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GAZA CITY — On the morning of Eid al-Fitr, Arafat Helles will begin the day with a particular prayer on the mosque to mark the tip of Ramadan, and eat a breakfast of salty cheeses to line his abdomen for what’s to come back. Then, he’ll set out together with his three brothers and father throughout the Gaza Strip.
They are going to start with their mom however finally go to some 15 sisters, aunts and nieces, doling out dinars and shekels as a part of a Palestinian customized of males marking the Muslim vacation by giving an eidiya, a present of cash, to feminine kinfolk.
The visits will observe an nearly choreographed routine. At every residence, the boys will probably be plied with espresso and sweets. After little greater than quarter-hour, the social calls will finish — a rarity in a society the place such visits might final for hours, and infrequently finish in an invite to remain for dinner.
“That is the eidiya go to,” mentioned Mr. Helles, 48, a professor of social providers at Al-Quds Open College, in Gaza. “It’s one in all our vital traditions.”
Giving an eidiya has lengthy been a follow amongst Muslims — although it has no non secular foundation — and is believed by some to this point again 1,000 years to the Fatimid dynasty and the follow of emirs giving gold cash or presents throughout festivities.
However in most Muslim cultures, adults give an eidiya to youngsters, generally in small, token quantities. Palestinians give the cash to each youngsters and grownup feminine kinfolk, making the custom far dearer, with the type of monetary burden and expectations that Christmas present giving has within the West. The quantities can vary from 20 shekels, about $6, to 365 shekels, about $100.
Today, developing with the cash for the eidiya is particularly onerous.
The 16-year blockade of Gaza by Israel and Egypt has undermined the residing situations of greater than two million Palestinians, and led to an almost 50 p.c unemployment charge that’s among the many highest on the planet.
To present the eidiya, some males will go into debt. Others will wait till their wives get their eidiya from kinfolk earlier than turning round and utilizing that cash to present the present to their different feminine kinfolk.
“Nonetheless unhealthy one’s monetary scenario is, we have now to go and provides,” mentioned Mr. Helles’ father, Hamid al-Abid Helles, 74. “It is a custom we received’t abandon.”
The follow comes on the finish of a month of already added bills for Ramadan, with the flowery dinners after day by day fasts, and ornament of houses and buy of recent garments to be worn on Eid. Within the weeks main as much as the vacation — which this yr begins on Friday — purchasing districts in Gaza have been packed, with seasonal non secular music simply audible over the din of customers and honking horns.
At every relative’s home, Mr. Helles, his brothers and father will probably be served sturdy Turkish espresso, Eid date cookies and goodies — a part of the Eid diyafah, or hospitality. They are going to eat simply sufficient to be well mannered however stay acutely aware that on the subsequent cease they are going to be supplied the identical unfold and inspired to indulge.
“By the tip we have now a stomachache,” mentioned Mr. Helles, a father of six. “We put all of the chocolate in our pockets and inform them we’ll eat it later.”
“He comes again residence and his pocket is bulging with goodies,” mentioned his spouse, Basima Helles, 44.
Throughout every go to, the boys will control their watches. After quarter-hour, they’ll start making strikes to go away, and name to the ladies of the home to simply accept the eidiya. The ladies, in flip, will protest out of politeness. “Actually, there’s no want,” they’ll say. Some will put their arms behind their backs to keep away from being handed the cash.
To reduce the embarrassment of payments being pressed into palms, outlets throughout Gaza are actually providing eidiya playing cards and small bins to place the cash in, to make the customized really feel extra like present giving and fewer transactional. Some playing cards point out each feminine relation that could possibly be on the receiving finish of an eidiya: my granddaughter, my spouse, my mother-in-law.
Yearly Ms. Helles tells her personal brother to not give her an eidiya, as a result of she is aware of that his monetary scenario is precarious, and that she is one in all six sisters.
“We are saying, ‘we forgive you, we excuse you,’ however he’s not keen to come back empty-handed,” she mentioned. “He considers this a social obligation.”
The following day, when girls go to go to their households for Eid, she’s going to return the cash by giving it as an eidiya to his youngsters.
Because the financial scenario in Gaza has worsened in recent times, males unable to afford the present giving have stopped visiting kinfolk altogether throughout Eid to keep away from embarrassment.
However non secular leaders urge males to not abandon a non secular obligation — visiting household — for the sake of a cultural one — the eidiya.
That message hasn’t all the time been heeded.
“If you happen to don’t have an eidiya, it’s higher to not go,” mentioned Abdulmutee Matar, 31. “As a result of they’re accustomed to if you greet them and shake arms, you will have cash in your hand. In case your hand is empty .…” he trailed off, waving his empty hand within the air for emphasis.
He used to present 50 shekels every to his spouse, mom, 4 sisters and eight aunts when he ran his household’s third-generation clothes retailer. However three years in the past, he needed to shut the store.
Since then, he has solely had occasional work however continues to be unwilling to surrender the custom. His mom, a trainer, offers him cash so he can at the very least go see his sisters to present the eidiya. He now not visits his aunts on Eid.
For ladies, the eidiya will be an additional monetary enhance.
Final yr, Hanadi Tawaahena’s father gave an eidiya to her three sisters and mom however to not her. He instructed her that was as a result of she had a house baking enterprise and was making her personal cash.
“The eidiya is vital, even when I work,” mentioned Ms. Tawaahena, 34, final week as she made Eid cookies in a home smelling of ghee and semolina flour. The sweets will probably be a part of the diyafah in houses throughout Gaza. She mentioned it was not only a matter of cash, however a matter of precept and being a part of a longstanding custom.
She added with fun, “I instructed him, ‘Don’t do this once more.’”
For different girls, it’s in regards to the cash, and so they plan properly prematurely what to do with their haul, together with shopping for a wanted family merchandise or garments for his or her youngsters.
Ms. Tawaahena’s sister, Shoroq, 28, was rolling out floor dates to stuff the cookies. She had already made plans together with her mates to take their eidiya cash and spend it at Gaza Metropolis’s boardwalk and eating places.
“Girls on Eid develop into wealthy,” Hanadi Tawaahena mentioned, with one other giggle.
Sitting on the opposite finish of the desk, rolling out dough, the sisters’ mom, 50-year-old Ashjan, agreed.
“However,” she added, “they make the boys poor.”
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