>> THURSDAY EVENING MARKS THE START OF RAMADAN, A MONTH IN THE
ISLAMIC YEAR WHERE MUSLIMS FAST DURING THE DAY AND JOIN TOGETHER
AT NIGHT TO PRAY AND BREAK FAST.
THIS YEAR IT WILL BE MUCH DIFFERENT DUE TO THE
CORONAVIRUS.
MUSLIMS IN WESTERN NEW ENGLAND ARE FACING THE SAME CHALLENGES,
TRYING TO KEEP AS MUCH OF THE CORE VALUES OF RAMADAN IN PLACE
WHILE STAYING SAFE.
ROSS LIPPMAN VISITED THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS
TO SEE HOW THEY'RE PREPARING FOR RAMADAN THIS YEAR.
>> THE THING THAT'S REALLY IMPACTED US, THE MOSQUE IS
EMPTY.
>> MUSLIMS AROUND THE WORLD ARE PREPARING FOR RAMADAN, THE NINTH
MONTH OF THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR WHERE TYPICALLY THE MOSQUE, LIKE
THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS' IN WEST
SPRINGFIELD, WOULD BE THE CENTER OF SELF REFLECTION, PRAYER AND
CELEBRATION.
THAT WON'T BE THE CASE THIS YEAR.
>> THAT BECOMES EXTREMELY, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, HURTFUL IN
THE SENSE THAT USUALLY DURING RAMADAN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE 7:0N
THE EVENING FOR PRAYERS.
AND AT THIS POINT WE'RE PRETTY MUCH GOING TO BE CLOSED DOWN FOR
RAMADAN.
>> HE'S THE PRESIDENT OF ISWN AND HAS BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY
FOR THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HONOR THIS
IMPORTANT TIME OF YEAR FOR THE CONGREGATION IN THE FACE OF
COVID-19.
WHILE INSIDE THE MASK REMAINS SILENT, OUTSIDE THE CONGREGATION
IS HARD AT WORK.
>> WE'RE TAUGHT AS PART OF OUR FAITH TO BE TRUTHFUL, TO BE
HONEST, TO, KIND TO OTHERS, AND TO WISH FOR YOUR BLOWER WHAT YO-
TO WISH FOR YOUR BROTHER WHAT YOU WISH FOR YOURSELF.
RAMADAN IS A PERIOD WHERE YOU TRY TO DO AS MUCH GOOD AS YOU
POSSIBLY CAN AND GIVE BACK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE TRAINING PERIOD FOR THE REST OF
THE YEAR.
>> EACH YEAR DURING THE WEEK BEFORE THE START OF RAMADAN, THE
MEMBERS OF ISWM ORGANIZE A WALK TO END HUNGER.
THIS YEAR THEY HAD TO GET CREATIVE.
>> THE MAIN IDEA IS THAT EVEN BEFORE THE START OF RAMADAN,
WHICH WE CALL MONTH OF CHARITY, WE ARE GOING TO COLLECT
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDS AND GIVE IT TO OUR LOCAL FOOD
PANTRY, SO THEY CAN FEED THE HUNGRY PEOPLE.
>> THAT'S HOW THIS, QUOTE, VIRTUAL WALK CAME TO BE.
CARS DRIVING UP, MONEY OR FOOD BEING DONATED, IN EXCHANGE FOR
MASKS MADE BY THE MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION.
>> WE HAVE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES WHERE WE'RE HELPING OUT, WHETHER
IT'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH OR FEEDING THE HOMELESS EVERY
SUNDAY.
WE LOOKED AT ALL OUR PROGRAMS AND SAID WHICH ONES CAN WE
CONTINUE, AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE TODAY IS ACTUALLY AN
OVERWHELMING RESPONSE.
>> TYPICALLY THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY RAISES ABOUT $2,500.
THIS YEAR THEY DOUBLED IT. AND AS THE FOOD IS COLLECTED
INSIDE BY THE MEMBERS OF ISWM VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME, THEY'RE
REMINDED OF WHAT THEY'LL BE MISSING MOST DURING RAMADAN.
EACH OTHER.
>> THE MAJOR ACTIVITY IS WE GET TOGETHER, PRAY AT NIGHT, BREAK
THE FAST AT NIGHT, AND THOSE THINGS ARE NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO INNOVATE SOME NEW WAYS OF HOW WE CAN STAY
CONNECTED WHILE WE ARE APART FROM EACH OTHER.
>> JUST LIKE EASTER AND PASS OVER CELEBRATED IN THE WEEKS
PRECEDING RAMADAN, THIS HOLY TIME FOR MUSLIMS WILL NOT BE THE
SAME THIS YEAR.
AND LIKE ALL RELIGIONS, CONCESSIONS ARE BEING MADE IN
THE NATION OF -- IN THE FACE OF THE CORONAVIRUS.
>> THIS VIRUS DOES NOT DIFFERENTIATE ON WHO YOU ARE,
WHAT RELIGION YOU ARE, HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE.
FOR US THE CHALLENGE IS TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THE SERVICES
WE'RE PROVIDING BUT SEE SAME TIME MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING
THE RIGHT PRECAUTIONS.