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 return. Then, he’ll set out together with his three brothers and father throughout the Gaza Strip.
They may start with their mom however ultimately 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 relations.
The visits will observe an nearly choreographed routine. At every residence, the lads shall 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 could final for hours, and infrequently finish in an invite to remain for dinner.
“That is the eidiya go to,” stated Mr. Helles, 48, a professor of social companies at Al-Quds Open College, in Gaza. “It’s one in all our vital traditions.”
Giving an eidiya has lengthy been a observe amongst Muslims — although it has no non secular foundation — and is believed by some up to now again 1,000 years to the Fatimid dynasty and the observe of emirs giving gold cash or items throughout festivities.
However in most Muslim cultures, adults give an eidiya to kids, generally in small, token quantities. Palestinians give the cash to each kids and grownup feminine relations, making the custom far dearer, with the sort of monetary burden and expectations that Christmas reward giving has within the West. The quantities can vary from 20 shekels, about $6, to 365 shekels, about $100.
As of late, arising 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 a virtually 50 p.c unemployment price that’s among the many highest on this planet.
To offer the eidiya, some males will go into debt. Others will wait till their wives get their eidiya from relations earlier than turning round and utilizing that cash to provide the reward to their different feminine relations.
“Nevertheless dangerous one’s monetary scenario is, now we have to go and provides,” stated Mr. Helles’ father, Hamid al-Abid Helles, 74. “This can be a custom we received’t abandon.”
The observe comes on the finish of a month of already added bills for Ramadan, with the frilly dinners after day by day fasts, and ornament of houses and buy of latest garments to be worn on Eid. Within the weeks main as much as the vacation — which this yr begins on Friday — procuring 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 shall be served robust Turkish espresso, Eid date cookies and goodies — a part of the Eid diyafah, or hospitality. They may eat simply sufficient to be well mannered however stay aware that on the subsequent cease they are going to be provided the identical unfold and inspired to indulge.
“By the tip now we have a stomachache,” stated 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,” stated his spouse, Basima Helles, 44.
Throughout every go to, the lads will control their watches. After quarter-hour, they’ll start making strikes to go away, and name to the ladies of the home to just 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 minimize the embarrassment of payments being pressed into palms, outlets throughout Gaza are actually providing eidiya playing cards and small packing containers to place the cash in, to make the customized really feel extra like reward giving and fewer transactional. Some playing cards point out each feminine relation that may very well 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 return empty-handed,” she stated. “He considers this a social obligation.”
The subsequent day, when ladies go to go to their households for Eid, she’s going to return the cash by giving it as an eidiya to his kids.
Because the financial scenario in Gaza has worsened in recent times, males unable to afford the reward giving have stopped visiting relations 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 at all times been heeded.
“In case you don’t have an eidiya, it’s higher to not go,” stated Abdulmutee Matar, 31. “As a result of they’re accustomed to while you greet them and shake arms, you may 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 provide 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 instructor, offers him cash so he can no less than go see his sisters to provide the eidiya. He now not visits his aunts on Eid.
For girls, 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 advised 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,” stated Ms. Tawaahena, 34, final week as she made Eid cookies in a home smelling of ghee and semolina flour. The sweets shall be a part of the diyafah in houses throughout Gaza. She stated it was not only a matter of cash, however a matter of precept and being a part of a longstanding custom.
She added with amusing, “I advised him, ‘Don’t try this once more.’”
For different ladies, it’s concerning the cash, they usually plan nicely upfront what to do with their haul, together with shopping for a wanted family merchandise or garments for his or her kids.
Ms. Tawaahena’s sister, Shoroq, 28, was rolling out floor dates to stuff the cookies. She had already made plans along with her buddies to take their eidiya cash and spend it at Gaza Metropolis’s boardwalk and eating places.
“Ladies on Eid turn into wealthy,” Hanadi Tawaahena stated, with one other snort.
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 lads poor.”
