of lent, Christians replicate Jesus’s sacrifice by taking something away from them for 6 and ½ week.“Lent is a time when some Christians try to overcome their own faults because they believe that it was man's sin that led Jesus to be crucified.”We also come across a day of sorrow which is Good Friday. Good Friday is the day when Jesus Christ was respected on the cross, it represents his victory over death. Easter was the day that he came back to life and visited his follower one more time then went back up to Heaven to be with god. It is a time to celebrate Jesus going to heaven. Christians gather together on Easter Sunday to remember Jesus Christ. “For Christians, the dawn of Easter Sunday with its message of new life is the high point of the Christian year.” You may think these holidays are average and that everyone celebrates them. But there is the true meaning behind all of these special days for Christians, which is why I think we should get more days off for Christmas and Easter.

Accessibility of Halal and Haram foods

          

The challenge that I am addressing today is the accessibility of halal foods in America. Halal foods are easily accessible in many places around the world such as Hong Kong and New Zealand but America lags sufficiently behind. The issue is Muslims can not have the same meat foods that everyone else can access such as Chick-fil-A or McDonalds because they are not halal. Halal food has started to see its rise in the United States due to such a huge market for it which includes at least 3.45 million Muslim consumers in the US. Supermarkets like Walmart, Pete's Fresh Market, etc are now starting to bring in halal meats because they see an extremely profitable opportunity.

I would recommend fast food restaurants and more supermarkets to supply halal foods because not only does it benefit the Muslim people but according to https://www.isahalal.com/news-events/blog/scope-of-Halal-food-in-USA there is over a 20 billion dollar industry for halal food in the US. For instance, there was a KFC near my house which served halal chicken for several years and the local Mosque used to buy a couple hundred boxes from them every Friday. When they suddenly decided to take them out, the Muslim community stopped getting their amazing chicken and they lost profit. If large chains of supermarkets and fast food places made halal food it would be a win win for everyone, Muslims get halal food and these large chains make even more money.

For the religion of Islam halal food is essential because it is part of their belief, eating pure and anti-cruel meat. They cannot eat food that is not halal whether it be fast food or prepackaged which is why the accessibility of halal food can benefit Muslims and non Muslims and can ease the process of eating out for Muslims. For Muslims halal is just more than food, halal means permissible. It's they way they perform everyday acts so it's not only food but the whole idea of permissible and impermissible, (halal and haram) is so important to Muslims.

We need more diversity in school holidays

Most companies and schools in America only give students the day off for Christian holidays such as Good Friday & Christmas, but other religious holidays are just as important. While Christian holidays can seem the most riveting, inclusive, and broad enough to have days off for; many other religions have very important holidays that need days off too.

Passover is a very important holiday for jewish people. Jews celebrate the Feast of Passover to commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses. When the pharaoh enslaved the children, God brought 10 plagues to Egypt. There was an angel who was set to passover houses that put lambs blood on their door. Passover is one of the most important religious festivals in the Jewish calendar and they need a day off. 

Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish New year where they celebrate the anniversary of God’s creation of Adam and Eve. They celebrate by lighting candles in the evening, praying, and having festive meals. it would be  great to give them time off for their holiday.

lastly Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. On Yom Kippur, God makes the final decision on what the next year will be like for each person. This is one of the most important holidays to jews because it decides the outcome for the next year.

Jewish holidays are just as important as any other holidays and they should receive time off 

''Judaism Dietary Laws''

    

    The challenge I am addressing is the lack of food options for students to meet their religious dietary guidelines of Judaism. Many religions forbid certain food items, have strict requirements about how food should be prepared, and have special dietary practices that must be observed. Following these guidelines helps followers of these religions feel assured that they are eating what is best for their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. ''Jewish dietary laws are known as kashrut and food that adheres to these standards is called kosher''. The general principles of keeping kosher are in the Torah. Kosher foods fall into three categories: meat, dairy, and pareve.   Judaism food.

    It is recommended that Quest's food services include a menu option that is able to follow and be in accordance with the diet of Judaism.The forbidden food of the jews diet is mentioned by the author Mandy Barrow from the website Information on the Jewish Religion. 

• Kosher meat must come from an animal that chews its cud and has split hooves (Ex: cows, sheep, and goats). All blood must be drained from meat and poultry before cooking

• Dairy products and meat products cannot be eaten together. Milk, cheese, and other dairy products must come from a kosher animal (milk, butter, yogurt, and cheese).

• Fish is kosher if it has both fins and scales (Ex: salmon, bass, or trout)

• Utensils that have come into contact with meat may not be used with dairy, and vice versa

    

    For all practicing Jews, meals have an important place in religious life. one of the reasons Jews observe these laws is because the Torah says so. The Torah does not specify a reason for these laws, but for an observant Jew there is no need for a reason: '' Jews show their faith and obedience to God by following the laws even though they do not know the specific reason''.

More Food Options At Hinsdale Central

Dear Quest Food Services, 

 After hearing many complaints and receiving many emails about the limited food options available in the cafeteria I decided it would be a good idea to reach out to you. In our school, we have many students who have dietary restrictions due to their cultures and can only eat certain things. I believe that it would be our best choice to provide more foods that follow Halal guidelines for Islamic students. What is this you may ask? Halal foods are the only foods that are allowed to be consumed under under Islamic dietary guidelines. Most food in our cafeteria is Haram foods. These foods cannot be consumed by our Islamic students because they are "forbidden" in their culture. Some Haram foods are pork, animals that were dead prior to slaughtering, and animals that were not slaughtered properly. Adding on, carnivorous animals, birds of prey, and land animals without external ears are also Haram foods.

Now, the real question is how are we going to fix our menu at Hinsdale Central to fit the Islamic dietary restrictions. Well, some Halal (can be eaten) foods that we can add could be chicken, gyros, and falafel, shwarma, and flavorful kabobs. Some side dishes could be hummus and tahini, and of course for dessert we could add baklava. Islamic people believe that all animals should be treated with respect, well cared for, and limit the amount of pain when slaughtering an animal. This means that in order to make lots of these things you need to find a special place to get this done. Where you may ask? Well, you can find many Halal foods at Middle Eastern grocers in large cities or, you could find halal butchers. Both places make sure all foods follow Islamic dietary restrictions. Adding on, during the holiday Eid-al-Fitr Islamic students have to fast. This is when they cannot eat during the day until a certain time. But, for breakfast I believe that we should add some foods they can eat before starting the fast. These foods are normally sweet dishes. For example, Boeber. This is made by cooking vermicelli with dates, and then cooked separately in milk. In conclusion, many other Hinsdale Central students and I believe that we should definitely add more Halal foods to our cafeteria menu to fit the Islamic dietary needs.